AllHailDago
Rough Tough Creampuff
Jasper Pharos and Rena Hartwood
Jasper straightened his tie and cleared his throat in a slightly uncomfortable manner. He was not used to speaking about himself. Rather, he usually spoke on his Lady's behalf as she oft found it unneeded to explain her reasoning. Or her reasoning was.... lacking. Not that he had issues with that. Mistress Burgess had her own share of social difficulties he had to work around for her, so he was used to it.
After quickly pushing up his glasses, he made direct eye contact with Rena. "Ah. Being direct and to the point I see. Well, as Lady Scarlet chose you for her crew and I am her humble servant I will willingly share my story. Though I will only share this one time. I expect you will relay it to the crew and whoever beyond that with the utmost clarity."
"So I am to assume, if this is the only time I am to tell it, that this will be the whole truth and nothing but?" Rena said with a smirk knowing full well the answer. The conversation was taken indoors as the rain and wind picked up. She though momentarily to delay the interview due to them being on a boat and in a storm, but she knew that opportunities don't come in abundance and she ignored the swaying of the ship. "Answer as you please, but I would hope you remember that I am a journalist - my pursuit of the truth is relentless - as is my publishing of it."
"Well then, let's start: You are very close to Scarlet; loyal and unwavering in your support of her. Such dedication usually comes with a story. Why do you wish to see Scarlet as the Pirate Queen?"
Jasper nodded. "Nothing but the truth." He reflected for a moment on the question. "Well, to answer that will take a lengthy bit of storytelling." He began tying down boxes and such while he thought on where to begin. "I suppose simply going back as far as I remember is best. I will assume a bit of extra exposition will be fine."
Rena' eye's lit up as if it were a parent asking their child if they wanted dessert for dinner. "Well, if you insist" she smiled coyly.
Jasper finished tying down the foodstuffs and then leaned against a box as he prepared to tell his story. "To begin with I grew up on an island of I do not remember the name of. I have no memovies prior to maybe six years of age. I do not know if I was born there or who my parents were. All i know is I grew up on the streets of a rather violent island. Stealing what I could to live as most of the homeless did there."
"Only the quick, strong, and intelligent survived due to the population of Marines and mercenaries. Not to mention the others looking to survive who would gladly kill you. I survived alone, unlike many who stayed in groups. I believe many considered me odd. At the time I believed my hair was the issue, but as it turns out I simply put off an air of aggression and.... insanity I suppose."
"Anyways, one day I tried to rob the wrong group of Marines and got caught. They took me to their commanding officer. A Rear Admiral turned Cipher Pol. Selene Burgess was her name. I attempted to kill her, but as one might expect an eight year old stood no chance. However she liked my spirit and offered me a position as her servant and apprentice. I discovered that day how much I enjoyed fighting and beating my enemies and gladly accepted to gain skill and power. As well as get off the streets."
"I became a Marine. I became a butler. I became a finely tempered monster. I was taught to control my more.... feral side I tended to dip into in the midst of combat. I learned language and culture and formed the personality you see now. I grew stronger and battled many opponents, only rarely reverting to what I once was. Mainly if someone Mistress Burgess commanded it."
He looked anywhere but at Rena for a time. "Having someone to serve is the way I know how to live. It is how I reign in that half of myself most of the time. That is the glint you often see." He quieted on the last words. "However one day, many years later Mistress Burgess was, presumably, killed in battle against a crew of pirates and their pet sea serpent in the Grand Line. I was stricken by hatred and grief and abandoned the Marines to hunt them down."
He grit his teeth as an expression of anger crossed his features. He measured his breaths and returned to speaking after a few moments. "I found nothing following leads to the blues. So I began searching for another to serve. A woman just seemed right, but I had difficulty finding someine worthy. Until I followed a lead to one of the Yonko, the captain of the Spades pirates. Who was oddly in the blues for a time."
"I asked if he could point me in the direction of someone I could serve. He pointed me to Lady Scarlet. I may have had my doubts at first, but trusted the Yonko's judgement. Over time I found she has many underlying qualities that even she seems to not know. I follow her gladly. One day she will be Pirate Queen, and along the way thone pirates I am hunting. Well, the hunt will end."
Rena's hand wrote at blinding speed, flipping page after page in almost an instant, her face reacting subtly to everything Jasper said and her mind formulating questions as he spoke. It was 2 seconds of Rena still writing before she looked up at Jasper and exhaled.
"Wow. Scarlet is Yonko approved? Pardon my cynicism but...I mean she's lovely... Charismatic; but her demeanor is very....unique for a pirate." Rena said and then thought back to any shred of evidence about Scarlet that would make the story believable. She managed to get a crew and escape the marines. "Now, I want this interview to be about you but I will table one more question about Scarlet; Have you seen anything that confirms what the Yonko said? Have you seen anything that makes her a candidate for the most powerful pirate in the world?"
Jasper let out a short laugh. A resonant sound not many hear the genuine version of. "Unique is definitely a way to put it. As for what I have seen. Well, first off her charismatic, nearly magnetic personality. Just think of how many people she has on her crew. That was one island she stopped on, one time and she drew this many people willing to ally themselves with her. While the Pirate King is often seen as the most powerful pirate, many would find that the prior Pirate King relied very much on his crew and allies. All the strength in the world only helps so much. Charisma, intelligence, talent and skill. It may not initially appear as such, but she has an innate ability with many things." He smiled a bit wolfishly. "Now if only I could get her to let me teach her swordsmanship."
"OK so going back to you; Your goal is partially, I assume, for revenge and partially to serve Scarlet. I can't but help pick up on the word...." she flicked through her notes, "presumably"
"I take it that Mistress Burgess's death was not confirmed? What would you do, hypothetically, if you were to dicover she was alive?"
Jasper seemed to withdraw into himself for a moment or two. "Alive?" He bit his lip. "Honestly, I do not know what I would do. I simply know that I would feel both happy and conflicted. Happy she was alive, and unsure about what I should do from there. But that is simply going off my current state. I could not say how I might change in thought or feeling by that point."
"Fair enough." Rena said clicking her pen twice and going on to the next question, "Recently we saw a great tragedy at the hands of the marines. As a former marine yourself, could you give any insight as to what they were thinking? Were they justified in killing that many people?"
It had been a few days since the event but she still woke up at night by her memory recaling the massive explosion. If she were honest, the question would be much more loaded with words like atrocity, heartless and perhaps even evil. But her professionalism kept her in check. She stared at him though, more intently than she had previously.
Jasper noted Rena's more intense focus. Seems that had affected her more than most on the ship. "The explosion. I presume is your meaning. That.... there was no justification. Sure, a part of me adores violence. Killing. But generally that0 is in combat. Everyone has a fighting chance. In fact, a living opponent who has been beaten is often better. They tend to garner strength and come back for a bigger, better fight. But that.... mess."
"Well there is no pleasure, sanity, or sense in killing a city full of innocent or defenseless people. Children, elderly, the sick and poor. However, I must say it seems.... outhe of character. Not for Marines in general, as quite a lot let power and rule to let them believe they choose who lives and dies. No, it felt out of character for whoever was ordering the attack."
"It was clean, organized, and clearly planned ahead. They were in several places visibly saving civilians from pirates. They were driving the pirates towards their blockade where they could kill them in a relatively safe and assured manner. The explosion.... well it just made no sense to me personally. My guess is whoever was in charge was not responsible. "
Rena put down her pen and her eyes narrowed. "Pleasure? In killing?" her voice wavered. "What possible pleasure could there be in killing? You are not just ending a life, but an entirely different perspective on the world. You are not just ending a life, but an entirely different perspective on the world. You are taking away all the bonds they had built up over the years." She stood up and took a step towards Jasper, but only a step.
"I understand, in a kill or be killed situation, but those situations....you can still avoid outright murder." The argument was much like the one she had with Ferra. "What's with you people and the disregard of human life? How can you be so cold! Were you always like this?! After your first kill? When did it just become routine for you?!"
There was a sneer in her voice, but she took a breath and closed her eyes. "Apologies....that was unprofessional." her voice was a little colder and the half smile was gone from her lips. She sat down and crossed her legs, taking up her pen and writing, word for word what she had said. If the truth was to come out then she would expose herself as being partial to the situation as she was questioning. It was only fair.
Jasper simply raised an eyebrow and took what Rena had to say in. To be quite honest he was not surprised, this was not the first time he had received such comments. "Unprofessional, sure. Uncalled for? Matter of opinion. Yes. I have always been like this, or at least part of me has. A part of me I work to suppress, every moment of every day. Should a situation result in my devolving into said state I tend to be.... regretful for a bit. Normally at least."
"In a kill or be killed situation as you put it, it is not always so easy to not kill and live. That is why they are so named. And, as I am sure you have written down, I did say even in violent confrontation I prefer people live. I like combat Miss Rena, the more intense and enjoyable the better. A living rival gives far more than a dead enemy. I do not, as you say coldly kill and disregard life. If I end someone it is for one of three reasons. I have been ordered to do so, I am keeping someone else alive, or there was no alternative. I was simply noting that part of me enjoys the kill when it comes down to it. There were in fact plenty of warriors I killed who died smiling. On the seas you will find many who see death by battle as the only honorable method of dying."
Jasper gave her a moment to write all of that down while he absentmindedly wiped his glasses off. "Unless you have further inquiries I presume this is as good as any a time to end this interview, yes? I believe the ship is properly anchored and equipment tied down to weather the storm on this beach. Though I am betting some denizens of the island are watching the ship. So perhaps we should at least remain semi close just in case."
Rena gave an audible huff. She did not understand what he was talking about. People that enjoyed the prospect of getting killed? She wrote down his words and would research on it done more; certainly there was the thrill of the hunt, but usually that was a one sided affair. So, it was intense competition then; a grand test that was the result of years of and the passing grade was your life. Thus far however her experience of human death was nothing like that. A brutal beat down and mass murder.
Rena stood up and offered her hand for Jasper to shake it. "I was rude and let my feelings get the better of me. No hard feelings I hope? I'm very grateful for you taking the time to tell me about yourself, and for me to judge you like I did without really knowing you is something I do not take lightly. My aim is to be the world's best journalist and it's clear that I have to experience what you are describing, in terms of mortal combat, before I truly am able to document this."
She pulled out her knife, it seemed heavier than usual. "Perhaps when we have down time and steadier waters you can train me a little? But we can take that until later. I will follow your lead as to what to do next. If we are being watched then I'm not surprised; my island was always suspicious of new ships coming to dock."
Rena put her knife away and awaited Jaspers instructions.
Jasper accepted Rena's hand when she offered it. "Think nothing of it. You are not the first, and I doubt you will be the last to say such things. Many think little of me due to my less.... tame parts. I am in agreement. I would be glad to train you later, though I am a bit unsure if swordmanship will transfer well to knife wielding. Though it never hurts to try."
Jasper thought of what to do next. There was no way he could bring the ship to a safer location with the crew gone. There are also not likely many who would try and loot the ship in this storm. Those that did would fail to get far. There was a small forested area not far from shore. It overlooked the sea and ship now that he thought about it....
"Alright. We are going to head off the ship and see if there is anything of note in the forested area nearby. Perhaps we net free foid, perhaps we meet locals. Either way we will be doing something and be near enough to the ship to reach it in case of emergency. Shae should come too. It would be rude to leave him all alone here."
@vergil@DaughterofAthena@Pequeno Burraidh
Jasper straightened his tie and cleared his throat in a slightly uncomfortable manner. He was not used to speaking about himself. Rather, he usually spoke on his Lady's behalf as she oft found it unneeded to explain her reasoning. Or her reasoning was.... lacking. Not that he had issues with that. Mistress Burgess had her own share of social difficulties he had to work around for her, so he was used to it.
After quickly pushing up his glasses, he made direct eye contact with Rena. "Ah. Being direct and to the point I see. Well, as Lady Scarlet chose you for her crew and I am her humble servant I will willingly share my story. Though I will only share this one time. I expect you will relay it to the crew and whoever beyond that with the utmost clarity."
"So I am to assume, if this is the only time I am to tell it, that this will be the whole truth and nothing but?" Rena said with a smirk knowing full well the answer. The conversation was taken indoors as the rain and wind picked up. She though momentarily to delay the interview due to them being on a boat and in a storm, but she knew that opportunities don't come in abundance and she ignored the swaying of the ship. "Answer as you please, but I would hope you remember that I am a journalist - my pursuit of the truth is relentless - as is my publishing of it."
"Well then, let's start: You are very close to Scarlet; loyal and unwavering in your support of her. Such dedication usually comes with a story. Why do you wish to see Scarlet as the Pirate Queen?"
Jasper nodded. "Nothing but the truth." He reflected for a moment on the question. "Well, to answer that will take a lengthy bit of storytelling." He began tying down boxes and such while he thought on where to begin. "I suppose simply going back as far as I remember is best. I will assume a bit of extra exposition will be fine."
Rena' eye's lit up as if it were a parent asking their child if they wanted dessert for dinner. "Well, if you insist" she smiled coyly.
Jasper finished tying down the foodstuffs and then leaned against a box as he prepared to tell his story. "To begin with I grew up on an island of I do not remember the name of. I have no memovies prior to maybe six years of age. I do not know if I was born there or who my parents were. All i know is I grew up on the streets of a rather violent island. Stealing what I could to live as most of the homeless did there."
"Only the quick, strong, and intelligent survived due to the population of Marines and mercenaries. Not to mention the others looking to survive who would gladly kill you. I survived alone, unlike many who stayed in groups. I believe many considered me odd. At the time I believed my hair was the issue, but as it turns out I simply put off an air of aggression and.... insanity I suppose."
"Anyways, one day I tried to rob the wrong group of Marines and got caught. They took me to their commanding officer. A Rear Admiral turned Cipher Pol. Selene Burgess was her name. I attempted to kill her, but as one might expect an eight year old stood no chance. However she liked my spirit and offered me a position as her servant and apprentice. I discovered that day how much I enjoyed fighting and beating my enemies and gladly accepted to gain skill and power. As well as get off the streets."
"I became a Marine. I became a butler. I became a finely tempered monster. I was taught to control my more.... feral side I tended to dip into in the midst of combat. I learned language and culture and formed the personality you see now. I grew stronger and battled many opponents, only rarely reverting to what I once was. Mainly if someone Mistress Burgess commanded it."
He looked anywhere but at Rena for a time. "Having someone to serve is the way I know how to live. It is how I reign in that half of myself most of the time. That is the glint you often see." He quieted on the last words. "However one day, many years later Mistress Burgess was, presumably, killed in battle against a crew of pirates and their pet sea serpent in the Grand Line. I was stricken by hatred and grief and abandoned the Marines to hunt them down."
He grit his teeth as an expression of anger crossed his features. He measured his breaths and returned to speaking after a few moments. "I found nothing following leads to the blues. So I began searching for another to serve. A woman just seemed right, but I had difficulty finding someine worthy. Until I followed a lead to one of the Yonko, the captain of the Spades pirates. Who was oddly in the blues for a time."
"I asked if he could point me in the direction of someone I could serve. He pointed me to Lady Scarlet. I may have had my doubts at first, but trusted the Yonko's judgement. Over time I found she has many underlying qualities that even she seems to not know. I follow her gladly. One day she will be Pirate Queen, and along the way thone pirates I am hunting. Well, the hunt will end."
Rena's hand wrote at blinding speed, flipping page after page in almost an instant, her face reacting subtly to everything Jasper said and her mind formulating questions as he spoke. It was 2 seconds of Rena still writing before she looked up at Jasper and exhaled.
"Wow. Scarlet is Yonko approved? Pardon my cynicism but...I mean she's lovely... Charismatic; but her demeanor is very....unique for a pirate." Rena said and then thought back to any shred of evidence about Scarlet that would make the story believable. She managed to get a crew and escape the marines. "Now, I want this interview to be about you but I will table one more question about Scarlet; Have you seen anything that confirms what the Yonko said? Have you seen anything that makes her a candidate for the most powerful pirate in the world?"
Jasper let out a short laugh. A resonant sound not many hear the genuine version of. "Unique is definitely a way to put it. As for what I have seen. Well, first off her charismatic, nearly magnetic personality. Just think of how many people she has on her crew. That was one island she stopped on, one time and she drew this many people willing to ally themselves with her. While the Pirate King is often seen as the most powerful pirate, many would find that the prior Pirate King relied very much on his crew and allies. All the strength in the world only helps so much. Charisma, intelligence, talent and skill. It may not initially appear as such, but she has an innate ability with many things." He smiled a bit wolfishly. "Now if only I could get her to let me teach her swordsmanship."
"OK so going back to you; Your goal is partially, I assume, for revenge and partially to serve Scarlet. I can't but help pick up on the word...." she flicked through her notes, "presumably"
"I take it that Mistress Burgess's death was not confirmed? What would you do, hypothetically, if you were to dicover she was alive?"
Jasper seemed to withdraw into himself for a moment or two. "Alive?" He bit his lip. "Honestly, I do not know what I would do. I simply know that I would feel both happy and conflicted. Happy she was alive, and unsure about what I should do from there. But that is simply going off my current state. I could not say how I might change in thought or feeling by that point."
"Fair enough." Rena said clicking her pen twice and going on to the next question, "Recently we saw a great tragedy at the hands of the marines. As a former marine yourself, could you give any insight as to what they were thinking? Were they justified in killing that many people?"
It had been a few days since the event but she still woke up at night by her memory recaling the massive explosion. If she were honest, the question would be much more loaded with words like atrocity, heartless and perhaps even evil. But her professionalism kept her in check. She stared at him though, more intently than she had previously.
Jasper noted Rena's more intense focus. Seems that had affected her more than most on the ship. "The explosion. I presume is your meaning. That.... there was no justification. Sure, a part of me adores violence. Killing. But generally that0 is in combat. Everyone has a fighting chance. In fact, a living opponent who has been beaten is often better. They tend to garner strength and come back for a bigger, better fight. But that.... mess."
"Well there is no pleasure, sanity, or sense in killing a city full of innocent or defenseless people. Children, elderly, the sick and poor. However, I must say it seems.... outhe of character. Not for Marines in general, as quite a lot let power and rule to let them believe they choose who lives and dies. No, it felt out of character for whoever was ordering the attack."
"It was clean, organized, and clearly planned ahead. They were in several places visibly saving civilians from pirates. They were driving the pirates towards their blockade where they could kill them in a relatively safe and assured manner. The explosion.... well it just made no sense to me personally. My guess is whoever was in charge was not responsible. "
Rena put down her pen and her eyes narrowed. "Pleasure? In killing?" her voice wavered. "What possible pleasure could there be in killing? You are not just ending a life, but an entirely different perspective on the world. You are not just ending a life, but an entirely different perspective on the world. You are taking away all the bonds they had built up over the years." She stood up and took a step towards Jasper, but only a step.
"I understand, in a kill or be killed situation, but those situations....you can still avoid outright murder." The argument was much like the one she had with Ferra. "What's with you people and the disregard of human life? How can you be so cold! Were you always like this?! After your first kill? When did it just become routine for you?!"
There was a sneer in her voice, but she took a breath and closed her eyes. "Apologies....that was unprofessional." her voice was a little colder and the half smile was gone from her lips. She sat down and crossed her legs, taking up her pen and writing, word for word what she had said. If the truth was to come out then she would expose herself as being partial to the situation as she was questioning. It was only fair.
Jasper simply raised an eyebrow and took what Rena had to say in. To be quite honest he was not surprised, this was not the first time he had received such comments. "Unprofessional, sure. Uncalled for? Matter of opinion. Yes. I have always been like this, or at least part of me has. A part of me I work to suppress, every moment of every day. Should a situation result in my devolving into said state I tend to be.... regretful for a bit. Normally at least."
"In a kill or be killed situation as you put it, it is not always so easy to not kill and live. That is why they are so named. And, as I am sure you have written down, I did say even in violent confrontation I prefer people live. I like combat Miss Rena, the more intense and enjoyable the better. A living rival gives far more than a dead enemy. I do not, as you say coldly kill and disregard life. If I end someone it is for one of three reasons. I have been ordered to do so, I am keeping someone else alive, or there was no alternative. I was simply noting that part of me enjoys the kill when it comes down to it. There were in fact plenty of warriors I killed who died smiling. On the seas you will find many who see death by battle as the only honorable method of dying."
Jasper gave her a moment to write all of that down while he absentmindedly wiped his glasses off. "Unless you have further inquiries I presume this is as good as any a time to end this interview, yes? I believe the ship is properly anchored and equipment tied down to weather the storm on this beach. Though I am betting some denizens of the island are watching the ship. So perhaps we should at least remain semi close just in case."
Rena gave an audible huff. She did not understand what he was talking about. People that enjoyed the prospect of getting killed? She wrote down his words and would research on it done more; certainly there was the thrill of the hunt, but usually that was a one sided affair. So, it was intense competition then; a grand test that was the result of years of and the passing grade was your life. Thus far however her experience of human death was nothing like that. A brutal beat down and mass murder.
Rena stood up and offered her hand for Jasper to shake it. "I was rude and let my feelings get the better of me. No hard feelings I hope? I'm very grateful for you taking the time to tell me about yourself, and for me to judge you like I did without really knowing you is something I do not take lightly. My aim is to be the world's best journalist and it's clear that I have to experience what you are describing, in terms of mortal combat, before I truly am able to document this."
She pulled out her knife, it seemed heavier than usual. "Perhaps when we have down time and steadier waters you can train me a little? But we can take that until later. I will follow your lead as to what to do next. If we are being watched then I'm not surprised; my island was always suspicious of new ships coming to dock."
Rena put her knife away and awaited Jaspers instructions.
Jasper accepted Rena's hand when she offered it. "Think nothing of it. You are not the first, and I doubt you will be the last to say such things. Many think little of me due to my less.... tame parts. I am in agreement. I would be glad to train you later, though I am a bit unsure if swordmanship will transfer well to knife wielding. Though it never hurts to try."
Jasper thought of what to do next. There was no way he could bring the ship to a safer location with the crew gone. There are also not likely many who would try and loot the ship in this storm. Those that did would fail to get far. There was a small forested area not far from shore. It overlooked the sea and ship now that he thought about it....
"Alright. We are going to head off the ship and see if there is anything of note in the forested area nearby. Perhaps we net free foid, perhaps we meet locals. Either way we will be doing something and be near enough to the ship to reach it in case of emergency. Shae should come too. It would be rude to leave him all alone here."
@vergil@DaughterofAthena@Pequeno Burraidh
