Reflection

Fate/Concept RP

So, to everybody following, at the moment we're moving ahead with a PVE GHGW. Simply because it's easier to run, with a smaller cast and fewer exposition scenes. So people can just enjoy fights between wild historical figures.

One Piece: The Next Voyage

@Crimson Raven If a fight starts up, which it might, feel free to jump into that.

One Piece: The Next Voyage

Location - Alabasta - Saloon
@King Cosmos-@ladyonyx04

The saloon was... Not what Nikko had meant. He had imagined a nicer restaurant. Maybe stretched out with a fancy goblet, and spending a little cash to soak in all the splendors of Alabasta. But, it made sense that if one was going to enjoy the highs of a land, they should start with the squalor and the lows. So, stepping into the bar, with several other pirates from his crew, he found a large enough table for all of them, with a few moving to their own table.

Following Shigeuchi's lead, Nikko placed several Beli on the bar. "I shall take lemonade." He said. The bartender looked surprised, and then nodded. After all, there was nothing wrong with choosing to be a designated driver, or simply having no interest in alcohol. Though it was more likely that the bartender didn't care. The cup of lemonade slammed down onto the table was... Well it was certainly lemonade. That was about all that could be said in its favor.

“How far are you going to take this? Not just here, but the whole journey. Luffy did some amazing things, if you’re planning on recreating all of his actions every step of the way, you may not get a chance to publish this book you write.”

"Shigeuchi, can you list out for me the number of books banned by the World Government?" Nikko asked, before taking a long sip of his drink. Waiting to see if his first mate could list even one. "And do you know what I realized when I managed to get my hands on those forbidden tomes? Bad books don't get banned. Nobody cares if the story is badly told, or that the spelling is that of a child. Books are banned because they are ideas. Important ones. Ones that challenge what we see as obstacles. Why, in the story 'The King's Fears' which is about a king's paranoia killing the citizens of his kingdom. And the world government watched. Even when they had the means to interfere, or get involved, they didn't. Many died, suffered, and cried as the king's abuse killed their loved ones. Do you know what made the world government get involved at the end? Money. The king wanted to change the exchange rate." There was a pause for dramatic effect. "The government was furious to be portrayed as heartless, and as such the book was banned. And yet, the meaning in those pages stuck with me far longer than anything related to... Whatever drivel wasn't banned at the time."

"I would rather have a banned book, than a book that is safe in the Government's eyes. A book that raises concerns and questions, and pushes people to react. Besides... I have you to protect me. You'll make sure I finish my biography. Well, you and my editor." As he finished, he took another drink of his lemon flavored pig swell, and slammed the glass down. "It's funny... I shall never feel quenched. It's such a shame."

Ending the conversation, there was a tap on the table, turning Nikko's attention to one of the pirates by his side. A turban'd man from one of the Grandline's many islands, and one of the best archers in the Red Lion Crew. "Captain, we were followed. I spotted a girl with white hair and another following us earlier. I suspect they're hoping to try and claim your bounty."
"Ah, that's a shame. Well, they're free to try. Though I suspect we'll only run into weaker foes this early on. Alabasta is a lovely country, but it's not exactly the New World now is it?" Nikko's eyes drifted to the doors, waiting for Caitlyn and Lexi to come barging in.
"So, Shigeuchi, how much do you bet they'll start by trying to deliver a speech about how they're going to bring me to justice? I wager you the usual, one beli."

Fate/Concept RP

At the moment, the vote is Mooncell and GO RP.

Would people be interested in the concept of servants going through simulated Lostbelts or something of that kind? Combining the two ideas?

One Piece: The Next Voyage

Location - Alabasta - Port District
@King Cosmos

Alabasta. The land of the desert. The pirate crew of the Red Lion Pirates gazed down upon that endless desert, and whispered to themselves. Astonished by the size, the lengths, and the howling storms of sand that rushed across the surface of the island. Anybody else might forget about the ocean beyond the sand, but not the pirates who could see the island from the ocean. That, and they were so above the island that they could see the ocean in the distance.

Because the Red Lion's ship, the Golden Lion MK II did not sail like other pirate ships. No. That was absurd. How else would they have gotten to Loguetown if they had completed the full trip through the grandline required to do such a thing? Nikko had taken a page from his father's book, which involved a flying ship. Now, he couldn't control the ship like his father with the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, but he had other means to make a ship fly. In particular, he was an exploding sun that never rested.

Literally.

The ship used several hot air balloons, with a rigging system just in case one or another was broken. From the captain's seat in the center of the flying ship, Nikko sat on a throne. Around him where various pipes that led to the many balloons, and he sent heat to each in order to control the vessel's height, speed, and other factors. Though, at the moment, the heat of that chamber could boil a man alive, resulting in Nikko having to use a computer system to communicate with his crew.

"Boss, Alabasta is in view!" One of the voices said, as his visage appeared on one of the multiple monitors Nikko used to keep an eye on things.
"Thank you dear... Floyd. You're doing a great job. If you can, gather the men to make sure the rest of our plans are ready. We're going to be replicating Luffy's time on Alabasta on a tight schedule, and I need it to be as accurate as possible. That means, bomb, captive princess, and we're going to be so busy setting it all up." Nikko sighed as he stretched back on his make-shift throne. The temperature slowly dropping as the ship descended downwards. It's shadow drifting over Alabasta, as finally it made water. The vessel shaking as balloons were retracted back into the vessel proper. Already plans were in motion.
__________________________________________________
Several minutes later...

Nikko stepped from the metal room in the center of the vessel, wiped his brow and smiled.
"Now, some crew shall stay on board, and the others shall begin work on their various parts. Squad A, shall join me and Shigeuchi on the island. The second team... Squad B, shall be setting up in Alubarna, as we discussed earlier." Nikko explained to the surrounding crew he had gathered. So many pirates under his lead, just to recreate a scene for a book. Naturally, it was only that to Nikko. He let them plunder as they wished otherwise, as long as it didn't ruin his scene.
"According to my research, the pirate Crocodile was aiming to get his hands on the secret weapon, Pluton. While Pluton's plans are no longer a thing, as you will read in my chapter regarding Water 7 and the Pirate Franky, it is not a complete loss. Rather we'll just fudge some of the showing and merely make it a classic hostage situation. You dig?" Nikko already knew the details. He just needed the raw emotion that came with a city in peril to write his novel. Anything else would just... Be a side benefit. Though he'd probably grill the Queen Vivi for more... Information later.

As the boat pulled into harbor, and anchor was set down...

Nikko the Red Lion stepped onto the shores of Alabasta, and thus the plan was set into motion. "Shigeuchi, we have some time to kill before Squad B is ready. Would you like to get a drink or something before we make our move on the palace? We're working in broad strokes here."

One Piece: The Next Voyage

@KillBox at the moment, everybody seems to be either crawlers, or part of a crew already.

Red Lion Pirates still accepting fresh blood.

Fate/Concept RP

At the moment, the poll is leaning towards Fate/GO.

Fate/Concept RP

Hey, so people have messaged me asking when I'm gonna start up a new Fate/Stay Night Roleplay. And to be honest, I figured I could throw up a pitch to see what ideas people are interested in taking. I'll use this thread to also search for anybody who has interest in being a Co-GM.

The Options are
- A classic Fuyuki 7-8 Person War. (Can be historical or Modern Day. A separate vote will take place for that if this wins.)
- A Mooncell War with no Masters. (The premise being some kind of stress test, and the map will be simulated.)
- A Fate/GO RP. (Probably refining the lessons learned with the previous attempt.)

LINK TO THE POLL
Poll will end on the 7th.
If anybody has interest, please let me know.

One Piece: The Next Voyage

We're planning to send the Red Lions to Alabasta, so if you guys wanna hang around and do an arc, feel free. It'll be more fun to have others.

One Piece: The Next Voyage

Location - Loguetown - Before they set sail for the Grandline
@King Cosmos

His pen was in his hands. Already making notes of the walk up the pathway. The long shadow of the execution platform lay before him, and Nikko had to pause. As he stood there in the shadow, he had to take a moment to write the opening line to his novel. The second in his series of great pirates. As pen met paper...

The beginning of the journey is the end of somebody else's adventure. Wherever you step, you are stepping on land already traveled. Perhaps that is why the Pirate King Luffy found himself much like Roger. Old enemies on either side, but were one journey ended alone before a great crowd... Luffy was not alone. The wooden supports of the execution platform had rotten, while the pirate king to be had found new supports in the pirate crew he had found. A-

He was interrupted from his writing by Shigeuchi... The Red Lion looked up from his notebook, and turned his gaze to his right, where his eyes met with the other pirate.

"Have you ever considered making your own story, instead of writing about someone else’s? Why write about the last Pirate King when you could become the next one?”

There was a pause, as silent wheels ran through the captain's head. His gaze matched Shigeuchi's for the longest time. His first mate, who had seen him through far too many trials. Mostly in the sense of 'No I don't want to start a fleet like my dad' only to end up starting a single boat because they keep burning down the old ones. It's an interesting relationship.
"Oh right, I didn't tell you about that, did I?" Nikko said, finally breaking a silence that might have gone on forever. He then reached into one of several pockets on his vest, and pulled from it the most neatly folded piece of paper ever seen. Cared for, and protected despite the date marking back nearly a decade. As it was unfolded, it became more and more clear as an article from a newspaper. One of the few notable ones that managed to break the boundaries between islands. "Ahem... Let me read a review written by a... E. Oda. It's probably my favorite review on my novel."

"Ahem... 'The glee that the author has when following in the footsteps of...' I skipped ahead a little, to get to the important parts. 'The glee that the author has when following in the footsteps of Gold Roger is felt in every sentence of this bloated novel. So much is said in a fanboyish charm that one can forget how otherwise uninformed the writing truly feels. Great detail is etched into each of Roger's actions, but the author fails to ask the question 'why must Roger make these choices?' He is addicted to the Pirate King, but does not understand the Blah Blah Blah and in short does not understand the most fundamental part of Roger's character. That part is 'What must the stress of being a king do to a man that makes him do such things.' This failure to understand Roger's position leads to a biography that reeks not of understanding, but fanb- BLAH BLAH BLAH!"
In a flash, it was folded back up, and Nikko returned to a smile that said 'nothing is wrong.' But there really was something wrong.

"That was the ONLY negative review my biography ever received. Out of hundreds of reviews, critical and fan-made, I have been lauded as a genius. But, because I did not understand 'what it meant to be a pirate king' my novel was shunned by one particular critic!" Where it not for his overall calm appearance, one might think he was mad. He was mad, of course. "So, I have made quite a few plans. Not only will I be writing a new biography on the Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy, but I will be doing so with the exact insight I lacked last time."
That folded paper began to burn, and that ash fluttered away into the air.

"I'm going to be the Pirate King."

Behind him, the execution platformers rotten boards began to creak. A heat having caused the boards to expand. A heat that radiated from Nikko's body. Then, once the heat had groan too intense, the rotten boards could not handle the strain. Cracking, and finally erupting into a blaze of light. A crackling bonfire suddenly shooting up the sides of those boards, and turning the platform into a pyre. A blazing light that shone in the center of Loguetown. Marking the eyes of all, and drawing attention to the two pirates who stood there. It was a romantic vision. Two men illuminated by the burning throne of pirate kings.

"Now, we're going to Alabasta. I recall that Pirate King Luffy traveled there with a princess, fought a pirate, and then stopped a bomb from blowing up the city. I need to see that city destroyed by the blast of a bomb, otherwise I cannot visualize the force of such an action in my head."
There was... Something cruel in the way he said that. Perhaps he was just taking his new novel a bit further. "Though, I suppose we can hold the city for ransom, and then blow them up anyway after we're paid."