uccellodifuoco | 18th Rise of the Phoenix ஜ Action/Voice [Backdated to the 15th]

[To be honest, Ikki hasn't slept at all. He has stayed awake in his room, glaring at the clock as it slowly ticked away the minutes until midnight hit and with it came the official start of the new day. Another August 15th, another birthday he never expected to "enjoy", the third spent in this place which only reminds him that he's on his way to his third year in Luceti as a whole. He spends the night sulking to himself before leaving early in a poor, and probably useless, attempt to avoid Smoker and the rum cake he knows that is going to show up sooner or later for as long as possible.

He never wants to celebrate his birthday, this year isn't an exception. Selphie isn't here anymore, which is good because it means there's one less person who will know that it's his birthday, but deep inside it just bothers him that she's not here. Hyoga isn't here either, still kidnapped... Assuming that they didn't send him away while they had him, but the Cygnus cloth is still in his room after he recovered it from where Hyoga had camped so he will keep some hope and assume that he's still there somewhere.

At least he has Kotomi, except that even after confessing to her, he still doubts he deserves her or that he can do any good to her. Actually he doesn't have doubts about that, he knows he doesn't deserve her and that he can't do any good to her, but he also knows that she's in his heart too deeply for him to be able to take her out of there and not bleed completely. He may be the immortal bird, but his heart holds enough wounds as it is, he doesn't really want to kill his heart completely even if reason sometimes tells him that it would be the best option. At any rate, House #26 will have Ikki knocking at the door early in the morning, not too early for it to be a crazy time to show up but still early enough so that no one, specially Kotomi, won't have plans already.

Because of that Ikki will spend most of the day with his precious treasure, hanging around, having lunch at the Seventh Heaven... Though knowing them, they will probably end sitting somewhere with her reading to him. And by sitting somewhere it means him sitting and making her sit on his lap so he can lean his head against her shoulder and read as she does while holding her waist in a loose hug, discretion be damned... It's advised to not stare though, as the phoenix doesn't deal well with that.

Later, once Kotomi is delivered safely back to her house, just in time for dinner, Ikki will crash at the Good Spirits for a few rounds against his liver. Just so it doesn't forget the habit, you know. A few hours later, a drunk Ikki will be fumbling with his journal. Maybe next year he will remember to lock it away before he gets drunk but for now... Have a drunk message before you go to sleep Luceti, please don't mind the slur in his words.]

I bet you were thinking about how great she is and how I don't deserve her or some shit like that. Well!! I know that already. I know that I don't deserve someone as sweet and innocent as Kotomi, I know I don't deserve to be alive. But you know what? I'm screwed up, because no matter what you throw at me I just won't die, I will keep fucking returning from hell as if it was any Tuesday. And I love her. And she loves me! I don't know why or how she can do that, but she loves me. So until she stops loving me or I can finally die... What was I saying? Hey, where did the whisky go? Tch, it keeps vanishing, stupid glass. Stupid drink.

Anyway! [Pause as he tries to remember what he was saying. No really, it has left his mind.] I don't care how bad I am, or how little I deserve to live or to be with Kotomi. It just happens, I always deal with all the shit life has in for me, I take it even if I don't want it, so I'll take this too, because I want it. I love Kotomi and until she gets tired of me, you lot better stop looking at her like that, because she's my girlfriend. And you!! Shitty Malnosso, I bet you had a blast taking my sister and my friend, well, have all the fun you want, but if you touch one hair of Kotomi's precious head there won't be enough magic, divine power or whatever to save you from the hell I'll send you all to.

[ooc: You can crash into Ikki and Kotomi while they are together, just leave a note in the subject so we can both tag back.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You built a place to remember your father and told me how much of a great man he is.

[While Ikki talked about how horrible his own father was, basically an evil version of whitebeard.]

My name's Phoenix Ikki, since you won't know that yet. I don't think you have ever met Kotomi-chan before, though.

[Anyway, if Marco is still as a little phoenix Ikki will try to take him on his arms... Actually if he's a boy he will do the same anyway.]

You didn't get hurt, did you?

[He doesn't sound nice or worried but it's his way to show he cares for his phoenix bro, somewhat.]

.. No, I don't think I know this person.. [ in return to the 'i don't think you've met kotomi before' thing. ]

Should I introduce myself..?

Oh... so I built that? [Small tremble, he's seen it thanks to Norma showing him, and he heard about Whitebeard's death thanks to Shirahoshi, but it's still not something the chibi wants to contemplate. He shakes it off with a wave of his head and focuses on Ikki's other question.]

No, I'm okay! I just can't fly. Stupid fake wings! [Now that Marco knows Ikki knows about him as a human and bird, he's pretty haphazard in staying one or the other. Just switching about like it's a normal thing to do. However, he's only switching between three stages: human, hybrid, and phoenix. Which adult Marco rarely does, since adult Marco has it perfected down a lot more. That said, they're all fairly small and light either way, and for now he just switches into hybrid with a tail and wings.]

[He attempts to bow to Kotomi-chan from Ikki's arms. Clearly he's way too used to his brothers or Papa manhandling him and carrying him around, so being held doesn't faze him at all. If anything, he seems to feel this is how it should be.]

Nice to meet you Miss! I'm Marco, yoi.

[Ikki narrows his eyes at the reaction of the boy, he didn't think the kid would have seen it or know what it meant... But apparently he does.]

Who told you about that?

[No, it doesn't sound as if he's going to rip off their head for telling a kid those things. It's not as if he cares, he's just curious. And it's not as if he thinks that little Marco shouldn't hear about his father being gone because his father was actually a great man deserving to live on forever not like a certain bastard that had children and then used them as toy soldiers. Yeah, he's totally unconcerned.

Ikki shifts a bit to get a better and more secure hold of Marco, it has been ages since he had a kid in his arms. It's ironically easier now, specially since he's actually an adult now and just not a kid a bit older. It doesn't seem as if he plans to let the kid down anytime soon anyway.]

Don't worry about the wings, you will be flying even without them before you realize it. And yes, Kotomi-chan, you should introduce yourself.

[With that he just... Waits for Kotomi to introduce herself.

And he's not smiling or finding it amusing, okay? It's not as if he thinks her introduction speech is cute and funny.]

[ She just watches the two of them talk, and she bows her head in return a little to Marco's tiny bow, but aside from that she's just staring.. until Ikki gives her the okay for introducing herself, so she nods again before starting. It's in her usual blank tone, and it's her usual introduction speech, yes - as mechanized and practiced as always. ]

Good day, nice to meet you. My name is Kotomi Ichinose, a senior from class A back home. My hobby is reading books. When refering to me, please call me 'Kotomi-chan'. And I'd be really, really glad if the two of us could become friends.

[Turns his head about for a bit trying to figure out which direction to go first.]

Ah, you think so! Someday I'll be big enough to fly and carry Jozu or my Pops! I knew it, yoi.

[Annnnnd he's gonna skip that part about who told him. Because it's his job to keep Shirahoshi safe, and whatever, it doesn't matter? Or it does... And it's sad, but it's 30 years in the future, and missing those thirty years of fun with his Pops is really the part that saddens him most. On the flipside, it means he'll meet up with Papa soon, so it's okay.]

It is very nice to meet you too Kotomi-chan. We can be friends if you like! I love reading! Do you read all gen-res too? [Genres is a hard word and he is working his cute angle on all the girls... mostly because he can.] I made another friend here who has lots of books! Or... borrows lots. She has some very interesting ones though and I borrowed a few! [That are way out of his league, but he's working on it.]

Oh! Do you read books too Phoen--

[LONG PAUSE, EYES WIDEN. Exaggerated le gasp!!] Are you really a phoenix too?! Like me?!

[He heard it, it half sunk in before, but the implications, did not. And then he puts his hands over his mouth.] Oh, but that's a secret. Sort of. Shhhh.... [Less so in Luceti since he has no idea who knows or not and already assumed when Ikki introduced himself earlier that Ikki and Kotomi were definitely in on the human-phoenix thing.]

[Ikki notices the kid ignoring his question, he doesn't like it but he won't press. Kid or not, it's Marco and he's old enough to deal with his own issues anyway.

He doesn't get in the conversation about books, mostly because he reads whatever Kotomi is ready most of the time, what with listening to her read out-loud and all. At least until Marco starts to ask him a question and... Really? Ikki arches an eyebrow, the kid isn't very fast, is he? Or his mind is too busy to have realized it.]

Not "like you", I don't fully transform. But I'm a phoenix, yes. Soaring across the sky as a bird made of flames, creating flames [He eyes Kotomi, hoping she won't freak out just by the mention of it.] with my... "Haki" as you would know it... Rising from my ashes... [Literally.] I do all that.

[He chuckles at the comment about it being a secret, he's not sure if that's still a secret with adult Marco but it's not as if he has the habit of going around spilling about others. He just ruffles the kid's hair a bit.]

I don't think Kotomi-chan or me have the habit of telling secrets around, don't worry.

Now, anyone wants an ice-cream? [Looking at both Kotomi and Marco, unless they prefer to keep talking standing there.]

.. Gen.. res..? [ she doesn't seem to understand what he's going for there for a moment, but then it slowly dawns upon her and she nods a little. ] Hmm, I don't mind reading anything at all, every book is fun in its own way..

[ And don't worry, ikki, she's not freaking out. Although she moves a little closer to him when he says it, almost subconsciously, as if she's trying to find protection or comfort - but otherwise she remains quiet until the end. ]

I wouldn't mind some.

[It's both a little slow, and overfilled with busy. Luceti is a wonderland and everything is amazing. Also he's used to people calling him phoenix that it registered as that at first.]

Hah... really?! Haki... like Papa? What color are you? [Compare flames go!]

[There's some more tail swishing and he nods to Kotomi and Ikki respectively.] You must read a lot then, yoi. I always prefer pirate books or useful things though.

Yes please! Ice cream would be wonderful, thank you!

Color... You mean as a phoenix? Orange and red, nothing special.

[If he means regarding haki... That's a bit more difficult to explain. He nods to both of them, still carrying Marco with one arm and moving his other to take hold of Kotomi's hand as he starts to lead the way to the restaurant to get ice-cream.]

Pirate books, huh? Studying hard to be a great pirate like your father?

18th Rise of the Phoenix ஜ Action/Voice [Backdated to the 15th]

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