Fuck my Life

[doubleppk]

Yeah. Remember all those seaking shares I bought? Just my luck.

Record storms continue to ravage the edges along the Grand Line and Calm Belts! Earlier this month, the Grand Line which commonly sees a great number of typhoons, saw a record number of storms skirting the edges of the Calm Belts. The Calm Belts of course, so named precisely because of their usual lack of winds or storms. While very few islands or people were affected by this, some were devastated. Ma and Pa Grubbs were particularly affected by this minor destruction.

Their fledging "seaking farm" took a particularly heavy blow when the seakings went crazy from the storm. "They jus' up and wen' nutters, ya know? One minute they were all peaceful like and then the storms came and the seakings, well they are wen' and freaked out like it was the end of the world. Kind of were the end of our world." A tearful Pa Grubbs sobbed onto his wife's shoulders. The Grubbs had just started their seaking farm on the edge of the Calm Belts as a means of raising seaking meat for Grand Line travelers.

The 200 acre "farm" was a small island with a large number of nets. During the latest storm's havoc however, the very seakings the Grubbs were raising went on a rampage attacking the island, destroying the nets and the poor Grubbs themslves only just got away. "Luckily," Ma Grubbs confided, "I put all our money investing into bath houses in Alabasta! So now at least we have someplace to go and we aren't completely financially ruined."

... Fuck my life.

Comments

[doubleppk]

Supposedly. But I'm sure you can think of someone who's lousy at the job and still got promoted for no apparent reason. Jeez from the stories I've heard, Lucci and Jyabura's last boss jumps to mind.

Then I shouldn't need to tell you to stay on your guard even more than usual.

[justicereigns]

Yes, but those were secret positions. For a posting in the public eye - like say, the officer in charge of the entrance to the Grand Line - even the Brass aren't stupid enough to give it to an incompetent.

It's impossible for me to be any more on guard.

[doubleppk]

Hm. Good to know. Though from what I hear Loguetown was something of a mess before you took over. Was that poor captainship on the last man's part?

Heh. Glad to hear it Captain. ^_^

I also have to ask. Do you know of any either pirates or slavers nearby that aren't quite big enough for you to waste your time on (and thus could be handled by a couple of very tough kids) but still a nuisance? I'd be ever so delighted to take them off your hands~

If you're REALLY helpful I'll even fill out the paperwork for you. <3

[justicereigns]

Corruption, mostly. As soon as I actually proved it could be cleaned up, though, everyone started taking the idea a little more seriously.

I'm sending you a couple of files now. Bounties of ten and twelve million each, so they'd be taken down fairly soon anyway. Have fun.

[doubleppk]

Hm. I see. Impressive. But I'm half-surprised they reassigned you then.

Thanks Captain! I won't let you down.

[justicereigns]

I didn't leave them much choice.

Don't do anything too stupid. That's for Ds.

[doubleppk]

... This I have to hear more about. Please.

Hah. Understood. ^_^ Besides, I have people I have to look out for here. I won't let them get hurt.

[justicereigns]

There's not exactly a lot to tell.

Then you have the right priorities.

[doubleppk]

Don't be so modest and maybe you'll find something to tell about it? I like stories. Particularly ones that involve something I'm interested. This happens to be one of those times.

Hehe. Thanks. ^_^ ... But... I'm not sure that's enough.

[justicereigns]

They said to go back. I refused. They insisted. I pulled out some blackmail. They shut up.
I'm not particularly good at story-telling, in case you missed it.

Why shouldn't it be?

[doubleppk]

Hah. :D I'll have to disagree with you on the story telling point. That so far seems like the best kind of story. But anything involving blackmailing superior officers to make them shut up instantly has my undivided attention.

Tch. Because. Good intentions, priorites, trying hard; they're not enough in this worl... well in my world. But I doubt this one is any different in that respect.

[justicereigns]

You never heard me say anything.

Trying hard isn't as good as trying hard and succeeding. But it's a hell of a lot better than just giving up. If you care about something, protect it.

[doubleppk]

<3 Yes sir. ^_^

... Ah. I... um. Yes. Thanks. I will. No matter what.

[justicereigns]

It's just common sense.

[doubleppk]

Maybe for you. But you sort of have a knack of just...

Surprising me.

[justicereigns]

What's so surprising about feeling you should protect your loved ones?

[doubleppk]

I don't... love... them...

And... it's not that. It's that...

Tch. Just... No one else really figured I should keep trying if I fail at it. Not even me. So...

[justicereigns]

I meant 'loved ones' in the sense that you care about them.

Everyone fails sometimes. That's no reason to stop bothering.

... of course, when the failure comes because you stupidly invested all your money in a ridiculous get-rich-quick scheme, that's an exception to the rule.

[doubleppk]

Hn. They're just... whatever. It doesn't matter.

Nn.

........

It wasn't ridiculous! It could have really worked!

[justicereigns]

Obviously it does.

The chances of ANY similar scheme working is so low as to be stupid. Especially when there are far better ways of making money.

[doubleppk]

... It... what? Why?

Tch. It wasn't just the making money it was having something I could put it invested into so that it was... safe... :| Shut up. It made more sense at the time. If I held onto that much money it'd just get stolen. And... YES I realize the effect is the SAME right now but! NORMALLY, if I didn't have the worst luck of anyone, it would have made money too while I was doing something else to get more money. See? It makes sense. It just... didn't work out this time.

[justicereigns]

Because you're stopping yourself from explaining in such a way that suggests you'd feel uncomfortable with me or anyone hearing it. If it didn't matter, you wouldn't care about saying it.

There's these genius inventions. They're called 'banks'. And 'stockbrokers'.

[doubleppk]

Hn. If I... care... about them... it could be used against me. And... I don't. So it can't. But someone could try. And that would endanger them needlessly. I don't... care... necessarily. But I don't see any need to endanger them with my lack of forethought.

Tch. I can't put my money in banks, it's too easily confiscated and leaves a trail where people know where to get me. And stockbrokers are scammers that claim to invest for you but then tell you all your money turned up nothing and then run off.

[justicereigns]

Few people and can just 'decide' not to care for someone and make it work. If you're the sort of person who's going to worry about putting people in danger, you're the type that can't turn off caring, no matter what you might tell yourself.

Then give up wordly possessions and live in a cave. There's risk everywhere. A sensible risk would be a bank. A stupid risk is a seaking farm.

Private

[doubleppk]

I don't care. The things I get from caring? They're another danger. I'd rather feign indifference even where there is none then deal with being used and manipulated. This way I'm on my guard. I DO want to protect them. That's why I'm here and that's why I didn't come re-join you even though I wanted to. I do... love... Jyabura. And protecting him and the others... they don't need my protection. And that's why I do it if it makes any sense. Killua and Gon are insanely strong but if someone doesn't watch them, who will? And if I wasn't with them I'd be... not with them. I couldn't do the things I want.

But even though this ship has a lot of kids they're devious little bastards too. I don't trust any of them at all. Which is another reason I want to watch them. I'm not a guide, I'm not even necessarily a good influence. But if I'm with them, they're not against me.


Tch. Banks aren't even a risk, they're a sure thing of losing my money and getting entrapped. Other people can keep money in a bank, I can't.