Zuzen Bjarnesen

Name: Zuzen (pronounced Suu-san) Bjarnesen

Age: 24

Bounty: 5.000 (really, just because people keep spotting him with the revolutionaries, and he did participate in that one war, right? must be dangerous somehow, let's just slap a bounty on that.)

Species: Human

Occupation: used to be an acolyte, main profession bandit

Allegiance: revolutionaries

Home Village/Ocean: North Blue

Appearance: Zuzen is about 6'1'' (1,85m) tall and of average build, neither very fat nor very athletic. He has short, messy, thin ginger hair with an ever so slightly receding hairline and narrow, deep blue eyes. Though he doesn't have many of the freckles often seen on redheads (only a few when he's in the sun a lot), he's still very pale and can't get a tan. He can be described as averagly goodlooking to some, but more “average“ than “good looking“, some points of critique being his often broken and therefore a bit crooked nose or the shadows under his eyes (which he says he got due to equal parts worry, paranoia and insomnia, which he sometimes suffers from, then again, sharing a ship with Jamil, who can blame him?). That, and the scar just above his right eye, where he had a nasty laceration once upon a time, though he can't say he recalls why exactly that was... it must've been bad enough though, considering how big the scar is, and how he's missing half his right eyebrow thanks to it. The other one is straight and thick, and somewhat darker than his hair, leaning towards darkish brown.
He sports a number of earrings in each ear, and has a piercing above his left eye. As for clothing, he mostly wears dark things, extremely conflicting his cheerful disposition, though not to the point of being gothic, he's entirely too practical for that. Often, he settles for some sort of dark t-shirt and simple, wide, long pants, jeans or something similiarily cheap and practical.
He also still has his old, light grey monk garment, only modified, with the front cut open and the arms cut off, so that it's more a cloak than anything now. Though he rarely ever wears it, he still prefers it to the revolutionary cloaks, which he says scratch horribly. In fact, he doesn't even own one.
Around his neck, he wears a key on a simple, thin silver chain, always hidden beneath his clothes. It seems to be fairly important to him.
He used to smoke, and still does it sometimes, but not as excessively anymore. Says it helps him relax. Mostly before battles, or after battles for that matter, and since with Johan, you never know when the next battle will come, he always carries a packet in one of his pockets.

History:
Zuzen was born in North Blue, to parents he doesn't really remember for anything else but giving him away. He grew up in a monastery a few miles away from the next town. The other monks said his parents gave him away because they didn't have the money to keep him and didn't want him to live as a beggar. Zuzen doesn't care. As a kid, he used to be angry at the parents he didn't know, but as he grew, he came to not care. Not forgive, but simply forget. After all, what can you do, right? Things are as they are, and they couldn't have been that great if the first thing they thought of was giving him away.
It didn't happen often for kids to be abandoned like he was, and so he was one of only two children the monky raised, though that could have ben explained by the orphanage in the city having a lot more on their hands. Really, giving him to the monky to raise instead had been real mercy on his parent's part, though Zuzen did not and still doesn't recognize it as such. The monks cared for him, gave him an education, raised him to be an acolyte, strictly but lovingly, and until he was seven, he had their undivided attention. Then, one day, a shivering five year old, extremely skinny and weak, arrived in the monastery. To be exact, they found her collapsed in front of the altar when they went for their nightly prayer, soaked from the rain outside, and quite positively with a high fever. She wouldn't talk, even when she was in a shape in which she could live on her own again. Maybe she was mute... Maybe that was the reason she had been abandoned. That was what Zuzen told himself to keep the thoughts at bay that maybe, maybe she had run, and that maybe, something had happened to her that made her so quiet, so mistrusting and so afraid of everything. The monks, of course, were hesistating to keep her, a little girl, they tried to take her to the orphanage, but as soon as they even got near the place, she started to kick and struggle and wouldn't walk another step, and so they gave in. No one had the heart to force this poor creature to go to a place she didn't want to be.
Whatever it was that made her mute, whatever it was that made her stay, Zuzen didn't care. At first he was jealous, angry even because she got all the attention he had gotten before. Poor little thing, with her own tragedy in the past, no one quite knew what to do with her, pah! Wasn't he exciting enough?! Because his parents had just abandoned him? No big deal right??
After a while, though, pouting had gotten old, and he had tried to get through to her himself, after all, how bad could she really be? besides, he wasn't a monster. He did have it in him to feel sorry for her. But she never reacted to his tries, his presents, his taunts, nothing. And then, finally, he stopped caring. She didn't want anything to do with him? Fine! Damn little attention hogger, whatever! Weirdly, the moment he stopped caring, she seemed to become interested in him. She started following him around, in a respectful distance that became ever less respectful as time passed, finally ending with her always walking right by his side. A creepy, mute sidekick he didn't really want. It was more than uncomfortable at first. Once or twice, he punched her to make her stop, but she didn't, and to be honest, he felt like a complete jackass everytime he did, so he stopped quickly. When it came to the point that he woke up one day, he was ten at the time, and found her lying right next to him, snuggling up to him in an adorable, if a bit creepy way, he was already past being shocked, or surprised, or really even caring. Should have seen that one coming, really. At least he could be sure she didn't stay up to watch him sleep all night.
She sat next to him in his studies, she watched him eat, pray, work... They were inseperable, and at some point, he had gotten so used to her that he'd have been highly unsettled to turn around and find her not following him.

At that age, Zuzen was a quiet boy, who spend a lot of time studying on his own. But then puberty hit him, and everything went to hell. He became increasingly bitter and angry, not fit for being an acolyte, or even living in a monastery. His parents had abandoned him, the monks preferred his creepy sidekick to him, and all their talk of good and just people... man, they didn't have any idea! What did they know??! No one understood him!
The dark haired girl, now named Thyme, because she seemed to enjoy the smell of the plant so much, was still following him around, still eternally silent, and so he often became the catalyst for his frustration. All he got for it were sad looks out of huge, dark eyes, and they were enough to make him feel like the worst kind of person, which again fueled his self hate, which he projected on the world around him, and took out on, mostly, Thyme...
When he turned fourteen, his rebelliousness made him absolutely insufferable, but no one knew it would get even worse back then. Anyway, that was the age the archbishop decided it was about time to let him in on just what the monastery was: a hiding place. To be precise, the hiding place for the means to get to the hiding place of something very important. That hiding place was called the “lost court“, and was supposedly some kind of storeroom for things that shouldn't exist.
Why this age? Zuzen would never know. Maybe to show him that they did still love and trust him, and they saw him as one of their own. If it was so, then the message didn't really reach him at all.
Back then, Zuzen didn't understand any of that, even less than he could have, would he have tried, but frankly, he just didn't care much.
The first time he went to town came about a month later, when a group of the monks took him with them to... well, they didn't exactly tell him what they were doing there, just that they'd meet up with him (and Thyme, who was, of course, following him again) at the towns gate.
He didn't protest, the promise of this new world, the town he'd never been to before, with all its noises and smells and sights was too exciting to pass up on, and though Thyme was clearly scared, he was too fascinated to really feel her grabbing and tugging on his arm.
As promised, he was back at the gate after three hours, but leaving the town hurt him a lot more than expected. He knew he'd have to come back. The sheer sinfulness of the things he had seen, the unholyness of the setting, the godlessness of the people... It was the complete opposite of what he had experienced so far, and it fascinated him to no end. He kept telling himself it was the monks own fault for taking him there. They really should have known.
During the next months, he kept running away more and more (and somehow, Thyme kept on figuring out when, and kept on following him), and got sucked into that strange world he didn't really understood, but so desperately wanted to understand.
So desperately that he slowly became a strange part of it, like a sixth finger that nonetheless belonged to the hand of its owner and had its place.
He got into trouble, of course, and he got involved with the gangs in the town. Made enemies, and friends, had his first street fight, and adapted the look of his gang more and more. By the time he was fifteen, he already had most of his earrings and the affinity to wearing black, even more so than today.
He fit in so perfectly, people kept forgetting he was actually a cleric, or, well, a cleric-in-training. He kept forgetting it himself. Even when he was back at the monastery, he kept and kept on forgetting he wasn't supposed to think unholy thoughts, or to curse. He couldn't stop himself from doing it.
Of course, the monks had long figured out what was going on, and while some of them saw it as the scandalous thing it should be, the archbishop actually seemed to approve of it. He'd ask Zuzen for his stories, and was highly amused by even the most sinful of things he had done, even that one time Zuzen had actually visited a brothel with his friends, and lost his virginity seemed more amusing to him than anything (though it could have just been Zuzen's own blushing and stammering). Sometimes, Zuzen would even wonder if that old man was a monk at all, acting so unexpected.
Well, this or that way, he was allowed to go on as he had, and get into more and more trouble.
When he turned sixteen, he heard of devilfruits for the first time when of the guys in his gang (or rather, the gang he was in), talked about how one of the enemy gangs totally had a devilfruit user in their ranks. Zuzen, who had been sitting around quietly smoking until then, hadn't heard the term before and asked what it was. When he heard the explanation, at first he thought they were lying to him.
But still, the boss believed that ridiculous story and told the entire gang to stay away. That made Zuzen angry, very angry. He never quit a fight! What was it with this decision!? They weren't a bunch of cowards! He challenged the gangleader in his anger, and actually beat him, making himself the new gangleader, a huge surprise to anyone, most of all himself. He chalks it up to mostly luck, but also the practice he had gotten, seeing as he was known to be smong the most aggressive of them all. He had simply used his time with the guys to blow off some steam, was all... His first decision as new leader was to fight against "that devilfruit guy", and though that was generally seen as a bit of a risky idea, the guys followed him still, if only to see the fight. The gang was found quickly, and the challenge made.
Zuzen knew his strenght, and he knew the strenght of his gang, so he was confident he would win.
His confidence was completely crushed when one gang member, alone, beat them in two minutes.
Alltogether, that made Zuzen gangleader for about ten minutes, since the gang didn't exist anymore afterwards, such was the law in those parts, and the law of the gangs had to be obeyed. But more importantly, it gave Zuzen a new obsession: he really, really started wanting that power. So much, in fact, that he kept on following the guy, Simon was his name, around, annoying him endlessly with his questions or his presence. He was beaten to hell more than once for it, but that didn't keep him from doing it.
Still, he never quite got any useful information out of him, other than the fact that every devil fruit had a different effect.
He was seventeen, and it was a day like any other, when the archbishop called him. Most likely he just wanted to hear another story about the big city life, but as Zuzen opened the door, it was immeadeatly clear to him that this was a lot more important. The three highest members of the monastery were in the room, and the atmosphere was tense and serious, with a little fear in it as well.

Spoiler:

They gave him the key, and they told Thyme one of the five parts of “the way to the court“ (Zuzen doesn't know it to this day, telling the mute girl was kind of a smart move, really), then send them away.
Zuzen did as he was told, automatically, as one does when there's too many questions, too much fear, when one just does what they're told because they don't know what else to do. This was all so sudden! Why would the government come here? Why was the archbishop afraid of them?
Of course, he'd understand all of it as soon as his brain started woking again, but right now, his brain had decided to take some free time and had left his head to be filled with chaos and confusion.
Somehow, he had the feeling Thyme understood the situation better than he did. She wouldn't follow him like she usually did, and when he took her up and carried her out of the monastery, she clawed at him, and tried to get a hold of the doors, screaming silently while he still couldn't make out what would happen to his home a few hours after he was gone.
When they were halfway to town, she stopped struggling, and he could tell by the way she was shaking occasionally that she was crying instead. He grasped her even tighter in a lame attempt to make her feel better, to show her he was there. It only made her cry even more.
When they arrived in town, she had stopped crying. She was like a lifeless puppet holding his hand and trotting next to him, her eyes on the ground.
He knew what to do.
It took them thirty minutes to find Simon, hanging out at the usual place. Zuzen knew he had a small ship he used for sailing out to the small islands a few miles from the harbor.
Simon agreed to take him to the next one, but not further, and only when he saw how scared both of them were. Say what you will of him, he had grown attached to them in a way, especially the little girl, who, at age fifteen, was still the size of a twelve year old. What he was going to do there, Zuzen wasn't sure... build a raft, maybe....
But it never came to that.
When they were just two minutes away from their destination, Zuzen could see the smoke.
It could have been just a townhouse, or an old factory, or one of the many brothels the town had, but Zuzen knew that it was his home.
That's when his brain started working again, and he finally understood just what this whole thing was. He sat down on the small ship, his head in his hands and cried, not caring about Simon being there with them, or acting cool, or anything really. Everything out of his old life seemed like a joke now. With the tears, finally it all hit him. The exhaustion, the desperation, that he would have to struggle to survive, protect Thyme all on his own now, that he was all alone in a world where the government would be looking for him, and that he didn't know what to do.
Simon's reaction wasn't as extreme in showing, but much, much more extreme in how it influenced him. When they reached the first of the tiny islands, he didn't stop to let them out, he kept going with that stern look on his face that he always had when he made a decision.
Zuzen never asked him about it, but he knew that Simon had understood what had happened, and had decided that this was simply more important to him than returning home tonight. Say what you will about Simon, that guy had a strong sense of justice, of honor, and he simply couldn't stand seeing people break down and cry.


Zuzen and Simon travelled together for a while, then went seperate ways. Simon became a mercanary and adventurer of sorts, while Zuzen spent most of his time hiding from the world government.
Weirdly, that was the time he adopted his fake optimism and cheerfulness. Originally, it was to cheer Thyme up a little, but then he noticed how much it helped him cope with things and decided it was a way better outlook on life anyway. If the world was such a piece of dirt, you could at least laugh at it and try to have fun anyway.

When he was nineteen, he heard of Johan Frideswide for the first time. A revolutionary. Some called him an extremist. Some said he was crazy, a madman. Zuzen never doubted that they were right, but he also knew that, as a revolutionary, that man was sure to hate the government. And he was sure to have some power...
Thyme didn't like the idea. In fact, she hated the idea, not only because she knew neither Zuzen nor she believed in anything that man said, but also because using people didn't work well with her.
So they split up. Thyme remained on the island they were on at the time for a little longer (Zuzen knew she could defend herself, after all she had been with him in those street figths, still, it hurt, and he worries about her even today), while Zuzen departed with the next ship that set sail. No goodbyes. No tears. They had agreed on that. Not even a picture of the other. Too dangerous. If one was found out, the conenction to the other would instantly been drawn that way. Entirely too risky.
With all the knowledge he could muster, and all the info he could gain, Zuzen finally found Johan one day. Or rather, Johans crew found him. Had been close to Logue town, if he remembered correctly.... they'd been sighted there before. Unfortunately, they found him when he was following the “Get close to your enemy“ tactic. Meaning he was working as a marine to gather information about Johan. What easier way to get information about the man than stealing it from the unassuming marines? To be fair, they had been really lousy with security, everyone in a marine uniform had been considered 100% trustworthy...... The crew captured him, tied him up and brought him to their captain, after he had made it absolutely clear that he had no business fighting them. Truth be told, at that point, he wasn't so sure this had been a good idea after all. And for just a moment, he wondered if that was weird or normal for revolutionaries... Then he saw Johan. God, what a disappointment. He had expected someone... taller. And slightly more intimidating... less friendly... and less clumsy...
Still, he decided to go along with it and asked him straight forward if he could join their crew. What choice did he have, really? Come on. He didn't have anything planned for the rest of his life.
That was the moment when he gained absolute certainty that this crew was just weird. Who the hell would accept a marine into a revolutionary crew? Johan would.
So he became a member of the revolutionaries. And though he now had absolute certainity that they would not, in fact, be able to protect him from the government at all, he actually caught himself having fun with them once in a while. Except (or especially, at some points, though he'd never admit it, ever) with Jamil, the torturer, who he sadly seems to be teamed up with a lot. Something about slowing him down in his crazes?
He's been with them for years now, and has really taken a liking to them, even though he still doesn't exactly share their ideas (which is tolerated, since he still has a considerable hate for the government). As for now, he's one of the closest men to Johan, who he has learned to respect despite his many, many flaws. Believe it or not, the man is actually competent every once in a while.
Still, as soon as he finds a devilfruit, or at least he tells himself so, he'll be gone again. Goodbye cheap protection of the revolutionaries, hellooo being able to take on the governmental goons send after him (he's sure they exist!) himself.

Personality:
Zuzen is a very cheerful guy with a habit to state the obvious and a love for wine, women and song, in a controllable way. He wouldn't have anything in a not controllable way. That wine could be poisoned! That... that woman looked at him funny, she must be a spy, oh god, does she recognize him from the bounty posters? It was a bad idea to come here!
In truth, he is constantly nervous, bordering on paranoid. No matter where he is, he thinks the government is just around the corner. Do they know he exists? That he has the key?? Are they looking for him??? To Zuzen, all of those can be answered with a clear "yes". He mistrusts most people, though he hides it very well behind his nonchalant attitude and smile. It's possible that part of this is just because he feels he has to be the opposite to Jamil, and finds himself holding the madman back from just butchering anyone who so much as looks at Johan weirdly, a feat that actually takes a great deal of courage, which no one really ever seems to recognise or appreciate, he's quietly noted.
He hates the government with a passion, though he doesn't wish to see it fall because he thinks it would be good for the world, but because it would be good for him. A complete egoist, and not afraid to admit it, in fact, he seems to use it as an explanation for his behavior quite a lot. Love your neighbor as you-? Haha, sorry, I'm an egoist. Help the poor? Egoist! Save your comrade from certain doom? Selfish!As!Fuck! Hey woah Johan got kidnapped again we have to help him? No wa- yeah okay fine but tell Jamil to stop staring at me like that.
The teachings of the monks seem to have been completely forgotten by him, he neither loves his enemy, nor does he love his neighbor like he loves himself or seem too reluctant to commit any sin- from small ones like lying or staring at married women in a less than civil way, to huge, huge ones, the hugest being his pure desire for the devilfruits. What kind of monk wants to let a devil into his body for power?
Though he seems to be easygoing, it's very possible that he actually takes things more seriously than any other member of the crew. He's into survival, and he's into fun. Those two don't go well together, and sometimes he wonders when along the way he turned into one of the cowards he hated so much when he was in that gang. Maybe when he realised that being a coward is the safest option sometimes.
There aren't many things he considers worth fighting for, and there's only one thing he considers worth dying for: That is the key.


Ship: Anika


Devil Fruit: If only...

Special Abilities:
None, he's really just some brat who picked up what he knows about fighting on the street. His speed is above average, and his strenght is slightly more than what you'd expect, but other than that, he's nothing special. Except he can be extremely ruthless sometimes.

Learned Techniques (Keep it 1-25):
Eh, not really.

Weapons/Items:
- saber
-“Black key“
-brass kuckles, though he doesn't really use them a lot
- rifle

Goals: He really, really wants his revenge. But before that, he wants a devilfruit. Oh, and he's curious about the “lost court“ as well. And surviving would be nice. I think that's it.