Darn Whippersnappers! [Open]

[YOSHIRO MIFUNE]

Drifting through the bookstore as a phantom would, an elderly man in a dark blue coat let his eyes wander as his cane preceded each step he took in his search for a particular book. He'd take a look at the cover or spine of each and every book in the section, quickly reading the title before deciding whether or not it was worth his time. It was difficult to discern what exactly he was looking for - his expression remained neutral and stern, showing no hint of irritation, boredom or anything else. Still, he continued searching for his book of choice, hobbling along as his cane led the way forwards. Eventually he found himself in a corner of the bookstore where, upon seeing one particular brown, leather-back book with silver binding, his lip curled, twisting his wrinkled face into a smirk.

Grasping the book in his old, bony hand he lifted it up and slowly wandered back to the counter, his eyes never leaving the book for a moment. It was a simple book - the title was quite simply "A Guide to Navigation". A simple book offering explanation and help for those who sought it, intending to increase their aptitude and knowledge for navigation. With the seas as they were, it did well to know how to navigate them. He already knew the basics, of course, but the old man wasn't content with just that. Eventually stopping just before the counter he looked to the young woman who took the book for just a moment as she priced it before proceeding to tell him the price. Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out a couple of Beri notes.

Handing them over in exchange for the book, the young woman was kind enough to wrap the book in a brown bag before handing it back to him. Wandering out the store door with the brown bag under one arm, the other gripping the cane, he stepped out into the fresh air. He felt the breeze of Loguetown upon his face. The skies were blue, with white clouds here and there. The sun shone, but it was not painfully bright. No, this was a good, peaceful day. Or so he hoped. He didn't feel like dealing with brats or anything like that today. He simply desired to get back and begin reading his book by himself, without having to deal with anyone unpleasant. Stepping over the cobblestones, he began to walk down the street.

Then he stopped walking down the street.

Some brat, apparently in a rush, collided right into his shoulder as he walked, forcing him to drop his book at once to the ground. Without even a word of apology the young teenager ran on ahead, only offering a slight glance back to see what he hit before he continued. The old man glared back down the street at the kid before looking back to his book on the floor. Kids these days! Didn't they learn any manners? Everyone was so easygoing these days, not caring who they caused problems for. Grumbling such thoughts and many others, some including language you wouldn't use in polite company, the old man slowly lowered himself down to pick up the book. Well, the rudeness of some people!

"The nerve!" he uttered in disgust. He was not amused.

[Ke'Tar]

The day was one that you wanted to go out and enjoy it. This feeling was no different for the fishman.Casually, he strolled down the street with no real destination in mind. All he cared about was walking at a leisurely pace. As he did so he reflected silently on the day and what he might do with it. So far he'd done nothing, and while that wasn't all that horrible a thing he felt as though he should do a little more with it. It wasn't exactly a good practice to do whatever he wanted.

As he walked into more populated parts of the town his thoughts became more mundane. Ke'Tar had a habit of spacing out and he'd much rather not have an accident involving bumping into someone. The whole thing would be completely unnecessary and just a waste of the fishmans time. Something that he certainly didn't take lightly. It made his trip a good bit more boring since he had little to think about lest he drift off.

Something somewhat interesting presented itself when Ke'Tar noticed an old man bending down to pick something up after seemingly getting bumped into by a speedy passerby. While Ke'Tar hated doing the unnecessary and didn't exactly make a habit of approaching or helping others, there was a bit of a soft spot when it came to the elderly. After all, the elderly had been around far longer than he and didn't deserve the treatment they got sometimes.

Without a second thought, the fishman would quickly approach and bend in, picking up the book before the old man had a chance to get too far. "Here you go." he said simply and abruptly, holding out the book. It was obvious that the fishman wasn't one to make conversation.

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[YOSHIRO MIFUNE]

Before he'd gotten the chance to reach the book, another, far different hand to his own grasped the book and raised it off the ground, offering it to him. Looking back up, and up, the elderly man saw that the one offering the book to him was no Human, but a Fishman. How long had it been since he'd seen one? A long time, at any rate. Offering just a small smile (He never offered much more than that to anyone), he took the book back graciously as he tapped his cane against the ground. Holding the book again under his arm, he continued looking up to the far taller Fishman. The age difference between them was great, probably more than thirty years at the very least. Maybe closer to forty.

"Well, well, looks like at least some people these days still have manners... Thank you very much, young lad," he responded to the Fishman before looking back in the direction of that other lad who'd bumped into him earlier. The nerve! Well, at least this young man had been kind enough to help an old man out. But then, to some extent he disliked relying on others just because he was old. He'd make an exception this time, since the Fishman was being polite. Turning his attention back to the taller man, he could tell at the very least that he wasn't exactly one for conversation. Something in his tone and in his eyes. Well, some natural intuition from living for so damn long helped as well. He tapped the cobblestones again with his cane.

"I suppose you're not from around here. I've lived here in Loguetown for a long, long time. I wouldn't say I know every last person, but you get used to the faces when you've lived as long as I have," he remarked, looking into the taller man's eyes. "Not like it matters, I suppose. Plenty of young un's pass in and out of here. Most of them try and take a shot at Reverse Mountain not far from here. Always in a rush to take on that ocean. You ever tried?" he questioned, raising a white brow. Many people had tried taking on the Grand Line. Very few even survived getting in. There was little sense rushing things, he knew.

[Ke'Tar]

There was something about being called a 'young lad' that didn't feel right. Certainly he was much younger than this old man, but Ke'Tar was also much larger. It was just a little insignificant feeling, but a feeling he felt all the same. "It was nothing." he replied to the old mans thanks. The fishman was ready to turn away and go about his business, but the old man tapped his cane on the ground and spoke some more. Ke'Tar really couldn't have expected much less. Even crotchety old people who hated the world would spend hours yelling at you for nothing. It was bit of a rude generalization, but old people liked to talk.

While the old man talked, he looked up to look into the fishman's eyes. With passive confidence he returned the the look. No, Ke'Tar hadn't been born on the island. He'd only been there for a few months, but that didn't seem to be what the old man wanted to talk about. Instead, the conversation turned to going out and setting off for the grand line. It was sort of obvious conversation since Reverse Mountain was where most pirates set out for the Grand Line, and it wasn't too far from here.

"I've never tried." he replied to the old man. He never tried, but Ke'Tar woke up every morning and stared out to sea in the direction of the mountain. To set out on the ocean and explore the strange sea from which his ancestors came was a dream of his. "Without a crew it would be suicide." he continued, feeling the old man deserved a little more than three words as a reply.

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[YOSHIRO MIFUNE]

"Of course. I wouldn't wish you to run off to your death. No sense dying quickly," he responded to the Fishman as he cast his gaze in the general direction of the bay. He gave a small smirk. He couldn't help it. Part of him was feeling a little invigorated thinking about it. It was just as this Fishman said. Of course, he'd been the one to bring up the conversation topic first. But even so, he couldn't help but feel a little excited at the prospects. How many years had it been? How long? The thoughts were resurfacing from somewhere far back. Without taking his gaze away from the direction of the bay, he opened his mouth to speak further, a strange glint in his eyes as he stood there.

"Of course, what's life without a little risk? A safe life without making mistakes is a mistake in itself. But what do I know? I'm just a rambling old man, after all..." he remarked, thinking carefully about his own comments. It had been a long, long time. The scars still ached as much as they had long ago. But even so, he kept telling himself. Surely it was a foolish decision to make. He was only getting older. Only getting weak. Had he even been on a ship in so long? He thought about it closely, and even he had to admit it was a foolish idea. But even so... There was a fire burning brightly within. A newfound fire, or perhaps a re-ignited one. A desire he'd kept quiet for too long.

He never did throw out that cane sword, did he?

"You're young yet, anyway. I'm sure you'll probably find something to do with your life, if you haven't already. 'Course, I suppose you don't need me telling you this. Not like I have a right to anyway," he finished, finally turning his eyes back to the Fishman's and inspecting them, awaiting a reaction.

[Ke'Tar]

"Indeed. It's too much trouble to do something only to die. No sense in doing it in the first place." Ke'Tar would say, probably saying the most he had since he met the old man. The fishman absolutely hated doing the unnecessary, because it was just that, unnecessary. Why waste your precious time? Certainly, one couldn't be sure if something really would take a turn for the worst, but if there was a chance of failure he wouldn't do it. This of course meant that he missed out on quite a lot of opportunities, but at least he was alive. Right?

The old man would go on to speak about a safe life being a mistake. Ke'Tar found himself doing something strange. The Fishman found himself scoffing openly. A mistake? How was being alive a mistake? Ke'Tar let it slide as the old man being senile, but still. It wasn't a mistake. Living any other way was a mistake. He reassured himself, though there was always that seed of doubt hidden away deep within his thoughts. Ke'Tar's gaze didn't follow the old man's gaze. He simply continued staring in the direction he had been staring in.

When the old man looked back at him, it seemed he was expecting something. A reaction of sorts? Ke'Tar would simply shrug. "I am a shipwright by trade." he'd say simply. "I can easily find something to do with my skills on this island. It's why I came."

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[YOSHIRO MIFUNE]

"A Shipwright, then? Ah, that's a good trade if I ever heard of one. Pays well, I'd imagine. Someone has to take care of the ships traversing the blue. Trade, Marines, even Pirates..." the old man remarked. It was a known fact that generally, Shipwrights were given free rights to sell their ships to whomever they pleased. It wasn't a crime punishable by the law. Shipwrights just made their living working on ships. It didn't matter who bought it. Save perhaps for one exception, long ago. A man who declared himself to stand atop the world. A legend, almost mythical. Like a being that stood outside of reality, existing in tales as an idea. Damn, he was getting philosophical again. Must've been old age.

He was beginning to get the distinct feeling that since talking with this young man, he was not so much speaking about him so much as he was speaking about himself. He could feel it ever since he began. Thoughts drifting back, to the days when he was this young man's age. When he could swing a sword with such force it tore up the ground, when he could push himself through the fire of bullets and cut off heads without batting an eyelash. When he could sweep through the madness of violence and emerge the victor. He'd been strong, once. He'd been tough, once. He'd been unstoppable, once. But time wore away everything. Time eroded the cliff face, time rusted the blade and time reduced the temples to sand.

But time couldn't kill his warrior spirit.

"I guess I must be getting boring. Young lads such as yourself probably don't give a rat's ass when an old man goes on and on like this. I suppose I'm just getting a little nostalgic. You remind me of myself, when I was your age," he admitted, looking now to the sky as he kept his hand on his cane, whilst the other gripped his book. Well, why not? One more shot, one more expedition, one more adventure... A trip around the world... He couldn't remain content just sitting here and rotting away on this island. He needed to do something.

[Ke'Tar]

"It certainly does have it's perks." he'd say to the old man. "Though, sometimes making deals with pirates can be a bit dangerous." Watching people take his ships and going out on adventures, and repairing ships that had already gone out on adventures. It made him wonder sometimes what it was like to go out on one. Still, the fishman was content where he was. It was stable and he had food each night to eat. That's all that mattered. The light flame in Ke'Tar's stomach had yet to expand into a blazing fire.

"You were a fishman when you were young?" he'd say, his voice was monotone and bland as it always was when he spoke, but he was attempting a joke. He'd watch as the old man looked to the sky. He finally figured that this old man was going into old man mode and reminiscing about his youth. At least, so far Ke'Tar had lucked out and not gotten caught up in an old man story that lasted for hours .

Notes;; Sorry it's short and I took so long to post.

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[YOSHIRO MIFUNE]

"I can imagine. There's no reason to trust a Pirate, not even if you're on his crew. I've heard of Captains who thrashed their crew if they even took a step outta line. And that's assuming they didn't just kill him first. Can't see why they'd do honest business with a Shipwright," the old man replied, acknowledging the ruthlessness of Pirates. Well, that was just how it was. They all set sail for freedom, but whether that freedom was to adventure or from the law, one could only guess. There were some content to see the world without the approval of the World Government. Others just wanted to do as they pleased without the limitations of the law, murdering and stealing for profit.

The old man cracked a small grin and laughed as the younger man spoke. Well, at the very least, he'd proven the kid had a sense of humor. Of course, many of them had. This one just seemed a lot more serious than most. His cane clacked against the ground as he stopped laughing and he began to turn, keeping his book bound safely by his side. Looking up to the Fishman, he cast him a smirk. "Well kid, I've got places to go. Gotta get back and read my new book. Maybe we'll meet again. Maybe," he told the Fishman. And like that, he began to walk away, his cane clacking against the ground as he wandered on ahead, leaving the Fishman behind. Well, the youth of today were interesting. Maybe it was time to take to the seas again.