[Text]

[silent_king]

In times of darkness and chaos, Dressrosa's doors open for all of the lost and weary. If you are in need of medical care, food, protection or rescue, you need just ask. And one of our airships will come for you.

All are welcome. All are valuable.

Comments

[callada]

[It's a good thing he had already retreated to a quiet spot away from the people around him when he began this entire conversation, but a Calm bestowed on himself becomes necessary as he sits there absorbing every little detail of the images, laughing with delight and leaking tears at the corner of his eyes. This might not be his Law but some things truly do stay the same across all worlds. He ends up sitting with a fist to his mouth just paging back and forth through the pictures for a while like he just can't get enough.]

Thank you! Oh, Law. He makes the same faces as the one I know. And he calls you by your actual name! That's different from mine. He started calling me Cora-san a few months ago and it's the cutest thing!

I just did what I could for him. Nothing else mattered. One of those decisions that wasn't as hard as it probably should have been and one I'll never regret.

[silent_king]

[He's so glad that he could have done this for him. If it was his place, that had ended in death, he would have been desperate to see him. To experience, even second-hand what he was like as life progressed.]

Think nothing of it. I love these pictures, they're among my favorites. And his least favorites. I have them all framed in a large arrangement in my main sitting room, and it's so irritating to him. But I can't help it, they're precious memories and they should be seen! I'm so glad he started calling you that, though! Mine started the chan nonsense disrespectfully, and never left it alone.

We did the right thing. Both of us.

Is there anything else you want to know? It's better talking to myself than expected.

[callada]

So much more! How old is he now, your Law? I never did ask which year was the most recent for you.

And I hope you don't mind me asking, but after raising him, how did you two end up marrying each other? I admit I wasn't expecting that.

[silent_king]

26! He's come so far! He really has grown into a fine young man.

...It's embarrassing. I wasn't expecting that either. But he just wouldn't give up! He first proposed at twelve, in the middle of dinner without a bit of warning. I fell through the table, literally through it when I heard him say he was serious. It was adorable in a sense, but he told me he was ready, he was a man already.

I told him he was too young for that. I told him talk to me about it later, thinking he'd give up.

So he kept asking me. And asking me. Until I finally gave up. The last pictures were from the wedding.

[callada]

Through that strange quirk of time and resurrection, mine is 28 now. Older than me! Couldn't believe it when I heard that.

I suppose he knew what he wanted. He - maybe all of them - can certainly be stubborn. And intense.

They're striking photos. It must have been a beautiful wedding.

[silent_king]

28! I'm so old compared to all of you. That really must have been strange to experience.

He's always known what he's wanted. But that power, that intensity and determination are appealing traits, when tempered. The problem is that Law does what he pleases, for the most part. He's given himself a role, and he's hard to keep from it. And his worst traits can lead him to dark places. But I guess that's just human nature.

It was. [He looks at his own pictures from it, and he decides it's probably hard enough to see Law in groom's garb. Much less himself in gold and white and red, looking all but bridal. Some things just aren't comfortable to think about. Especially with the parental role that this Rosinante still seems to hold in his heart.] It probably sounds disgusting to you. I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable with talk of my life.

[callada]

It's hard for me to picture him as anything but a little boy, even though I know he isn't anymore. If you two are happy together then that's what counts.

[silent_king]

I understand.

You had other questions, though? I had one too. [More than one, but he's a patient enough man.]

[callada]

Go ahead. It's only fair after everything I asked.

[silent_king]

My muteness becomes a struggle often. How do you manage?

[callada]

It passed when I was young. Only lasted about a month.

I wrote if I wanted to say something. Mostly I tried not to be noticed.

[silent_king]

It never passed for me.

Notes work well enough. But a king is meant to be heard, and paper rarely achieves what I desire. Even if it becomes enchanted.

[callada]

I'm sorry. It must be an immense challenge in your position.

What do you mean by enchanted?

[silent_king]

It's more of a challenge without Law here. He's able to feel what I need, and get the information out. Without him, it's a little more complicated to communicate officially. Especially with the chaos that's going on.

Magic of course. It's not common to use it on something so trivial, but it helps to get the point across.

[callada]

I hope he turns up soon.

It doesn't seem as though you mean devil fruit. In my world some call that magic, but it isn't really. You have something else?

[silent_king]

We have those. But you have Haki, that's what it's called. Right? We have magic instead. It works a little differently, from what I've seen.

[callada]

We do. Did you come across that in all the news lately or have you run into someone who was able to demonstrate it?

[silent_king]

Both, in that order.

It's so different than magic, but it's still very similar. I think magic is more flexible, more malleable .

[callada]

I've only heard about it in stories, never as something real. What can it do? Can it be learned?

[silent_king]

It can! You'll need a tutor, but it's entirely useful.

It can do almost anything, but very few people are talented enough to use it. Much less use it in combination with a Devil Fruit ability set. I use it for everything from adding emotion to my notes, to dressing myself in the morning. Talented people can use it for attacks, defense, and more.

[callada]

When things are stabilized enough I would be interested in learning more about it. I don't think I can spare the time right now with everything being so chaotic.

I'm jealous though! It sounds pretty cool. Do you have a Devil Fruit also?

[silent_king]

When you have time, call for an airship and I'll teach you how to use it! If you're me, you'll be able to pick it up quickly.

I'd have to be more talented for it to be worth the jealousy! [There is a very long wait between this and the next text.] Doffy is here. Did you know that?

[callada]

I will!

He contacted me when he first saw I had arrived. I haven't determined whether or not he's mine.

[silent_king]

I was pretty certain that he wasn't my brother, he was texting. But he confirmed it within the conversation.

One Doflamingo is bad enough. I can't imagine how many others are here. He needs to have an eye kept on him.

[callada]

Keeping an eye on him is well within my plans. I intend to find a few people to assist first should he come for me directly, though I don't think he would actually be that stupid.