#sabaody arc

[punster-2319]

If I had a nickel for every time a former member of Roger’s crew stopped an overpowered figure associated with the World Government from delivering the killing blow to one of the Straw Hats, I’d have 2 nickels.

Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird it happened twice.

[beastenraged]

Rainmaker in the Sabaody Arc-2

Bartholomew Kuma is more metal than flesh now. More robot than human. He knows that this last visit, last set of orders at Sabaody, are the last time 'he' will exist.

And that is the sacrifice he would make again in a heartbeat. For Bonney.

Only- something has happened. Something that should not have happened.

Kizaru, Borsalino, he's not taking down the pirates anymore. Sentomaru has been pinned down...somewhere, in the mangroves. And the cause of this is a woman with red hair, staring at him from behind glass beading.

The hat, the robes...there's something about them that seems familiar. A story he heard on the Red Line, he thinks. But of what?

"Ah. There you are."

There he is. Still. Very still. Because the orders wired into his frame don't allow him to put high ranked Admirals at risk, and from how Borsalino keeps trying to struggle free, his old friend has realized that as well.

"The Paw Paw Fruit, they say, can send someone anywhere to the world in just three days."

She hums, her hands so very red. So covered in the blood of the Nobles she killed. Something that Kuma hasn't seen before. Not outside the madness of God Valley, all those years ago.

"Three days to the Holy Land...imagine how many I could kill once I arrived."

There's madness in the woman's eyes and there's no telling many will fall prey to it in the meantime.

"They'd stop you the moment you landed," Borsalino says, glaring up at her the best he can with his face in the dirt, glasses smashed up against his cheek.

"Would they?" The woman tilts her head, beads clacking on her hat. "You see, before I ended the lives of those miserable worms-" she gestures to the heads of the Nobles. "-I had them beg for more Marines to show up. More Admirals."

More Admirals. Kuma can't help but inwardly flinch at that. Is this woman suicidal? Even though she may have pinned Borsalino easily, more than one Admiral is still too much for even skilled New World pirates.

"But they haven't. And they should have by now," she continues, glancing about with hands on her hips. "So. What is happening that has taken your attention, hm? What's so important that you dogs can't come running to your crying masters?"

She leans over, not a lot, but enough to make it clear she's directing her questions to Borsalino. Who grits his teeth.

"Marine business."

"Ah, yes, of course, of course, very important Marine business." She shrugs. "I'll find out eventually. For now...these rookies."

The Straw Hats. Yes, they're here. Not far, not able to hide from Observation when they don't even know of its existence.

She flicks a bloody hand. "Go on. Send them away. Or-" Her foot presses harder, eliciting a grunt from her hostage. "You understand me, yes?"

For a moment, Kuma stalls, both mechanic mind and human one in the same space of confusion.

She's not a fool. She also just stated how the Paw-Paw Fruit works, with its 'pushing' over three days. Yet here she is, offering Kuma a chance to get the Straw Hat Pirates away. Like he had been planning originally.

Her chin jerks impatiently in the direction of the pirate crew. "Go on. Don't let me stop you."

Except that she does. At the very end, snagging the captain before Kuma can touch him with his paws. Monkey D. Luffy. With what, Kuma doesn't quite catch, only that she's still pinning Borsalino down by the small of his back with her foot when she does.

A Devil Fruit of some kind, it has to be.

"You. Where did you get that hat?"

What. Why-?

Luffy only glares, bloody and beaten. "You hurt my crew."

(It reminds Kuma of how the swordsman took his captain's pain, at Thriller Bark. The same determination, the same protectiveness.)

"Don't be ridiculous," the woman dismisses. "Weren't you listening to anything I said? They're simply traveling away from here. It's for the best, really, in your weakness."

"No."

"Hm." The woman pulls her fingers through her beaded veil. "Was it Shanks?"

What- Monkey D. Luffy jerks, eyes widening. And that's she seems to need as a response. "The same. I see."

Then Kuma gets the teenager shoved into him.

"I'm done now."

And just like that, he sends the boy away to safety. Just like he had planned.

"Now." She looks Kuma up and down, unworried of the threat he could pose to her, nevermind that he just used his Fruit on someone not more than a few feet away from her.

"They've put a lot of work into these...fake-Kumas. So the real one...they'll want you back for sure. Send some forces for that, I bet."

She's smiling. She's smiling and it's all teeth and hunger and madness.

Is she saying-?

"I'd say sorry, but I'm not."

He needs to-

Concentrated Conqueror's Haki, focused on him completely and totally.

"SLEEP."

And for first time in months, Kuma does so unwillingly.

[toonstarterz]

oh shit I just realized I never posted the latest One Video FUUUUUUU

anyway, here's the Sabaody arc. Go nuts.

[lostpimplepatch]

Re-reading One Piece (Ch 3)

I feel like the introduction of Helmeppo in chapter 3 parallels the introduction of Saint Charlos in chapter 499. The first words from both of them is whining about their daddy. Everyone bows down as he walks in and he threatens to kill anyone who doesn’t. And of course Luffy reacts similarly to their bs. Add to this Captain Morgan’s introduction has him talking about how the townspeople are not paying him enough “offerings” paralleling heavenly tributes.

Really speaks to how early we set up Luffy’s values and convictions and the idea of opposing abuse of power. Also super interesting how many smaller villains in one piece parallel and shadow the actions of the world nobles. In a meta sense because of the consistency of what is evil in the story. In a world building sense, because it makes sense that smaller governing bodies and autocrats mimic the way the world government is set up in wanting to believe that they are more like the world nobles than the people they oppress.

[dear-sunset]

Fateful day! ♡ 𓍼

[lazymonth]

I bought a whole mf arc, man. Hyper-fixation at its peak

This looks so beautiful..

[thunderbaal]

I needed some pre timeskip Law. Did you need him too? 💕🏴‍☠️

[aziraphalesbookkeeper]

so i hit sabaody