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Confessed by: thepolaropposites

Both Ace & Rouge died trying to protect someone they loved, from a world & a Force that meant to wipe them away all for the sake of “Blood Purity.”

Blood Purity is a recurring theme through-out the One Piece world as well, no matter how subtle it may seem at first. It was what originally drew me into OP, after many failed attempts from a friend who was quite obsessed with the show back in Middle School. From the early days of our friendship to years later when Impel Down was airing, she attempted to get me into the show & it wasn’t until Impel Down/Marineford that I finally caved.

There are so many good messages throughout One Piece as a whole, but the issue of “Blood Purity” hits close to home for me. Many would argue that it’s not a real problem in the world we live in today, but I assure you: It absolutely is. To see it woven through the plot of something as amazing as One Piece was such a refreshing & liberating experience for me, especially as Oda paints it exactly in the light it deserves: Bad.

To blame someone for the sins of their family (ie Roger & Ace, Dragon & Luffy) is absolutely ridiculous. But when under the thumb of such an oppressive & twisted goverment that has a way of pulling strings on the public, no one really bats an eye (in-verse, though I have seen fans argue that “everyone was in the wrong” for the Marineford arc).

Luffy battling the entire World Government for Ace– Ace losing his life to Akainu, trying to protect Luffy– Rouge giving up her life just to bring Ace into this world, all spit in the face of the Crimes of Existence that have been wrought upon the shoulders of individuals both undeserving. And while there is not exactly the trope of “Love heals all” written in (even failures added to show that this world can be a terrible place), I still feel so grateful to see that, despite whetever the rest of the world may say, there will always be someone who loves you.

Makino raised that boy when no one else would. She is Luffy's mom, just as much as Ace and Sabo are his brothers. 😤😤😤😤

Happy Birthday(s) to both Gol D. Roger and his son, Portgas D. Ace

Even he couldn’t be there for his son, because of the crimes he committed as a pirate, Roger loved both his love and child so much that he gave himself up to marines to protect them.

A child should never take on the sins of a parent, regardless of what the crimes were.

A father and son who deserve to be a family more than anyone in the world.

Marco lost not only his father at the Battle of Marineford, but also someone who was very precious to him, whether he knew it or not. 

You are precious child of the sea, Ace, a beloved brother who cares deeply about your little brother’s dream, and you are strong, loving, caring, and kind. You deserve to live with no regrets, for more than just one day.

Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Isuka & Sabo (One Piece), Isuka & Portgas D. Ace, Isuka/Portgas D. Ace, Portgas D. Ace & Sabo Characters: Isuka (One Piece), Sabo (One Piece) Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, The Revolutionary Army (One Piece), Minor Isuka (One Piece)/Portgas D. Ace, Portgas D. Ace is mentioned, Portgas D. Ace haunts the narrative, rivals to friends, Post-Marineford Arc, (for the second chapter), Some Angst in the second chapter, Sabo and Isuka can’t stand each other, (at first at least), Bickering, Portgas D. Ace’s death is mentioned, Sabo blames himself, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, (Isuka/Ace can be interpreted as romantic or not; it’s written about as ambiguous as the novels are) Series: Part 2 of A Crisis of Confidence Summary:

Joining the Revolutionary Army was a perfect fit for an ex-Marine with a high value on true justice.

To former-Ensign Isuka, it was the logical career path for someone so disillusioned with the World Government. The only downside was the Rev’s Chief of Staff, Sabo, who seemed to exist solely to grate on her nerves and challenge every ounce of her resolve.

To him, Isuka was too rigid and uptight. To her, Sabo was frustratingly impulsive. Their commander may have assigned them to work together but that hardly meant they saw eye-to-eye.

They could never have anything in common, could they?

OR: Sophie Takes a Test, and Howl Takes Care of Her, in His Way 

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She took a deep breath. And then looked wearily over at the sink, where the box Megan had given her rested on the counter.

Easing herself up, she approached it cautiously, like it might bite her. It was from Megan, after all, and she hadn’t much liked the knowing smile on Megan’s face when she handed it over. Mostly because sympathy from Megan irked her.

And then there were her next words, delivered with a smirk: “Maybe Howl can start spoiling his own kids.”

That was certainly getting ahead of things.

They closed the shop early that day and married in the field of flowers. Martha brought a cake from Cesari’s and Lettie picked flowers for Sophie’s hair. Howl produced a pair of rings, which did not match and were both too big for Sophie’s fingers, but with a few words one shrank to fit. Afterwards, Michael earnestly told them that they had given the worst vows he had ever heard, which likely had to do with the way Howl had caught Sophie’s eye halfway through his and botched it entirely. Sophie was ludicrously happy.

then they marry again in wales to satisfy megan and return a book sophie accidentally stole from the library there:

Howl held the train of Sophie's wedding dress as she stepped off the bus in front of the library. They had snuck out the back ten minutes after the reception started, but Sophie figured she might as well return Advanced Quilting Patterns while they were in this world. "I love weddings," said Howl. "We should make a tradition of them. I think these were your best vows yet." She had forgotten what she was saying and started reciting the price list for flower arrangements at their shop. It was a cheap shot; Howl, after all, had been the one that drove them to the wrong chapel. "No, darling, don't go inside. Turn it in through the slot so they can't charge you for stealing it." "Next wedding and I'll bribe Martha to object to the union," said Sophie, dropping the book into the slot. "I think she would do it for free," Howl said cheerfully. "But I'll win her over yet." "I'm sure you will," said Sophie. "You can be rather charming, when one doesn't know better." "Mrs. Nose," he said, smiling, "that was almost romantic."

but for In Which Michael and Martha Seek a Stolen Castle, castle-in-the-air era martha mentions that sophie lived with howl for a few years before marrying him, which i think is fun because fanny would find it scandalous when really 50% of the reason for the delay would be arguments and miscommunication (of the chaotic, funny, and smitten variety)

that’s the route that In Which Lettie Makes Demands takes (i didn’t write this or any of the other fics i mention below but i do wholeheartedly recommend them!), a lettie-centric one-shot i adore that mentions that howl and sophie are living together as if they’re married

in Cleaning Lady, on the other hand, we have sophie propose very awkwardly to howl soon after the events of hmc--the awkwardness resulting from her having her usual trouble articulating her feelings about howl and howl smugly waiting until she says it as payback for her doing the same thing abt his previous attempts to imply he loves her without working up the courage to say it outright. it’s very in-character and cute!

It Takes Two To Tango, But First You Have To Learn The Steps puts a different and equally funny spin on it by having sophie get an invitation  addressed to ‘the Wizard Howl Pendragon and the presumptive Madame Pendragon’ and howl’s like, “i mean yeah since we’re engaged--” and sophie’s like “we’re WHAT??” and howl’s like “wait do you not want to??” and sophie’s like “yes but you didn’t ASK??” and howl’s like “FINE DO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED” and she’s like “YES AND NOW YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO KISS ME”

in Second Time Lucky we see howl & sophie’s wedding part 2 electric boogaloo, where they already married in ingary but now have to get married in wales as well so it’s all in the clear. i like the idea of them having multiple weddings because they just can’t manage to sort out everything properly in one!

i could even see them having more than two--maybe they elope first and get married, then sophie’s family finds out and insists they have a proper wedding, and then they have a third wedding in wales and howl’s like “omg we’re on a roll want to get married in porthaven next?? what about kingsbury, i think the people there need to know too!“

as far as fics focused on weddings go, though, my favorite is A Certain Sort of Magic which has them getting married in ingary shortly after the events of hmc, but between odd ingarian wedding traditions, the struggle to keep howl’s attending family from realizing that they’ve been magicked to a different world, and sophie and howl’s nerves it becomes absolute chaos that resolves very sweetly!!

but moving away from fics, as i mentioned in this post i treasure the concept of howl wanting to marry sophie but he has to win the approval of martha and lettie first so he spends six months trying to bribe two shameless teenage girls while sophie refuses to intercede

Kindness does not require passivity or social grace. Kind characters can stick to their guns and stand up for what they believe in. They can yell and scream and curse. Kind characters can be angry and disappointed when others do not show them the same compassion they show others. Kind characters can be tactless, oblivious. They may be rough around the edges (but have a heart of gold).

Kind characters often value justice and strive to stay connected to their humanity, even when the things they must do threaten to strip it away from them. Kind characters sometimes have to make difficult choices. Sometimes, kind characters even behave in a way that is unkind.

Kindness is complex, and it’s only a single solitairy characteristic that contributes to a character’s personality. While it can absolutely present as soft-spoken, honest, and open-hearted (my personal FAVE), it certainly doesn’t have to be.