In a fit of irony, Jack laughed as he watched his own self appear before him. It came from a dark place that was swirling in the loss of Isari, fear for his crew, and hatred on Yuli.
"You know I've done this dance once before? Ria made a better double than you. Can't your creator come up with anything original?"
His duplicate, the Replica, made a half-smirk. Jack's black humor died as an eyebrow twitched. "We may only be at half-strength thanks to what you gave Cedric," the other one replied, "but I'm on her side. No different than when we were with Hoshi North. Does your loyalty run as deep for Runali?"
"You know that it does," Jack spat.
They began circling each other with butterfly blades and haki out. It coated the steel and patches of their skin, fluctuating like dappled sun on a forest floor. Eyes locked, Jack's mind leapt to the scenarios that would ensue the moment either of them struck. A mental tug-o'-war of who could out-maneuver who. It was a dance that he was familiar with but left him feeling off kilter. He'd do this with Adelaide, not himself.
That smirk broadened. Jack lunged to the side as throw knives struck where he'd once stood, and in the same moment his doppelganger was on him, exchanging blows. Steel on steel, fists to arm blocks, kicks that were absorbed. They matched or dodged each other, and each powered by haki so that every hit created a sonic force that kicked up the dirt around them. Jack kept up, at first, but the trouble came when he missed the first hit.
The Replica kicked at his side, forcing him to turn, and opening up a blind spot from which a punch came from nowhere. It landed blow his ribcage and Jack wheezed. He slashed to force the other one back, but he danced around and cut Jack's back before his haki could protect him. He shivered as lancing heat blossomed, hip to the opposite shoulder. It wasn't a move he would have done, and Jack's eyes widened with anger as he realized where the Replica had gotten from.
"You don't get to think like her!" he hissed as he retaliated.
"Why not? I love her too." The doppelganger took a hit below his elbow, and a crimson flower blossomed down the white sleeve. Both were panting, their already lowered energy dropping more.
In a burst of speed, the Replica poured his Armament haki into his arms and caught the man by the front of his shirt. He pulled Jack forward, causing him to loose his balance, and delivered a terrifying kick as he put the rest of his haki into it and sent Jack flying. Ribs cracked from the impact. He landed, breath escaping his lungs. Whiteness exploded in his vision with pain reverberating along the back of his skull. Jackie mewed pathetically from his pocket but it sounded so far away to his ringing ears.
"Am I a lesser copy now?" his duplicate asked through Jack's haze.
Jack rolled onto all fours and felt his stomach turn in on itself with revulsion. Warm wetness trickled down the back of his neck but when he went to touch it, he saw blood already on his fingertips. He froze and looked down.
He'd landed in soot and a splash of blood, now drying in the heat. Isa. The spot where the girl had stood, mere minutes ago, and just like that gone. Vanished in a plume of fire. Everything happened too fast. He couldn't have stopped it, no matter how hard he tried, yet in the back of his mind he wondered if he had known to ask, would Vai have told him that this was the outcome of their path? The grief that clogged his throat was surprising. All that we did was to save her... and still it wasn't good enough... All because of Yuli. The one he'd failed to kill.
Fists curled into the ash. Vision, cleared by white spots, now darkened. The sorrow in his throat melted into his veins and began changing, growing into something hot and visceral. It burned into his limbs and seared his chest. I am so sorry.
Yuli's replica paced towards Jack. He seemed to recognize the killing blow was his, and approached the moment with sobriety. "For the record, I won't try to replace you," he said as he raised his blade. "But I'll live as I see fit."
The Armament blade descended onto his exposed back, and shattered. A force sent Replica stumbling back, a look of shock and confusion flickering across his face, and even more quickly, a touch of fear. He dropped the hilt of his destroyed blade, already reaching for hidden throwing knives, even as he asked: "How did you... we were at our energy's limits."
Jack chuckled. It came out as a rasping cough. Slowly, he stood up and rolled his shoulders. From head to toe, he glistened with a hematite sheen. His hair; his clothes; skin and even those golden eyes. They vanished into monochrome, like a metal statute come to life. He flexed, cricked his neck, and reveled in the feeling of Full Armament Haki.
So this is what Hoshi experienced...
The duplicate threw a series of kunai knives. They clashed against Jack's torso -- chink, chink -- and fell, splintered, to the ground. Replica took a step back. His mind, reeling, desperately trying to find the answer that would unlock his potential too. To give him Full Armament, elevate him, so he and his original could be on the same playing field again. But he couldn't. His bones felt and weighed against his muscles, his breathing wasn't quite right, and his own haki dwindled to sparks on a dying fire. He gritted his teeth. He glared at Jack as the man started toward him like a tiger meandering toward wounded pray. How!? His eyes wandered from Jack to where the man had fallen, right next to the smear of blood that'd once been Isari.
Reasoning clicked into place, and filled Yuli's creation with dread.
"Now you get it," Jack said.
Replica swung wildly. Dodging with ease, Jack stepped closer and caught his wrist between two fingers. Like pinching a grape, the bones crushed. Golden eyes bulged with pain, his duplicate biting back the pain. He kicked at Jack's midriff with haki and a force ricocheted from the blow. Replica stumbled and Jack caught the front of his waistcoat, picked him up, and tossed him aside. The doppelganger landed several feet away with a sickening crunch as his foot was awkwardly caught beneath his body.
Jack stalked him. "We killed our first man when we were 10. We were weak... until we weren't. Our Haki never unleashed itself at pinnacles of reason. It was rage."
Catching the scrambling duplicate, Jack delivered two punches. The nose shattered. Three ribs caved in. Replica wheezed as tears of pain sprang from his eyes. The look in his eyes told Jack that their minds went to the same place, back when the Marauders had beaten them, tortured them, and left them to die. For the first time in his life, he finally understood why they did it. The sheer joy of it.
"P-please..." Replica desperately tried to push Jack away, to no avail. It disgusted Jack to his core. My God, I really am that pathetic.
"No. You don't get to beg for your life. We failed Isari. We failed Zilia!" Jack hissed through black metallic teeth as he hit his duplicate, again and again. "I haven't done a single goddamn thing right since Vai first appeared. No -- since the day I sold my soul to Charlotte. I can't kill your boss to make myself feel better, but I can remove the stain that is you in me."
"You don't... want to do this..." the replica rasped. Agony riddled his body with each hit, but he wasn't close to dying yet. "This is no different from murder. Torture."
Jack laughed and it was cold, bitter. With a twist of his hand, the haki glove burst into flame. The fire spread up his arm, onto his face and hair, burning without hurting. They illuminated the despair on his duplicate's face, which looked closer to himself than he did in that moment. "This isn't murder. It's catharsis."
*******
It took some time for the body to burn. It hadn't been a quiet death. Jack idly wondered if he'd prophesied his own fate in that way -- full of pain and despair. No matter. The shame would come when everything was said and done.
Who are we, even? Are we really the good guys in all this? It hadn't even occurred to him to wonder that and now that it had, it didn't seem to matter either. Maybe it never had, because the truth was, he hadn't been one in a long time. His actions here and now proved that. It was about time he remembered it, as he stood up, coated in ash, blood and wearing haki like a scar, looking for Runali and the next target to kill. There's no such thing...
In his pocket, the little familiar cowered, not understanding who was the man that now carried her.
Once Stardusk had gathered back in front of the woman she summoned a piece of crystal and marked her place in the book. The smile had left her face at this point, a long heavy and a bit too theatrical sigh escaped from her as the woman rested her cheek on her fist. Her eyes flickered from Stardusk to Stardusk before a shrug escaped from her.
"All right I'll give you guys credit," Yuli said sitting up. "You actually made me sweat. Haven't done that in a long time."
Yuli gently patted her forehead with a handkerchief as if to illustrate this point.
"That's a funny joke you said there Ru-Ru. Effort? Oh no I haven't even started yet."
"You summoned Imposter," Luro said placing his hands on his hips.
"I will admit fault to that. That being said that was a nice one, not bad Jack, look at you go."
Yuli held her hands up before leaning back in her chair crossing one leg over the other.
"All right Stardusk. You've earned it. I'll 'try' for you."
Yuli snapped her fingers and the wood behind her shuffled, Luro's eyebrows arched a bit as something stepped out of the wood, his hand twitching as he noticed his own face step out, and eventually Runali's, then Jack's then Alicia's, the faces continued to appear, multiple Replica's walking out of the woods, ten then twenty, then fifty and so on and so forth until rows of them stood behind the god. A few Adelaide's were scattered in there as well, and Luro definitely recognized a few faces as well.
"...is that spy lady...and her bug?"
"Charlotte indeed it is," Yuli said smiling. "I can create any obstacle from your adventures, the giant doggy you fought, easy, the man who attacked Yula Fei, child's play, The Court piece of cake. Even the Nova's or Cutthroats should I so desire, how about another god while we're at it."
Yuli snapped her fingers again and a large circle formed in the sky above them, pentagrams rotating outwards forming large ones before quickly forming together as the clouds darkened and gathered together, a blood red arm reached out of the large floating circle holding a giant axe that seemed the size of the island itself.
"Well I'll pull the rest out if I have too," Yuli said waving a hand. "Let's see...I think...ten Alicia's, Eight Jack's, five Runali's and a few others will be enough for the Captain….well it's a start, the rest of you I already got an idea from what I observed."
Yuli stood up from her seat and stretched her arms above her head, as she did the Alicia's eyes flared before power erupted from them as each one took their ascension forms, Armament ran along the bodies of the Runali's and Jack's as they readied their weapons, the Luro's clicking switches causing their rifles to roar to life.
"Captain Runali," Yuli said her eyes moving to the Captain.
The smile had left her face as energy quickly filled the area, the blue sky shifting to black as Yuli's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You and your crew will die here today...and there is nothing you can do to stop that. You are free to fight as hard as you want...to the very end if you desire...but you all will die here. Make some manner of peace with that. You struggle and the binds only get tighter. The more power you show the more I gain. I'm quite frankly tired of this."
Yuli ran a hand through her hair.
"I'm tired of all this fighting. I'm tired of people like you, tired of...of all of it. I didn't even want to fight. I just wanted to be done with this."
The woman looked back at the crew and for the first time exhaustion actually showed on the god's face, her eyes no longer shining with their usual playfulness.
"I...I gave up everything I had for this. My family, my friends...my humanity...all those I love for one place. Just one…we're not so far gone that we're blind to what we're doing, I'm well aware this is a terrible way of handling things...we've left a trail of bodies...so many bodies to get here. We made our choices and suffered for them all for this moment."
Yuli shook her head and squeezed the bridge of her nose.
"Yet you...you have the audacity to stand there and tell me you're going to get in our way because you want to finish what you 'started'.
A weak chuckle escaped from the woman at this as she hung her shoulders, shaking her head.
"That just made me sick to my stomach."
She raised her head back to the others, her eyes narrowing at the group.
"It was at that moment I stopped caring about your lives. I was wholly fine having you leave, even giving Isari back but after that...if the boss hadn't stopped me I would have just ended everything there. Now I'm going to take everything from you...just like you were going to do to me."
Yuli waved a hand in front of her face.
"You know what it doesn't matter anymore. My reasoning...yours it won't matter in a few minutes. I'm just going to send wave after wave at you until there's nothing left. If by some miracle someone's left standing I'll just erase them myself before letting the Crystal claim you. Figured you should at least know why you're dying today, bare minimum I could do for you."
Yuli made a shooing motion towards Runali.
"Talk to your crew, give them your pep speech or whatever. Do your Captain thing, put on a brave face, whatever you do. Then I'm going to kill each and every one of you and earn what I've worked for."
Yuli sat back in her seat and raised her hand, as she did the Replicia's lowered their bodies ready to rush forward at a moment's notice, even the 'hand' above gripped the axe tighter.
Luro stood blood still dripping off his body, he reached down and touched his side before pulling it away, his bandaged hands were already coated in red so he couldn't tell what was new or old anymore. Luro looked at his counterparts and with a sigh rested his rifle on his shoulder.
"So what's the word Captain?"
"I'unno I think the deer lady gave plenty of those." Runali commented to Luro as she eyed the scene. "Looking at multiples of you guys... is really weird." She spoke casually as she stretched an arm across her body. It wasn't pleasant seeming to find new injuries in the process. Her crew looked worse for wear too, even if they were standing on their own two feet. And the replicas of course didn't have a scratch on them. This wouldn't end well if she sent them fighting this battle. Runali dreaded times like these. Just having to make these tough calls could take most of her energy, but she was determined to keep her crew alive. It was her job as their captain and as their friend. But it didn't seem like that was an option.
That made her frown a little and look down at her palm. The most she remembered about her last meeting with Davy Jones was an almost forgotten signature on her, however she had a feeling her 'luck' with the dead was running out.
"Hey, Yuli."
The captain had her hand up, a familiar signal to keep her crew at bay, but then both rested on her hips.
"You're not… good. We're not good either. You're doing exactly what pirates do." She idly waved a hand in thought. "Doing whatever it takes to get what you want because you have some goal... Except, I wouldn't give up the things I care about for the sake of… this. Because at the end of the day, you still don't have your family, your friends, or your humanity." Runali spoke genuinely. She didn't hold any malice in her tone and her hands moved behind her back to show she didn't have any intention of 'sneakily attacking'. "So why… should I care that you hate me when you gave up what you cared about?" Runali blinked and shook her head. "Sorry, sorry, I s'pose you thought about that, huh? Gods know everything and all so of course there was no other way, right?" She scratched the back of her head. "I do want to know one thing though, since you're being nice." Runali looked around the area before her one eye landed on Yuli again. "Where's my doctor? Is she still on this island?"
Yuli kept her hand raised, apparently keeping her promise on letting Runali speak what would be her final statement. Her eyebrows narrowed a bit at the Captain's words but she gave Runali her full attention, at the end of it all she closed her eyes not answering the question immediately.
For a moment it almost didn't seem she would bother answering but she opened her eyes back to the Stardusk Captain and spoke again.
"She's that way."
Yuli motioned with her other hand past the endless amount of Replicas staring back at them.
"Just a little further along…but in a few minutes that won't matter either.
Yuli stood up from her seat, the chair vanishing as she did so.
"Even gods don't know everything Runali. You met Jones, those who have all the answers lose their sense of curiosity...we know more than humans...but there are things outside our knowledge as well."
A small chuckle escaped from the woman.
"I know you wouldn't care though maybe I just wanted to tell someone...but I found something precious after I lost everything...and I refuse to lose anything more....in the end that's what this all boils down to. Neither of us willing to let go of what we're clinging to...and no way for both of us to keep it. In a way I understand why you all fight so hard, all of us have experienced loss of some kind...inevitably we lose something precious...unfortunately you get to lose it sooner than I do. I don't steal it away out of malice...know that at the very least. Goodbye Stardusk."
Yuli lowered her hand and a single gunshot rang out.
The woman's eyes widened a bit as she noticed Luro with his rifle pointed at her, smoke coming out of the barrel, the Replica's didn't move and Yuli stood still for a moment before blinking and looking down at her body. Patting it with her other hand she looked back at Luro finding no new marks on her body.
"Sorry about that Captain, couldn't resist."
"Seriously? You shoot at me and miss. Aren't you supposed to be some master Marksman or something. How did you-"
Yuli's eyes twitched and her brows lowered as a large red stain formed on her right leg, she looked down at it, pain flashing across the woman's face. The Replica's behind her vanished, disappearing into nothing, the giant hand above and it's seal also vanished in a flash of light.
"Wha-"
"Finally figured out the clue," Luro said laughing and rubbing the side of his head. "Man been playing that in my head for a bit."
"You...how…"
Yuli fell to her knees, the energy around her fluctuating.
"I'm sure if the others knew the whole story they would have gotten it sooner. I kept repeating it in my head and finally just got it. Haha."
Luro loaded another shot into his rifle.
"The Queen of Vanity loses herself in her mirror...but later in the story she finds her reflection moves differently from her. The Reflection itself isn't her real self. It's a trick by the former Monarch of Vrahei. It's a really good story I really should tell you guys it one day. Actually I'm surprised no one asked me about it when it came up, is it the way I tell my stories? I'm trying to get better at it."
"That...Lina….she…"
Yuli grit her teeth as her eyes narrowed.
"Damn it...even dead she finds a way to ruin me."
Luro tilted his head before speaking to the downed woman.
"Hey Yuli do you know my last name?"
"Huh...it's Makachi."
"Did you know Lina's?"
"Wha-no she was a Quill. Quill's don't know...oh...."
"Yep it was Lina Makachi. Older Brother," Luro said pointing at himself.
Yuli tried to move but Luro raised his rifle again causing her to flinch.
"Ah don't move. I got your scent now. You stood upwind and it's suddenly easier to track. I already hit you. Next one will go in your skull. Only reason the first one didn't was I wanna leave your fate to Z. You killed Isa after all and revenge should be handled personally. That's the Makachi way...I think."
Yuli grit her teeth and clutched at the dirt, red already seeped into her clothes. The magic around the woman seemed to shift slightly and probably for the first time the woman's true face showed. Black bags hung under her eyes, her breathing was long and heavy, sweat pouring down the side of her pale face, her eyes would twitch as her body trembled. This was a woman on the verge of collapse, her will was probably the only thing keeping her moving at this point.
"Damn it...Damn it! Damn all of you!" Yuli screamed as she lowered her head, a coughing fit following after raising her voice.
Her body shook violently, wet droplets falling into the soil as she hung her head, sniffling escaping the woman as everything crumbled in front of her, for the first time Luro saw her Yuli actually looked….weak.
"Again….I'm going...I'm going to lose everything again….damn it….why...I worked so hard….I….I tried….and yet….agh! Why?! Why couldn't you have just left?! This had nothing to do with you! What do you...what do you even get...from taking away everything…"
Yuli fell to the side, tears streaming down the woman's face, her body slowly dissipating as her cries grew softer, the woman brought her knees up and hugged them, ignoring the pain coursing through her body as her form slowly faded.
Luro waited till the woman fully faded away before closing his eyes and sniffing the air.
"Hm she's not moving, I'm more worried about Z anyway so let's leave it to Kaim and them. She's easy to find now...guess she was hiding her scent or something. Captain let's hurry! I wanna see Z beat down Maka!"
The captain wasn't sure what to feel as she watched what transpired. The bullet wound, the replicas disappearing, Yuli's break down- Runali watched in silence. She hummed in thought, thinking about what the woman said. Maybe she did feel some sympathy for Yuli or maybe it was just relief that she was finally gone. It wasn't as if her and Maka were doing anything without a decent enough reason, unlike most of the people they fought. But, it wasn't as if being a pirate gave much room to have a moral high ground, not that Runali minded too much. It was hard to say and probably too much to think about at a time like this but curiosity moved her forward to crouch in front of the spot Yuli disappeared from, up until she heard Luro's voice.
Runali stopped and looked back at Luro and then the rest of her crew, all… worse for wear at best, but all still standing. "Right…" Coming back to her senses, Runali gave a more firm nod and turned to where Yuli had directed them. "Right. Yeah let's go. We gotta get to Zil." It was mostly concern that made her quicken her pace but she added, "We gotta be there so she can't pretend like she's not a super cool fighter. It's gotta go in her book after all." A bit more energy returned to her at the idea of getting her doctor back and she led the group in that direction. "Ah, by the way Luro, nice shot. Master Marksman. It's very fitting."
"Agreed Captain, let's go get Z," Luro said pumping his fist in the air.
A bright smile accompanied the man's face but he immediately lowered as pain ran up it, a couple of 'ow's escaping from him as he rubbed his arm before he looked back up at the Captain. With a chuckle he gave a small shake of his head.
"I was taught there's no such thing as a Master Marksman, just someone a little better than someone else...but the compliment is appreciated Captain. Let's get going!"
He moved forward in the direction Yuli pointed, though his eyes glanced where the woman had been, for a moment the smile on his face grew a little smaller but it was for just that a moment, the wide one returning as he headed where Zilia should be.
"Z's scent is definitely that way!"
A little before Stardusk's defeat of Yuli
Purple crashed into Maka as he approached Zilia but he broke through it easily enough Zilia's eyes widening as her body tensed.
She had thrown every bit of attack she had at him but he was ignoring it.
"I know your fruit's logic Zilia! Nothing you have will work on me anymore!"
Zilia's eyes narrowed and she drew a line of red, Maka ran straight towards it, the energy cut him but left not even the tiniest mark, her eyes widening she created a blue wall but Maka broke through it as if it wasn't there, his fist crashing into her.
Zilia's body flew backwards, she rolled along the ground resting on her stomach as violent coughs escaped from her. She grit her teeth as pain coursed through her body, claws marks covering most of her form, she tried to climb to her feet only to fall back down as her now fading strength failed her.
"Disappointing Zilia. Though this was different from last time, the end result is the same. I won't forget you...and as a last kindness I'll make sure your grave is marked and next to hers."
Zilia's eyes widened and she clutched at the dirt forcing her body to stand back up, she struggled against every part of her telling her to 'stay down', she knew her body and knew standing back up wasn't going to go well. Something in her stubbornly forced her back to her feet and blood dripping into her hands, falling between her fingers she raised her bloodied face back to Maka.
"Oh...you're still standing."
She was but...her body still wouldn't move forward. The most she could do was take her death standing...like a proper Stardusk.
"I'll give you a warrior's death then."
Maka leapt forward and Zilia closed her eyes, she took in a deep breath and relaxed her body opening her hands as Maka drew closer. She fought with everything she had, she knew Runali and perhaps a few of the others would be sad, she hoped her Captain wouldn't blame herself for this. Her own selfishness lead them into this mess, she hated the idea of causing any of them more trouble.
"...I'm sorry Runali."
Maka leapt and a burst of red shot forward crashing into his torso, he ignored it with a grin but the energy crashing into his body actually started cutting his skin and his eyes widened as he was thrown back, the energy actually slicing him. He planted his feet on the ground and touched his now bleeding chest, Zilia's eyes widened and she looked at the energy only to see the Captain's Chakaram's stab into the ground, fading away after.
"Huh? That was the Captain's..."
Zilia looked back up at Maka as he lowered his body running at her again, Zilia looked at the energy circling around her hand and extended her arm forward deciding to act on that feeling.
"Kadi!"
A pistol formed in her hand and Zilia's eyes widened recognizing it from the Undersea.
She mimicked what Kadi did and pulled the trigger, six bullets flying out of it, Maka dodged two but the remaining four crashed into him knocking him back again. He grit his teeth in pain the bullets dug into his skin.
"Don't mess with me!"
He exploded forward once more and Zilia pulled the energy out again.
"Jack!"
Multiple daggers appeared directly in front of her and shot out stabbing into the man's body, a pained grunt escaped from him and he hit the ground, he forced himself back to his feet ripping out the blades that didn't disappear on their own.
He leapt at Zilia and she held her arm in front of her, lowering her body slightly.
"Sarah!"
A shield stopped his attack his eyes widening before a Gladius stabbed into him the shoulder, Zilia throwing him back with her whole body, he placed his feet down sliding back not willing to give her time to breathe and tried to rush her again.
"Cedric!"
Maka's eyes widened as multiple cards surrounded him trapping him in a small circle, the red objects glowed before exploding tossing him backwards once again, his cries filled the air as more cuts formed along his body.
"You!"
"Luro!"
Luro's Rifle formed in Zilia's hands and pulled the trigger, Maka's eyes widened as a thin line pierced his body, the power erupted immediately afterwards tearing apart the earth the shot traveled down, parts of the ground being thrown up as the backlash of the attack blew apart a chunk of the forest behind them.
Maka screamed as an immense sharp force crashed into the right side of his body, he felt like it was going to rip him in half as Zilia once again forced more distance between them. He hit the ground with a pained cry, gripping his now bleeding limp arm, he tried to flex it only to realize there was no feeling in it anymore.
He grit his teeth and tried to move forward again, he still had his other arm and he'd bite through her neck with his teeth if he had too, all he had to do was close the distance, and that would end it. A foot slammed down in front of him and he raised his head as Zilia closed the distance between them herself, her arm held out to the side.
"Alicia."
Shusui manifested near her and she gripped the sheath bringing it to her side, her hand wrapped around the hilt as Maka raised his body, their screams piercing the air as she drew the blade as Maka swung at her skull.
A massive burst of energy crashed into Maka's body, red pounding into him from all sides, multiple cuts piercing through him, cut upon cut forming on his body as the attack threatened to rip him apart, the trail of the sword's cuts filling the air around him, his pained cries echoed as he was thrown back, the remnants of the attack breaking straight through him. An incredible forced crash into the forest, as if the sky itself had fallen decimating what remained of the forest behind them.
Maka's body hit the ground with a loud and wet thud, the man lying on his back unmoving.
Zilia stared at the body and breathing heavily fell to her knees, she placed her hands on the ground doing everything she could not to fully collapse.
"I...I beat him."
Wet droplets fell from Zilia's eyes falling into the dirt, mixing with her own blood.
"Everyone….Isa...I...I did it."
A small weak laugh escaped from Zilia as she hung her head, her body shaking as the sobs fully escaped from her, she couldn't stop them. Just one moment, a little time to finally grieve for the precious person she had lost now that everything was over.
----
Usually, sounds of battle were easy to hear in the silence of a forest. Had it not been for her own injuries, she would have moved faster. The closer they got to a new clearing, the more faint the sounds became. The captain could hope for the best, but wouldn't dare say anything about it until she saw it for herself. "Hey, Alicia," Runali grinned, albeit with less energy. "So if a dragon's outta the question… is new age god the new thing? Because I'm sure you do that where people are- like the tournament- you're gonna create a new religion." With a small gleam and a quick turn, that was more of a stumble with her injuries, she looked over at Jack. "Wanna bet how fast first mate accidentally creates a new religion?"
It was then they finally made it to the clearing, and Runali held a hand up in order to stop the group. They were in no condition to just rush forward into another possibility of battle, but when she saw none, she quickly looked around for Zilia.
Luro glanced over at the Captain at her comment on Alicia's religion, he rubbed the back of his neck not sure if it was a good idea to explain to the Captain about the Alicia statues that were already in existence. He decided to pull her and Jack aside later to talk about it, he had a feeling now might be a bad time to explain that, especially since he forgot to tell Alicia.
When they made it to the clearing Luro stopped, a small 'ow' escaping from him at the sudden halt, though he looked in a particular direction as he rubbed his side.
"Her scent is that way."
In that direction was Zilia still sitting on her knees, she looked over feeling gazes on her and smiled noticing Stardusk, raising a hand to them, Maka laying unmoving in front of her still in his second transformation. The Doctor was worse for wear, for once looking as bad as Luro but was still alive.
"Yes! It's Z-"
"ZILIAAAAA!"
Maka's voice echoed and Zilia's eyes widened as she leapt backwards, her eyes twitching as the pain from her wounds hit her.
Maka had already climbed to his feet, a roar escaping from him as his changed body only grew larger, his muscles bulging out further and a few more of his human traits slipping away as he shifted into a third transformation, his fangs forming through his snarl as orange fur covered the rest of him.
"Killlll!"
All traces of the man's humanity had vanished as he went full beast, on instinct he rushed the woman and Luro sprinted forward.
Drawing his rifle from his back he prepared to fire at Maka but a loud snap rang through the area and large transparent blue walls shot up, Luro crashed into it before looking at Zilia seeing the blue around her hands, and her sideways glance.
"Z?"
"Captain!" Zilia exclaimed. "I'm sorry but I'm going to end up breaking one of your rules! Jack forgive my stupidity!"
Red energy surrounded the girl's hands as blue walls forcefully separated the doctor and Stardusk, Luro tried to break through them but his attacks had no effect, the walls rising high above building on each other.
Red Streaks ran through Zilia's grey hair as energy filled the air, a harsh force filling the area around them as energy crackled all around them, sparks forming and shrinking away.
"Do me one last favor Stardusk...friends. Please don't blame yourselves for this."
Large Red Orbs suddenly appeared in the area within the blue walls, Luro's eyes widening seeing some were the size of houses and completely eclipsing the two figures within.
Luro noticed then that Stardusk were 'just' out of range of the energy.
Something clicked in his mind and his eyes moved to a familiar hole in the distance, where the former town had been. His eyes widened a little as the pieces slowly came together while Imposter laughed in his head.
Zilia had done everything in her power not to talk about her past or anything involving it all this time for their safety, and then all of a sudden Zilia, the person who puts their well-being first and foremost decided to risk it and talk about her past, Zilia of all people willingly put them in danger.
"Why didn't I see it!"
"Chat-Chat Fruit-"
"Z don't!"
"Remembrance!"
Purple energy flared within the red, Maka noticed the numerous orbs too late blinded by his own instincts, for a moment time seemed to slow, the man trying to stop mid jump, Zilia lowering her arms to her sides enveloped in a sea of red and purple. The smallest smile rested on her face, as tears streamed down both her cheeks, her eyes moving over to Stardusk.
"Goodbye...and thank you."
Zilia shut her eyes, a serene expression crossing her features as the energy flared brightly.
"I'm coming Isa."
The energy crashed down crushing the two within, their screams echoing as they were shoved forcefully down into the earth, a crater double the size of the former forming as the two's bodies vanished into the darkness below. Luro tried to pound through the walls still hopeful when the red orbs glowed, red energy exploding outwards decimating everything it touched, completely enveloping the hole. The walls faded to nothing and the immense force from the explosions threw everything around it back. Luro was hurled backwards as the energy broke through the walls, he summoned ice with the glove and stabbed it into the ground, forcing a second one into the earth when the first one broke, as the energy continued to crash into Stardusk and everything around them.
The tree's around them were blown from their roots flying into the distance, the woods around them was no more by the time the energy finally faded away.
Luro fell to his knees finally releasing the shard of ice, he sucked in a deep breath climbing back to his feet and peered ahead. His eyes widened as he stared at the colossal crater in front of them, red energy still crackling from it, heat rising out of the newly formed hole. Luro slowly approached the crater peering down into it, the heat stinging his skin causing him to raise his arm, there was no trace of life inside.
The rise and immediate fall of her heart as the captain saw Zilia could have made her sick. Her hand slowly raised against the wall the doctor created while the others tried to break it down. It was all too clear what Zil planned to do and the captain was stunned into silence, her eyes locked on the woman. Runali wanted to yell and tell her to stop, that she didn't have to do this, but the look in the doctor's eyes made her stop and look at the orbs. There was nothing they could do. Not in enough time. As if answering her thoughts an explosion followed, sending everyone backwards. She steeled herself for the impact, but at some point lost her footing and had to duck down and hold onto something that would stay.
And then it was quiet.
Runali, like the rest, stood to her feet, first assessing the damage around and then at the newly gaping hole in front of them. It felt like she was holding her breath as she approached it. Each step closer felt worse than the last, but she pushed on until she was standing at the edge of the crater. "I… don't see her." Runali's voice was close to a whisper as if any louder something else would break. She started to tap at her leg and only got more and more antsy until she stepped off the edge and slid down. It wasn't the most graceful. She stumbled and yanked her hands back when she realized the ground was still hot, but she pressed on until she was at the bottom. Still, despite frantically looking around in circles, it was empty. The captain ran her hands through her hair. She exhaled the breath she didn't realize she was holding and looked up at the rest of them. All she could do was shake her head.
Luro fell to his knees at the Captain's confirmation, he clutched at his chest choking back the rising emotions trying to spill out of him. A gasp escaped from him as he hung his head slowly losing the fight with himself, before something rushed past him jumping into the hole.
Luro raised his head as the figure slid down the scorching earth falling to their knees and clawing at the earth, ignoring the harsh heat on their skin.
It took Luro a moment to recognize them.
"...Isa?"
Isari desperately moved the heated soil ignoring the voices around her and the red of her skin, a hand came to rest on Luro's shoulder and he turned to see Nikos standing next to him staring down into the crater. His eyes moved to Runali and his expression softened, he offered little more than a nod before his attention focused on Isa.
Isari pulled a tattered object out, her eyes widening recognizing it as the remnants of Zilia's notebook, she held back a gasp before hugging it to her chest, she wept quietly clinging to the only remnant of the doctor.
"...take the time you need. I'll be nearby to explain," Nikos said walking away from the hole.
He leaned against a nearby tree and closed his eyes.
"...damn it," he muttered opening his eyes a bit. "...this wasn't how it was supposed to go."
I check in pretty much all times of the day, either from my phone or from my home computer. So it's likely I'll see messages shortly after I've received them.
~"I always enjoyed the quiet. But in that moment, I never hated it more."~
'Schlick'
The sound of her polearm leaving her duplicates body caused her to wince slightly, the tip pulling free from the hardened porcelain skin of her counterparts mirrored ascendant form. The fight had been long and difficult, but in the end it was Alicia's entire soul against a fragment of it which allowed her to eventually overwhelm the duplicate and win. "Forgive me." she muttered, speaking to the part of her soul inhabiting the fallen Alicia rather than the duplicate itself.
She'd join up with the others shortly after, landing beside Runali as the pummel of her Naginata struck the ground with a dull 'thump' before she stood up straight while the polearm nimbly rotated to rest diagonally behind her back a moment later. She remained quiet, eyebrows furrowing as Yuli began her monologue before summoning a veritable army of not just them but many from their different pasts. Her chest tightened upon seeing the large impressive armour of Odyn, her grip tightening just a little upon her weapon.
Silver eyes shifted onto Yuli as she seemed to genuinely show her exhaustion for the first time and for a moment she was caught between hope that they still had a chance at taking her down and despair at the impossible odds they faced in front of them. Her own mind was rushing through possibilities, anything and everything they might do to come out of this alive but every time she came up empty handed. It wasn't until the gunshot rang out that she was pulled from her thoughts with a flinch.
"But... how..." Alicia muttered as Luro began his explanation, seeming to have succeeded in mortally wounding her with a single shot causing her to collapse to the ground, banishing away the army of duplicates in the process. Time to have a detailed explanation wasn't with them however and soon enough they were all on their way to find Zilia and hopefully bring this event to a close. By the time they arrived Alicia had abandoned her ascendant form, allowing her soul to empty of power for the time being to recuperate
"I'd really rather not." she replied in response to Ru talking about her setting up a religion. "Also I'm not a god... or a dragon. If I 'was' a god I probably could have handled Yuli by myself." she replied in an unamused tone. The thought of being worshipped made her grimace a little, that kind of attention was exactly the kind of attention that made her feel all awkward, like receiving a compliment or when one of the crew decided to hug her without warning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alicia hammered against the blue wall along with the others, calling out for the doctor to stop before the explosion deafened their words. She pulled her sword and sunk it into the ground as an anchor when the wall gave way and the power within spilled out over them causing her white hair to whip around violently in its wake, her free hand raised to guard against the dust and debris following with the air current flowing out from the epicentre where Zilia had been only moments ago.
She stood slowly, pulling the black blade from the ground as she stepped forward while her eyes searched frantically for the small doctor whom appeared nowhere to be found. She dashed to the edge of the crater as Ru ran past her, looking down hoping... no, praying that she could find her somewhere buried shallow beneath the dirt. Her shoulders dropped when the captain turned and shook her head, her lips parting as if to speak but no words left them. She looked back to the others, her expression caught in disbelief before it slowly began to set in.
Tears collected around her silver irises, spilling over into streams that ran the curvature of her cheeks as she too fell to her knees. "Zilia..." her words were barely audible, laced with the pain of losing someone dear. Her hand gripped the edge of the crater, fingers curling into the dirt as droplets of her pain pattered softly against the earth only to be absorbed into it. The pain was familiar, but nothing could have prepared her for this, not after everything they had been through and done to get to this point.
Too late. A fraction too late, but always too late. After she shouted to him, after seeing the horrid dawning on Luro's face, Jack realized it too.
He rushed to the wall with the others, but his fight had taken its toll. His haki was in patches, disintegrating with every ounce of energy he overused. Blood caked the back of his neck, his waistcoat, and his shirt. No doubt he had a concussion. There hadn't been time to dwell on that or fix it. And because of that, he stumbled from vertigo and exhaustion, slowing him just enough.
He reached out, black-coated fingers pressing against the blue. If he could just press in enough -- make her Fruit succumb to his haki, breakthrough, somehow stop this --
Her powers detonated. He was flown back into a tree, and the world wailed into darkness.
*******
Pathetic mewls brought him back just as Nikos arrived. His conscience was reluctant, he wasn't sure why. Something inside of him pleaded to remain oblivious. He clawed his way back away from it, every cry making him more convinced that the blackness was deceptive.
His eyes peeled open. Jackie, seeing him stir, began purring vigorously and licking his cheek. He tried to lift a arm to pet her but that hurt too much, so let it fall back into the ash and laid there, staring across the desolate ground, past Luro's hunched over figure, to the crater that now had....
An invisible weight slammed into Jack's chest. He heaved, one hand clutching his shirt. Zilia! No-- how? Why? Vai, how could you--
The kitten scurried back to her pocket as Jack heaved himself onto his feet. The task was gargantuan as his nerve endings begged for him to stop. Lie back down, give up. You've done enough today; anymore and you'll burn the world. Gods and spirits, he wanted to listen. His body didn't, however, as he stood up and limped forward. His eyes glued onto the crater that had been left in the doctor's wake. As he moved, the memory of her last moments clicked into clarity. A hole ripped open in his chest.
Every step was an effort, but he kept moving, and soon his mind jumped ahead. He was at the lip of the crater; he was sliding down, kicking up a cloud of searing dust and ash; he was next to Runali; he knelt by Isari. The girl they thought had been killed. But of course she hadn't. It was too easy and you didn't see it.
They'd left Zilia alone.
One simple thought leading to a cosmic shift. The ash still settled and Isari's sobs broke the disbelieving quiet that always came after tragedy. That space between breaths, between thoughts, where the conscience wavered from accepting that an irrevocable change had occurred to wondering if it even had. The knowledge that everything was different and yet it wasn't. Because they'd still go back to the ship and sail away and continue being Stardusk. They'd wake up tomorrow, and the next day, with the same routine. The same goals. Nothing would change.
Except Zilia was gone and it was all their fault.
Jack swallowed and felt the first ache behind his eyes. Not yet, not yet. Grieve later. Nikos said they could take their time, but the sense of being in hostile territory wouldn't go away. He felt they were unsafe. That they shouldn't linger. He kept his guard up even as he sat next to Isari. They were close enough to almost touch, but not quite, the space acting as a silent invitation to the girl if she needed physical comfort. He'd stay with her until they left for the ship... or she chose her own path. His crew could comfort each other; he sensed there was no one to comfort her.
"I'm sorry." He barely registered the words leaving his mouth. He wasn't sure who they were to. The living girl beside him or his lost family member? Maybe both.
Isa eventually climbed out of the hole, she had taken hold of Jack's shirt at his silent invitation but released him eventually. Her eyes red and the girl still trying to wipe away the sorrow that refused to release her. She took in a deep breath, her eyes moving to Stardusk, to the people that Zilia came to know, came to care for. Her grip tightened on the tattered notebook and she forced herself to speak.
"...Zil's….Zil's mentor's grave is nearby. I...I would appreciate it if you came with me. She told me she wanted...to be buried next to her family...when her time came."
Isa looked down at the notebook and back up at the crew.
"I would like...not saying goodbye alone."
"Of course."
Luro stood up rubbing the back of his neck, the shipwright had remained oddly quiet but no tears had fallen from his eyes, he only stared in silence forcing himself to accept what was in front of him, making sure this memory didn't become jumbled and manipulated by the unfeeling creature.
"Just like with Dani, a proper goodbye is the least a crew can do right?"
Luro grinned at the young lady and Nikos turned his gaze from the man, he'd been around Luro long enough to know when his smile wasn't real, and that...that was the fakest one he's ever put on.
"We can talk after you say goodbye," Nikos said leaning off the tree. "...Say it while you can. Time unfortunately isn't on our side right now."
Though Nikos said this he stared at Isa waiting for her to lead the way, apparently coming along to say it himself.
"...you got along with Z too right Nikos?" Luro questioned looking over at the man.
Nikos didn't respond at first, only closing his eyes at first before turning his back to the crew.
"Our discussions were….entertaining," he said walking after Isari.
Runali lingered a little longer after Isari left, still looking down at one spot. When Isari requested they followed, the captain let out a soft sigh and finally climbed out. Her movement was slower, the adrenaline finally died down and she was starting to feel more of the injuries she hadn't noticed before. But, she pressed on quietly. Instead of taking up the front of the pack like she typically did, she stayed in the back keeping an eye on her crew. She offered quiet words or soft looks. To Jack, she never held his gaze. It continued to go back to the last spot she saw Zilia. With the same softness in her voice, she spoke. "She wouldn't want us like this…" Runali shook her head. "Not here…" To Alicia, she gently placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "We have to move." She was careful with her words, knowing that staying here was dangerous but not wanting to press further into their sadness. And to Luro, she didn't say anything, but her expression softened for just a moment, enough to hopefully convey as much comfort as she could before she pushed onward. Runali kept the calm facade wanting to be strong for her crew… or maybe needing to be strong for herself, but when Luro mentioned Dani she couldn't help but tense up a bit.
"A-...Aye Luro." Runali nodded. "We can't leave without a proper goodbye. One here and then one as a pirate should go. Out at sea."
Isari led the crew through a part of the forest untouched by battle, passing a house in the woods that had clearly been there for some time yet seemed untouched by time too harshly.
The house was apparently where Zilia and her mentor lived; according to Isari the Dr. Vilimar's grave was behind the house.
Upon passing the house Isari flinched slightly as a man appeared ahead of them, he was dressed in a mix of leather and metal armor, a single sword tied loosely to his side. His long white hair fell down to the top of his back and though his eyes were shut it was clear he was aware of the people in front of him.
The aura around the man almost seemed to command presence, an invisible authority coated the man's figure as he walked towards the gathered group.
Nikos' hand gripped his sheath and his eyes narrowed.
"Relias…" Isari spoke in a whisper.
"Relias?!" Luro exclaimed.
Crystal quickly covered the girl's form and Nikos prepared for a fight, lowering his body slightly.
The older warrior however shifted his footing slightly moving to walk around the group and move past them.
"Wha-" Isari's questioned as the man kept his attention forward paying the group little mind.
"You're not going to attack us?" Nikos questioned causing the man to stop a few feet from the group.
His face looked in their direction, his hands remaining at his sides, if the man had violent tendencies it didn't show in his form, if his guard was up it wasn't showing in how he carried himself.
"No fighting near Dr. Vilimar's grave, that's a promise made by every person within the Circle."
Even the man's voice held a presence to it, even though he spoke gently there was a firmness to it.
"Besides-"
He cut himself off looking over at Stardusk.
"You have business here as well. I won't interrupt that."
"...how kind of you," Nikos said slowly removing his hand from his blade.
"I tend to take the scenic route back when I come to her home. It will take me about thirty minutes to return to my ship."
The man continued walking at this moving past the crew and vanishing into the forest.
"Well that makes it easier," Nikos said. "Miss Isari?"
"Ah...o-of course."
Isari continued forward, the forest clearing slightly as a path formed under the group's footsteps, the light somehow always fell onto the grave of Dr. Vilimar, and the numerous flowers placed there for her, it was a quiet beauty and something no one in the circle could explain.
Isari's footsteps stopped as they approached the grave.
"A giant explosion if you can believe it."
It wasn't because of the beauty of the grave.
Sitting in the light, in torn clothes, a bloodied and beaten face coated with the brightest smile was a young woman familiar to all those present.
"Jack kicked them out of the kitchen for a week after that."
Happily conversing with the grave.
The woman looked over at the approaching crew and stood up brushing a bit of the dirt off her bottom, she seemed to flinch a bit from the numerous wounds on her form, a few scorch marks here and there and her gloves ripped slightly revealing the words still written upon her skin.
She opened her mouth only to stop when Isari wrapped her arms around her, pain coursing through the woman.
"Zilia!"
Isari clutched the doctor tightly and multiple 'ow's escaped from Zilia before she managed to pull herself somewhat free.
"Isa Isa! Still hurt, still in pain."
Isari apologized and backed away from her only for Luro to repeat the action lifting her up and hugging her tightly against him, a pained cry escaped from her and she tried to push Luro away, hands shoving his crying face away as he rubbed it against hers. Nikos only stared at the scene wide eyed before a chuckle escaped from him as the woman broke free, the man forcing his stoic expression back once he regained his composure.
"You still don't listen," the battered woman said sighing.
Taking a step away from Luro the doctor looked at the grave and motioned to the gathered people.
"Save the smaller redhead and of course Isari….this is my crew Mentor. Also yes they are just as much trouble as they look."
"Hi Mentor person," Luro said waving to the grave.
Luro seemed on the verge of hugging her again and seeing this Zilia sighed and motioned towards Lady Luck.
"...I'm sure you have a lot of questions but can they wait until we're on the ship? I'm still in a lot of pain and Relias is here."
"I'm in agreement," Nikos said. "Our 'headstart' won't be much of one if we don't set sail soon."
"Also you all clearly need treatment."
"I'm fine though," Luro said motioning to himself.
"Luro you're standing in a pool of your own blood and still trailing it."
Luro looked down at the gathered red then back at the trail he was leaving.
"...well at least we won't get lost."
"Please head back to the ship."
Seeing Relias didn't bring too much of a reaction out of Runali. She saw him and was only slightly curious about his presence, but when he left she carried on. Her eye lingered in that direction for a bit, causing her to almost run into the group when they all stopped.
There were a myriad of emotions that went through the captain upon seeing Zilia standing there, bloody and a mess… but breathing. She didn't say anything but the way her shoulders sagged showed her relief. The captain offered a nod to the grave in respect and in greeting but had nothing else to say. It was probably the shock of it all still.
Eventually, Runali pushed hair out of her face and let out a soft sigh. For what felt like the first time in a long time, she spoke up to grab the crew's attention. "Not quite off the hook yet. They're right, let's get back to the ship." She started to turn, but looked over her shoulder pointedly at Zilia. "All of us."
Upon returning to Lady Luck, Kaim and Nina were waiting for the group with a captured woman tied to a chair on board, seeing as their thirty minutes were now anything but taking off seemed the best option with explanations coming later. A black haired woman sat in the chair, one of her legs wrapped in careful bandage and a piece of familiar rock sat in her lap, her eyes seemed unfocused up until Kaim removed the rock and the girl raised her head to find herself presently surrounded.
"....was the seastone really necessary considering all of this," the woman said wiggling in her chains.
"You're an ex-quill," Nikos said. "You're probably already free from the chains."
"...maybe."
"Who is this?" Luro said pointing at the woman.
"This would be Yuli. Kaim picked up someone with his observation all of a sudden and found her."
"Ohhhhh! Haha I knew you'd find her Kaim," Luro said before the two men high fived each other.
"It was easy thanks to the numbing agent. Good job Luro," Kaim said.
"Who knew the skills I learned to torture my friends would come in handy in not hurting them."
"You did of course," Kaim said pointing at him.
"Absolutely," Luro responded pointing back at him with a grin.
"Sooo….can I go or are we really doing this?"
"Oh we're doing this," Nikos said glaring at the woman.
"Of course we are," Yuli said sighing.
"We're going to talk with Yuli for a moment, and make sure she can't get away using Red Raven tricks. While we're doing that you should probably talk to your friend."
Nikos walked over to Yuli and went behind her to tie the chains again which she had clearly broken out of, Kaim dropped the seastone rock back onto her lap to stop the possibility of resisting.
"Z why did you go and do all that stuff for?" Luro questioned waving his hands in the air. "We were worried about you."
"Oh? I did something dangerous and you were worried for my well-being and my life, even though I was asked not too. My apologies I certainly have no idea how that feels," Zilia said staring half-lidded at Luro.
The shipwright averted his eyes at this and Zilia sighed and crossed her arms.
"Relax...I didn't do that to make a point...though please remember what you felt in that moment the next time you do something dangerous," Zilia added before speaking again. "I really was prepared to die there...originally I wasn't but...after I thought I lost Isari...I just...stopped thinking straight. My brain just...I guess shut off. All I wanted was to kill Maka, to just...make someone pay for stealing her away from me. I was filled with so much rage...so much grief it felt like my body was moving without my control. Like I was a puppet."
"Zil…" Isa said taking hold of the doctor's hand.
Zilia smiled at her before looking back at the others.
"However...something pulled me back to reality when you all appeared," she said, releasing Isari's hand. "Then I just used my power."
"...how?" Luro questioned.
Zilia snapped her fingers and a blue dome appeared around her before disappearing.
"That one."
"Oh yeah! Your power has catches too it."
"Honestly I could have still died but using my shield protected me, though I still took a harsh hit from it. It's not the first time I've been caught in the blast of a secret after all, I know how to deal with it."
Zilia said placing her hands on her hips.
"...still in that moment I really was prepared to die and I worried you all because I lost sight of what was important. I am sorry for that. Thankfully you all brought me back to reality."
"...what'd we do?" Luro asked looking over at everyone.
"You showed up looking horrid."
"...huh?"
Luro tilted his head slightly and Zilia pointed at Luro, covered in multiple wounds then motioned to the rest of them who she still had to treat.
"The hell did you all get into?! When I saw that something in me woke up. I realized that if I leave you to another doctor, with all the messes you create and get caught up in I'd never rest peacefully, I'd die shrouded in guilt for whoever took over."
"R-really? Luro said looking at the others. "We're not that bad I don't think."
"You were trailing blood! Standing in a pool of it! It was gushing out of your body like a fountain! Any other person would be dead! One of the few good things about you is your durability. I know you had to fight Yuli of course so a few wounds make sense but it's not just that! Do you really think I didn't notice all the wounds you got until now! Especially Jack and Cedric, though I'm glad you can take care of yourselves and the consideration is appreciated but for the love of everything I can't help but worry if I don't see the wounds myself! One mess up and you're infected then I have to sever a limb or two! Even more so because I'm the one that got you into the mess! Did you think I'd just be 'okay' with that?!"
Zilia threw her arms up at this and Luro took a small step back.
"There's no possible way I can leave another doctor to you! To the sick patient literally throwing up blood who doesn't listen to basic instructions! To the swordswoman who has tried to off herself for us how many times now!"
Zilia continued listing off what seemed like hundreds of times her abilities as a doctor were pushed to the limit.
"On top of that when I first came on board there was no mention of wounds created by magic! Magic! Literally the opposite of science! What the hell am I supposed to do about magical wounds! Huh?! Also someone has to do something! Alicia will take everything on herself if allowed!"
"I-It's good to have her back...eh guys?" Luro said holding his hands up in front of him. "It's weird not getting yelled at like this."
"So hopefully with all that said...I hope you can forgive my one silly moment...that I will ensure never happens again," Zilia said placing her hands on her hips seeming to calm down. "I want to see the Captain become Pirate Lord...and I have the promise to my mentor to keep. I'm also in no rush to meet Jones again."
She waved her hand at the very notion.
"Of course I will follow the tradition as well...I deserve it personally for my foolishness. Luro I already know you're going to."
"Oh of course," Luro said cracking his knuckles.
"..can you at least wait till Isa is off the ship."
"I'm getting one in too Zil," Isa said, cracking her knuckles like Luro.
"...No more hanging with Luro. I'm happy to speak more about all this later, one on one if need be...but we have more pressing matters now. Not as pressing as your wounds of course but one thing at time."
The rock was taken off Yuli and the woman regained herself only to find herself surrounded once again.
"....you do realize I'm one person right?"
"We learned a lot from our conversation with her," Nikos said. "It'd probably be best you hear it from the horse's mouth yourself though."
"I feel like that was a veiled insult in my direction," Yuli said, glancing in the man's direction with a smile. "When did the black sheep get a sense of humor?"
"The only reason you're still breathing is at the behest of our employer Yuli, otherwise I'd have severed your head from your neck while you were sleeping as a courtesy."
"Scary," Yuli said with a small chuckle. "Welp I'm caught. Nothing I can do, whaddya wanna know?"
"Careful Luro, the doctor may be bloody but who's to say it's her own." Runali snickered, feeling a little more like herself as they got to Lady Luck. "She still bites." As much as she wanted to stay and listen to Zilia berate Luro and eventually the entire crew, she moved past them and walked over to Yuli. It was odd seeing her like this, but not entirely surprising. Runali looked her over, examining her once again as if she was missing something. "Hm." The captain crouched down to meet Yuli's eye level and spoke. "Never heard of gods falling… but I s'pose that's the difference between gods and monsters." She didn't speak down to Yuli nor in malice. For a brief moment, Runali's expression softened and her voice lowered. "<Was it worth it?>"
In the time they spent, the captain couldn't guess whether or not Yuli could understand her native language. But the sincerity of the question in that moment felt as if it called for an inkling of privacy.
"World's a big place, plenty of new things to discover," Yuli said with a grin.
She only offered a chuckle and shut of her eyes at the Captain's comment, she showed no remorse for anything she had done which seemed to serve as a response.
After she answered, Runali glanced back at her own crew, at those that helped her, and stood straight up before looking at Yuli. "If the birds have the answers they need and the rest as well, I've no use for her. I know all I need to." She looked at her crew and nodded. "Time's not on our side here and we've over welcomed our stay- as we usually do. Time to set sail!" She glanced over at Nikos. "Mind lending a few extra hands?"
"...why is everything you say aggravating? We'll help Lev, still have words to say to this one," Nikos said motioning to Yuli.
"I have a few things I'd like to add as well," Mari said coming from below deck.
"Well I got nothing to say to any of you so if you could just toss me in the ocean, decapitate me or whatever it is you're going to do I'd appreciate it. Or the torture, most like doing the torture thing."
"I get to scoop out the eyes," Luro said holding up a rusty spoon.
"Luro no," Zilia said as Isari recoiled at the red head. "Let's set sail first, I want to speak with her as well.
Once the ship had set sail with the Prophet's aid, Zilia set a chair in front of Yuli, the rest of the Prophets were following in their own ship a little further ahead, ready to inform should Relias' forces show up since they were approaching their time frame.
"Yuli...you're not a god are you?" Zilia said leaning on the top of the chair.
"Pfft no," responded said as a laugh escaped from her. "That was just me having some fun."
"Yuli from our information," Nikos said finishing up a knot. "Seemed to be leading you all around in a very specific pattern, I believe-"
"I'll save you the work and just tell ya. I don't feel like sitting here waiting for you to figure it out. My job was to keep you away from the boss as he did his thing. Whether you fell for my trick or not was just for me, long as you went where I wanted you to go that's all that mattered...which you did quite willingly so I decided to have fun while doing so."
"...that does sound like something he'd do," Zilia said squeezing the bridge of his nose. "Ensure an absolute victory by dealing with all possible interruptions."
Nikos walked over the two and looked over at Yuli causing her to grin at him, the man's eyes narrowing.
"In the midsts of your ventures we retrieved Isari," Nikos said looking at Stardusk.
"Which was mean of you," Yuli added.
"When?" Zilia said looking over at him.
"I'm not entirely sure where you all were, we were busy fighting to get away and getting someplace safe...but we definitely had her before you reached the previous island."
"We didn't get the notice until later though," Kaim added. "If we had actually met up when you guys got surrounded we would have been able to tell you she was safe."
"Thankfully you all did what you do best, annoying the thing in your way," Nikos said.
"I don't understand," Luro said rubbing the side of his head.
"The Prophets used us as bait to retrieve Isari," Zilia said causing Nikos to nod.
"It was easy since their attention was focused on you."
"....while I'm happy you did that I don't know how to feel about being used as a distraction," Zilia said glancing at the Prophet leader.
"Our job was the protection of Isari not your general comfort. Besides it worked out. Stardusk was Stardusk and we took advantage of the confusion."
"So the Isari that was killed was-"
"One of my creations," Yuli said. "The look on your faces made it worth creating her."
"...why would you do that?"
Isari was the one that pose the question causing Yuli to look over at her, eyelids lowering every so slightly.
"Just doing my job. We had to 'play' the bad guys like Zilia wanted. Also manipulation too, make you lose yourself to your emotions, make it easier to lead you where I wanted, that whole thing."
"They didn't play the villian very well," Nikos said. "You two haven't killed anyone since you came to this place."
Zilia looked over at Nikos at this who offered a nod to the doctor, she looked back at Yuli who stuck her tongue out at Nikos.
"...you didn't kill anyone...but the reports. The town in crystal and the golems-"
"I can make perfect copies of you guys...creating a few statues isn't that hard," Yuli said shrugging causing her chains to rattle. "We weren't allowed to kill anyone...not that we had any inkling too in the first place. Boss said he didn't want to build the new domain on a bunch of bodies. Said it was bad luck."
"...not allowed?"
"Yeah…" Yuli said before her gaze moved over to Nikos. "By your employer."
Nikos eyes twitched a little and Yuli sighed.
"I didn't realize you knew him too until recently. That 'employer' of yours appeared before us and told us very simply… 'You're going to lose against Stardusk' from the very beginning of all this. We of course didn't believe him until he laid out our entire plan. Scare away the non-users and 'deal' with the ones who fight back."
Yuli lowered her head a little her eyes narrowing.
"If we take any innocent lives...he'll inform Stardusk of our plans to make it easier to stop us. If we don't...he'll merely watch to see if we can actually accomplish it."
Nikos crossed his arms a heavy sigh escaping from him.
"Why am I not surprised...I had a feeling there was more to this."
"Not saying we're completely innocent mind you but we had to follow that weird rule of his….only the boss and me knew that plan...it made no sense he figure it out."
Zilia nodded at this before looking back at the Captain.
"Captain I want to let Yuli go, and leave the circle."
Yuli and the Prophet's eyes widened at the doctor's words and Luro tilted his head a bit. Yuli for the first time let her mask dropped and showed surprised at Zilia's choice.
"Wait wait wait. Are you stupid? I'm your enemy. You really think I'm going to not attack you again after I'm free. Jack tell her, you believe in the horrible nature of people, you know the things I can do."
"Anyone who has a problem with it can discuss it with me later," Zilia added. "I want to let her go. Captain…I chose Stardusk for a reason...and as Luro says dozens of times we have our rules. No death is needed here."
Runali, after helping the crew set sail, after going across different islands to fight and retrieve, and after experiencing and also not experiencing the death of another crew member, slumped onto the deck of her ship. Everyone spoke, everyone asked questions, but Runali leaned back and listened. Her one eye closed, only opening when she felt a weight first on her shoulder and then on her lap reminding her just how sore she was going to be later. But she appreciated Coral's company.
Hearing that Yuli wasn't a god made her crack a small but brief smirk, and hearing that they were used as bait would have made her roll her eye had she cared a little more.
And then eyes were on her to make that final decision. Even Coral tilted her head up at her in curiosity. "<To hold someone's life in your hand, that's a dangerous power to have.>" It looked as if she was speaking to Coral, but instead of explaining she cleared her throat and pushed herself to her feet. Quietly, she walked back to her crew, back in front of Yuli. Her gaze went from Zilia to Yuli and she crossed her arms and shrugged.
"She gets to live."
There was a look of intrigue at seeing her so surprised. "Fools who don't respect the past are doomed to repeat it, did you know?" There was a threatening aura that developed that didn't match the all too familiar grin Runali had. "What you do with your life is up to you, but I'd think twice about testing your luck with death… with us a second time. Can't say we'll be so forgiving the next." She gave a simple shrug and turned on her heel. With a smile at Nikos she added, "My ship my rules. She lives. What you ex-birds do after is up to you."
Nikos brought a hand to his face at the Captain's decision and Zilia smiled offering a small nod.
"...the lot of you are idiots…"
Zilia looked back at Yuli who hung her head in her seat, keeping her face hidden from the group.
Zilia stared at Yuli for a small moment before folding her hands together leaning forward a bit towards her.
"Yuli….you loved Maka didn't you?"
Yuli flinched a little giving Zilia her answer.
"I understand. Had life gone a little differently I probably would have developed such feelings for him myself."
"...if you understand that then you know sparing me is useless," Yuli said raising her head to look at Zilia. "Maka...was my home. I'll never forgive you for taking that away. The moment I'm free I'm going to come for you. I don't care if I live or die anymore, so you may as well kill me now and be done with it. You took everything from me and I'll-"
"Maka's not dead."
Yuli's eyes widened and Luro pouted, lowering his rusty spoon.
"What?"
"Maka survived. He is surprisingly durable after all. He survived that."
"That's-"
"I know. I was surprised myself. I know where he's going if you want to know?"
"...why? I don't….this...we…"
"I dislike death Yuli," Zilia said. "I didn't become a doctor to take more lives...but not everything ends happily. I've held far too many bodies in my hands since I was a child...I'm a simple person. I just want the people around me to be happy...so if I have the option...I'll avoid killing someone. Even if they attacked me first. If that makes me a fool I'm fine with that, it's the person I choose to be and I have no desire to be any different. Besides...I don't want my Chronicle just full of sad moments."
Zilia eyes moved over to Nikos.
"That being said I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill her when she's off the ship," Zilia said.
Nikos sighed and tossed a key to the doctor who caught it.
"We pursue Quills to prevent the Red Ravens from being rebuilt. All it takes is one and some time to reform it. Yuli here is a traitor and has severed all her ties to the organization. We wanted to see if she had any desire to rebuild it and she clearly doesn't. There's no point killing her aside for some twisted self-satisfaction."
Luro raised the spoon up again and Isari gently pushed his hand back down, smiling at the group.
"Good," Zilia said undoing the chains.
Yuli rubbed her wrists after they dropped and looked up at Zilia who held her hand out to her.
"Let's talk instead. This all started because I didn't listen in the first place."
Yuli's eyes narrowed at her as she flexed her fingers.
"...a conversation isn't going to settle our issues."
"Agreed. I can't stand you either...but I'm a fool. I want to believe we can at least come to an understanding."
Yuli stared at the woman's hand and with a heavy sigh took it in her own and stood up.
"You do understand once I return to Maka we're starting this over again right?."
"Of course of course. Isari, Mari let's have some tea, Yuli can join us."
Mari sighed and waved a hand before heading towards the lower deck.
"I know better to argue with you when you're like this. Your office right?"
Zilia nodded and Isari took Yuli's other hand.
"What kind of tea do you like Yuli?"
Yuli flinched a bit at the sudden question.
"Uh...anything sweet."
The two women led Yuli downstairs and Nikos pointed in a direction.
"There's an opening in Relias' barricade that way. If you head there you can get out of the Circle…and I would 'highly' advise you do so. We'll stay behind and keep him from following you. The longer you stay the worst this place will get."
"Aww Nikos," Luro said turning towards the other man. "You really do ca-"
"It's part of our contract," Nikos said holding a hand up to him. "Which will be considered completed once you're out...which means our relationship is back to normal at that point. Once you're out of the Circle the next time we meet our affairs will be properly settled."
"Unless we get hired to help you again," Kaim added.
"I'm not agreeing to that twice!" Nikos exclaimed glaring at the man.
"...we do need to replace the kitchen though. I got news Aira destroyed a chunk of it when her pie came out wrong."
"She wha- I'm...that's a quarter of our pay for this job just to fix that."
"Right?! We're getting Stardusk luck here. Gahahaha!"
"Misfortune always follows us whenever we meet this damn crew."
"Make sure you check her pockets before we leave, she's not getting any more freebies." Runali called out as the women walked off. "S'bad enough we have to go on a supply run, gotta make sure the ship is in tact, can't do that until we're in the clear." She started mumbling a list of other responsibilities that needed to be handled, but walking past Nikos again she stopped. "If we're the idiots… what's that make you for agreeing to help?" Runali gave an 'innocent' smile. She gave a salute to Kaim and just to mess with Nikos further, added, "Next time you guys visit, bring treats." Coral landed on her shoulder. "Y'know, for the pets. It's good manners since you like being on our ship and all." Coral bowed her head in a nod. "See? She'd love it." She couldn't help but laugh and give one last salute, this time to Nikos. "But, contract or not… thanks."
Nikos hand went to his sword as Runali stopped and Kaim had to a hand on his shoulder as the man trembled in silent anger, he did eventually calm down and remove his hand Kaim reminded why they were sent. Nikos however had to set an example so he knew the man wouldn't slash at the Captain...while they were in the circle.
"I will admit to foolishness at the concept of helping you. It is not something I intend on making a habit of," Nikos said closing his eyes.
"Actually Nikos brought t-"
Nikos elbowed Kaim causing him to go silent before he opened his eyes, his brows arching slightly at her appreciation.
"...We don't lose against the weak. I almost had to go all out to fight you as well. You're not permitted to be anything but the best in that case. Rise to Pirate Lord Status."
Nikos gaze moved to Alicia.
"Grow into a strong swordswoman, worthy of my second's talents."
Nikos turned his back to the crew.
"You are to fall to us and no other. We will swallow our pride to assist in such matters. For Ria's mask of Jack, for Nina's clash with Kadi, Kara's desire to beat Zilia. We will grow stronger and face you one day, a proper clash of-"
"We'll see you when we see you," Kaim said raising a hand. "Also happy to help."
Nikos glared at him and Kaim pat him on the back.
"No speeches, we're in a hurry. I'll stay here to bring Yuli back."
Yuli and Isari were taken from the ship by Kaim after the three's conversation concluded, the Prophets promised to protect Isari and ensure she ended up someplace safe. This was apparently also in their contract. Zilia seemed fine with the decision having discussed it at length with Isari who were comfortable around the mercenaries. Though Isari wanted to stay by Zilia and Mari's side, she knew Zilia had to settle her own affairs and Mari was the same, she was busy enough with Stardusk and she didn't want to be an extra burden.
Though Zilia fought against the idea Isari s'mind was clearly made up, she had her own ambition, the doctor though clearly bothered accepted it, knowing Isari could be just as stubborn as she was.
The three swore, pulled into a hug by Isari to meet again when they were a little further in their own pursuits.
Mari left with the Prophets and in no time Lady Luck had broken through the opening in the barrier and the Circle was behind them. Zilia sat at the edge of the ship staring back at the Circle, towards her friend still fighting for their goals, to her old home.
Kaim had handed Runali a letter from Sor, which simply explained he knew what happened and was looking forward to their future partnership. They would deal with Relias as they always did, but this time with the help of Noram who was prevented from following after Zilia this time.
He invited them to return someday for cake.
"....I need to grow up a bit more too....I'm going to fall behind those two if I stay like this."
Zilia spoke to the words more to herself but smiled hands folded in her lap as she watched the Circle drift further away.
"Well!" Runali stretched her arms over her head, mumbling an 'ow' in the process. "This was fun." She walked over to Zilia, staring at the sea as they got further and further away from the Circle. She took a deep breath, closing her eye to enjoy the breeze of the sea and to enjoy the feeling of freedom again. "Will never get sick of this feeling." She looked over at Zilia and without warning, thumped her cheek. "That's for breaking a rule." Then she ruffled the doctors hair, knowing she'd disapprove. "And that's for…" She paused and gave a softer smile. "...Not breaking it." Her hands went behind her back and she stepped away, starting to walk off. In a teasing tone she added, "You should tend to those wounds. Not very doctorly to be injured y'know."
Zilia flinched at the sudden thump but she just rubbed it, she deserved that. The hair ruffling however she didn't feel was necessary and leaned away realizing what the Captain was doing, with a heavy sigh she started combing her hair back into place, Luro still questioning how she always had a comb on her. Though she stopped mid fix at the Captain's mention of wounds.
"Ah…you are right Captain," Zilia said standing up. "I haven't been very doctorly lately. I'll have to make up for lost time."
There was something in the woman's tone that sent a chill up Luro's back, she was speaking normally but there was something about her tone that dug up memories that refused to surface willingly.
Zilia turned towards Stardusk and made a motion with her hand, the door to below deck opened as something purple touched it.
"…Z?" Luro said as the doctor put her hands together.
"I think it's time I gave everyone here a proper 'full' inspection considering all that's happened."
Luro's instincts went on full alert and he took a small step back, a blue wall cut off his retreat causing him to look back at it then back at the doctor, whose gentle aura seemed to have shifted slightly.
"Uh…Z…It's not that bad I don't think."
"Nonsense Luro. It's important I do my job. The one the Captain hired me to do. Checking won't hurt at all, so long as the wounds are minor it will be quick."
Zilia pulled her hands apart, something snapping as a blue rope appeared in her hands.
"…what's the rope for?"
"For the ones that like running," Zilia said opening her eyes. "Now let's begin the examination. I can't allow my friends to be in poor health after all. Especially with the nearest town being days away."
"Why do you know that?"
Zilia chuckled and approached the crew with the brightest smile finally back in her element.
"I look forward to our continued relationship."
A Chronicle made for the old promise of a child, filled with the stories of Stardusk and all they've done. Including the writer itself Zilia Vilimar, which has one particular section put aside just for her, a reminder for herself to keep from making old mistakes...and something she looks back at often for the reminder she never needs but wrote anyway.
"Always appreciate your friends...even when they're being...them."
"So I ended up riding to the docks on this ship that was still flame."
Vilimar shrugged as Zilia held a burnt ribbon, her eyes wide with wonder as her mentor finished telling the story.
She had found a letter addressed to her along with the burnt piece of cloth, when she inquired as to why the person called her the 'Flaming Duchess' she explained why.
Zilia realized Vilimar didn't talk about certain aspects of her life, she wouldn't even tell her these stories unless Zilia found proof of them. She always went looking for them when she could as her stories always fascinated her, she knew her mentor had visited a lot of places, and realized she didn't stay in towns most of the time, in case she got recognized.
Lately however she had become more open to sharing parts of her life, but Zilia found on occasion she still had to bother her about it on occasion.
"So when you treat pirates make sure-"
"Why would you treat pirates? Aren't they bad people?"
"...who told you pirates were bad?"
"They were bad guys in the book I read."
Vilimar sighed and getting out of her chair knelt down in front of Zilia, she flicked her forehead eliciting an 'ouch' from the child.
"Doctor's don't 'choose' patients. If someone's injured you help them. If they come at you after you treat them injure them then help them again, after that though you can put em in the dirt permanently, ya get one opportunity to not be stupid. Choosing to be a doctor means choosing to put aside your prejudices...at least a little."
Zilia tilted her head a bit and Vilimar sighed.
"Treat everyone equally. That's what a good doctor does."
"Okay!"
Vilimar sat in her chair and glanced over at the child sitting a few feet away, she could tell by now when she had something on her mind, she found the girl was really hard at hiding her emotions when she was troubled.
She of course understood why she was trouble and it had to do with her current silence.
"...."
"Why are you being silent?"
"M-My power...I..I don't want to hurt you Mentor."
The girl spoke so quietly the woman barely heard her, wit ha heavy sigh she shut her book and set it to the side before standing up.
Zilia flinched as she was flicked in the forehead by Vilimar.
"Stupid."
"Hey!"
Zilia quickly covered her mouth at the outburst causing Vilimar to grab her hands and lower them.
"You ain't gonna hurt me with that power."
"But-"
"You're more than your power, doesn't matter what it is. Long as you use it for the right reasons everything'll work out, so don't stress so much about it. You get better at things over time so of course you'll be bad using it at first."
"R-right…"
"You're Zilia Vilimar, I didn't give you my name so you could be a wuss. If you're bad at something then get better."
"R-right!"
"That's the spirit. Now get back to studying."
Present
Zilia ran around the small room grabbing item after item, mixing in multiple lined up bowls with books laid open behind them, her mind raced as she went through each medicine she knew, trying to match them to her mentor's symptoms. She had lost track of how much time had passed, Vilimar had been in and out of consciousness the whole time, and she had managed to get her to her room.
No medicine worked on lowering her fever, her coughs were just as violent and the color refused to return to her face, she ran through recipe after recipe, numerous herbs were scattered on the desks, powder splayed over the table and on her clothes.
She was doing everything but there wasn't the smallest sign of improvement.
"Why isn't it working? I'm following the instructions completely."
"....it's cause it's not in a book."
Zilia turned around as a weak voice called out to her, Vilimar's eyes had opened slightly and she stared at the frazzled apprentice. Vilimar made a motion with her her hand and Zilia ran over to her kneeling down at her bedside. She took Vilimar's hand into her own and it took all she could not to react to the coldness between her fingers.
She had never seen Vilimar so weak...the warmth she knew in small doses seemed non-existent now.
"...I taught you not everything can be solved by a book...don't forget the basic lessons."
"I-I know it's just none of your symptoms match what I know and-"
A weak flick caused Zilia to stop talking and Vilimar let out a sigh.
"What I have isn't in a book...trust me I've looked in enough of them. I've had it for years...never found the cure."
"Years...but you never showed any symptoms?"
"Never showed them in front of ya. My body would get cold randomly and the fits would come, I could feel when they were on the way. Thankfully you were always out playing."
Zilia's eyes widened, the times her mentor wouldn't hold her hand, the times she seemed fine with her playing even after just saying it was dangerous. Bits and pieces, signs gone unnoticed suddenly filled her thoughts.
"....why didn't you tell me?"
"Haha what tell a kid I'm on borrowed time. You'd have freaked out. It was just us for a time...and I know you hate being alone. I ain't the kindest person but I'm not a monster."
Zilia gripped the woman's hand a little tighter
"I'll save you."
"No you won't."
The woman's tone was firm and Zilia's eyes widened as her mentor narrowed her eyes at her.
"Not exactly pleased I'll be your first but you won't save every patient….but you're to put in every effort until the end."
"....stop."
"Always treat the injured, even if you don't like them."
"...stop it…"
"It's important you-"
"STOP IT!"
Vilimar closed her mouth as Zilia's grip tightened to a point it was actually starting to hurt, wet drops fell onto her skin causing the woman's eyes to widen.
"...please stop….don't talk….like I'm never going to hear your voice again...please…"
Vilimar stared at the weeping child in front of her, her eyelids lowering a bit as she raised her other hand. Zilia flinched seeing the other hand, waiting for her to flick her….but fingers gently traced over her face, wiping away the tears.
"...I'm sorry."
Zilia raised her head, Vilimar placing her hand on the girl's cheek, the woman's eyes softened and her face relaxed.
"...I know I wasn't the best at raising you...and even if I knew I wouldn't see you grow up all the way….I shouldn't have tried to put so much distance between us...I thought….if I just treat you as an apprentice, keep you at a distance it'd be okay….that you wouldn't lament my passing...that I wouldn't feel so much pain leaving you alone….but I was wrong."
Tears fell down the woman's face and Zilia flinched a little at the sight.
"...it hurts so much. I hate it. I wanted to celebrate more of your birthdays. I wanted to walk the forest more with you, catalogue each one of your smiles….you brought so much joy into my life...I couldn't be more proud to be your mother."
"Mommy…" Zilia mumbled leaning more into the woman's hand, the tears refusing to stop flowing down her cheeks.
"Mentor," Vilimar said moving her hand away and flicking her forehead.
"Wha-still?!" Zilia exclaimed.
A grin formed on the woman's face.
"Ya haven't earned the right to call me that yet."
Zilia stared at her smiling mentor, a smile she saw rarely but one filled with so much life, so much energy, even in these moments it brought so much light.
"...I'll go on tons of adventures."
Vilimar's eyes widened a bit at the girl's words.
"I'll go on way better ones than you did. I'll see the world, I'll help a ton of people, I'll get better at everything. I promise. I-I can't control my power very well yet but I will eventually. I'll create a book of my adventures and I'll have you read it. It'll be amazing, so amazing you won't be able to put it down."
"Oh ho….you really think you can? The brat afraid of her own shadow."
"I'll do it! I promise I'll have grander ones than yours!"
Vilimar smiled and held her pinkie up.
"Fine. If you manage to write the book and actually surprise me...then you can call me whatever you want. Promise."
Zilia raised her pinkie and wrapped it around Vilimar's.
"Pinkie Pinkie be the bond of my words that I keep."
"...just so you know that's not the actual words," Zilia said.
"Bah who cares. So focused on tradition. You'll never make friends like that."
"I have a friend and I'll make tons more."
Vilimar smiled and placed her hand on the girl's head.
"I know. You're my kid. I expect nothing but the best from you. I love you so much Zilia."
"Me-"
Zilia cut her words off as the hand slipped off her head, falling to the floor as the woman's eyes shut.
"Mentor…Mentor?"
Zilia shook Vilimar slightly her hands gripping the woman's clothes when she didn't respond. She buried her head into the woman's side, bawling as everything poured out of her, into her first formal patient.
Red dripped onto the surrounding green as a bloodied hand passed over a tree smearing red on it.
Maka breathed heavily holding his still bleeding side as he took a small moment to keep from collapsing, a cough escaped from him and he raised his hand to cover it, moving it away he stared at the red coating his hand.
"Heh...not sure if that's internal or external...well it doesn't matter anyway," he said, continuing forward.
His footsteps were slow and sluggish, he stumbled while trying to move forward and he was sure several parts of him were broken, but that didn't matter right now.
He was alive.
Maka wasn't sure how he was alive, he was sure he felt some of his bones crack under that pressure, by all means he shouldn't still be walking but somehow his body was still listening to him. His eyes narrowed a bit under his cracked mask, this was the second time he had survived such a situation.
He remembered crawling out of that hole at the festival as a child, his entire body aching and blood running down his arms and face….but he was alive.
He stopped at a tree and shut his eyes, that day replayed in his head more times then he'd like to admit. The first time he saw that much power, the realization of just how strong he was...and the lives he aided in taking that day.
He grit his teeth and kept walking pushing off the tree, there was no time to waste on such thoughts. He couldn't change the past and lamenting over it wouldn't change his reality, he survived, he was here and he'd continue to survive. He'd keep walking forward until he created the haven he sought so fiercely.
His ears twitched as he picked up the sounds of crushed leaves behind him, leaning slightly against a tree he slowly turned his head to see Zilia standing a few feet behind him, her eyes narrowed at him, blood running down the woman's form, half of her face covered in red, a red glow surrounding her right hand as she watched him with a narrow glare.
"...of course you survived…" Maka said before turning to lean his back against the tree. "You always were stubborn at the worst moments."
A chuckle escaped from the man as he slowly slid down the tree until he was sitting.
"...Well...you got me. I couldn't resist even if I wanted to."
Zilia didn't respond; she only stared at her fallen enemy, the person she had pursued for so long. The man who tricked her into eating the fruit that consumed most of her life, helped take her home away and ended her friend.
The light fell on the two former friends within the silent forest, filtering in through the trees. For a moment Maka saw the young girl in the forest, that same determined expression on her features.
"...yeah...you were the type always to try your best until the end…" Maka said leaning his head against the tree. "There was no other way for this end…"
Zilia raised her hand, the energy gathering in it as she focused towards Maka, the man smiled and closed his eyes. "Dying by you...isn't such a bad way to go...it's almost redemption."
The red energy flared and barreled towards Maka, a chunk of the tree burst off and Maka's body twitched as Zilia slowly lowered her hand, releasing a breath she was holding.
She walked forward and stood over the man's body, eyes narrowed before reaching down and grabbing his mask, pulling it off his face.
"...still the same sad eyes behind that smile," she said.
Maka stared at her, his eyes wide before glancing over at the large chunk missing out of the tree near his head.
Zilia knelt down and dug in her tattered cloak pulling out a small satchel before she started pulling out medical supplies, ones she always kept on her in case the worst happened, which it tended to.
She reached up and took hold of Maka's chin before moving his face to the side starting her treatment there, the man flinched at the sudden sting but didn't have the energy to resist...not that he had any reason too.
"...Why are you sparing me after all this...you almost killed yourself to kill me. This doesn't-"
"Shut up."
Zilia's tone was harsh and the man closed his mouth remaining still as Zilia started tending to his wounds, the two sat in silence as the doctor worked. It was clear she still was mad at him as she wasn't gentle with the wrapping, making sure it was nice and tight for numerous reasons.
"Treat someone even if you hate them," Zilia said after a while. "Mentor taught me that at least."
Maka's eyebrows arched a bit as Zilia continued to work.
"I'm not a judge, I'm not here to decide whose good or evil. I prefer not to stand by and let someone get hurt because it's a pain to wrap up two people instead of one."
Zilia said this tying another wrapping tightly causing Maka to flinch.
"I'm a doctor, I help people. Even stupid ones who do stupid things. Mentor told me I was going to have annoying patients...I dislike how right she was."
Maka's eyebrows lowered a bit and his eyes lowered to the ground.
"I don't know what happened to you Maka. I wasn't around to see what changed you. I have no right to tell you how to live your life, if you want to keep this up and get yourself killed then by all means do so."
Zilia said this before looking up at him.
"However...I'm helping you because I believe you can be better, as I do for all my patients. I don't expect much from you though."
She lowered her gaze and Maka chuckled a little.
"You sound just like her when she treated my knee when I fell in the woods."
"Everybody gets one chance not to be stupid," Zilia said. "I didn't give you that when we met again so you get it now."
Maka internally flinched at Vilimar's catchphrase, the glare she gave when she spoke those words would make the dead shiver. He stared at Zilia his mouth twitching the side slightly not sure how to feel about this situation.
"....I may go out and hurt people again," he said shifting slightly.
"Part of the job," Zilia said. "Sometimes you save one life and cause hundreds to be lost. Unfortunate reality saving a life. It's not always a good thing."
"...yet here you are."
"You can choose to be a monster or fool, at the least the latter will have less guilt. I'll treat who's injured."
Zilia finished and stood up brushing her hands off.
"That'll hold you until you reach the town and see a doctor with more supplies. You can probably make it to the island east of here, there's a doctor in that town. Figure out a boat on your own."
"...I'll take your advice then," Maka said standing up.
Zilia walked past him and Maka kept his attention forward as he listened to the footsteps of the woman steadily growing distant.
"Zilia."
The footsteps ceased.
"I won't give up on my goal. I will create place where User's can live in peace."
"I expected as much. I'll continue to fight so everyone can live together."
"I doubt that will come to fruition Zilia."
"No good change comes without work. I imagine we'll run into each other again one day. I'd prefer it not be too soon. Goodbye Maka."
The footsteps started again and Maka remained silent until they were fully gone, he looked down at his mask and picked it up before placing it back on his face and walking in the opposite direction.
Cedric curled up in a fetal position under layers of blankets, doing his best to suppress his coughing. Flecks of red dotted their pristine surface when the sheets slackened and the sick man re-emerged. He was utterly alone, no familiars, no big brother and no crew. He shuddered. This stillness felt so foreign after so many months together.
It made him feel useless …
helpless …
He wanted to help.
Rolling onto his back on the kitchen bunk bed, Sid stared at the ceiling. His ears tuning into the cries from Mari's men. He deduced that Relias' men were closing in on them. He fisted the blankets as another wave of frustration washed over him. He was sorely tempted to help them fight; yet, he knew he would only be in their way. He needed to remain here and stay hidden according to everyone he spoke to. It was a really bitter pill to swallow, considering that his cats were out there being more useful than he was.
He had been reduced to the role of a psychic switchboard, relaying intel from Chester and Jackie to Capitaine Lev, Jack and Alicia. Chaos he left alone because she had the important task of guarding Madame Doctor in his place. He hoped she was still hiding in one of Zilia's many pockets since Maka managed to steal the doctor away from the group. She was, essentially, their only link to the woman. Perhaps, the reason they would be able to find her in time.
Glancing towards the edge of the bed, Sid saw his crossbow leaning against the frame. His quiver was sandwiched between it and the wall. Underneath his pillow was a pistol Jack passed him and also 125. He guessed he was safe enough for now. After all, the bed was tucked inside a well-hidden recess in the kitchen. Another of Luro's many fascinating adds to the ship, apparently.
Sid bundled the outermost blanket and pressed it against his lips urgently. He could feel a familiar tickling in his chest turning into a scorching burn. Cold sweat began beading his skin but he kept his movement to a minimum. His ears had picked up footsteps heading this way. As his coughing eased, the summoner reached under his pillow and pulled 125 closer. He secured it to his belt then reached for the pistol.
"No need for all that."
A voice called out to Cedric and Mia held her hands up at the door if it could be called as such, her eye moved to the right before she heard more wailing from her men, she rubbed the side of her head.
"Goodness sake those guys are fragile. Good thing I told them to fall back," Mia said with a sigh.
The Lupis Noctics Captain was in her normal attire, her wheels attached to her waist, there were a few splotches on her outfit showing that she had just dealt with one of the many waves of troops trying to close in on them. Her attention returned to Cedric knowing there wasn't much time to waste.
"Cedric right? I need your help. I heard you're good at seeing things and the ship's going to be surrounded soon. I can sense when the group's close but my observation Haki is only so well and these men are well trained, they can fire outside a normal user's range and have clearly fought people with it before. Also bad depth perception."
Mari pointed to her eyepatch.
"Figured you wouldn't mind helping since ya know...there won't be a ship if those guys make it here. All I need is for ya to tell me which direction their coming from, I can handle the rest. Think you can assist me?"
She eyed the bed and the man for a moment before moving her hand to her hips.
"If you don't wanna it's fine but you came recommended. Especially with the others off fighting and the Prophet's covering the other side keeping the big force away."
Opportunity landed in his lap just as he considered bailing. Cedric blinked his surprise. Should he accept? He mused. He didn't really trust Mari nor Mia, they were simply 'friends' of the crew. On the other hand, they offered to help protect the ship. That alone felt like a good enough reason. He guessed he could always abandon them if things go south.
His eyelashes fluttered unsteadily as he bobbed his head. He reached out tentatively to establish a connection between their minds. Oui, I wish to help as best as I can.
Help me, s'il vous plait, he requested meekly. His left hand reaching out in Mia's direction. I'll need some help walking. Ah, merci, his thoughts switched quickly when warmer hands grabbed his arm and steadied him. He stumbled off the bed, taking hesitant steps.
His right arm swung limply at his side but the grip on his tanto remained firm. As he pushed aside thoughts of Alicia, Sid turned his attention back to the crew and their doppelganger battle. He couldn't tell how they were faring; all the images filtering in from Chester and Jackie blurred into a thundering mess. The last clear image he saw was of capitaine ending her double and heading towards Ms. Yuli.
"Madame Doctor," he croaked. "I think we should find her once we've cleared Relias' men. Maka spirited her away before Ms. Yuli engaged the crew in battle."
He blinked slightly, conveying the same images he saw earlier into their minds. At the back of his head, he could feel Chester tapping him to remind him to ease off. He fought against the block only stopping after showing Runali approaching the goddess. "Think we can get there in time?"
He was referring to Zilia and not the crew. He had faith in the rest. Although, Luro's disappearance concerned him. The redhead seldom left capitaines side. Which meant one of two things - Luro chased after Maka or Luro was planning to attack Yuli. He sincerely hoped it was the former. Madame Doctor might be strong but she didn't have a lot of practice wielding her devil fruit powers. That alone could end up a big stumbling block.
"Madame Vilimar … I promised to protect her before I took ill this morning," he regretted.
"...I have this really odd feeling I received a compliment and an insult for some reason," Mia said closing her eye.
At the connection she opened her eye looking over at Cedric seeing who it was from, a small chuckle escaped from her realizing he was one of 'those' types but let the thought fade and moved to help him up. She wasn't sure where she was moving him but she suppose they'd find out soon, she'd prefer not to have him on the main deck, protecting a ship was easy, a person was a whole other matter. Still if worst came to worst she could explain a few extra holes in the ship compared to Cedric's safety.
"We're not clearing them anytime soon," Mia said. "There are twenty ships behind these ten...and when the mercenaries retreat that number will double...but I'll try to spare some men to locate her. Zil's a strong one though, I've seen her fight myself. Putting her in a corner only makes her try harder."
The reality of the situation was the small break was going to be just that, small almost insignificant. A moment to breathe before the next wave, and this was with the mercenaries still slowing them, when they retreated...their options were going to become far more limited.
Mia didn't respond for a long moment at Cedric's question, only speaking up when Cedric spoke again.
"Have faith in her," she said glancing at him. "Not much else you can do anyway. Regrets should be saved for the dead not the living. She's still alive so that just means we keep moving, keep fighting, we lose the ship none of us are going anywhere. You're keeping your promise. I mean worst case all share a pint with Jones, comes with the job."
Mia chuckled a little at this.
"Sorry didn't mean to unnecessarily lecture you, not really my style but you reminded me of someone for a moment. Couldn't help it. Let's just focus on what's in front of us, deal with the rest once our present obstacle is taken care of."
Sid blinked his reply and went back to focusing on each step. Jack's energy appeared to be the only thing sustaining him at the moment; he suspected it would be enough to last him until the battle was over. His arm unwound from Mari's shoulder and he gripped the railing on the main deck. He insisted on following her up there; he assured her he would be fine.
"I can't man a cannon but I can snipe if needed," he offered as he hunched over. His coughing was the loudest sound on the deck. Everyone else remained quiet and vigilant as they waited on Mari's next order.
Righting himself, the tailor took the spyglass offered to him and peered towards the horizon. He could see the ships Mari described, the ten and twenty, all with cannons trained their way. Duck! was the only warning he could give before an ear drowning boom shook the air. He tightened his grip around her wrist while they squatted behind the railing.
Wood chips sprinkled on them, bringing on more coughing. Sid let go to fish out Jack's checkered kitchen towel which he tied around the lower half of his face. Slowly, he scrambled up and peered over the railing. All the while he kept conveying what he saw to Mia and Mari. There was no time for words; the enemy fire was relentless.
"Might I suggest us turning the ship at this angle? It should buy us time to return fire." He commented telepathically after glancing at the men behind him. Most of them scrambled around trying to remove the dead and injured. The Lady's cannons were left unmanned.
He couldn't be sure about those below deck. He felt certain they took some hits as well. Not enough to sink them, thank Luro. That man had given the capitaine one of the sturdiest vessels out at sea. He quickly distant himself from any other thoughts about the rest of the crew and peered through the spyglass again. He stepped towards the front to keep it trained on the enemy. "Five ships are headed our way. Oh …"
He never completed the last thought. He found himself peering at someone … maybe something? Cedric reared back. His back step balancing his body weight as he pulled away the spyglass. "Who are you?" he asked coolly. At the back of his mind, he firmed up his decision to ward the ship whether l'capitaine approved or not. This coming and going crossed the line of being acceptable long ago.
"Capitaine Mia!" he shouted suddenly.
Mia blinked a few times wondering why she had been pulled down but left the matter aside as they rose back up, at least the young man was polite enough to consider those around him. Though Zilia was going to be mad at her for letting him on the main deck, personally she liked a little rebelliousness but that was a matter for another time. She peered at the ships nodding at Cedric' words.
Mia blinked a few times hearing the screams of her men, her eye moving to her crew before her gaze narrowed.
"OI! You lot!"
The men immediately came to an abrupt stop at the Captain's words, some even dropping the bodies they had eliciting a small 'ouch' from the injured men.
Mari sighed ignoring the barrage that was being prepared, she missed her first mate, things always got so disorderly when she wasn't around.
"Pretty sure I gave the order for you all to retreat when the army started coming," Mia said.
"Captain we-"
Another barrage followed and Mari flung one of her wheels over the side, sparks filled the air as the approaching cannonfire was cut cleanly by the flying weapon causing the pieces to soar past the ship as the woman caught the returning wheel.
"The suggestion to turn the ship isn't a bad idea, I want enough around to turn the ship and man the elemental cannons."
"Elemental cannons Captain?"
"This was in the briefing," Mia said tapping one of the cannons with the generator in its side.
"The ones able to shoot literal balls of fire courtesy of the shipwright I intend on borrowing at some point. Man those and return fire. Once they run out of juice retreat. I don't want any extra men here. The bare minimum will suffice since I can't be in four places at once."
She directed her men only allowing the ones that were needed to stay, it was at this point she picked up Cedric's call, she flung one of her wheels cutting apart the next barrage of approaching cannonfire.
Once next to him she held her hand out catching the weapon before turning it to her side.
"Yes Cedric? What do you need?" She said. "Is something wrong? I see the ships they'll be dealt with soon. I need information on the ground forces when you have a moment."
"Ah, it was … non, I made a mistake, pardon. I thought someone approached the ship." He shook his head, slapping his own forehead lightly. "I'll check on the ground forces."
Throwing out an arm, Sid staggered towards the opposite side, using any available surface for support. His mind remained half focused on the fighting. Leaning heavy against the mast for a short break, the tailor blinked slowly. He felt surer than ever about what he saw. Someone or something stared back at him earlier. Coming and going like Ms. Yuli.
Who? Slayis… ?
Chills slipped down his back and he shuddered. His shoulders curling back to ease that discomfort. He hated how easily that name came back to him. That red-eyed creature. Full of fur …. 'not quite normal', he recalled. Removed from his crippling fear, he began noticing details he missed before. Very odd he concluded. More than ever, he wished his brother was around so he could get some insight. Or maybe … Alicia … or Madame Doctor … Capitaine he pushed to one side mainly because he wasn't sure what to make of her. The woman's mercurial personality baffled him more than Kadi or her fiancé.
Sid pulled up his spyglass when he was within reasonable distance of the opposite railing. His gut told him the sea battle was more urgent but he agreed to assist. Raising his voice, he shouted the coordinates of the closing units. "Fire before they are in firing range," he suggested. His usual politeness vanished given their circumstances. He would apologize to Madame Capitaine later if needed. "The other units are closing in. Prepare for a second wave." Again, he shouted the coordinates so the cannoneers heard him over the orders flowing down the chain.
Stepping closer to the center, he turned around when he was reasonably safe to do so and checked on the seafront. Wood planks floating in the silky waters was all that remained of the first five ships. Ten were upon them and the twenty Mia mentioned lined the horizon. A bigger number lurked in the wings. Conserving his voice, Sid shared his observations with Mia through their mental link. Ship model, potential speeds and the coordinates of the incoming ten. He watched to make sure she was prepared before going back to support the other side.
His ears rang from the constant boom. He gritted his teeth not liking the pain shooting up to his head. This was the exact reason he avoided guns for so long. He feared going deaf one day. A fear his brother told him was ridiculous while Adelaide flashed him an amused grin from behind. He closed his eyes to rest them when he felt it again. Whirling around, he scrunched up his brow. He was half-expecting to see someone.
"Who's there?" he whispered in Trovalian.
"Nah we'll let them get in firing range, more fun that way," Mia said smiling.
Whether she was joking or not was left to discretion as she eyed the ships.
The group used the tailor's information immediately, the men were already preparing to deal with the ground forces, at the Captain's wave they left off a few shots and the woman was gone, in the distance the ships edged closer, however moments later large fires exploded from the approaching ships as Mia's men focused on dealing with the approaching army. The woman after another barrage and a few sparks the last ship fell into the ocean and the woman landed back on the ship and brushed a bit of soot off her clothes taking a moment to stare at her handiwork.
Her eye went to her men as flashes of red exploded from the cannons, screams echoing as fire exploded upwards, explosions throwing some of the approaching men away.
"Hmmm...no Hunters apparently," Mia said. Her eyes narrowing. "We were told to watch out for them...they're probably on the ships dealing with the mercenaries."
Mia's eyes narrowed a bit before moving to the ones approaching on the horizon, this was going to be a long battle.
"Reload and prepared for a second barrage, do what you can to protect the ship."
"Aye Captain!"
"I can deal with the ships, the ground forces I leave to you all."
Taking out a few dozen ships wasn't a problem, so long as no one strong was on board it didn't take too much time, the problem was sneak attacks and other such assaults on the ship, even if they weren't the strongest these were still trained soldiers using military tactics, and they had no time for reconnaissance, so long as she knew the angle no one was getting to this ship.
They wouldn't just move in straight lines forever, especially as more ships kept falling.
When Cedic turned back around four pair of eyes would meet his own, a moment later the world around him would turn dark. Mia turned to call to Cedric only to see that he was no long there.
"...now how do I explain losing a person."
Whatever had grabbed Cedric released him almost as quickly as it had occurred, he had been pulled into the strange realm once more, red water reflecting him and the only other inhabitant there. The bright red moon shone above them, the world around them stretching into infinite darkness including the 'sky' above, ripples forming with each movement.
Puppeteer stood a few feet in front of him, staring at him as red wires dangled out of her long sleeves dipping into the red liquid though both stood upon the water, her empty gaze focused on Cedric.
"...the one with the extra inhabitant...like the other one."
Puppeteer turned and stared into the distance dark, nodding as if it spoke words unheard before her eyes shifted back to Cedric.
"My Master's boredom has led to this situation, Slayis smells your weakness and has chosen not to consume you yet, so I'll be your judge for now."
Sid's clenched fists relaxed as he stared at the blood moon hovering ominously over them. He trained his gaze slowly towards the red-tinted waters beneath them, an unbroken surface save for the ripples accompanying even the slightest movement. Disquiet filled him and he flexed his fingers jerkily.
He turned to the pale maiden, recalling the Noram Hunters' encounter with her. She introduced herself as the "Puppeteer" and she re-established that she knew Slayis, someone Sid hoped to avoid at all cost. He tensed visibly after noticing he hadn't spotted that second pair of eyes. He listened very closely to his surroundings as he tried to buy himself more time.
"Master - I'm assuming you are referring to Relias or Maka?" he began quizzing. "And, what's this about eating? I can assure you that Jack or capitaine Lev would make a far tastier meal. I'm but a sickly man, all skin and bones."
He grounded his feet lightly against the water, trying his best to keep the ripples to a minimum. Strangely, the watery appearance was only surface deep. A solid surface - similar to concrete or ice - met his foot less than an inch down. He eliminated that escape route and tried to think of another way. This world couldn't be separated from his current plane of reality, right?
Cedric had a hunch this wasn't an illusion. This Puppeteer had taken him elsewhere even though he couldn't figure out how she did it. She didn't seem like someone with the 'Binku Binku No Mi' ability. He met someone who had that ability and, as far as he knew, that person was very much alive. He stared at the shadows lengthening from behind him.
"Don't come any closer," he warned.
"You have no pull here."
The Puppeteer's words were straight and to the point, the girl showed little interest or emotion in her speech, her words were blunt and straightforward. Her eyes empty she merely intended to fulfill her purpose here, Cedric's willingness or unwillingness was not something that mattered.
She did however raise a finger, the threads still flowing out of the tip at the man.
"Two for one."
The reflection under Cedric's shadow echoed for a moment as if in response to this before slipping back to normal, she didn't bother to answer his first question showing no interest in playing his game, she raised her hand to him.
"I would advise against pushing yourself, you're worth more alive...but my master can make do with you dead."
"Yet Slayis wants to consume me," he mocked. "I doubt I am of value once I'm in that monster's stomach."
The thought sickened him. He had a recurring nightmare of being eaten alive as a child. It reared its head whenever his uncle hurt him so badly that he cried himself to sleep. His skin prickled at the dream memory of teeth sinking into his flesh and ripping it off or the sound of his bones crunching between them. Suppressing his shudder, Sid asked softly. "Tell that brute to make it quick if he changes his mind."
She motioned upwards as a large clock appeared above her starting at the twelfth hand.
The girl snapped her fingers and the world shifted, the barren place was suddenly filled with blue skies, and the two were on what seemed to be a piece of land, floating above the ground below, there was little more than distant green showing they were above some forest.
A gentle breeze followed for a brief moment as the harsh sun shone from above, the girl's wires had slipped back into her sleeves but the clock remained above her, slowly ticking down.
Puppeteer pointed back at the clock.
"You will be put through trials, if you succeed you will be returned back alive, fail and you will be consumed. You'll suffer a penalty if you cheat, the rules will be made abundantly clear from the get go for each trial. Though you don't really have a choice do you accept?"
Sid's eyes didn't linger on the clock face for long. He was more concerned about the change in his surroundings. The openness of this floating 'terre' robbed him of any ability to defend himself. He couldn't jump to safety either. To fall from this height was a gateway to Davy's locker (or Papiloner's palace, if his "God of Death" had a stronger claim on his soul). Cedric choked back his rising terror and stubbornness shone in his eyes. He wasn't going to let her have the satisfaction of seeing him crumble; he would fight his way out of this.
He had flashbacks of a previous encounter and things fell into place - he knew the identity of the maestro behind the puppeteer. Those words, that demeanor, it had to be her. He let out a loud, rattling breath to express his own annoyance at that ex-Quill. "Polite unlike your mistress, I'm sure. Compared to her Ms Masu is one classy lady. Let her know I'm thrilled to suffer her presence again albeit through you."
Latching onto this current emotion, his drifting confidence rallied itself. Cedric's posture relaxed visibly; he straightened his back and folded his arms across his chest. "Do what you want. I want to see what she's up to… yes," he finished a little hesitantly, having stopped himself from making an unintentional pun.
He never asked many questions about the crew's encounter with the Puppeteer because he had spent his time worrying about Jack. He assumed - and Jack might have too - that he was safest onboard Lady. Maka and Yuli would (in theory) ignore him since he wasn't with the crew. It annoyed him no end that Yuli shook their belief to its very core. "Are you going to start? Unless your precious mistress is getting her comeuppance from Alicia and the crew and you're wishing to return to her side," he taunted.
His eyes widened suddenly. He hadn't noticed he had been cut off from his cats until he tried to check on the crew. Where the hell are we? He swivelled around and searched the area for clues. No physical distance nor illusion could separate him from his familiars. His heart hammered wildly against his chest. Merde! he swore not liking this implication at all.
Cedric's eyes flitted back to the clock hovering above Puppeteer. He remembered that time was a false friend here. Felix had pulled a similar trick before; the Siren manipulated the flow of time in the illusion and lulled him into a false sense of security. He ended up taking an hour too long to complete the task in Felix's dream world and failed the test. Sid fidgeted as his worrying turned to the people outside this realm. He was wasting precious seconds entertaining this vainglorious woman.
"We both have people we need to return to," he reminded Puppeteer. He wondered if switching tactics might give him some bargaining power, because the Yuli he spoke to seem reasonable in her own weird way. "Why don't we do a single trial? I'll willingly submit to my fate if I lose. I think it is more fun this way, no?"
He could feel Alicia's disappointment again. The memory of her cold anger washing over him from inside out as he gambled his life again. He prayed she'd understand why he chose to do what he did. His life was already at stake whether it was one trial or many trials. Perhaps, on some level, she might even understand that the longer he played the worst his odds. He wanted to give himself a fighting chance; he planned to see her again, sit by her side and finally confess his true feelings. Maybe.
Puppeteer watched Cedric in silence, offering him her attention however the longer he talked the more the girl's eyes drifted about, somewhere along the lines when he started talking about some 'comeuppance' her eyes moved to a floating butterfly, watching the creature flap its wings and go about it's merry day.
She didn't return her eyes to him before he spoke to her again and actually mentioned the trial, the girl seemed unphased and uninterested in a majority of what he had to say, no boredom showed on her face but it was clear his words basically went in one ear and out of the other, up until he actually answered her question.
"I'm not here for fun so I don't know why you bring such matters up, I have informed you of your choices yet you decline them with your own," she said before her form appeared in front of him. "If you don't wish to participate then I shall end your life now."
She pushed Cedric off the edge, taking his long winded response as a decline of her offer, before the man could fully fall into the abyss below however they had returned to the world of darkness, keeping him from plummeting."
"Wait...my mistress said something about this."
Puppeteer opened a small book ignoring Cedric as she flipped through it.
"Hey Cedric it's me Yuli," Puppeteer said in her usual monotone, causing the message not to have that Yuli flair. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions like why you're not dead. Well I'm sure you made Puppeteer listen to your long winded answer so my turn."
Puppeteer turned the page a small yawn escaping from her.
"Simply put your predictable Cedric. My dear young man you don't take any risks, you always follow the same pattern. You think too damn much, try to guide the conversation and situation to your benefit...it makes you easy to read. That's why I gave you Puppeteer, she has no emotions to rile, no mind to manipulate her goal is just to do her job, no amount of 'childish' trickery will work with her."
Puppeteer's brows arched slightly at this but lowered again.
"I'll tell you something funny, I told Puppeteer she can do you one favor. The rest of Stardusk save a few are risk takers they'll go for the impossible but oh no not you Cedric, that's a risk and you don't take those. If you had asked her to just let you go...she would have but that wouldn't have fit your logic right? Your keen analysis meant she would have declined but here you are still trapped in this world...hahahahaha!"
Puppeteer laughter was also monotone but she continued.
"Like an 'intelligent' fool you probably asked for a change in the trial or something to fit your 'whims' better just like our previous conversation. Well good news she's going to do that! Ahahaha you're so fun to mess with. I'm sorry I can't see the look on your face right now. Oh by the way that window's closed in case you're going to try now. Well since I don't want baby to throw a tantrum at not getting what he wants I'll let you have it, see ya later Cedric...well unless you die. Gahahahahaha! Yuli don't forget to read this when he does this."
Puppeteer shut her book and returned it to her sleeve.
"A single trial is what you wished so it's what you shall receive. Are you prepared? Whatever the trial the time will tick down faster as you fail it. Once it reaches twelve again I'm permitted to allow the consumption of both of you."
Her eyes drifted to the side for a moment.
"Slayis has heard your wish as well. Should you fail he shall consume you quickly."
Cedric closed his eyes as his weariness washed over him in a sickening tide. He wasn't sure what to make of this turn of events. Anyone in his position would be raging, perhaps, or falling into despair, but he was beyond caring. Yuli had pushed past that point sometime in their prior encounter with her unnecessary antics.
"As you will, Ms. Yuli, Puppeteer, Slayis." He replied with his hands flattening. "It's clear we will never agree on anything. Begin, s'il vous plait."
Darkness funneled into itself leaving white walls spanning as far as the eye can see. Cedric spun a half-step and nearly jumped. The sound of his foot step echoed endlessly in this spiraling column. Any other sound in the area was made by him which emphasized his isolation. He rubbed his upper arm uncomfortably as he tried to make sense of this new place.
Stairs ran to his right and to his left. Some hung upside down and some were parallel to the circular wall. Each set ended in front of a door. Given the monochrome theme, Sid couldn't find a single feature that indicated where he should go. He rubbed his arm harder as he tried to push his anxiety further away.
"She mentioned taking risks," he spoke out loud. He knew he sounded stupid but hearing his own voice was comforting in this barren place. He fished out a coin from his pocket and he rubbed the round edge with his thumb. "A risk it is then."
He flipped the coin high into the air and tracked its progress with his eye. It took forever to reach his eye level and even longer to drop past his knee. Sid stooped down to pick it up when he saw it land on its side. His coin rolled in a circular path that spiralled outwards. It ran up the walls and disappeared behind a door above his head. Sid jumped. His first attempt ended with him crashing down a small flight of stairs. He sprung to his feet despite the pain and returned to his original spot. Launching himself again, this time he managed to grab the doorknob.
Sid's body turned to nothingness; it flowed like water through the cracks and he smashed against a cold stone floor. He laid there completely stunned. He found it hard to absorb the return of sound and colour after that deprivation. His mind compared the sensation to the time he woke from his drug induced coma. The only difference was that his body didn't feel like it was tearing itself apart. And, his mind wasn't spiralling out of control. He was, at this moment, very sane.
He shut his eyes and let his warm breath spread across the stone. The sensation reminded him of Jack and Ma Zhi Ruo. Their warm hands always soothing him when he woke up panicking. More wind blew through an open window adding a sheet of cold against his back. He curled inwards as his body laboured under prolonged coughing.
His hand slid to the floor and splattered blood on the grey surface. Sid wrinkled his nose, detesting the coppery smell. It was blocking out the sweet smell of wet earth that came from outside. He already knew where the damned woman sent him. He was back in Merle, the one place that plagued his dreams. He clenched his bloodied hand and slammed the floor.
He rolled onto his hands and knees, rising to a kneel and finally pulling himself up using a nearby chair. This room was a near perfect replica of his hideout from that time. He remembered sitting on this chair writing a letter to Madame Charlotte while Adenin, her nephew, tailed their mark. Sid clutched the back of his chair as he fought down his rising panic. His eyes darkened visibly as they turned towards the window. He searched the rainy skies for Adenin's distress signal but even after several heartbeats nothing happened.
He frowned. Didn't she know how this played out? He ran towards the window and leaned out. Rain soaked his hair and shirt while he scanned the skies desperately for some confirmation. His panic rose in a suffocating wave. He couldn't explain why it bothered him this much but it did. He needed to see if the rest of his memories remained intact. He wondered - no, he hoped - he wasn't going mad.
Shaking his head to snap out of it, he jumped onto the ledge and leaped. His feet catching the edge of the next roof and the next. He slowed to a slow walk when he reached his intended destination, the granary. As with most agricultural towns in Trovale, all roads running to and from the fields would meet strategically at this point. He squatted down and peered harder into the darkness. He reached behind for his crossbow; it wasn't there. His hand strayed to his belt quickly and wrapped around 125's hilt.
A lone figure laid in the shadow of the building. For one heart stopping moment, Cedric was sure he was staring at a copy of himself. That night, he aimed at the Zoan fruit user and shot his last bolt. The rain water sleeked under his feet as he was about to reach for his cards.
He slipped.
Sid could still see his world dissolving into black and white stars. His mind burning white with agony from his fractured ankle. He couldn't even twitch the toes of his left foot as his body mentally amputated the limb to stop him from shutting down from all that pain. He crawled pathetically towards his scattered cards. The taste of his own blood warmed his tongue. He shivered. The pain remained visceral whenever he reached this point in the endless loop.
He failed to see the message Yuli wanted to convey, but he sensed he was meant to go closer. He teleported down the roof. He scanned the area quickly then threw a single card in the person's direction. The flames eating the paper vanished as quickly as they appeared. Illuminating the person, instead, was a cloud of shimmering fireflies.
"Isa … Isari?!" He exclaimed.
She was dead. He saw her body blown to nothing. Her very existence reduced to a stain in a massive crater. He struggled to breath. His feet were already carrying him towards this mirage. He wanted to believe it was her. His heart refused to budge. It insisted this wasn't her. Sid's mind had turned completely blank by now. Fatigue, cold and nausea made him unable to act on his truest thoughts. He could see himself mechanically slitting the ropes with 125's blade.
He reached down to pull the unconcious girl up. Their hands barely contacted when he reared back. She was cold as ice and her dried blood crumbled under the slightest touch. He steeled himself and reached for her again. He watched in horror as her body burst into nothingness, a cruel replay of her demise that he witnessed through Chester's eyes.
Sid shot to his feet, rippling the puddle growing under him. His watery reflection burned white as lightning pierced the sky. "Yuli," he bellowed.
His anger boiled through his indifference and spiked. He burned from the inside out as he yelled for the woman to appear. He challenged her to fight him. This joke. It sickened him to the very core! Zilia was out there losing her mind to grief and this woman dared to toy with Isari's corpse. How dare she?
Sensing a presence behind, Sid whirled around with a snarl. 125 was clasped firmly between both hands as he readied himself to strike. The night sky lit up brilliantly overhead and clothed his nightmare in darker shadows. Before him was a hulking man, dark skinned like Adelaide, bald and ripped. He stood a full head taller than Sid. His teeth, artificially sharpened, gave him a wolfish smile.
Sid's right foot drove deeper into the muddy puddle. His breathing turned paper thin. He dreamed of this man repeatedly but seeing him again brought on a new level of terror. He had forgotten how intimidating Galib was up close.
The wolf-man chuckled. "They sent a cub to do a man's job, eh? Al'ilh sure smiles on me brightly." He cooed as his hands morphed into claws. Fur burst around his fingers and spread over the rest of his body. Ropes of saliva whipped the air as the savage man howled.
The pulsating darkness that accompanied the thunder clap made Sid feel twice as blind. He devolved into a quivering mess. He felt so exposed. Vulnerable. Weak. What could he do against someone more than twice his size?
He thought he was going to die.
Glowing red eyes flared brightly. They hovered within striking distance; whoever moved first had a huge advantage. Alicia's voice urged him to seize it! Sid reacted. His body flowing through the stances she drilled into him and 125 angling at the last second. The blade gleamed as wickedly as the claws that scraped its pristine surface.
Sid's teeth stood on edge because of the sound. His mind worked to filter out the distractions as he stamped down his fear. He realized - for once - he was in control. He was protected by Luro's sword. Jack's pistol, also within reach, was a solid backup.
He feigned to the right before switching suddenly to the left. Their difference in body weight gave Sid the upper hand when it came to speed. He leaped nimbly out of harm's way as those claws reached for him.
Unable to maintain that speed while coughing his lungs out, the summoner allowed Galib to corner him. Sid's back schlicked against the rough bricks as wolf-man leaped. Claws tearing shoulder down to navel, criss-crossing jaggedly over his diaphragm. They swiped swiftly over his hollow stomach and Sid felt his inside straining against what's left of his outer flesh.
He slumped forward unable to meet the ground. A clawed hand circled his throat and shoved him harder against the wall. Sid head thudded dully against stone; each knock brought him closer to oblivion. He was loosely aware that his naval gash was starting to split along the edges.
His right hand curled over 125. He tried telling himself that this was going according to plan. He just couldn't. Not with Alicia's angry face burned deeply in his memory. A knot twisted painfully inside his chest.
Determination flashed again in his dulled eyes and Sid's arms circled the hulk. He gripped the hilt tightly with two hands, blade pointing towards that furry back, and he thrusted.
Galib folded backwards. His blood red eyes widening in shock as his own life's blood began dyeing his drool. By the time he thought of pressing a hand against the tip bursting out of his chest, Sid was behind him.
Cedric kicked the man forward while yanking on the gun blade. Gravity worked with him and he watched Galib crash with half his body smacking against the wall. Sid, unfortunately, followed him; their blood mingled and coloured the damp cobblestones. Sid sat somewhat victorious over the man. His skinny legs locked over those heaving sides.
Galib gurgled with amusement as his face pushed further against stone. "You will never win."
125 clicked loudly to reveal the hidden barrel. Cedric shook his head. "Jack did. I just need to put your memory to rest."
He pulled the trigger.
Lightning flashed for the last time. Fissures rend the sky and pieces fell like shards of broken mirror. Sid was free! His longest nightmare laid buried with Isari in that transient world.
He wished he could have taken her with him.
I'm sorry, Zilia. I acted too late.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Cedric stared at the cloud passing overhead. He waited for more adrenaline to kick in and wash away his fatigue. He was hurting all over! He couldn't even tell if his injuries were real or illusory. He prayed for the latter since he sensed something even worse looming on the horizon. Nothing his three cats conveyed made any sense. They were panicking worse than he had ever encountered before.
He slid to his feet using a nearby tree and a bloodied 125 for support. Half of his palm spit against the jagged bark; the pain was swiftly integrated with the rest of his hurts and thus easily ignored. Hearing a familiar meow at his feet, Sid forced a smile. "Em moi verseux." (take me to them)
Chester vanished and reappeared around his shoulders. Master and cat then teleported to where the crew had gathered. Sid stumbled from sheer tiredness when he arrived. He was just close enough to make out Zilia's expression from behind a shimmering wall. His attention flew to the orbs floating over her.
Then, it clicked!
He saw Jack rushing forward and Sid's time stopped. He tried teleporting to his brother. He wanted to grab him before it was too late. He didn't want a second person to die! No, he didn't want either of his precious people to die!
Colour melded in his mind, a tapestry of sorrow clearer than the sun beating down on them. Zilia's last moments lingered in his mind's eye in the aftermath. It was a masterpiece that tore at the heart. A vision he felt compelled to paint. To remember. To grieve on his own terms.
He remained where he fell to the shockwaves unable to move. His strength took awhile to return as his body wailed for the last of his adrenaline. Slowly, he trained his eyes to the sky above. He smiled tiredly at the irony he saw.
It was blue, the same blue he associated with her. It was like she ended up part of the sky. And, he wondered if she was finally at peace. He remembered that she hadn't slept well for such a long time.
Cedric flexed his bandaged fingers to relieve the tension building at their base. His free hand reached down unconsciously to pat Jackie's head. She yawned softly, rolling onto her back and knocking into his sore ribs. Sid hissed sharply. He hated having that unnecessary reminder that he was more undead than human at the moment. He had out done himself again; he was more bandaged up than he had been after Trovale. He even had crutches to help him walk.
The only thing missing was a lethal poison, he concluded snarkily. He guessed it won't be necessary since his bloody coughs were here to stay. Damning the entire Trovalian pantheon, Sid flopped back into his pile of pillows. He spun around, punched them and screamed his frustration into the pillow on the very top. Calming down again, the unhappy summoner glowered at the head board. Non, his mind was made up!
Apologizing to Madame Doctor deep, deep in his heart, Cedric pulled his crutches closer and hobbled towards the bolted door. He needed Jack. His brother was that one person who understood him inside out, so the man would know how to calm him down. His familiars, drained from his constant negativity, were more than happy to help him teleport to the other side. A feat he paid for with a nasty coughing fit while receiving a clear view of Chester's smug eye rolls. It was obvious that all of his familiars had no sympathy left to give; they were waiting resignedly for him to collapse for the fifth time that day. He ignored them, swiping the blood from his lips and continuing towards the kitchen.
"Jack! I - Jack?!" he switched mid-rant after seeing his brother tossing and turning on the kitchen bed.
Sid's heart plummeted. He limped his way to Jack's side and checked for fever. He relaxed when he felt only damp, cool skin. He picked up a wet cloth and wiped the man down. He rinsed the cloth twice more, stopping only when he saw Jack sleeping comfortably.
Sid stopped to smooth the soaked dreads lovingly as he pat his brother dry. Tossing the towel aside, he rose from the stool he was sitting on and walked around. Given the time, Jack would have started prepping the ingredients for dinner. Sid doubted that even death could stop his brother from cooking. The man, stubborn as he was, would thumb his nose at Jones and return as a poltergeist to continue kneading bread. Now wasn't the time to test that theory, though. He wanted the man to stay in bed. "Sleep," he whispered into Jack's ear. "I'll have the vegetables and meat ready by the time you're up. N'ose pas te'reveiller!" (don't you dare wake up!)
As he worked his way through the pile of mushrooms, he said softly, "I promise I won't make you cry the way you did when we thought Zilia died. I'm sorry, fére. I must have hurt you with my stupidity." He sighed. "Let's start again. For real this time."
By the time Jack woke up, Sid's cats were escorting him back to the sick bay. The chef would find all the vegetables cut extra finely, his meats correctly marinated, his usual pots and pans stacked neatly by the stove and freshly made dough baking in the oven. Sid guessed he didn't mess up, because he couldn't hear his brother screaming from the kitchen. He smiled. All was right with the world once more.
Location: Somewhere to grab supplies
Time: Afternoon
"Child. Wake up."
Runali's eyes slowly fluttered open and she grimaced. She wasn't in pain but she was stiff as if she had been in a fight… but, she didn't remember fighting anyone.
Realizing she didn't remember anything that happened that made her black out made her jolt upright into a sitting position. Despite the scene around her, she grew cold.
An endless desert surrounded her on all sides no matter where she looked. There was no sign of water… no sign of her ship… no sign of her crew. And when she looked up, while she couldn't pinpoint where the sun was, it was definitely bright. "C'mon… c'mon…" Runali put her head in her hands trying to remember what happened. Why did she always have trouble remembering things?!
"Lev."
The voice made her jump. Or maybe, it wasn't the voice but the fact that when she looked up she was staring at a mouthless black cat with bright green eyes staring right at her. "...I didn't think… Cedric's familiars could talk… but you're not Cedric's familiar are you?"
From its calm sitting position, the cat looked visibly perplexed, as much as a cat could at least. "You don't remember who I am?" The cat's voice was airy and yet she could still discern the sound of offense.
"A talking cat seems like one of the more significant things I'd remember." Runali rested her hands on her legs and leaned back when the cat hunched down, obviously planning on pouncing.
"Nothing rings a bell? Not your eye? Not your life? ...Not Jones?" The cat pounced, but instead of hitting Runali it turned into wisps of black smoke around her. "Don't you remember dying?"
Like a light flickering on, her eyes widened. "You!"
"There we go." Its voice was still loud and clear.
"Shoot! Did I die!? I don't even know what happened! Where's my crew are they-?!" Runali jumped to her feet, planning to go in any direction that wasn't where she was. "Not again… not again…" She was immediately bristling in panic, much different from her thoughtfulness- if that's what it could be called- around the crew in their more dire situations. Paws suddenly weighing on her shoulders made her pause and look at the cat expectantly.
It scoffed and rolled its eyes. "Right. Seems your forgetfulness is contagious. I almost forgot how literal you are. I meant, don't you remember the first time you died-"
"Cat, I know what you meant. I'm not an idiot. The last time we were staring at each other you gave me a dumb riddle and then disappeared into my eye or something. I was dead then and if I'm seeing you there's too much of a chance I'm dead now." Runali held a different tone than usual. It wasn't calm or friendly like her crew had grown used to. She sounded stern and impatient… but who wouldn't be if they thought they were dead?
Even the cat's eyes grew a little in surprise. This was certainly different from the last time they spoke- even if it was a few short moments. Different… and yet still a sense of familiarity as she trudged through sand to get to anywhere useful. "...You sure do have a knack for getting into trouble. But you can relax. You're very much alive," The narrow eyed look she gave made the cat roll its own. "As well as your crew. Although, again, your concerns should really be with yourself first considering you ended up on the forest floor after… Well, you got into what could hardly be considered a fight with some pirates that thought Worst Gen was just a pretty title. Though, that's not why you're on the forest floor. You decided to rest after a stray bullet hit- though, you're fine you managed to doctor on your leg." With a tail flick, the cat showed where the injury was. Sure enough, on the back of her leg there was a bloodstain and a patchwork job at bandaging it. "It'll be difficult to hide that."
"It's fine, it's just a small injury. I can-- it's not hiding if I fixed it."
"Your medical skill is hardly something to brag about. Besides, one of your crew can smell blood. He will speak. They will worry." The cat flicked it's tail at her. "...You got careless like this before when something bad happened. You cannot prioritize others' safety and not your own… Unless you're trying to get Jones' attention again." The cat watched Runali's expression, but carried on. "Though at least you decided resting was best for the moment. A smarter choice."
Runali stopped walking and sighed. It was more out of acceptance than relief and she decided to just sit back down in the sand. The cat disappeared and reappeared in her lap when she sat down only to do the same and reappear on her stomach when she laid down in defeat. Not acknowledging what it said before, she asked, "What do you want, cat? You haven't bothered me in who knows how long so what's the occasion?"
The cat licked its paw. "Oh I've been with you throughout your journey. I've seen what you've seen. I've seen even more that you miss too." It stretched, digging its claws into her. Runali felt the claws but oddly enough it didn't hurt like she expected it to. "Every fight, every victory, every loss, and every emotion. I know. I've helped. Or I've just watched. You've got a colorful life going and it's almost amusing just how much you don't see."
"Yeah?" Runali was staring at the sky. When she squinted, the sky seemed to react and dim for her. "Enlighten me." She didn't sound very impressed but after being told by random people that she was 'full of potential' or 'missing pieces' she started to realize… maybe she shouldn't try searching. Maybe she should just let it happen and not worry about it, especially if no one would tell her. She hated everything being so overly complicated and trying to solve a puzzle with none of the pieces was just that.
The cat didn't seem very amused by her lack of interest, but didn't press. Instead, the cat adopted her lazy manner and laid stretched out on her. "All of your friends have tapped into some sort of inner power."
"Yeah."
"On purpose."
"Mhm."
"Alicia's got that Ascendant form."
"It's wild she just has that, right!" Her hands went up in disbelief before flopping back down. "Fun to watch though. Poked at her and she's like a... fancy tea pot. Really pretty."
"...Right. And Luro- well besides dealing with Imposter has also come up with and learned a few new tricks. Hard to say if he knows it himself..."
"Yeah Luro's really cool… He's got a knack for being my other eye. Real useful when we're getting shot at." Saying that, she shifted her eyepatch off her blind eye and snorted. "Woulda been useful earlier."
"'Cool' isn't usually the… typical sentiment given about someone you're betrothed to?"
"You're an expert?"
"Observational, mostly. Curious, really."
"Curiosity kills cats you know?" She smirked a little when the mouthless cat rolled its eyes again. Runali cleared her throat and clasped her hands together, making what could only be a lovestruck expression. "Oh he's such a dream, the fuel to my fire even. I absolutely adore him and all his quirks, it just makes him such a delight to be around! The danger of it all is especially fun. Plus he's got such a cute dopey grin. I just can't stop thinking about how much I want him to-"
"Alright, alright enough... The sarcasm is awfully distasteful."
"Sarcasm?" Runali's genuine look made the cat pause, only to immediately frown when Runali gave a devilish grin. She couldn't help but snicker. "Keep your nose to yourself then… What's all this rambling for, cat? I'd rather be awake and with my betrothed," She playfully stuck her tongue out. "Along with the rest of my crew."
The cat sat up and gave her a light 'bap' on her face. "Well. I was going to continue and say that these friends of yours, all of them, have tapped into an inner power that-"
"Skip to the part where you tell me the point, please."
"...Hmph. Are you afraid of doing the same? You seem so actively bent on avoiding it… especially when you lose things… people... If you can't face it, you'll never best the others of the Worst Gen. I do not understand why you never listen to me. I've been floating around here acting as part of your conscience and not once have you ever considered questioning why… or how. Or even what. Everyone's changed around you, yes? Why haven't you?"
Runali sat up, making the cat tumble onto her lap. "You're some spirit that's supposed to teach me a lesson? Bother me until I do something that nearly causes me to meet Jones again? How? Not important. I've seen Davy too many times to care to ask how. Things just happen. Change happened when I decided to be a pirate. Change happens with every injury, every loss, every triumph. Doesn't matter what it looks like. Doesn't matter how. But just because it happens doesn't mean I have to tell anyone about it. Just because it happens… doesn't mean it's useful. What good is it if I can't help my crew?" She crossed her legs and pulled the cat closer, cupping its face. "Listen, you are a pretty kitty and I don't really see the harm of you being around. But if you're gonna be rattling around in my head you're gonna have to stop thinking I don't know what I'm doing... Careful on that high horse of yours. One day you'll fall."
This cat, a spirit by way of Davy Jones, stared at the woman holding its face. The sand around them rippled like ocean waves, disturbed by an invisible presence. Its eyes flickered from narrow slits to wide pupils and for a moment, it lost its form completely and became a puff of smoke before it returned with its face in her palms. "I…" The cat pulled back and teleported itself a few feet away from her. There was something about those words that sent the spirit into a reflexive defense- something it hadn't had to do in a long, long while. The surrounding area suddenly felt heavier and the cat felt forced into silence. A visible chill went down its body but it quickly regained its composure.
Runali watched the cat fizzle out and teleport with an innocent smile.
"You… know how to-"
The smile turned into a raised brow and she started to speak, but suddenly her body started to tingle and it pulled her attention. "Ah, finally! I can get back to the waking world. Alright cat, maybe we'll talk again sometime. But I have to go home now. Friends are waiting and all."
The cat said nothing, watching as Runali faded like the sand back into consciousness. It was quiet for a moment, and then the cat stood to its feet. "She'll be… a terrifying force to reckon with… Jones, I hope you're having your fun."
~~~~~
Runali opened her eyes once again. She felt fine thankfully, which meant the damage done wasn't bad and she did enough to keep it from being worse.
But she was startled to be face to face with a cat staring at her. Chester. And then there was a bird above her head. Coral.
"Must've been out for awhile if they've sent animals on the hunt… Must've been real worried if I got the king of the cats himself…" She poked Chester's cheek. "Eugh, what a spooky cat. Not you Ches. A different cat… stuck in my head." She lightly petted Chester and closed her eyes, trying to remember what happened. And when she opened them, Chester was a little closer staring down at her. "Yeesh Chester warn-"
She stopped when she saw what Chester was trying to show her. When she looked into Chester's eyes, she saw a vision of Cedric and Jack, the latter looking a little more worried. It looked as though Cedric was making a gesture about time, unenthusiastically teasing him no doubt. It was a mimic of what Jack did whenever they were late for a meal. Then she saw Alicia, by the way she gestured, giving commands. And the first mate was giving a look Runali knew all too well. It was the face she made when Runali specifically got into trouble.
And then the rest filed in because if the captain caused trouble someone would usually be running to attack the ship. Kadi leaned against the wall, but with a squint Runali realized, maybe it was Pathfinder. The casual twirl of his pistol confirmed it for her.
Zilia, Runali could guess by the waving of papers, was probably telling Luro about how 'the captain could be in danger!' Runali couldn't help the slight laugh as Luro patted Zilia on the shoulder. "He'd say something like, 'if the captain was in danger, she would have told us Z!'"
The vision faded when Chester leaned away and Runali looked a little surprised to feel the prickly sensation of tears in her eyes. Her brow furrowed in slight confusion as she wiped them away, up until Coral gently nuzzled against her cheek. "Pssh, trouble? I've never gotten into any trouble ever." She sighed. "Can't have them worrying about me or anything… I'm the captain after all." She scooped Chester into her arms and added. "They're a good group… I just… have to do a better job at keeping them." Runali took a step forward but stopped in her tracks. Both animals looked at her in confusion when they saw her eye was closed. Was her leg hurt more? Did the pets need to grab one of the crew?
She tensed and took a steadying breath. "Do you guys… think I'm a bad captain?" She half expected Chester to disappear out of her arms when she slumped against a nearby tree but instead he gave a low lazy purr. It was some sort of comfort she thought. Coral perched on the low branch near her and lightly pecked at Runali's collar. "Yeah… Yeah I know but…" She shook her head, wiping whatever remnants of sudden sadness remained on her face. "Sorry that weird cat ghost just.. Got in my head- uh, I guess. It's fine. We're just trying our best. We can only do what we- I can only do what I can…" She inhaled, scratching Coral's chin, and then exhaled back into what felt normal.
"I'd appreciate it, mister know it all," Runali looked down at the cat in her arms. "If you keep this to yourself… I'll sneak extra treats if you do." Looking at Coral she poked at her. "You too birdie. Beak closed. It's all fine, no need to make them worry more. Just… too much in my own head sometimes. It happens." She took a step, feeling the crudely done bandage shift and the sting of where the injury was. "Yeah, alright. A little careless."
She stuck her tongue out when she looked around the forest. "Shoot. Dunno where I am… Coral can you-" The bird took off, flying low enough to be seen and followed. "Thank goodness for having a bird… Hope Jack saved lunch. Fights work up an appetite."
- - - - - - - - - -
"There she is! Kill her!"
With a cat in her arms and a large bird on her shoulder, Runali couldn't sneak her way onto the ship while the sounds of battle were going on. Instead, she shuffled her feet behind their attackers, watching them try and fail to overthrow her crew. "...Seems like they found Lady… and the rest of the crew." She chuckled, watching as the group attempting to attack the ship shifted their attention on her. "I wonder if they're mad about the stuff I stole or about humiliating their captain…" The gleam of weapons made the animals slip away to safety so Runali stretched her arms above her head.
Location: Somewhere to stretch their legs
Time: Evening
Lady Luck rocked gently.
It had been a few weeks, but things still felt quiet. But maybe that was just because it was one of their lazier afternoons.
There was no mess. No fuss around… And no one extra on the ship. Coral was perched on the crow's nest, keeping a lazy lookout to fit the mood. Everyone else was focused on their own tasks aboard the ship, keeping themselves busy as usual when there was nothing else to do. It was a bit of relief when the navigator informed them they were nearing a place to stretch their legs. They'd been out at sea for awhile.
Runali was staring at the endless blue, trying to find some semblance of peace in it, but her mind continued to wander to what happened… To everything that happened and everything that could have happened. The train of thought was making her head hurt so she shook her head deciding to find a distraction. Alicia? No, she was having tea with Cedric if she remembered correctly. The navigator was busy. Luro? Hm… She would go to him later. He seemed more focused on his weapons and didn't want to bother. That left the kitchen.
They'd been together this long and a routine was set on the ship. Based on the fact that lunch was over, she knew Jack would still be there cleaning. He liked to be thorough, so she could guess he was still there. And sure enough, her hunch was right. Instead of walking in completely, she paused at the door with her arms crossed. Her voice was calm as it broke through the silence. "Y'know… when I said 'she'd kill us if she could speak', I was more thinking she'd be more of an angry mother." The chuckle that followed was light and short and she continued. "Still means you owe me though."
Underneath the countertop, on his hands and knees scrubbing fiercely, Jack was wrapped in his own thoughts when Runali approached. He gave a start. His head banged against the table and he cursed fluently, transitioning from Common to Runali's own tongue mid-sentence. Cradling his head -- newly healed from their fight with the replicas -- he gingerly extricated himself and stood up. Tired eyes caught Runali's briefly before vanishing under amusement, and the half-smirk ticked up.
"You thought angry mother? I was thinking of a scorned demoness come to life and ready to teach us a lesson about proper medical dosages."
Without further prompting, Jack shrugged off his apron and tossed it into the corner, and joined Runali. While the cooking surfaces -- and the spot underneath the counter -- looked impeccably clean, there were noticeable and uncharacteristic messes. A pile of clothes on his makeshift cot where he opted to sleep sometimes instead of his quarters. Spilt spices that were brushed aside, but never swept up and tossed out. Some barrels were left half-open and various tools stuck out of drawers.
Jack folded his arms, mimicking Runali's posture. "Alright. What's the price this time?"
The captain's eye stayed on the kitchen for a bit longer before she gave him her full attention. Runali gave a half hearted scoff. "What do you mean, that's just... her all the time." She pushed off the doorway and began walking towards the top deck. "Kadi said we'll be able to stop soon since we've been out on sea for awhile…" She requested to put as much distance between them and the island as possible before they stopped. When asked about the price, she adjusted the gloves on her hands. Typically, she would have given them to Luro while they were on the ship but she… found some sort of comfort knowing they were easy to access. Just in case. "I… had something in mind." Runali gave a devious grin.
----
"Three." Runali set the now empty glass down alongside two others before sliding up on the barstool next to Jack. "Three drinks, a fancy new watch for Kadi, a small bag of coins for our stock, and two shiny new rings." She wiggled her fingers to show one shiny gold and one bright silver and purple ring before they disappeared in her inside coat pocket alongside the rest of her earnings. "Clock's ticking because I'm sure there's gonna be a fit when the guy I took this from realizes his rings are gone."
Jack smirked and flipped his glass down, adding to the line of glasses that had grown in front of them. "Five drinks. And those are all very nice, but consider this diamond necklace and…" he glanced over her shoulder to a finely-dressed matron. She blew a kiss to him when their eyes met. "One proposal. I could be a baron tomorrow, you know. Leave piracy for a life of luxury, fine food and…"
He trailed off as he saw the widowed baroness adjust her corset and plumped up her chest. Withered red lips pursed suggestively.
The cook blanched. He gestured for Runali to finish her drinks. "Catch up with me and then we can head to the next bar. I want to head uptown anyways. Bigger purses to cut and better… challenges."
The smile coiled as he reached for a cigarillo. "This was too easy for you."
"I have you know mister chef I am happily betrothed to." She laughed. "Maybe I'll give him one of these rings. Y'know, as some traditions go." She waved the waitress down once more. "Who knew you were such a hit with the ladies though. I took you for more of a… one and only type." She raised a new glass, the fourth one for her. "And Jackie, what you have in skill, I make up for in tolerance. It's only the first bar."
~~~~~
This was the third bar. One uptown like Jack suggested. Somewhere between escaping the second and going to the third, Runali's pockets were getting heavy but she still moved as she weighed little. Her coat was buttoned in the middle to keep it from jingling too much.
"Y'know chef," Runali flipped an empty glass down. "Was gonna spar with you… A proper one." She rested her head in her hand for a moment, lazily waving a hand and showing him a gaudy amount of bracelets she had on her arm as they disappeared into her sleeve. "But… it didn't feel right… Not now at least." She continued messing with the empty glass before sitting up and gesturing on. "Your turn, I think I'm at eight drinks and several pockets of things." She snickered. "A good thing Cedric added extra pockets."
Jack made a face as he downed his sixth drink at their current drinking hole -- were they keeping track per bar or overall? He shook his head, but when the answer refused to reveal itself, he presumed the captain had, indeed, overtaken him. He covered his confusion by looking at her hidden prizes and laughing, too.
"You have slippier fingers than mon fere, that's for sure. Just don't tell Alicia why the crew's treasury suddenly got more robust -- or do. We're pirates after all."
Waving for another mead from the bartender, Jack pushed up the circlet currently nestled in his dreadlocks. It's silver surface and encrusted emeralds winked in the tavern light. He'd managed to whisk off a nobleman's bald head when they bolted out of the last bar. His own waistcoat bulged in weird places with stolen trinkets, every theft bringing back the muscle memory of nimble pickpocketing -- a trait hadn't dabbled in for several years. Up until he landed on Harbor Island, anyways. All in all, it was a good haul. A good night.
His humor dipped as he picked up his seventh drink. "No sparring, huh? What -- because of what happened with Zilia? We all came out of it okay, you know." Jack eyed her above the rim of his mug, judging her reaction as he listened. His tone suggested that, while what he said was true, he was not content with the way things had gone down during their struggle with Maka and Yuli.
"The trick is to steal from pirates when you're young. Lotsa practice that way." She gave a two fingered salute before her hand fell and a huff followed. "That's one way to look at it." She stacked the empty glasses before the bartender took them and gave her another full one. Her brow furrowed a little and she took a drink. "Okay is… the bare minimum Jack. We can't just be okay." She shrugged. "That's how injuries happen." She leaned forward against the counter. "That's how death happens." She finished the rest of her drink and turned away from the bar. While her tolerance was high, she knew at some point casual pickpocketing would get even more difficult. But that was the fun part after all.
Layering his hands across the mug, Jack rested his chin on top of them, and stared up at Runali with surprising focus given their current rate of consumption.
"I know," he replied.
"Who's t'say I just didn't feel like sparring. I'm not looking for a fight all the time." Her one eye went across the bar, watching the patrons' movements and expressions. At some point, someone would notice their belongings missing and that would be their cue to leave before they were found out. "Besides, wouldn't be a fair fight if you're not at full strength."
Jack scoffed. He straightened up and took a huge gulp. "The captain I know may not always want a fight, but she never stops looking for a challenge. And I'm fine. Really. The Doctor cleared me last week."
He opened his mouth to say more, then closed it and went back to his drinking instead. He didn't want to mention he'd have healed sooner, if he hadn't been avoiding Zilia ever since they left Devil's Circle. Slamming down the mug, Jack watched from the corner of his eye as one patron started rummaging through his pockets, looking for gold coins to pay for his food, only to come up empty. The bartender folded his arms and tapped a foot impatiently.
Jack leaned over and whispered in Runali's ear, "I'll make a bet with you. Give us three minutes that we'll have to bolt again, or that poor man you stole from just got hired as a scullery maid."
"Yeah Jack, fighting you's not a challenge, it's exercise." She mused with a teasing grin. It faltered a little at the mention of the doctor. "Better safe than sorry." Her attention was pulled back to the crowd and when she caught on to the impatient bartender she began to laugh. "Hm. I say two before he throws a fit himself."
Both of them were technically right. It ended up with them bolting out as a ruckus was started. Out of generosity and to refrain from being too suspicious, Runali paid this bartender a few gold coins before they slipped away.
-----
It was getting darker out and the cool breeze against her pleasantly warmed face was welcomed. "I think I'm carrying my weight in new stuff now." She had a content smile on her face. "And I don't plan on carrying you too if you pass out drunk." The path they were walking on had less and less people, most packing up to go home while others were congregating to one of the many bars they were travelling to. Despite her teasing, she stretched her arms up, the gleam of bracelets appearing and disappearing, and asked, "I think there's another bar here before we'd have to make the effort to traverse towns." She stuck her tongue out. "But are we willing to skip to the next town too?"
"I am not nearly drunk 'nuff," Jack hiccuped and then continued, "To go back to the ship. Are you?"
The cook reached out and pulled his captain into an one-armed hug, interrupting her latest attempt at thievery, and leaned against her. A healthy flush colored his cheeks as he grinned down at her. "The night is our oyster, my— my...." Jack mumbled in a language Runali hadn't heard from him before, then shook his head. "Point being… ugh. I go where you go, Runali."
She wasn't expecting to be pulled into a hug, but after her moment of surprise she let herself be pulled. "Careful following the blind, that's dangerous." She couldn't help but laugh as they now stumbled, courtesy of Jack's additional weight down the road.
Jack released her and looked around. At the corner of their street, he spotted a shop with the sign of a pig dangling over it. He grinned.
"I think I have a solution to our weight problem."
A break-in and 20 minutes later, they sat outside their latest bar with two rum bottles and their treasures stuffed into leather bags, stolen from the hide shop. Jack had left one of the bracelets and gold coins to pay for their theft.
He groaned and leaned against the wall. The night had stretched past the midnight hours. Those out on the street were in the same or worst condition as he and Runali. Jack watched stumbling drunks and friends carrying passed-out comrades for a time, alternating between smoking a cigarillo and drinking from the bottle. Eventually, he lulled his head over to look at Runali.
"Spill it," he said. His words slurred and tumbled out, for once unfiltered. "You've been acting weird all night and I know it's about what happened with Zilia. Tell me what's on your mind."
"Gotta say, some of your best decisions are when you're drunk." Runali rummaged through her new leather bag and took out an emerald band. She tested its resistance and looked pleased when it didn't snap under pressure. She reached out for her drink, but froze like a cat that got caught when Jack looked at her. If she was a cat, she would have probably puffed up from being startled. Runali relaxed and inspected her bottle instead of looking at him. "Sure you're not the one being weird? I'm not the one that's drunk." It wasn't true, but she was much better at playing it off.
It was a mistake looking at him again. He looked very matter-of-fact and expectant and for once Runali clammed up. Waving her hand dismissively, the captain went back to examining other trinkets and things she took like some man's monocle. "M'not acting weird. I'm just… taking proper precaution to make sure stuff like that doesn't happen again." She shrugged and took a drink. "Part of my job as a captain after all."
"What precautions?" asked Jack. He had stopped dabbling in both of his vices to give her his full attention.
She seemed a little skeptical for a moment, wondering why the conversation suddenly took this turn but she idly waved again. Her mind wandered to the days before, taking over the jobs Alicia decided to do, double checking and making sure they had supplies to last until the next island. And then prodding Jack to make sure there was enough food to last as well. "Whaddya mean what precautions? ...Precautions to make sure you guys don't die. Obviously." She leaned back, falling against the wall and swirled the drink in the bottle. "Can't avoid death, but we can prolong it."
"We're not going to die because I didn't have enough chicken stuff or Zilia's a bandage short." He quipped, obviously following a similar train of thought as hers.
Sighing, he rubbed the back of his head. He kept his eyes on the street for a moment and watched what little activity hummed around them. The peel of a woman's laughter echoed on the corner street. He side-eyed it as a man and his hired escort stumbled into the moonlight, assessing their distance, but the two never got close enough to them. His shoulders relaxed as he looked back at his captain. What he said next was no less slurred, but it was kinder.
"It's because of what happened to Dani, isn't it? What happened to her… we all thought we lost Zilia there for a second. I'm not over it either, you know."
Embarrassment flashed across her face and then she brought a hand to her face, rubbing it as if that would get rid of the feeling. "No but," She thought about when the crew went to Yakone, before they met Jack and before they had a doctor. "Can't be too careful… just in case we end up in some frozen sea." She heard the people too, using the quiet moment as an opportunity to finish off the drink.
Runali had half a mind to toss the empty glass bottle, but decided against it. Hearing Dani's name felt… unfortunately sobering after deciding to take a break from bar hopping. It made her put her head against the wall and stare up at the sky with a small frown. "...What happened to her- Dani wasn't ready to die… but Zil was." Runali let her head lull to look at Jack. "In that moment? I couldn't have done anything to save Zilia… I had to- I would have had to face that fact. That she was dead and that there was nothing I could have done about it." She put her hand up, covering it with armament and examining it. "But with Dani, she was right in front of me." The bottle cracked slightly and the haki disappeared. "I told her I wouldn't let her fall and," She let the bottle drop from her hand and put her arm back at her side. It broke into pieces but she didn't pay much attention. Instead, she blew strands of hair out of her face and straightened up. "But I never said I wasn't over it. It's in the past, there's no use being stuck in it."
"...well, fuck." Another bottle was pushed in front of her face. Jack swished it around until she took it. "You need it more than I do. And for the record, you're not over it. People only use double negatives when they're lying." His face saddened as he continued, "I let Cedric believe I'd be only gone for a month -- a couple tops-- before I disappeared for over a year on Charlotte's last mission. I could've done… so many different things. And then when he needed me the most, I was utterly unreachable. Our trust is shattered and now we have to pick up the pieces because I… didn't hold on to him.
"Point being, we've all messed up in major ways. Luro killed his sister. Zilia destroyed her hometown. Our whole crew has regrets we can't run from. And-- and they don't go away, no matter how much you say they will. Following me?"
Runali started to protest, but Jack knew more about lying than she'd care to test so she kept her mouth shut. Instead she took the bottle and stared at it while she listened. "Yeah, well..." It wasn't the strongest rebuttal, but it was the most she could offer as she pushed away the thoughts she had then- going over every step she could have taken to avoid things getting as bad as they did. She couldn't change it no matter how much she wanted to. "...Bringing it up doesn't exactly help the point." She muttered the last part before deciding to take a drink. With less enthusiasm and a calmer air she sighed. "But yeah, I s'pose I follow."
"Point being," Jack paused, realized he was repeating himself, then said, "We're all… dealing with that. Most of us have accepted it but that doesn't make things easier. It's okay, you know, to grieve about it. It's okay to feel something about it. Even now."
He leaned closer until their shoulders pressed together, hoping in some way, that touch would convey what his slurred speech couldn't. That he knew. That he understood. "Talk to me. Tell me what you're feeling, Runali. Friend to friend."
She didn't look at him when she felt their shoulders touch, she was too busy staring at the ground trying to figure out what she was feeling. Not that she was necessarily eager to share, but… when did she ever sit and really feel- at least feel anything other than contentment. "It's always been… Move past the hard time and we're good to go. Keep sailing forward and there's no reason to look back." Runali started talking, but it was out loud and not quite directed at Jack. "If I could just do that... Keep moving, things should be fine. Things should be fine." Her brow furrowed. "If I'm not, then how can I keep the ship afloat? How can I help everyone else?" She ran her free hand through her hair. Her expression looked a little more exasperated before she slid her hand down her face and sighed. "It's so much just handling a small crew and keeping you guys together. And if I keep losing you guys… If I can't keep you guys alive… that'd just… make me a bad captain."
"Certainly not fit for a title like Pirate Lord." Runali looked at her reflection in the bottle. "But… even more than that… I like you guys. You're basically family, y'know?" Saying that, she glanced at Jack giving a small, empty shrug.
"We are family. Which makes for a pretty lousy crew, when you think about it," he scoffed lightly, only half-teasing. "We always protect each other but rarely ourselves. It's… something that needs to change."
Jack shook his head dismissively. "That's neither here or there. You're not a bad captain. And you won't stop being one if you… need the crew to handle themselves for a time. Cause…" Releasing a big exhale, he put his head back to look up at the sky. He pushed away stray dreads that had fallen over his glasses. "You'll end up shackling yourself with the past."
The last part came out soft. He squeezed his eyes shut, just for a moment, then turned back to her. "What are you still holding on to? What are you not moving ahead of?"
The captain mocked his scoff. "Says you." She had seen how other pirates operated. Captains who used their crew as nothing more than cannon fodder ended up losing it all whether it was in death or in mutiny. She'd witnessed how the Cutthroats ran like a community- and it was. It was a safe haven for women first and foremost before it was a pirate crew. Even the Nova pirates ran more like a well oiled machine more than a pirate crew. "Stronger bonds make for… a happier time being on a ship together." She finished off the bottle Jack gave her and smirked a little. "You'd think I'd want to see your face every day if I didn't like you?"
Jack laughed. "That was my point." He nudged her teasingly.
She hummed in thought towards the next part. Her mind drifted to all the times she spent with her crew lending an ear or a comforting word and sometimes just being angry for them. Runali was absolutely sure they could handle themselves but… "Why deal with those things alone… when you have people to reach out to?" She watched him for a moment until a stray bracelet sliding down her arm became more interesting to spin around her finger.
"Was that a question for me or yourself?" Runali meant it in earnest not to steer the conversation away from her.
"It goes for you too," he started while looking around for another bottle of rum. He sighed with disappointment when his search came up empty. "Just because you're the captain doesn't mean you have to deal with things alone…"
Blinking at her last question, Jack frowned. "You, technically. I...Vontiago and Trovale were my shackles. I'm done with them. I don't let them hold me back anymore even though I wouldn't say I am at peace with them. Although…" He leaned against her more, "I guess you could say what happened with Zilia isn't something I've moved on from. It's not what I would consider a victory, despite the happy ending.
"But non, I meant you. You seem more plagued than me right now."
"Hm. You went through enough hell there, I'd hope so... Though plagued is… a bit of a harsher term." She nudged against him in no real effort to move him. "...Shackled as well." Runali couldn't argue with it though. Unfortunately even drunk, Jack was right.
There was a moment's pause as she tried to figure out how to answer. "Hm… I've been plagued with morbid curiosity of where my old mentor went and why they left me for dead." It was half-hearted, sounding like a joke but Runali shrugged. "I've never been able to find them to ask. Though, not like if I find them they can undo what they caused…" She stopped spinning the bracelet. "Maybe I'm just looking for another fight… Or maybe I just wanna prove that I can protect people as much as I wanted to be back then." Her attention was on the bracelet she was playing with.
"Death's much easier to -I s'pose- let go of since I can't change that… but there's… the worry of being forgotten." The bracelet reflected in the moonlight and Runali straightened when an idea crossed her mind. Realizing Jack was still leaning on her, she adjusted to make sure he didn't fall. "But I think… I think I know just how to fix that...issue. Un-shackling as you've called it. But I'll need the doctor for it… Reaching out to others and all- not that our little drunken escapade hasn't been of help." She raised the empty bottle in mock cheers, smiling a little. "...Thanks by the way."
Grinning wide, Jack pulled her into a second one-armed hug of the night, causing them to tilt and almost fall over. "Hah-- ah. You're very welcome, Runali Lev. It's good to get things out in the open, sometimes." More seriously, he added, "Talk to the others. You always got me but if we're really family, we should support one another. In whatever comes."
"Alright, alriiight." Runali laughed, patting his arm. "Yeah... family helps family."
After a loving squeeze, Jack released her and stretched. "Now that's out… I, for one, refuse to end the night on doldrums. One last bar heist, eh? We can have C.P. go get Luro if we can't stand any longer."
She leaned into his hug and couldn't help but laugh at his suggestion "That? That I can do." She grinned and brought her fingers to her mouth, letting out a quick whistle. Coral would find them. She always did eventually. "If I'm not mistaken," She held up the empty bottle, before tossing it off to the side just to see it shatter. "I'm in the lead."
"Come back to my town and I'll have your head on a pike!" The small but boisterous Daya Lev yelled out as three men larger than her scrambled out of the markets of Baran and towards the docks. Every sense of the word 'danger' emanated around her, causing onlookers to give her distance despite her being the one to save them and their merchandise. The residents of the town typically gave Daya a wide berth when she wasn't happy, all except one in Jaipur.
Edward Lev walked up beside her after tending to a few damaged stalls nearby. He held a much calmer energy as he scooped up the wood panel Daya used to fight off the thieves. "Hm. Well, at least it's not a broom. You've broken eight in the last... five days. But I believe this piece belongs to the elderly couples' jewelry stall."
Daya was still bristling like an angry cat, making sure the three men disappeared completely into the distance. "<Filthy pirates think they can steal from my marketplace...>" Her words trickled back into Common. "They're lucky I didn't shove the rest of this wood up their-" She stopped when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Daya held eye contact with her husband for a moment before she let out a deep sigh. "Right, yes of course. It's over. It's fine. Peace." The woman began dusting off her apron and unrolling her sleeves.
With a small chuckle, Eddy led her back into the rattled marketplace to see if anyone else needed help. "Ouch. Filthy pirates? Our daughter's a pirate, you know? I was a pirate once."
Daya rolled her eyes. "You were a filthy pirate like the rest. I just so happened to take pity on you when you begged at my door. Our daughter on the other hand,"
"Is a better pirate than I ever was." He walked with a proud gaze but it quickly faltered into a frown. "Still... She should've picked something safer. She would have been such a good merchant. All the same perks of travel without all of the pirate danger… And hey, I didn't beg. Well... to be fair you had a knife to my throat, what else was I supposed to do..."
"You and I both know the moment she saw your pirate tattoo, she was sold. Once she's set on a path, there's not a soul alive that can stop her. And according to the papers it's truer every day."
Eddy could only sigh in minute distress while Daya peacefully helped clean up some scattered fruit. He started to say something as he reached out to his wife, but a new presence made him whirl around instead. Despite his calm look, there was an air of protectiveness that rose as if something dangerous was coming closer. He placed a hand in front of his wife, keeping her behind him as she stood in confusion.
Suddenly, the sound of a bullet rang out.
But his reflexes were quick. The wooden panel he held became a makeshift shield in front of him and then in front of Daya. The wood cracked in two by the second bullet.
A booming laugh echoed, making the current patrons scatter backwards. Most moved faster when they saw a man slowly make his entrance into Baran. "Once a pirate, always a pirate!" The man before them looked as if the sea itself spit him out. He was haggard with tattered pirate clothes on. His sleeves were shredded enough to see the myriad of tattoos on his arms. His voice was as gravelly as he looked, and when he grinned a devilish grin some of his teeth were missing. "Ain't that right Eddy?"
"...Dear, who's this disgusting old man?" The only thing that kept her from bristling once again was the fact that her husband kept his hand in front of her. It wasn't often he stopped her from handling rowdy strangers or civilians because he was one hundred percent sure she could handle it, but the look on his face read… much different. His usual calm and tranquil demeanor was much more serious and strained. She wanted to ask again or say something else, but the old man spoke out.
"Just my luck! I come down 'ere lookin' for a wench that ruffles up my men's feathers and lo and behold I find a pirate that's supposed ta be dead!" The man tossed his head back, laughing heartily. "I knew luck would shine on me eventually!" His reverie came to a stand still when he looked at Eddy giving him a stern look. "Wh- Ya don't remember me Ed? Don't tell me you forgot about your ol' pal, Murdou?"
"Murdou…? The first mate of the Sea Terrors? I thought you said they were all dead?" Daya whispered. When Eddy didn't answer, she frowned a little more and started to roll her sleeves again.
"S'definitely the same mean mug from what I remember." Murdou hobbled closer, casually twirling the pistol he had in hand.
"I thought you were dead." Eddy said through gritted teeth.
"Don't sound so happy ta see me, doctor. Sorry I shot atcha, but I wanted to be sure!" He looked between Eddy and Daya, taking a moment to scratch his chin. "She apart'a yer new crew or is she payin' by the hour?"
As he leaned forward to make another comment, one half of the wooden board was suddenly at his throat to keep him at bay. "There is no crew and you will keep your hands away from her."
Murdou squinted one eye between them, looked down at the board at his throat, and let out a loud guffaw. He put his hands on his hips. "I knew you were a loyal old dog! Now that I know one more of our old merry band is alive, the Sea Terrors can live on. Begin again and find where that old bastard captain left that hefty sum of a treasure-"
"I want nothing to do with you, nor do I want anything to do with that pirate crew. Ever again." There was a venom behind his voice that Daya recognized on very few occasions. She moved a little farther behind Eddy. Sure Daya could handle creeps of all kinds, but by the way this sounded, this wasn't her fight.
"Hm…" Murdou didn't seem to like that answer. His casual stance straightened a little more, revealing he was just slightly taller than Eddy who already around 6ft. Murdou's brow furrowed. "Dunno what's gotten into ya Eddy, but ya know the rules. So long as you bear that tattoo and so long as I'm alive as the next captain… you're a part of this crew."
"I don't want to kill you Murdou. You can leave here." Eddy pulled the board away, subconsciously standing one in front of Daya so he couldn't get access to her.
Murdou cackled and began loading his pistol. "Bold words doctor. But last I recall, yer speed didn't save ya from getting your ass kicked by me back in the day."
Eddy said nothing, but the shift in his stance and the grimace was enough to tell Daya all she needed to know. She moved back to give him space and to be out of the line of danger.
"A shame. Ya woulda been useful. But there's doctors everywhere nowadays. I can grab another."
-----------------------------
Eddy wasn't, in the moment, sure if all the blood on him was his, but he stood over a still breathing Murdou. The grizzly older looking man was on his knees, one eye closed thanks to the blood dripping from his head. His arms were limp at his side, not broken, but definitely unable to move. Despite their tattered looks, the markets still seemed intact. Most of them anyways, however the ground around the two was cracked and scarred from the damage they caused.
"What? Y'waitin for me to give my last words to ya?" Murdou spit blood on Eddy's shoe. "Kill me."
The wooden planks that Eddy had been carrying were long since destroyed, but he still had a long enough piece to use as some makeshift spear. Quietly, he took a step back with the 'blade' levelled at Murdou's throat. "Leave and never come back."
"...Tch, you've always been weak. It's a dog eat dog world out there doctor, people don't just go quietly. Thought hiding away in some cushy life woulda saved you?" Murdou grinned wider and wider. "Y'think just because you let me go I wouldn't come back? ...Y'think I wouldn't go killin' that pirate daughter of yours?" The grip Edward had on the 'spear' tightened and Murdou chuckled, having to raise his head more. "Took me a minute but hah didn't think you'd settle! Yer kid's got ambitions you never had, I respect that. Maybe I'll spare her and have her join under me while I reclaim what's mine."
Eddy glowered at him, the aura of danger rivaling Daya's. "For my daughter, I'd fight till my dying breath. For a pirate like you? Never again. That ship sank a long time ago." He leaned closer, pressing the spear into Murdou's chest though not enough to pierce. "You're doing that thing you always did… Try to get me angry enough to be like you… I'm old Murdou, I don't have time for these games." The two glared daggers at each other, daring the other to move, until the sound of a gunshot startled Eddy back and sent Murdou to the ground in a collapsed heap.
"I do though." A familiar red headed pirate captain walked up, rolling up his sleeves. Walking alongside him was his first mate who was contently twirling the smoking gun in his hand. "Rin, go let whatever crew this dead man had know that there's a new captain they follow."
Rin politely nodded to Eddy, who was using Daya as a crutch, and then began dragging Murdou off to the docks. "Aye aye captain. It's about time we got new recruits in."
Will had made his way over to Daya and Eddy and immediately frowned upon seeing the latter's injuries. "You could have sent for one of us. It was lucky that one of my own was around to see." Receiving an uninterested look, Will sighed. "This place is as much my home as it is yours. I don't take kindly to people that threaten it. I certainly don't take kindly to old pirates thinking they can 'shake up' the competition." He shifted Eddy's weight off of Daya. "I can at least have someone help fix you up."
"You could have killed him." Daya commented quietly. She was walking alongside the two, keeping a careful eye on Eddy's injuries.
"Yeah, well..."
"Why didn't you?"
"S'what he would've wanted… For me to stoop to his level to prove that I was still just like before... Now, he can rot with Davy Jones without the satisfaction."
Daya's arms crossed. "Hmph, s'pose so." There was a moment she paused before adding, "But who cares about all of that!? Could've stooped for a moment and then he woulda been dead. Nothing to worry about!"
"Daya…"
"Certainly would have made things quicker."
Edward started to sweat. "Yes, but…"
"All that property damage because you let him talk!"
"Dear…"
"No worries. William and his pirate friends can fix it."
"Excuse m-" He shut up when Daya raised a brow and then quickly mumbled, "Y-yes ma'am."
Daya looked over at Eddy as he gave a tired sigh. "I suppose... " With crossed arms she looked off to the side. "It was very, uh, noble of you to be the bigger man.You are ever the patient one. But still such a strong fighter for the things you love." Daya's smile returned and she gave a light pat on his cheek. "I do love you for it." There was a moment's pause before she smiled and walked ahead, humming contently. "I probably would've killed him though."
Both Eddy and Will could only awkwardly watch her go because… well, there was no arguing with Daya Lev.
I check in pretty much all times of the day, either from my phone or from my home computer. So it's likely I'll see messages shortly after I've received them.
The first mate had never called for a crew meeting before, in fact she rarely interacted with the crew about anything serious unless it was to do with chores or checking to see if they needed anything which would need to be purchased upon stopping at the next port. This was different though, the events leading to now had made this meeting necessary and a long time coming. She'd said very little about the reasons why, asking only that each attend as their were things which needed to be openly discussed before they sailed off to their next adventure together.
Within the room itself was only a single long empty table surrounded by seats where they would usually eat together or gather to plan on how they might proceed against a difficult enemy. Usually vacant aside from these times it made for a better location than simply meeting out on the main deck or within the smaller confines of a bedroom. Of course Alicia was already seated behind the table, merely waiting for each of the crew to arrive before waiting for everyone to settle down as greetings naturally took place. It gave her a moment to gather her thoughts together too.
"I understand that it's unusual for me to ask everyone to gather together when we're not actively trying to avoid getting ourselves killed by our next challenger. But some things have become apparent and I think it's about time they were addressed." she spoke in her usual gentle manner, her hands holding together on the table in front of her neatly as she spoke. "For a time now, it seems that wherever we go we've managed to embed ourselves at the very epicentre of trouble. Not an uncommon situation for a pirate as you all undoubtedly know, however there's been a recurring pattern laying the foundation each and every time... "
Alicia's brows furrowed, "Secrets." she added. "I've been quietly observing, watching as each adventure begins and it seems that time and time again it begins because of the secrets we hold close to our chests." her eyes moved from Kadi to Luro, onto Jack and Cedric before resting finally on Zilia. She held up a hand, "I'm not about to ask you all to divulge information you'd rather keep to yourselves. But I for one am starting to grow weary of learning all too late of people who are waiting in line to end our existence." she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing again."
"Because some of us have chosen to remain silent regarding the various details of their past, all of us have been forced to confront difficulties in the present. The Undersea, The Ravens, Charlotte and lately Maka and Yuli... how long will it be till one of us doesn't come back, maybe the next time we wont be ready or at least not nearly as ready as we could be." she gave a soft sigh. She knew she was perhaps being harsh but there was truth in what she was saying and she'd hope it would at least be understood that it came from a good place given how she'd like to ensure they all made it home again no matter what it was they might have to face.
"I told you I wouldn't ask you to reveal your personal secrets and I wont, though I would appreciate you all giving it some thought and consider speaking up about anything which might pose a threat to us in the future." she paused once again, taking another deep breath. "With all that being said, there are things which you all need to know about me and my past. In light of everything I just said I believe it's become important for you all to know and be made aware of a possible threat for which will come as a result of who I am."
"Firstly my real name isn't Alicia. That name is a common translation from Feian, an identity easier to grasp for those who aren't native to my homeland. My name is Amaiya, though if you would prefer to continue using Alicia that'd be fine." she inclined her head forwards a little to punctuate her words. "Secondly I am one of three daughters of Sakura. Some of you have already met Satia, the youngest sister... however there is one other whom you've never met."
"Irukia." it'd been such a long time since she'd spoken that name aloud that it'd become foreign and almost alien to her. "We are of the same age, though I am only slightly older than she is. Although one day..." Alicia paused to consider her next words before continuing again. "We will try to kill each other."
After another short pause she continued again, "I suppose I should explain. It started after the first invasion... "
Swords met between the two young white haired girls, repeated strikes causing sparks to flare outwards as they gracefully danced into each other again and again appearing to be evenly matched in both skill and ability. Neither appeared to be willing to give ground, the display of the two seamlessly gliding through the air and across the earth bringing forth an almost gentle serenity to their battle despite the intensity behind their hits as metal struck metal. Eventually they stopped, sheathing their blades into saya's attached at their waists before both girls rejoined, making their way down a stone path away from the outdoor sparring grounds.
"You've gotten stronger." Irukia spoke, pausing by the side of the path to lift a bright purple flower towards her nose which sat comfortably beside a vibrant white flower with silvered edges.
"I suppose so, the recent invasion forced a lot of us to grow quickly." Alicia replied as she waited patiently before the two continued along the path once again.
"Have you given any more thought to my proposal?" Irukia asked curiously with a perked brow.
Alicia shook her head in response, "I'm afraid you won't like the answer."
"I really wish you'd reconsider. Once we hit our full potential we'd have everything we'd need to force the world to bend it's knee... we would eradicate war, together."
"Through a forced dictatorship."
"A necessary dictatorship to benefit all."
Alicia released a sigh and shook her head. "What you're speaking of goes against everything mother and father taught us..." Irukia didn't seem to respond at first as they continued their leisurely walk through the estate gardens. "So you intend to follow in mothers footsteps?" Irukia didn't look towards her sister this time as she asked her question. "I do." the response brought a sigh from Irukia and she took a few extra steps ahead before turning back towards her as she stopped. "And what if the day would come that our ideologies cross paths, you would strike me down?"
"Ruki I...-"
"Don't dodge the question, what happens if we both set out into this world and our paths don't coincide?"
It was Alicia's turn to be silent and not immediately respond. Irukia watched her closely for a moment before closing her eyes as she released a huff, turning before walking away at a faster pace seeming to be displeased with how the conversation had gone. Alicia watched her leave once again before looking to her side towards the purple and white flowers as the magenta petals wilted away from it's white partner.
~~~~~~~~~~[ Sometime before the events of Kane'Artem ]~~~~~~~~~~
Irukia raised the cup of freshly brewed tea to her lips as she sat upon a cushion opposite Alicia, a table situated between them on which sat a pot of tea arranged neatly. Alicia herself held a cup between her hands as they sat within a room which opened into the gardens of the estate, bird chirping as butterflies filtered in and out of the colour flora exposed to the warmth of the afternoon sun. They were both silent for a time before Alicia eventually broke the silence.
"I hadn't expected to see you." she spoke honestly as she placed the cup down neatly onto the small table.
"Well I wanted to check up and see how you and Satia were doing... where is she by the way?" Irukia asked curiously.
Alicia released a short exhale in response, "She doesn't wish to see you... she-" Irukia cut her off.
"It's fine, I understand."
Silence resumed for a while as both sat in quiet contemplative thought. There was much which needed to be said, should be said but neither seemed willing to begin the obvious conversational topics that both knew would only end in another disagreement or perhaps a revisit to tender memories.
"My mind hasn't changed you know." Alicia eventually broke the silence a second time. Irukia hesitated at first but simply nodded.
"I thought that might be the case, but I'd hoped to try and convince you one last time."
Alicia shook her head, "You and I both made our choices long ago Ruki, I wish it was different... I wish it didn't have to be like this."
"As do I... but of course you will be you and I will be me, it's just who we are."
"I'm sorry." Alicia picked up her tea once again, taking a small sip as she closed her eyes.
"As am I, but you need to know... when the day comes that we meet out there and decisions must be made, I will not hesitate... and neither can you." Irukia gave her sister a firm stare as if to be sure Alicia understood the gravity behind her words. Alicia tipped her head in a single nod in response. "I won't."
After explaining the history between her and Irukia the swordswoman allowed a moment to let it sink in before continuing on again as she looked between each of the crew members present. "Ordinarily this wouldn't be much cause for concern, after all she's just one woman against the world so what impact could she really have?" the offered question was rhetorical as she continued. "But I imagine many had that same opinion back in the days when my mother walked the world... if Irukia has even a chance at that potential and I assure you she does, I have to stop her."
"It is perhaps in part why I'm here, why I choose to remain on this ship when I could be at home with my younger sisters. In some sense I wait for the time to come when my greatest test will fall in front of me, but to be honest the reason I choose to be here is because it's far less painful." it'd perhaps seem confusing to hear those words at first, but she'd soon elaborate further after adjusting herself in her seat a little. "The ghosts of memories haunt me every time I look around back there. I see the friends lost to the invasions, my shortcomings as a sister and the absence of my late parents. I'm sure some of you have questioned why I'm here in the past and I'd like to tell you it's down to an unquenchable wanderlust... but it isn't. Out here I have the luxury to run, if only for a little while before the past catches up to me again."
She gestured out with her hands to her sides towards the crew, "So, those are my secrets... at least the ones with any potential to cause you harm in the future. Should you have any questions know that you may ask me anything at anytime and I'll answer as best I can, in the meantime please consider looking inward towards yourselves and if there is anything you think the rest of us need to know. We nearly lost someone the last time, I know I'm not the only person here who never wants to be so close to living that reality."
Runali was one of the last to enter the room for the meeting, wondering what could have brought this about. If someone had forgotten to do chores usually Alicia would just go to them. Was there a mess they were ignoring? Couldn't have been. No one was that messy on the ship- outside of their own rooms. The captain didn't explore their personal spaces unless they were in there and her own room looked mostly unused. If chores weren't the issue then the next meeting would be about danger. Usually the moment there was danger it was a little more urgent and someone would tell her what she couldn't see, if she couldn't already see it. But Coral was peacefully sunbathing in the crow's nest and no one rushed to battle, so it made the call all the more peculiar. That didn't stop her from taking a seat near the others to listen to what the first mate had to say. It was only courteous to give her that attention after all. Getting comfortable, Runali pulled some stray part of a weapon out, no doubt Luro's, to fiddle with while she listened.
Her fiddling slowed to a halt.
"Ah… Right."
It was the only response she offered when Alicia revealed the intentions of the meeting.
Runali couldn't say she didn't expect this day to come. Old conversations drifted into memory and the familiarity of home played in her mind. Back on Jaipur, she mentioned something similar to Jack… something about not pressing for secrets and how they'd be revealed when it was necessary. While similar, 'necessary' was a little more urgent in this conversation according to Alicia.
It was fair.
This was bound to come up again- especially with how many secrets became more of a danger to their well being. Alicia pointed them out. There was no use trying to hide it. They all lived through whatever hell those secrets brought forth whether they wanted to or not. Whether they were ready to or not. But Alicia was right, they were never truly ready. Through the conversation, Runali remained neutral about everything that was said up until Alicia mentioned 'not coming back'. There was an inevitable frown that followed, but it was short and it disappeared as Alicia pressed on.
And then her interest piqued.
She straightened up from her relaxed posture and leaned against the table with wide eyed curiosity as Alicia, no, no Amaiya!? told a new story. The idea that she'd have another sibling wasn't the most surprising part of the story, no. Jack had a handful of mothers. Luro also had a sister. The most surprising part of that tale was the fact that… despite an entire war that threatened Yula Fei- that killed Alicia's family, her sister wasn't there. Runali didn't have siblings or secret family members, but she could guess that it wasn't the easiest to deal with. Hearing about it now, compared to before only proved her own unspoken point. The captain could imagine how quick and eager she would have been to rush headfirst into battle knowing that Alicia's - Amaiya's- sister would pick a fight with her swordswoman. Of course… she probably would still, but at least she'd be smarter about it… probably.
Then, there was just how much her first mate had grown since they'd sailed together. Not just in strength, but in skill. Her 'makeshift toy' was abandoned on the table and Runali started to quietly and slowly tap against the table in… disbelief? Excitement? A mix of both probably. Whatever it was, she stopped when she spoke.
"You've gained so much more being here than you would have staying in Yula Fei." She offered a nod. "You know the inevitable is to come, so… consider your time as a pirate, experience. Not running away." She leaned back in her chair. "Someone whose goal is to overthrow the masses won't be using just one… technique to do so." She picked up the stray part again. "Your blade may be sharp, but if you can sail across seas and still hold steadfast to your ideologies, then you've done more than just run away." Her gaze went back to what was in her hand. "Besides, your sister's plans sound like they'll get in the way of my plans. And can't have that now, can we?" She gave the first mate a nod. Not wanting to linger too much on the reminder, Runali spoke up again.
"More importantly though, your name is Amaiya?! And you didn't tell me!? What else are you hiding princess?" She squinted. "Secret dragon?" She paused and squinted even more. "Secret dragon... goddess? You have to tell me if you are, captain's orders!" Runali bit back a grin, dialing it back and looking at the rest. "By all means though, if anyone else has something to share, feel free. I for one," Runali paused in thought before nodding. "Am an open book."
Luro made his way downstairs once they were out at sea, night was approaching and he volunteered to take first watch. Since he'd be sitting on the main deck for some time he decided to find a task to keep himself busy while up there, perhaps number 126 would help pass the time. His mind already going through possibilities as he came to a stop seeing a red glow coming from the lower decks, arching a brow he followed it to find Zilia standing in the room, or rather 'their' room staring at the gathered energy hovering between her hands.
"Chat-Chat-Fruit Association. Alicia:Shushui."
Upon speaking the words the energy shifted and manifested until Shushi appeared, Zilia took hold of it, the energy fully materialized into the powerful blade only to hear applause causing her to turn around.
"That's fancy Z, you getting comfortable with your power again?" Luro said.
"Evening Luro. For the most part, this is...a new power so it's in my best interest to learn how to control it the best I can."
"Worried about explosions?"
"The excess power is gone thankfully but the wrong words or heightened emotions can still destroy half the ship. Mari reminded me that using my power in small bursts will keep it from flaring up like before, normally I can't do that without detonating it but 'shaping' weapons like this uses a lot of energy so it serves to not only help me control it but release pent up energy."
Luro stared at Zilia and tilted his head causing her to sigh.
"It's like keeping a generator from overheating, this is releasing steam."
Luro gave a thumbs up and Zilia nodded before watching him take a seat on her crate.
She wasn't pleased that she recognized it as 'her' crate.
"Seems like a really useful power."
Luro eyed the familiar blade in the hands of the doctor, she held it up slightly holding Shusui in both hands.
"Manifesting weapons with 'sharp' words isn't an impossibility. I did so already with my whip...but this feels different. There's far more power coming off it, it's contained waiting to burst out. Well with Alicia's...the others aren't as powerful but they still resonate with immense energy."
Zilia turned the sword over in her hands.
"It's only an imitation though. Even I can tell that, so it pales in comparison to the original."
Luro nodded in agreement, looking at it from here he could tell it wasn't Alicia's sword, there were little things missing from the blade. The energy surrounding it was very stable, if not for the red glow coating it and the imperfections it'd look not different from Alicia's.
"I believe it has immense power because it has a name," Zilia said. "Shusui. Anything with a name, person or object carries more power. The other weapons aren't as solidified. Your rifle was also powerful but without a name it wasn't-"
"She has a name."
Zilia looked up at Luro who took his rifle off his back and gave her a quick pat.
"Of course my rifle has a name. She's my first mistress why wouldn't she?"
"...what's the name?"
"Can't tell ya," Luro said with a shrug. "Made a promise. Can't speak her name."
"...is it Lass?"
"That's the generator. Luro's Anti Sibylline Shooter, or L.A.S.S. A rifle that can defy fate."
Zilia wasn't sure what to be more surprised about, the fact that Luro's rifle had a proper name or that he knew what Sibyl meant.
"Association:Luro."
Shusui vanished and Luro's rifle appeared in her hand, Luro's eyes widened a little and he leaned forward a little trying to take it into his hand. He managed to grab it but the rifle vanished the moment Zilia let go.
"Huh?"
Zilia summoned the rifle again placing it against her shoulder.
"It's still created from my Devil Fruit. If the energy fades it vanishes," Zilia said before holding the rifle. "...this one's imperfect too."
Luro offered another nod, he didn't need more than a glance to know the rifle didn't match his own, there were a few marks on it, the obvious ones. He smiled seeing Zilia recreate them but it was too clean, and the shape wasn't exact in certain places.
Unlike Alicia's the rifle also wasn't wholly manifested, it shimmered slightly, it was like holding onto mist if he had to compare it, it had a shape but it was almost like smoke.
"Here Z."
Luro held his rifle out to her.
"Hold it."
Zilia stared at Luro then his rifle, Luro held the rifle towards her a little more with a smile. She let the other rifle fade out of her hands and carefully took Luro's into her own. Her hands buckled a little at the weight causing her eyes to widen. She didn't need to hold it long to realize the weight wasn't the numerous mechanisms within. It was heavier than a normal rifle due to that but this was a particular weight. Luro always said the rifle was his oldest partner, that she carried half his burdens. Seeing the L carved into the side of the rifle, reminded her of that. His rifle was his partner not his possession, he'd never carve his own name into her.
Spinning the rifle around she noticed the numerous marks on the gun, she recalled him saying she bore scars just like he did. Luro was able to match attacks with most swordsman, at least long enough to create an opening. The numerous scars on his body showed that was a learned skill that didn't come easy, and the marks on his rifle told the rest of the story.
That was the thing that was missing from her own creations and her eyes widened a bit as Luro reached forward and took it back.
"Try summoning the rifle now."
Zilia nodded and held her hand out, Luro's rifle manifesting once again. This time however the rifle was much heavier and was much more solid, it wasn't perfect like Shusui but it was much more formed.
"Your fruit relies on your subconscious right," Luro said smiling a little. "If you've never held my rifle or inspected it closely of course you'd have trouble creating it. That'd be like trying to cook without knowing the recipe."
Zilia offered a nod staring at the rifle in her hands, she didn't take a moment to perceive that part of it, to her it was just natural to be an imitation but taking a moment to consider 'why' made it an easy fix.
"I haven't walked a harsh path with these weapons, haven't relied on them like the others have. Because of that they'll never carry the full power of the original weapons….but understanding them more will at least help in getting closer to it," Zilia said with a small nod. "You and your rifle have many stories together, I can't replicate that perfectly but I can summarize it a bit."
Luro grinned a bit at Zilia as she made the rifle disappear again.
"...I'll have to ask everyone if I can hold their weapons, getting a feel for it will help," Zilia said.
"Make sure to draw Shusui from the sheath too."
"....I'm already nervous about asking."
"It'll be fine. You're trying to improve Z, they'll notice it."
Zilia stared at Luro causing him to arch his brows at her, her eyes narrowed a bit and she moved her hands to her hips.
"You're being oddly...considerate."
"Am I?'
"...you've been acting weird for a while now."
"Hmm you have too Z. You seem...rougher?"
Zilia stared at Luro and realizing she almost kicked him in the stomach for his comment realized he wasn't wrong. Reaching up Zilia messed with one of her bangs not exactly pleased with herself.
"...I may have picked up a bit from my mentor. I've always tried to control myself because of my power...but ultimately I end up reverting back to my base attitude."
"Yeah you do yell at us a lot, it was loud even in your writing."
Zilia narrowed her eyes at Luro raising a fist and he grinned holding his hands up, she shook her head and lowered her hand.
"With you guys knowing my power...there's no reason to be as careful around you. I'm still going to be cautious and I intend on returning to writing soon but I think I'm just...too comfortable."
"...well that's just silly Z."
"I know letting my guard down is good but at the same time-"
"There's no such thing as too comfortable."
Zilia opened her mouth but realized that was a losing battle waiting to happen, just as she was about to say something further Luro started digging in his sleeve.
"Oh yeah I got something for you Z," Luro said before holding up a ring. "Here."
Zilia stared at the ring, her eyes narrowing at the man for a long moment, it was a relatively ornate ring with a stone in the center of it. The accessory wasn't something a noble would wear but it was clearly fancier than a usual one, the craftsmanship was certainly very well done.
"....why are you giving me a ring?"
"Put it on and see."
Zilia arched a brow at him but removed her glove; Luro reached towards her causing Zilia to take a small step back.
"Hm what's up?"
"...I'll put it on myself."
"Okay?"
Luro held the ring out and Zilia took it from him, she stared at Luro who only tilted his head at her.
"Did you get anyone else a ring, like the Captain you like giving her things right?"
"Why would I get the Captain a ring, is it her birthday?"
Doubly concerned Zilia looked down at the ring before sighing and slipping it on.
Zilia flinched a bit as a familiar feeling ran through her, it was easily recognizable and she spoke to Luro worried she was right.
"Luro is this-"
Zilia cut herself off her eyes widening as she noticed something, or rather realized something wasn't there when she spoke.
"Seastone…"
"Yep!" Luro exclaimed grinning. "Thanks to the Undersea and Sor I have a little bit more. He said they had extra from the navy outposts during the war so giving some up wasn't a big deal."
Luro shrugged at this before pointing at the ring.
"I got some help on making it, I'll tell ya who later, but I don't want you to not be able to talk to us normally. By using this much seastone it'll only stop your power, it won't debilitate you completely. Depending on the mass and construction the effects of Seastone can differ."
"I...I didn't know that," Zilia said staring at the ring.
"I know a lot from fighting Devil Fruit Users during my travels. If you'd told me about your devil fruit earlier I could have just given you one of my other ones, this one's special though."
Zilia stared at the ring for a long moment, words weren't appearing when she spoke and that familiar tingling sensation from her power had all but vanished in that moment. She could still feel her power but it was like it was muffled in a sense.
She brought a hand to her chest before her eyes moved up to the grinning Luro.
What he said was right.
She was so caught up in trying to protect everyone, worried about hurting them she didn't bother to ask for the help she clearly needed. Thinking on it Mari had offered to help her as well, she probably could have figured this out with time had she accepted it.
Luro wasn't the most...socially considerate person, but he always helped in his own way and sometimes that was enough. That tendency to help even without being asked...it had given her something back she thought she lost years ago, all in one moment.
"Thank you Luro...really...I...I appreciate it. I couldn't even imagine being able to talk without…" she trailed off holding her hand with the ring.
"I won't wear it off the ship for obvious reasons but I won't take it off while I'm on….I was always scared of blowing up half my cabin while sleeping…"
Zilia brought her hand to her chest and closed her eyes before looking back at Luro. She would still be careful when her feelings were heightened and she was positive she would still write as it was just something she was used to...but this gave her more peace of mind than she could put into words.
"If there's anything I can do to return the favor just-"
Zilia flinched as Luro held his arms out, her eyes twitched as the redhead grinned and kept his arms out.
"...really?"
"Yep."
"...I could get you some rare rum instead."
"Nope. Come here Z. After all that's happened I want a hug."
"....may I ask why?"
"Proves you're really here."
Zilia's eyes widened a little at Luro's simple and quick response, if it was anyone else she'd walk away but Luro was a strange being who was somehow stuck between reality and fiction.
Sometimes he liked to make sure the things in front of him were real, this wasn't uncommon as he would occasionally poke people in the cheek.
The hug thing was new but she sighed and walked towards him, walking into his torso Luro wrapped his arms around Zilia, the doctor raised her hands and rested them on him.
"Haha you're so tiny Z."
"More like you're too tall."
Zilia mentally sighed wondering how long Luro was going to keep this up, she shut her eyes and her senses suddenly picked up on the warmth she was enveloped in. Perhaps it was because she was still tired from all that happened, and she was still sensitive but she found her mind starting to drift, thoughts slowly leaving her mind.
For a moment her mentor holding her in the night filled her thoughts, the easily agitated woman never admitted to it but every time she had nightmares she'd hold her until she calmed down. Zilia would wake up during it but she'd always move away from her if she showed signs of waking up, so she would sometimes play asleep.
She had a feeling Vilimar knew she was faking it but held her anyway.
That gentle warmth filled her with so much energy during the day, this warmth was different but it somehow brought her back to that time.
Zilia's conscionscus slowly returned to reality and she found her face buried in Luro's clothes, realizing she was pressing up against him she quickly released him and leapt backwards, Luro opening his arms as Zilia raised her fists up narrowing her eyes at him, adopting an aggressive stance as she tried to regain herself.
"...something wrong Z?" Luro said lowering his arms back to his side.
"...how long was I like that?"
"Uh….about twenty minutes."
"Twenty-"
Zilia couldn't finish the sentence and brought a hand to her face as red flowed into it.
"You must have really needed a hug huh Z? I'll hug you anytime ya know, don't gotta starve yourself."
"...this never happened. I'm going to forget this, you do the same," Zilia said pointing at a finger at him.
"...hmm I can't do that. It reminded me of Lina a little, she'd hug me that tightly too. It was nice actually. Hugs are great aren't they. I should hug everyone today."
The wood next to Luro's head exploded and Zilia's eyes continued to twitch the red covering most of her body at this point, the ring removed from her finger, perhaps to make a point.
"Ah right your power activates from embarrassment to right? Should I have ruined the moment by making a dirty joke or something."
"Next time please do so."
"Ah you'll take a hug from me again then!"
Zilia raised a fist to Luro and he grinned as the doctor started berating him, he made sure to still listen to her as she chased him around the room, these small moments made his days. Zilia waving her arms above her head, her honest emotions towards him with or without the pen and paper, this is what he missed the most.
"I swear I'll feed you to sharks if you ever mention this!"
"I gotta mention it to the one who helped me make the ring! He won't care."
"I don't care who it is! No!"
"I'll give you a hint he dresses really fancily!"
"Absolutely not! I'll never hear the end of it!"
"Gahahahahaha!"
"LURO!"
Present Time, doing stuff with Alicia
Zilia sat across from Luro who was staring at one of his rum bottles, it was a strange thing for Alicia to call them like this, she had a feeling it must be a matter of importance of her to break her normal ways. Alicia generally did things like Alicia, breaking that pattern generally meant there was a need too, and considering it required the gathering of all of them she doubted it was anything good. It was due to that she made sure to get Luro, he did mention wanting to come but as he was working on the generator she had a feeling he would forget...and sure enough she was right. When she went down to him and mentioned the meeting his first reply was 'what meeting'. She regretted giving him the benefit of the doubt almost immediately.
Once the discussion started Zilia's suspicions were confirmed, the discussion was a serious overdue one and something she couldn't blame Alicia for. Zilia was the chronicler of their adventures, she'd be lying if she said she didn't see a similar pattern. She knew Jack recognized it as well, it was for that reason she felt remorse over falling into the same trap, whatever intentions lie behind them.
Her attention returned to Alicia as she brought up a strange thing, her true name it seemed. Her eyes narrowed a little bit and she glanced at Luro who was still staring at his bottle, Luro had mentioned something Alicia hadn't shared with them but didn't clarify, she supposed this was it.
She remained silent focusing back on Alicia as she went into her own 'secret'.
The information was without a doubt a surprise, she had only heard of Alicia's sister through second-hands account so she wasn't acquainted with the other Tashigi but apparently there was a third she had also yet to meet, and one with a clearly different and dangerous view. Someone with Alicia's strength that they would eventually come to blows with, that was something they'd have to seriously be cautious about. She suddenly understood a bit more why Alicia wanted this meeting, finding out about Irukia at the wrong time could have been deadly.
Her eyes moved over to Luro who was staring at his bottle upside down trying to get liquid out of it and her eyes twitched.
Luro's attention returned at the mention of dragons however.
"Oh! Yeah Alicia you gotta tell us if you are one. You can already turn into a naked lady that means you can turn into a dragon too right! Hey when you get bigger I still want to ride on your shoulder. Oh oh but if you're a dragon I can ride on your back!"
"Were you not paying attention," Zilia said standing up.
"I was paying attention," Luro said. "She's Amaiya, she has a sister, they'll try to kill each other, she wants us to share secrets."
Luro gave a brief summary of what the swordswoman had said and Zilia sat back down.
"Doesn't really change anything though," Luro said setting his bottle down. "If someone get's in the way we deal with it. Doesn't matter who or what they are. If Irukia attacks us does anything really change?"
"I mean...she's Alicia's sister..."
"Alicia made her choice though right? Then as her friends/family/best buddies we stand by her. See nothing changed. I treat everyone who attacks us the same, if the Captain wants them dead kill them, if not don't, I won't treat her any different than any other threat, I'll respond all the same, if that's what Alicia wants. She can settle it herself she wants but I'd rather she didn't."
Luro crossed his arms and looked over at Alicia.
"I don't like that you gotta fight your sister though..."
Luro trailed off for a moment, there were words he wanted to say, words that showed he understood in a weird fashion, but there was no way for his thoughts to form the understanding he wanted to convey. Instead he touched the side of his head and closed his eyes.
"I don't think it's something like being ready. Even if we know it."
Luro opened his eyes at that.
"I do agree sharing is good but I don't got the first clue on how to deal with this Irukia if she pointed a blade at me. I got ideas already but..."
Luro trailed off bringing a hand to his chin, Zilia's eyes twitched seeing the air around the redhead had shifted slightly, for a moment his eyes had become a tad clearer and his slouching had shifted slightly.
"Anyway I think there's a peace that needs to be made with that. Not that standing still is any better, I made the gloves knowing we'd be dealing with bigger threats but I don't think there's a true ready, especially for future problems so I can't get on board with that. Instead we should just prepare and better ourselves, not to be ready for a future problem. Constantly preparing for a future threat is stressful and bad for the mind, it'll chase you until it eventually consumes a part of you. Preparing for the known and unknown is a countless endeavor and never ending, something we do everyday anyway. The little adaptations we make in our lives, Jack knowing Zilia's penchant for spiceness, the Captain leaving some of us alone depending on what we're doing, Alicia calling a meeting outside of normality, all of it is a sense of preparation we do on our own for the people around us."
Luro folded his hands together his eyebrows lowering slightly.
"We live a life of chaos, as pirates and people. There's always going to be a threat, being 'ready' for it alone will never be enough. If we're going to be ready for anything it should be to protect the person next to you, that way we don't lose sight of why we're getting stronger in the first place. Preparing for a future threat puts all one's focus on that and blinds to what's beside you. Fight for the one next to you and let the rest flow into place naturally. So I can't fully agree with the preparation for a future threat, or other dangerous possibilities but I can for helping another member of Stardusk, that alone will provide a needed strength. Knowing what's in front of us is good, but it won't be enough if we forget what's next to us, something we all could have avoided in our own mistakes."
Zilia blinked a few times as Luro ran a hand through his hair with a small sigh.
"...Luro you're doing the thing."
"Thing?" he said looking over at her.
"The thing where you start making sense."
"...I don't know what you're talking about Z. Oh wait Alicia's in the Liar Club now right!"
The familiar look filled the man's gleeful eyes and Zilia's eyes twitched.
"No no no, come back! Make sense Luro get back here!"
"Kadi, Jack, Cedric, Z Alicia's part of the Liar club with us. Yay!" Luro said throwing his arms up. "Oh sorry Captain. I don't want to exclude you but you are honest and stuff. Even if I forgot about the Ravens it's no excuse, one day you can join us Captain."
Zilia brought a hand to her head and sighed before looking over at Alicia.
"Thank you for sharing that with us Alicia. Besides my previous circumstances with..."
Zilia trailed off and closed her eyes, she didn't want to explain everything again. Ultimately she made peace that even if it was for their safety not talking about her Devil Fruit wasn't a good choice. She opened her eyes and continued.
"What happened, I don't have anything else to share. That was the one secret that could harm Stardusk, I have nothing else I can really share."
Zilia's gaze looked over at Luro who was still waving his arms at a new member in the 'Lying Club' only to lower them at Zilia's stare.
"What's up Z?"
"Do you have any more people who want you dead Luro?"
"Oh tons," Luro said grinning. "More than I can even name."
Zilia's eyes twitched before Luro looked back at Alicia, resting a hand on his cheek and smiling at her.
"It's impossible for me not to keep secrets from you. I don't wanna but-"
Luro trailed off the smile fading from his face before he reached up and rubbed the side of his head.
"I don't know who really wants me dead...hmmm. I can name a few people if it helps but I got plenty of enemies."
"How many?" Zilia said leaning back a bit crossing her arms.
"Where?" Luro said raising his head.
"What do you mean where?"
"North sea, south sea, east sea, west sea, northeast sea, northwest sea, southeast-"
"I got it....everywhere right."
Luro looked back at Alicia.
"I think there's a woman who may try to kill the Captain one day cause we got unfinished business. There's a marine officer who's been hunting me since I was a lad who wants me hung, there's the Baron of Hiraya Isle who wants my head for killing his son in a duel, there's the King of Valik who wants to gut me."
Luro snapped his fingers and looked at Runali.
"Oh Captain that one was real, you remember the dress I was in when we met. That was his wife's...oh wait or was that the King of Troiro he hated me too...wait was it his daughter's dress...it might have been his daughters. Man I drank a lot that night."
Luro started counting on his hands going through them.
"Um.... there's some people in Trovale-"
"Wait Trovale how-" Zilia said stopping him.
"It's not important just some people want me dead there."
"It is important!"
"A few Feian's want me dead, some not from Yula Fei. Oh I'm pretty safe in the south sea kind of. I did so much bad there they pretty much tried to erase my existence so they wouldn't look bad, so only very specific people want me dead there."
"How are you still alive?!"
"Lina mainly. She protected me by throwing all the people who wanted me dead off my trail. With the Raven's gone though there's nothing stopping them from finding me. We can get attacked at anytime by anyone who wants me dead, and since I'm with you all they'll want you dead too. We're never truly safe. Wahahaha!"
"Why are you laughing?!"
"Eventually someone from my past will catch up and try to kill us, I may not remember them though. I ruined a 'lot' of lives before meeting you all I think...oh and the two years we were apart too. I got whole kingdoms that want me dead...I think. Was it a kingdom or a village....hmmm."
Luro brought a hand to his chin and Zilia put her head in her hands.
"So...it's impossible for Luro to tell us any threats associated with him because there are too many. So...at anytime we may have someone firing at our ship...you are the literal embodiment of chaos..."
"That's so sweet Z. You're the embodiment of Chaos too."
"It wasn't a compliment. I'm haunting you if one of your enemies kill us."
"...you want to be with me even after death. You really treasure our time together.
Zilia laid her head on the table covering her head with her hands.
"Jack...Captain you deal with him. I can't...I now have to contemplate how on every island there's a chance someone will shoot at us just because we have 'him' with us."
"Well not every island just most," Luro added.
"I do agree with the Captain though Alicia," Zilia said raising her head. "The difference is more perspective than fact. You came with Stardusk for your own reasons...even if not returning home was part of that, with the way you act it's not someone just running from someone. You have a place here and you protect it."
Zilia raised her head.
"I will be speaking to you 'in detail' about your sister and Shusui for the Chronicle so be prepared for that."
"Alicia's our friend! All we gotta do is not die and we win!"
"It's not that simple!"
"Sure it is! Gahahahaha!"
The cold wind was what awakened the young woman, followed by a strange warmth.
Isari slowly opened her eyes as the wind rushed past her, while sorting through her memory she felt hands holding her forcing her to quickly open her eyes, the first thing she saw was the night sky, followed by the face of a woman.
Isari blinked a few times before realizing she was high in the air and instinctively clung closer to the woman who currently held her in her arms.
"Oh you're awake."
The woman carrying her was Kara, one of the Prophets.
Isari's rescuer was leaping from rooftop to rooftop with a surprising ease, putting distance between herself and the place behind them. It took a moment for Isari to compose herself, surprised to see the face of someone other than her captors.
"We're not your enemies. We're here to rescue you."
Isari for a moment felt her heart warm at those words, the relief flowing through her blinded her for a moment at the idea of trusting strangers, thankfully she managed to remember as the woman came to a stop on one of the rooftops.
"You're friends with Zil?" She asked once they were still.
Kara scoffed at Isari's words.
"I'm going to rip that woman's head off when I meet her. The last thing we are is friends."
Isari was coming to the conclusion that this person may not be trustworthy.
"Kara let's not scare our charge."
Tari landed next to Kara and looked over Isari.
"Forgive Kara. We really aren't here to hurt you, we're mercenaries hired to keep you safe and help Stardusk. Zilia included. Kara just isn't pleased at the aspect. We're the Vermillion Prophets."
Isari's eyes widened a bit at the name and she seemed to relax a bit.
"I was told about you. Luro is friends with Nikos."
"We're not friends."
Nikos landed next to Kara, the redhead running a hand through his hair wondering how often he was going to have to explain such a simple concept to that man.
Isari wasn't sure what to think as Luro seemed quite adamant the two of them were very close, but she decided to ask about it later as the more pressing matter was that she was no longer a captive.
"All right Kara we're going to leave her with you while we go to back up the other three. They should be with Stardusk and by now are probably fighting."
Kara nodded and turned moving to go in the other direction.
"Everyone's fighting?"
Isari's question caused Kara to pause, Nikos turned to her, the young woman staring at him. Nikos returned her stare for a long moment before sighing and nodding.
"...can you tell me what happened while I was out?"
Nikos stood on the cliff a hand over his face as Tari, Kara and Isari stood with him.
"This was not part of the plan," Nikos said glancing over at Kara and Isari.
"Oh come on Nikos. She begged us to help...we'd be monsters not too. Besides look at this face."
Kara put her hand on Isari's shoulder and nudged her a bit causing Isari to do the puppy dog eyes Kara had instructed her to do on the way there. Tari looked over at Nikos offering him a small smile, with a heavy sigh the man waved his hand at the two women.
"Our job is your safety. This is hardly-"
"If it gets really dangerous I promise I'll run."
Nikos looked over at Isari as she folded her hands together pleading with the leader.
"I promise."
"She promises Nikos," Kara said shaking the girl slightly.
"I want to help. Everyone's been fighting hard to help me...so let me do something too."
Nikos sighed and looked back towards the approaching ships.
"Very well...we need to make sure these ships don't reach the island."
Nikos motioned to the island in the far distance where the others were fighting.
"We need to break through these ships, and at the same time it'll make it easier on the ones already fighting there," Nikos said.
The bulk of the forces were blocking their path at this point, the other mercenaries held out for a long time, he had them to thank for them just getting to land. They were a long way from the group and they weren't making it to the island on their ship with this blockade in the way.
They were better off then if they were at sea but it was still going to take time to clear a path to the island, he trusted the three of them to handle it but they had to do what they could with what they had.
"We're charging triple rates for this."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Isari asked.
Nikos looked over at the woman and sighed a bit before looking down at the ships.
"The people down there are threats and won't surrender. We will more than likely kill them. We can't rope you into that."
"I don't want to kill," Isari said folding her hands together. "What if I stop the ships?"
"...if you can do so then we won't have to kill them."
Isari nodded and closing her eyes folded her hands together as she did crystal suddenly covered the area under their feet, Nikos' eyes narrowed a bit at how fast it took over, a moment later a large crystal dragon formed behind Isari and she opened her eyes before turning towards it, placing a hand upon the dragon's body.
"...it really is a dragon," Nikos said. "Kaim certainly had his hands full."
"Ajynax, incapacitate the ships," Isari said.
The Dragon let out a roar before opening his wings, a moment later multiple shards shot out falling towards the ships, turning his head up he roared towards the skies, multiple crystals bursting out of his mouth, the crystal fell from the sky raining down onto the ships, hitting the ones that the winged ones missed.
"Thank you Ajynax," Isari said rubbing the dragon's side.
A low gentle growl escaped the beat before it sunk back into the crystal.
Nikos turned back towards the ships noticing numerous crystals sticking out of them, the creature's attacks had been surprisingly precise, it avoided the people only hitting certain parts of the ship. That was different from what Kaim described, his eyes narrowed a bit eyeing the crystal as the ships were covered in them but that wasn't going to stop them.
"...you hit the ships but they're still moving, the crew is just confused."
Isari held her hand out and a glow enveloped the crystals.
"Crys-Crys-Fruit Detonate."
Isari closed her hand and the crystals below exploded, the crew on board panicking and the Prophet's eyes widening as multiple fires broke out, the ships coming to a complete stop as the crew scrambled about trying to find a way to put out the fires.
The sudden assault caused the ships behind them to slow, though their attention was now focused on the group above due to the sudden assault.
"I stopped most of them," Isari said looking at the group. "That'll minimize the lives lost right?"
"...yes…" Nikos said his eyes narrowing a little at Isari. "Tari can you hinder the rest, Kara you as well."
"Of course Nikos."
"Consider it done Boss."
Isari smiled and watched as the two women stepped forward, the men below were already preparing to attack the group, within moments arrows filled the skies and were raining towards the group, Isari's eyes widened and crystal started to form, Nikos held a hand out to her however.
"We'll handle it."
Kara grinned at the falling projectiles and looked at Tari who raised her hand, a pink glow surrounded her hand and she made a quick shooing motion with her hand, the arrows immediately veered and fell back towards the ocean, the men below screaming as they fell towards the ships.
Tari turned her hand around palm down, and shutting her eyes held it over the ocean, taking in a deep breath the glow flared and she brought her hand down, four of the ships below were suddenly shoved under the water, crew and all.
Isari's eyes widened as Tari turned her hand around and made an upward motion with two fingers, the ships bursting out of the water into the air before each ship fell, breaking into two seperate pieces.
Tari let out a long sigh and the glow faded as she lowered her hand.
"Miss Tari! That was amazing!"
Tari jumped a bit at Isari as she moved closer to her.
"Ah...t-thank you. I need to at least d-do this much as second...especially to beat that a-annoying woman."
Tari grit her teeth a bit and Isari tilted her head before Kara whistled.
"Hey I haven't showed off yet," Kara said grinning.
"We're not showing off this is-" Nikos said but stopped seeing Kara waving a hand at him.
"Yeah yeah business Isari watch this."
Isari looked at Kara as she raised her fingers up snapping them, blue Haki exploded off the woman's body first as whisps before the ends of the energy sharpened to points, rearing up before flying down towards the ships, they stabbed into the wood repeatedly breaking it apart, cutting down masts, ripping through the decks all the while Kara moved her hand controlling them as if they were her own fingers, claws tearing into the armada below.
By the end of it multiple ships had been torn asunder and the Haki returned to her body.
"Miss Kara! That was so cool! How did you make your Haki do that?"
"I'm afraid that's a secret, but I'm glad you liked it," Kara said ruffling the girl's hair. "Ahh...I wanna keep this adorableness all to myself."
Nikos eyed the scene in silence bringing a hand to his chin, that would be enough to slow them down. He could feel the presence of strong people on the approaching ships, more than likely the hunters, they would have to meet them head on but he was sure he and Tari would be enough to handle it.
Feeling a tug on his sleeve he looked over to see Isari staring up at him with sparkling eyes.
"...what?"
"Can you do that stuff too Mr. Nikos?"
He blinked at the girl's strange questions, his eyes rising to Kara who had a toothy grin on her face, and Tari who had turned her head covering her mouth with one hand.
They weren't going to help him.
"I...suppose so but that's not necessary, this is sufficient enough damage to slow them down, instead we should return to our ship and-"
"Couldn't hurt to be sure though right Nikos?" Kara said motioning at the sea.
Nikos narrowed his eyes at her before focusing back on Isari who was still staring up at him, with a heavy sigh he gently pulled himself free and approached the edge.
His hand went to his blade and for a moment the air around him shifted before a clink could be heard and he made his way back to the others.
"There."
Isari looked over at the spot before looking back at Nikos.
"I didn't see anything."
Nikos pointed to the edge and Isari walked over to it, the ships still standing seemed fine from what she could see, however she noticed the clouds above had parted for some reason and a moment later red trails suddenly pass over the ships, thin crimson lines flying past the ships and fading away, in the pass of a sigh the ships below fell apart as an invisible blade cut them apart.
The once sturdy structure cut precisely to minimize the life lost, leaving many of the crew clinging to the wreckage of their ships
"Wow...I didn't even see you pull out your sword. Mr. Nikos you're really strong."
"Barely," Nikos said keeping his back to the woman. "I'm not strong enough, until that woman is on her knees before me and admits defeat I'll never be strong enough….I need to beat her without my full power...this is nowhere near enough."
"Ignore him," Kara said patting Isari on the back. "You're pretty strong yourself."
"Thank you Miss Kara...but I'm nowhere near strong enough yet," Isari said smiling at Kara. "I need to be stronger to protect what's precious to me."
Kara grinned and shook the girl slightly causing her to rock back and forth.
"Oh my goodness I need more of this cuteness! Can we kidnap her Nikos please?"
"No, now let's hurry back to the ship. That should clear the path for us. We should hurry to Stardusk while they're recovering."
The group started to move and Isari looked back down at the destroyed armada, her eyelids lowering a bit watching the people holding onto the floating pieces of their ships.
"...will they be okay?"
The question caused Nikos to pause, he glanced back at Isari and the worry covering the girl's face.
"....there are more ships behind them. They'll pick them up...but we should be long gone by then," Nikos said. "They're also trying to kill your friends."
"I know but...Zil always said if you don't have to kill you shouldn't."
"Only that woman would say something so-"
Tari eblowed Kara causing her to clear her throat.
"I-I mean that's a...fair assessment. Hurting people stinks."
"It really does," Isari said nodding. "I don't want to see too many people hurt."
"...I want one," Kara said looking at Nikos. "It's no fair Zilia get's one of these."
"Hurry up and go," Nikos said sighing.
Watching his team run ahead with Isari he looked back down at the ships, sparing them would mean they'd have more people to attack when they made it to shore, but if they were lucky the ships would slow to grab their comrades giving them time to leave before they made it to shore.
He turned and walked after the group to catch up with Stardusk and his missing crew.
?
In a dimly lit room sat a single table with two chairs, a single lantern hanging above it offering the only illumination for the room. Drifting back and forth a bit in the room revealing fragments of it, the light revealed two figures with multiple cards between them, one was the familiar visage of a Prophet. A purple haired man with a bright grin on his face as he eyed the cards in his hands.
The clearly lucky fellow's gaze moved up to the person in front of him, his guest's attire was strange but as the purpose was to hide his identity it wasn't too surprising to him. A hood over the top of his head with a mask over the top half of his face, meant to hide even the possibility of seeing his face, though he somehow managed to keep his face covered in darkness, with surprising clearly practiced skill.
He wore heavy clothes with gloves over his hands, if not for his voice it would be hard to determine if he was man or woman, he could have remained silent and none of them would have figured it out, it was believed as a sign of 'trust' he spoke up revealing at least one part of his identity.
This was their 'Employer' and Kaim was surprised he had actually returned, and much less was playing a card game with him.
"We expected you to drop the gold in some ditch somewhere," Kaim said smiling.
The Employer chuckled and took another card from the stack.
"I promised to hand it to you myself," the man said. "I'm a man of my word...though I'm surprised you're the one collecting.
"Well Nikos knew he'd wring your neck if he saw you so I was sent. Oh by the way we're charging triple for the triple."
"Haha well you certainly deserve it. I had a feeling it would blow up...and I had a general idea what would happen but still that was something else. I'll quadruple it for the extra trouble."
Kaim chuckled a bit to himself but he still couldn't deny his own suspicions, the Employer had been pretty on point for most of what happened. He wasn't completely correct but his foresight had been very impressive, making it easy to adjust their own plans.
"No one bothered to look into me?" the man questioned.
"Nope just as you expected, a simple mention of you and us not allowed to say anything fixed the matter."
"Hahaha I'm almost disappointed at how simple it was."
"I expected Jack to at least look into it."
"His attention was elsewhere, focused on other things," the man said. "Everyone's was, Adelaide 'would' have been a problem but I knew she was there so easy to adjust accordingly."
The man discarded one of his cards and Kaim raised his gaze to him.
"...how much did you actually manipulate things? If you don't mind my asking."
"Manipulate is a mean word," the man said waving a hand at him. "I just guided things in the way I wanted...where need be. Everything handled itself afterwards."
He took his cards and set them down, setting the queen down first.
"Just put the Captain of Stardusk in a place, put her crew in danger and let the rest play out," the man said. "She won't abandon someone in need so getting Stardusk around wasn't too hard."
He set a few more cards down, a few knights, pawns and assortment of others as if he was setting them on an invisible board.
"Let them do all the work and everything works out as it should," the Employer said smiling.
"Make it easier by controlling a little bit of the other side. I'm grateful for them personally, I couldn't do something like that on my own….probably. Hahaha."
"Fair enough but the whole not 'telling' them part is kind of the manipulation. Also not revealing yourself."
"I don't see it that way," The employer said with a shrug. "Isn't life more interesting with secrets, a little mystery makes life worth living, having all the answers just makes things boring, there's no surprises, no joy. Is it really so bad-"
The Employer cut himself off laying all the cards in his hands face down.
"To not know all the invisible hands guiding you."
In one motion he turned all his cards over revealing his hand.
Kaim looked at the cards and with a groan tossed his own hand aside, the other man laughing before pulling a bit of the coin towards them before drawing more cards.
"Besides they could have figured it out, they just didn't."
The Employer chuckled drawing more cards as they started another round.
"So what will you do now?"
The Employer didn't respond for a moment but eventually raised his mask to Kaim.
"I prefer happy endings where I can get them, I will continue to create them as need be. I can't be everywhere...but I'll create them where I can."
"Happy...endings?"
"An ending where no one has to die," the employer said. "Where old friends can find some kind of peace with other….where rivals can be ally's if only for a little while. Where a crew can avoid losing someone precious."
The Employer paused a low almost sad laugh escaping from him.
"...I can't act in such a manner every time but I wanted to see a good end to the story this time. One with a smiling doctor and crew, it's what I aim for most of the time."
"That's pretty hopeful of you."
"Hope's important. It's the blessing of fools and aren't we all just fools a little bit. Don't we all cling to something that makes us just a little like Jesters?"
"Well I won't deny that," Kaim said holding up his drink.
The Employer smiled and held up his own drink.
"Here's hoping I can hire you all again one day."
"I'd wait till Nikos is desperate for money...so give it about three months when Aira returns."
"Deal, for now to happy endings, Stardusk, the Prophets and all the adventures from here till the end."
The two brought their mugs together before taking a drink, Kaim wiping his mouth before grinning and slamming his cards down.
"Boom! Look at that."
The Employer chuckled before dropping his own hand, Kaim groaned at the hand before bringing his hands to his head.
"Oh come on man! Just got that money."
The Employer took the remainder of the coin with a hearty laugh.
"Don't worry, you'll get most of it back the next time I hire you guys."
Kaim looked down at the Employer's grin before the man smiled himself.
A long sigh escaped from Maka as he held his side, he believed they had a spare dinghy nearby, just in case the worst happened. He appreciated Yuli's foresight all the more as he made his way there, rowing would be painful but he'd be able to make it to the other island.
The crack of leaves made him glance over his shoulder, he expected Zilia back to finish him off but seeing Yuli standing nearby he turned fully to face her.
"Ah Yuli...good you surviv-"
He cut himself off as the woman wrapped her arms around him, he stumbled back falling at the sudden embrace, placing his hands back to keep from fully falling over.
He glanced sideways at her, unable to read his trembling partner's expression.
"Yuli?"
"....you made it."
Her voice was quiet and Maka arched a brow at her, she backed away from him and handed him a fresh mask, a spare she always kept, with a smile he took it and placed it on his face.
"Ah another mask, thank you. Though I don't understand what that was for, it's plenty warm out."
"...Zilia was right that you're slow on the uptake."
The woman's mumbling caused Maka to tilt his head, she knew very well he could hear her so why did she mumble?
"Uptake?"
"Nothing," Yuli said standing up.
Maka climbed to his own feet with Yuli's help, his eyes moving to the woman. She seemed in much better shape than him, his eyes moved down to the wrapped wounds and the bag on her waist. Zilia's scent caused his eyes to widen as she dug into the bag, her words from earlier resonated in his head.
"You were with Stardusk?"
"Captured. I was released after having a long chat with Zilia. I expected to have an assassin waiting for me but I was able to freely find you."
"...there was no need for that," Maka said causing Yuli to freeze with the bandage in her hand. "I failed….in the end my ambition falls. I failed both of us. I broke my promise of a land for Users, a home we could live at in peace."
A long sigh escaped from the man as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Our contract is no longer valid...you have no obligation to stay with me. Oh but-"
He cut himself off and set a bag of gold in her hand.
"For your services as promised."
Yuli looked down at the weighty bag of gold, more than likely everything he had on him.
"...I see," she said putting the coin away. "You are right our contract was only for a designated time and that has passed."
Yuli put the bandage back in the bag and turned away from him.
"I'll take my leave then. Best of luck to you...Maka."
Maka's hand twitched a bit hearing the coldness when she spoke his name but offered a nod.
"Best to you as well," Maka said before he watched the woman walk away.
Taking in a deep breath he let it out before turning and going in the opposite direction, he admitted a bit of sadness at losing such a valuable partner but this was the way things worked. It was time to move forward.
At least those were his thoughts until a foot slammed into the back of his head sending him face first into a tree.
"Ow!"
He turned around only for Yuli to take hold of his shirt pulling his face closer to hers.
"Like hell I'm doing that. I didn't stick around you just for that."
"Huh? What?"
The confusion was clear on the man's masked face and Yuli poked his mask.
"I'm your partner. I ain't going anywhere. Our dream ain't complete anyway right?"
Maka's head lowered a bit at the woman's words.
"...I don't even know if it's achievable anymore...I don't even know what to do anymore. Having you with me when I don't have the slightest idea on what to do next-"
"Then we'll find it together."
Maka raised his head to Yuli as she smiled at him.
"I'm lost too...so let's be lost together. We'll find what we want to do together."
Maka didn't move at first but eventually he offered a small nod and Yuli released him before sitting down in front of him, she held up the gold before tossing it back to him.
"Besides that's not enough for my services."
"Oh. I thought it was," Maka said looking in the bag.
"After all the hell you put me through, almost dying all these times the price has increased."
"...oh...uh...well how much is it?"
"Let's just say you'll be spending the rest of your life paying me back."
"Huh? I don't understand. I'm sure if you told me the number I could-"
Yuli smacked Maka's mask before grinning at him.
"You ain't paying it in your lifetime so don't worry about it. Now hurry up, we got stuff to do Maka."
Maka adjusted his mask and stood up as Yuli headed back to the boat, he stared at Yuli, his brow arching at lack of coldness this time.
"...what's up with her?" he said walking after her.
Light green smoke wafted through the domain of the travelling fortune teller, his hands hovering over a small bowl placed in front of him. The fate of Zilia had been decided and it would appear she would be permitted to walk the world a bit longer. He knew the changes that would create and as he always did when a path was chosen, he reflected on what paths had been avoided, and what had led to alteration.
Grabbing a bit of dust he tossed it into the bowl, the familiar green smoke flaring upwards, figures starting to form within the smoke, empty eyes staring into the green as they took shapes.
The shapes separated from each other and Vai's eyes moved from shape to shape as he observed the possibilities.
His eyes went to one scene as Stardusk formed on Lady Luck, Runali shaking hands with Maka as Yuli stood nearby with her hands behind her head, a clearly irritated Zilia standing nearby.
The shapes shifted and Relias appeared as a giant staring down at the circle, with Stardusk along with Maka and Yuli and the remainder of the circle running towards him
"A path where they work together...this one was cut off early…"
Waving his hand the shapes shifted the group standing against Relias' hunters with Isari, Maka and Yuli by their sides. The scenes would shift as the smoke broke apart and reformed telling different parts of the story, Sor even appearing a few times within only for it to reach the end where the group stood against Maka and Yuli once more, though as he waved his hand he noticed the surrender of the two in the following revelation.
"An ending that brings peace to the circle and to the two souls seeking a home…"
The smoke flowed once more and Lina stood on the ship alongside Stardusk, a bright smile on her face as she stood next to her brother.
"That part of the future was lost."
The smoke faded and reformed once more, this time Relias stood on the Stardusk ship, shaking hands with Runali. Vai's gave moved over to another scene, eyeing the many ships torn apart, islands taken over. His empire torn apart by the two strangers alongside Stardusk. The Mercenaires all stood on Lady Luck in the presence of Relias as Yuli and Maka hovered as giant figures hovered over the group.
"An interesting possibility but this one was also lost."
Vai watched as Stardusk fought alongside the hated man, fragments of his past slipping out as their ventures in the circle continued. It appeared Stardusk worked closer with the mercenaries in this future, his fingers curled a bit and the scene shifted to Relias shaking Zilia's hand, an old man in a wheelchair sitting nearby with a smile on his face.
His gaze shifted and in another puff of smoke he noticed the bodies of Maka and Yuli with Zilia staring down at them.
"A possibility also closed off."
Another wave of his hand and the smoke broke apart as if it didn't want to reform but Vai's subtle movements brought it back together, within it was Stardusk with the entire Circle after them. Relias, Yuli, Maka, the mercenaries and Sor all hovered over them.
"This future...was narrowly avoided," Vai said.
He waved his hand viewing the onslaught that followed, attacked from all sides from enemies that wished only their ends, he saw the fall of Zilia, the fall of Isari, and the fall of Luro.
The remainder seemed to survive but Maka could see the sorrow in the wisp's expressions.
"This is a future I sought to avoid. It seems they managed to move from this path, but it is good to revisit it."
He moved through the many possibilities that had unfolded in front of him, he saw the death of Zilia many times, the death of Isari and the death of Luro. There were even some that didn't involve those three, the fall of Maka, the fall of Yuli, the fall of Sor, the fall of Relias, death was prevalent in all the other roads.
He held his hand out the smoke reforming to show a Zilia attacking Stardusk, the body of Isari behind her and he stopped the smoke to peer closer into it.
"This future...was also avoided...by but a few choices as it usually is," Vai said waving the smoke away.
He let the smoke fade and shut his eyes taking in what he had seen, there were so many prospects and one could argue at what was the 'best' and 'worst' outcome but that wasn't his place. He merely told the future and to those who wanted to to hear it, the warning of what may come. Opening his eyes he raised his hand causing the smoke to flow upwards once more, by Stardusk's actions much chaos would follow...their choices would have ripples effects that would travel far and wide, and by aiding them he couldn't deny his involvement in it.
His fingers twitched slightly and he allowed the smoke to show a scene, one born from their current path. Within in it was an older Zilia, her long hair tied in a single braid. She was on her knees a smile on her face, placing her ear against the stomach of Yuli, an embarrassed Maka standing next to her.
"....It appears there is a chance she will find joy in this future," Vai said.
His gaze shifted to another possibility, Vai himself standing nearby, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly and the smoke faded as he waved his hand.
"What a strange future," Vai said shutting his eyes again. "Still new paths are born as time passes, the future is never truly certain. Happiness is a long way for many who walk the path."
His eyes opened halfway, his gaze moving to a necklace sitting nearby.
"There is not a single one where you do not fight for a better future Zilia, so perhaps such happiness is not so far away."
Vai closed his eyes again.
"It will certainly be interesting to see where you and Stardusk go."
The familiar crackle of fire woke Zilia from her deep slumber, she went to sit up expecting her books to be on fire around her. When she found herself already standing, surrounded by books in a different matter than usual confusion overtook fear.
Her gaze moved around to a room that was familiar but not her current one.
Books resting on bookshelves, surprisingly well kept considering the owner of them, what didn't fit on the shelves were set on neat stacks in front of them on the wooden floorboards.
Zilia's gaze was directed forward as she heard the turning of a page, her eyes resting on the source of the fire, a fireplace with a bright flame but what drew her attention was the woman sitting in the chair next to it, flipping through the book in her hand.
Zilia felt her voice catch in her throat staring at the figure, white smoke wafting up in front of the woman whose narrowed eyes moved over to Zilia.
Dr. Vilimar's gaze resting behind her glasses met her own and Zilia's whole body trembled, the minute that passed felt infinite before she finally regained herself.
She stared at the clearly deceased woman in front of her, standing in her old childhood home and finally found her voice.
"I thought you quit."
The woman's eyes narrowed further at her and a heavy sigh escaped from her blowing a puff of smoke out in the process.
"First time we've seen each other in years and the first thing you do is nag...you haven't changed."
"Neither have you," Zilia said walking closer to the woman.
She motioned to the books perfectly put away, then to the random bits of clothing scattered here and there haphazardly along with random what she considered junk.
"Why are you always so clean with your books and messy with everything else."
"I'll clean it up later."
"You always say that," Zilia said resting her hands on her hips. "Excuses sure are convenient aren't they?"
"Why are you clean with everything else and messy with your books," the woman retorted.
"I have a system thank you very much."
"Well since we're calling out things you wanna explain why you didn't ask about me when you met with Jones?"
Zilia flinched a bit and Vilimar took the cigar out of her mouth pointing at her.
"Luro asked about his sister but you couldn't take a moment to ask about your Mentor."
"...I was scared," Zilia said rubbing her arm.
"Uh-huh excuses sure are convenient aren't they?"
Zilia puffed her cheeks at the woman but took a seat in the chair next to her, Vilimar returning to her book. Zilia glanced over at her to see a piece of wheat had replaced the cigar in her mouth. Ignoring the smile that almost crept out she grabbed a nearby book and opened it.
"So why are you here. Is this a dream?"
"Who knows. Could be as I've been on your mind a lot. There's also a chance I won a card game against Davy and got a favor out of it, maybe you're slowly going insane like the redhead and this is the start. You're the doctor, figure it out."
"...you really like not giving straight answers."
"Only when you're not thinking for yourself."
Zilia sighed and returned to her book.
To anyone else she supposed this would be a rather strange sight, if one came across a deceased person in their life, the normal thing to do would be to ask questions, or at least talk with them about the past or something else.
For some time though the two women just sat in silence flipping through the books in their hands, replacing them when they finished and repeating the process, neither knew how much time had passed as it was dark outside when they reunited, and it stayed that way.
This feeling of sitting by the fire, with its heat close and the warmth from her mentor's presence closer, filling her with a strange serene calm was something she could no longer replicate. If there was one thing she could say she missed it was this feeling, just being near each other, knowing the other was right there.
Something wet fell onto the page of Zilia's book before small gasps escaped from the doctor.
Vilimar didn't look up from her book, her finger continuing to trace the page. Even as her daughter wept quietly in the seat next to her.
"....I miss you."
"I know."
"...I'm so happy seeing you again."
"I know."
"...I'm trying my hardest."
"I know."
A hand rested on Zilia's hhead causing her to look up at Vilimar.
"You're trying really hard. I expect as much from a Vilimar."
Zilia sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve as Vilimar pulled her hand away.
"...you don't miss me?" Zilia said grabbing a nearby handkerchief.
"Eh a little. I don't miss the nagging."
Zilia's eyebrows twitched and she narrowed her now red eyes at Vilimar who smirked at her.
"There she is. The brat still trying to make her way in the world."
"...I'm not a brat."
"You'll always be my brat," Vilimar said looking back at her book.
It was only then Zilia noticed how familiar it was and quickly snatched it from her.
"Hey that's my Chronicle! You can't read it yet!"
"...I was just looking at it to pass the time. You took so long to get here after all," Vilimar said shrugging at her. "I will admit though you're getting into the right kind of trouble. The fun kind."
"I wouldn't call it fun."
"Well that's cause you're boring."
Zilia hugged the book against her and Vilimar sighed and grabbed another book.
"Fine I'll read it when you finish it...you're making it for me anyway so I don't see the big deal."
"I need to finish it...then you can read it. I need to surpass you...I'm not there yet."
"Damn right you aren't. You're not even a quarter there."
"Oh come on! I have to be closer. I went to a whole other reality! Probably twice!"
"I did that too," Vilimar said opening another book. "You got a ways to go kid. Keep it up though it's definitely a fun read so far."
Zilia didn't want to show how happy she was to hear that so she tried to narrow her expression further.
"I know you're happy just show it," Vilimar said glancing at her.
"...I'm not."
"You are that's your 'I'm not showing you how happy I am face'. Hasn't changed since you were tiny...well tinier."
Zilia brought a hand to her face, a long sigh escaping her, she was as infuriating as ever, though eventually a laugh escaped from her, a small smile found it's way onto Vilimar's stony expression as Zilia laughed next to her.
"...is this what our conversations would have been like? Nothing's changed!"
"Pfft I'm just supposed to agree with you cause you're older. What kind of parent would I be if I did that?"
Zilia laugher slowly died and her gaze fell on Vilimar, staring silently at the woman as she held the book close.
"...you're my parent."
"I am your parent yes," Vilimar said. "In my sentimental last moments I did unfortunately acknowledge that. Regretfully I can't deny it now that I've said it."
"....I'm glad you were."
Vilimar flinched a bit and turned her head from Zilia, the younger doctor smiled knowing her mentor's 'I'm not showing you my face' action.
Vilimar after making sure she wasn't giving Zilia any openings looked back at her.
"...how did you turn out this well with me as a mom?"
"Well you weren't around for half of it."
"That does explain it," Vilimar said bringing a hand to her chin. "No way you'd be this tolerable with me around for most of it."
Both women looked at each other before laughter escaped from both of them.
Zilia wiped a tear from her eyes before she found herself pulled into the Vilimar's embrace, the book almost slipping from her fingers in the process.
"I'm still proud of you...now get out there and prove me wrong like a good child should."
Zilia closed her eyes and went to wrap them around Vilimar, her arms however grabbed the air as she found herself back in her room on the ship. She blinked a few times and sat up, looking around at the familiar stacks of books before wiping the wetness from her cheeks.
Standing up she made her way over to her desk, opening one of the drawers Zilia pulled out the Chronicle, under it was a black casing which she sat on top of the desk. Opening it she smiled at the pair of glasses within before she put them away and started flipping through her chronicle.
A few seeds of wheat falling unnoticed out of the book as she reviewed their most recent adventure.
Foreword: This took place in-between the collab by Silent, Capt. Blu and Ryver. It shows how Cedric lured the Capitaine into the kitchen (among other things).
Isla Ballena, or Whale Island, was a massive floating market in the Flores Gulf. Some believed there was no place like it. The fifty-two floating barges connected by a series of planks and tight ropes housed the biggest seafood market ever recorded. Hundreds of mothers and grandmothers descended upon the place from the crack of dawn to get their hands on the choice ingredients.
Runali stood on the nexus of Barges 45, 15, 30 and 9. Colourful coats streamed in from every direction and flowed away as swiftly as they came. Everyone saving their greetings and smiles for merchants. Occasionally, enterprising youngsters bearing trays on their heads or hefting baskets suspended on a carrying pole would mill around. They were more than happy to allow this foreign woman to sample their wares.
The latest of these hopefuls was a twelve-year-old boy. He skewered a piping hot dough ball from his tray and waved the wooden stick temptingly at the woman. "Have an oliebol! It's a winter special. A bag sells for three bronze. All nice and cheap, Miss. Get a bag and a mug of Ma's spiced cider. That would get you warm."
"No, no! Have some helado!" a girl interrupted, offering Runali a tiny cup filled with strawberry gelato. "Cold days are the best time to enjoy the treat. Please have some!"
"Why would she eat that?" the boy asked skeptically.
The girl puffed out her chest as she balanced her tray against her chest. "Because it's rare anywhere. You need those special ice boxes from Brass Cape to make and store helado."
"Miss, Miss, have some!" they chorused now doing their best to jostle the competitor away.
The captain couldn't help but admire the quaint market. Every now and then she'd watch the old boards underneath people's feet, expecting them to give way at any moment. But her suspicions were always wrong, which frankly she appreciated. Her attention continued on to the actual sights, and amusement fell across her face when the children cornered her. "Now, now I've got money to spare and time to kill. No need to get pushy. Besides, of course I'll try both. You don't have to tell me twice." She took the gelato first, knowing eating something cold while it was cold was probably going to freeze her inside out. When she ate it, Runali couldn't help but think it was worth it. It wasn't too often they got sweet treats on the ship. The variety was limited unless the crew put requests in during grocery trips.
"Not bad, not bad. I like it. I'll definitely have to get some later." Runali nodded and turned to the boy. "Now for the oliebol, is it? I don't think I've heard of those." She took it, humming in delight after she ate it. "Ohh this is good too! You guys sure do have good foods here. I'll have to collect a bunch of food before we go." Runali rummaged through her captain's coat and found four loose gold coins. She handed two to both of them. "I'll swing by there later, but for now have these as a thanks." Runali gave them a wave and turned back to her exploring. She was never interested in buying clothes or fancy objects, but that didn't stop her from walking past and admiring things when the vendors stopped her to get her attention.
Their eyes went round. Runali had given them enough coins to buy their entire supply for the day. It was an unbelievable haul! Matching grins donned their faces as the children cried as they backed away. "Graci, Miss! Miss, we're on Barge 9."
One woman so delicately took Runali's hand and with a quick glance clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Such a pretty face deserves to have more attention brought to it!" She gestured to an assortment of rings and necklaces and other jewelry. "Couple of pretty jewels here and there and you'll have plenty of suitors after you."
The captain couldn't help but laugh and take her hand away. "Rings in particular aren't great for my line of work and I'm not worried about suitors." The woman tried to convince her of others but with another amused laugh she got her to stop and pursue the next customer.
Runali's path brought her towards the casino barge. Cries of "place your bets" in various languages assaulted her ears. Past the bead curtains separating the inner world from the outer, she could see local, foreigners and Navy personnel alike hunched over tables. Cards, bowls of dice and even tiny racecourses designed for rodents, fishes and frogs occupied their attention. A slick looking man, dressed in a business suit, rubbed his hands excitedly and approached his potential clientele.
"Wanna try your luck? We have plenty of games for you to choose from."
"Mao?" Chaos chirped from behind Runali.
The invisible cat revealed only her head, appearing like a disembodied spirit. Chester rumbled, unseen, beside her. Reluctantly, he faded into existence. His mouth currently occupied with Sid's youngest familiar. Jackie was curled up as best as she could while being carried by the scruff of her neck. The fur siblings purred their doubts to the captain while flashing memories of Alicia and Jack frowning into her head. Their message couldn't be clearer.
"Ah relying only on luck is for people with no confidence. I could-" She started to take a step forward only to stop and pout a little. "Ah but… Alicia would whack me again for gambling." Her face turned into minute exasperation. "And I mean… Jack could probably use the money for more food stuffs- if I lost." She scratched her cheek and huffed. "...Rather not get hit in the head again."
The cats, barring Jackie, plodded after the woman, meowing occasionally to get her attention. Like a distracted bird, Runali appeared too entranced by everything else. Chaos looked pleadingly at her brother and he rolled his eyes. Master asked them to lead l'capitaine to him but she wasn't cooperating.
The cat leader swung his head back and tossed his baby sister into the air. Poor Jackie screeched as she disappeared from view, popping audible onto Ru's shoulder. Warm air announced her shock to the world as tiny claws dug into the fabric. The kitten keened piteously, nuzzling the woman for comfort. As their cheeks connected, images of the crew exploring the market filtered into the captain's mind - Kadi garnering the attention of a bevy of ladies, Zilia browsing through books and Alicia enjoying a cup of tea at a Feian tea shop and Luro being himself. Jack was conspicuously missing.
Chaos and Chester sat at Runali's feet. Their blinks alternated in a coordinated fashion as they waited to see her reaction. Chaos rubbed herself against the woman's legs. She helped her sibling direct Ru's inner eye towards a curious landmark in the market - a set of bronze raccoons frolicking at the edge of Barge 17. Coral Pearl settled comfortably on one of the statues while keeping an eye on Lady Luck as she bobbed lazily in the background. The cats cocked their heads simultaneously and watched to see if the woman would follow their prompts.
After being with the Stardusk for so long, the weight of claws or talons had become more and more familiar. It almost became a game of "guess the cat" whenever one of them decided to use her as a stoop. Chester's was usually the easiest to guess with all the fur he had, but this definitely wasn't Chester.
"Ah, it's you. Tiny cook." Calling the cat Jackie was slightly confusing when she called her chef Jackie sometimes as well. "What's the damage? Where's your-" Runali stiffened a little when she began to see visions of her crew. All current, all doing what they set out to do before they split up on the ship. "...Huh." The images turned her in a specific direction and she hummed a curious note. "Am I supposed to go there?" She looked at Jackie and then at the two cats around her legs. There was something about the way they looked at her that read as a 'yes' so she nodded and gestured for Chester to lead the way.
"Don't think I'll get used to that peculiar gift." Runali had Jackie in one arm while she spoke. "Good for spying though, so I see why the tailor keeps you guys in tow." She followed the path the cats created, her smile widening a little when she spotted Coral on the statue like in the images they showed her. Seeing Barge 17 and the raccoons, Runali began to look around. "Alright, where is he? Is he trying to sneak up on me again?"
Cedric's invisible hand reared back but he went through with his plan. He tapped l'capitaine a few times, making her twirl around. Then, before she got annoyed, he appeared. Lowering the hood of his cape, he smirked. "Nothing seems to surprise you anymore. I remember the first time I did that to you and almost received a face full of coffee."
He motioned for her to follow him back up the ship. As they got onboard, he made her crouch low. The two remained there until Sid's black scout returned. He breathed a sigh of relief and straightened up. "Jack gave up trying to get me to carry the sea fruits … wait, no. That's not what you call those, um, sea animals. Fish … crabs … yeah, those."
He frowned lightly as he tried remembering what Jack usually called the briny harvest. A literal translation from Trovalian was 'fruits of the sea' (l'fruits der meer). The word in common meant something about sea and food. He shook his head and gave up.
"The word escapes me," he admitted.
"Defense is a hard thing to break when you're a pirate." It was the only comment Runali offered before she was soon following Cedric back to the ship. A few things crossed her mind as they did. Was it urgent? Was everyone okay? What did she need to be ready for? But, it calmed when she remembered the cats sharing the odd visions with her.
And sure enough, it was fine. She could only sigh in small relief that he was just hiding from chores. Then she laughed a little. "Seafood, yes. Be careful dodging so many chores or you'll end up under Tashigi's ire too."
Coral Pearl flew up onto the ship and perched on the railing. She eyed her furry companions suspiciously, sliding further away. Chaos chirped goodnaturedly but her eyes strayed dangerously close to the shiny wing feathers. She bummed closer.
Cedric plucked her off not wanting to antagonize poor Coral. Taking the hint, Chester leaped off the rails and followed Sid and Runali indoors. He demanded, in a series of huffy meows, to be rewarded once the chef was available. The cats knew, and anticipated, a bounty of cream having seen their master add it to the list.
"You'll get your cream if Jack thinks you deserve it," Cedric reminded his familiars. "He hasn't forgotten how you tried stealing Coral's feathers two days ago. I'm starting to think you've forgotten you aren't really cats."
"Rrrraow," Chester purred with mock innocence. His green eyes straying to l'capitaine as he tried to get her to back him up.
"It's her bird."
"That is true, it is." Runali added.
Chester sniffed loudly and skulked away. Chaos whipped her head around. She considered following her brother but she preferred remaining in Master's arms. Closing her eyes, the middle child turned her head to the side as Sid scratched behind her ears. She forgot how rare it was to have him all to herself.
"Pardon, l'capitaine. Jack and I are figuring out the best way to discipline Chester. He's a very old familiar so he's set in his ways. Spoiled, perhaps, by his previous owners." Sid explained. His mind wondering again about the noble his uncle stole from. There was no other rational explanation otherwise. Aeters belonged exclusively to the nobility and their summoners.
"I wanted to discuss … matters … yes, that's the word. Matters, with you. First being," he motioned to the table in the center of his workspace after they entered the room. "These."
He held up one of the many sketches littering the surface and passed it to Ru. "We call them wards. They can be used for different purposes - storing, concealing and repelling. I will need your permission to setup these "anti-intruder" wards as Jack calls them. It's time you took your safety and that of Lady's more seriously, capitaine. This is our ship, our private space, and I felt people should respect that."
Anticipating her questioning why her permission was needed, he waved his hand. "Non, you are the crucial element in the spell. I made it in such a way that only people you approve can come aboard the ship. It's a spell that only another summoner might undo. Aside from Madame Charlotte, few summoners are powerful enough to undo my wards without alerting me of their presence."
She straightened up a bit at the mention of her being more serious about her ship, but mentally checked herself and relaxed. Runali was always a little defensive about her stuff and how she should handle it- but she wasn't being mocked or scolded. It was just Cedric offering to help. When she started to question, she stopped in thought and nodded.
"The safety of Lady is important. Yes, I'm aware of that." She frowned a little remembering how she couldn't keep the Coral Pearl alive. "So… having more safety for Lady would be good." Runali moved to look closer at the sketches. They didn't make much sense to her, but it was still interesting enough to keep her curiosity. There was always a fascination with seeing how her crew operated. "So? What do I have to do?"
"Setting it up the first time takes the longest, which is why I called you back. After this, I can simply activate the seals whenever we leave the ship." Sid explained. He motioned for her to follow him towards the main mast.
"We shall place the anchor ward here. After that, the four cardinal points - the bow spirit, for instance - will need to be marked." He explained as he took out a penknife and began carving the wood.
The base consisted of 5 diamonds. A larger, central diamond with four smaller ones overlapping each of its four corners. Inside each of the smaller diamonds, Sid carved the symbol of one of the four elements. Pesanteur's emblem sat proudly in the middle of the large diamond, acting as the anchor for all the other elements. Sid pointed to this once he finished.
"This is the anchoring God, Pesanteur, the great God of Kings. He pulls all the elements sustaining life towards him and keeps them in balance. He represents, what the famed alchemists love to call, Gravity."
He took Ru's hand gently and pressed her fingers against it. "Now capitaine, both of us need to offer a tiny sacrifice to activate the seal." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Ink mixed with blood from both of us. It's to ensure that only people we allow can board the ship."
There was a long pause as he gave her the space to reflect on his request. "Normally, I would use only your blood but such a seal requires a summoner to activate it. I - I'm sorry, capitaine. I would need you to trust me to help keep the Lady safe."
"We sure do like to mess with gods and the dead." Runali murmured as Cedric explained what all of the symbols and drawings meant. It was hard to say she actually understood it, but she didn't press for more information. That seemed like a history lesson for another day. At some point in their time on the ship, she let Jackie go to get a closer inspection of what was being pointed out.
At the mention of using her blood, the captain didn't look very surprised but she did look at the hand now placed on the seal. "Cedric of course I trust you, you're a part of this crew." She moved her hand off the seal, holding it palm up. "I may not understand everything you all do, but I can trust that it's at least with good intent." With her free hand, she pulled a knife tucked away in her boot and handed it to Cedric. "If blood's what it takes, then I'll just have Zil patch me up later- y'know if it doesn't just heal on its own."
Cedric laughed when he heard her talking about the gods and the undead. "It's all about symbols … runes, if that is more familiar to you. We use it extensively in our spellcasting but I have no idea why we link it to the gods if I'm honest. I don't worship any of the Trovalian gods and I'm still able to use my gift."
He sensed amusement at the back of his mind and assumed it was Chester. His ginger cat had to be one of the smuggest familiars in the whole of Trovale. Turning his attention back to Ru, he held his own palm open and the uncapped ink bottle beneath his hand. "Don't worry about bleeding, mon capitaine. This isn't that kind of spell."
A pained grimace crossed his face when Runali's blade sliced his skin. Sid fisted his hand, allowing drops of blood to collect in the bottle. "Your turn," he encouraged and passed the bottle to Ru.
"I can assure you that is even less familiar." She teased. "But, carry on as you do." Runali went quiet as she watched Cedric slice his palm open. When she was given the blade back, she seemed a little focused on the blood dripping into the bottle, but eventually followed suit and mimicked his process.
"Merci," he thanked her.
Dipping a finger into the bottle, he stirred the contents then he traced the ward using the strange mix. He closed his eyes when he was done and pressed the palm of his right hand against it. Faint blue light illuminated the veins beneath his skin. The glow travelled up to his fingers before seeping into the ink. As the air crackled with wild energy, Runali could feel a strange warmth swirling outwards from her chest and flowing from her fingertips into the air. Their energies mixed, forming a deep purple stain. The colour faded as the energy rushed to the four cardinal corners of the ship.
Pillars of white light shot up from these corners and disappeared into the sky, leaving the smell of smoldering wood in their wake. The heat was so intense that sweat gathered on Sid's skin. He wiped his brow with the back of his left hand and removed his palm from the mast. "I've finished warding the ship," he informed the captain. "Next time we step onshore, I'll apply this ink on the main ward and the spell will activate."
Despite the heat, a chill went down Runali's spine as the magic coursed through. Fascination never left her eyes as she watched the strange glows around her, but she remained as still as a statue afraid that if she did, something would be disrupted.
It wasn't until Cedric gave the okay, did she relax. "Whoa…" Was her only reaction at first and she looked down at her own palm. "That looked cool…" Out of curiosity, she pressed her hand back on the seal, but when nothing happened she removed it again. "Ooh, I can't wait to see it in action!"
"Ah - " her tailor cut off. He thought of a way to prank the rest of the crew but decided against it. He wanted the focus to be on Jack. "There will be opportunities in the future."
"I feel, in some way, today is the right time. You know, with her watching. I, hm," he faltered not feeling particularly vocal at the moment. He disliked calling attention to himself in any way since he was a child because his uncle hit him if he dared to make a sound.
Slowly, he pulled out a palm-sized box and held it in front of Runali. He bit his lip awkwardly as he slipped it into her hands and popped the lid open. A brass star, a replica of the one on their Jolly Roger, sat on a silk cushion. Decorating it was ribbons of finest Jaipuran silk that drew eyes to the centerpiece. Fine filigree of ebony and gold skirted the edges. They would be invisible from afar but they added a regal air up close against the captain's red coat.
Sid cleared his throat. "I've been working on this piece since Trovale but I never quite finished it. I needed the Jaipuran silk which I finally acquired at our last stop. It's what people call a craftman's piece, a signature item they don't mind being associated with. I think - I hope I'm not wrong - that this is my finest work to date. Capitaine, please honour me by wearing this proudly on your person."
"With… her watching?" Runali's excitement hadn't ceased, but it dulled down so she could focus on what Cedric was trying to say. She looked a little more confused when he gave her a small box, but the moment it opened confusion turned into surprise. Surprise quickly turned into delight as she examined the new pin. Her fingers brushed over the cool brass star before she gently pulled the silk ribbons to feel them. "You made this… for me?"
Runali carefully took it out of the box, holding it up against the light of the sun and watched it shine. Her smile grew into a larger grin. "This looks so nice! And fancy! Fancier than the coat!" For emphasis, she flipped the coattails dramatically. "Strongest and fanciest pirate captain in the seas." She turned to Cedric and handed him the pin. "I would love to wear it, if you do me the honor of being the best tailor there is and putting it on my coat for me."
The 'her' in question landed on a perch closest to the mast. Hawk eyes and human eyes regarded each other and Cedric felt a modicum of approval from his capitaines pet. He wondered how much could be attributed to his food bribes and how much was the result of his new allegiance. He didn't dwell on it for too long since her owner was waiting for his reply.
"Your praise is too generous, mon capitaine," he exclaimed as he tugged at his sleeve; he wasn't sure how or what to say in response so he acted on her suggestion. "I, well, thank you. I'll be honored to."
It was dull but he experienced a tiny spark of happiness when he saw Runali's delight. He wished he was capable of smiling as genuinely but he needed to learn how to do it again. But was he too broken to be fixed? Jack didn't think so and Ma Lily, Ma Zhi, Bele and Vadoma also felt the same way.
He shoved those distracting thoughts aside and took the brooch from his captain's hand. Their closeness was brief thanks to his nimble fingers; the captain's tailor stepped back slowly with his hands tucked behind his back. "We should show Jack, no? Surprise him on his birthday," Cedric suggested blatantly. "I have one more surprise planned but I'd like to present it to both of you at the same time. Well, before the crew returned as planned for Jack's birthday feast."
He didn't know how he managed to say all that with a straight face. The look on Ru's face made him smile sheepishly after he fell silent. He guessed he had "unintentionally" left l'capitaine out until the very end. He chose to consult her first mate and her doctor instead.
"He is in the kitchen," Sid stressed. His nose was already twitching from the spice fumes rising beneath them and his stomach turned to ice. Jack was being too liberal with those 'packets of doom', he thought. "Urgh, he's going to kill me later. I - urgh I'm not going to eat that." He whined beneath cupped hands.
"It's well deserved. Best crew gets the best praises and all." She straightened up as he pinned the brooch. "Like you said, have to look the part of a pirate captain too." She puffed up in more delight as she wore the new badge of honor. "Oh- Oh yeah, we should! Everyone should see it!" Runali started to move towards the kitchen, the one place she expected Jack most of the time, but paused and raised a brow. "You're giving more surprises? Awfully kind of you today." She snickered and continued. "And I'd say typically birthday feasts aren't made by the one being celebrated, but it is Jack…" She hummed in thought, following the smell of food. "You really gotta work on that poor taste of yours… Hm… should I have gotten him a gift? I s'pose I'll give one later once I think of a proper one."
Cedric pressed his hands tighter over his nose and refused to answer. The smell was even more suffocating up close. 'He would be too embarrassed to accept but he appreciates it deep, deep down' came the sullen voice in Ru's head. 'Now mon capitaine, please, s'il vous plait, break down this door and let in more air.'
"I... can't believe the words about to come out of my mouth but, I agree with Luro." Jack said at some length. He sat with arms crossed and listening politely to all Alicia had to say. Eyebrows rose up at the mention of her real name. They came back down when she shared the story of her estranged sister, and he glanced at Luro.
Now, he leaned forward to fold his hands on the table. He cast his gaze around before settling on the first mate. His contemplative expression cracked into coyness. "I'm a spy. I could name 53 people who want me dead right now, but they aren't the problem. It's the mercenaries and hunters and assassins that take their money. I can't prepare for all of them. I doubt preparation would have helped us against our previous enemies, either... ironically, we had the most help facing Maka and Yuli, thanks to Vai," Jack nodded to Zilia.
"The issue," he continued, "Is our repetitive nature to, in the face of adversity, split up and fight on individual levels. I know this may sound hypocritical -- I've done it myself. But I'd like to change that. Because we are a crew -- a family, even -- and I know we're scared about loosing each other. Alic -- Amaiya... I'm sorry, what would you like to be called? --"
Jack paused long enough to hear her out, and bowed his head in gratitude.
"The point being, we should be fighting together. As a team. No getting separated. No taking on someone alone... unless it is necessary. If we focused more on that, if we fought to stay together more than win the day, then maybe we could have handled our last two adversaries better.
"That being said I have started building a network. It's small… it'll be a long time before it's much use to us. But the people of Finnigan Island are… very grateful to be under our ownership than Cedric's former crew," he threw a mocking smile at his brother. "And there's others who owe me. Possible friends to be made. It's a start. If there's any information you need, in preparation for an oncoming enemy or what have you, come to me. My door is open."
He started leaning back, his main piece done, before quickly leaning forward again and causing his chair to teeter at the same time. He cleared his throat. "One more thing: I'm past due going home. I would love us to travel to Norja, one day, but you should know..." Jack paused as he stared up at the ceiling, debating the best way to put this simply, "There's a bandit group called the Sciarrettas whom my family's fought against over decades to build their peace. These bandits are a nation onto themselves and I may or may not have a target on my back when we go. So... yeah. We'll deal with that when we get there."
Jack sat back and pulled the closest cat into his lap.
Collab by SilentxChaos and Fox of Hearts
Guest Starring Capt. Blu as Ru
Foreword: This collab took place around the time of Alicia's announcement. Give or take one to two days.
Location: Isla Belena
Jack's paradise was a stinky hell in Cedric's opinion. The summoner pressed his scented handkerchief closer to his nose, wishing he hadn't recovered yesterday. He closed his eyes and complained in Trovalian about Jack taking an excessively long time to stare at a bunch of glassy-eyed fish.
Sid spoke a little louder when it was clear his brother wasn't listening. "We have stopped at the last five stalls staring at the same variety of fish. Do you even plan to finish buying everything on your list by midnight?"
He fixed his brother with a mock glare. "You listed eight different types of seafood to be used in the spicy bouillabaisse. Eight, Jack! We are still at number one on the list. Please, just pick a fish and go."
Cedric followed along because he promised his brother a treat - an apology for the teleporting mishap in the crystal city and also a belated birthday present. He assumed Jack, being the connoisseur that he was, would be able to finish marketing early enough for them to get the best cuts of sashimi-grade salmon. Or whale meat for Ma Zhi Ruo's special curry, Sid reminded himself. Jack mentioned that this was the rare seafood market that actually sells that exotic meat. He had, if Cedric recalled correctly, only eaten it once.
Sid was surprised Jack remembered the recipe at all. The younger brother doubted he even remembered what he ate yesterday evening yet alone several years ago. It underscored just how much his big brother loved his food. A little too much to be healthy, Sid concluded snidely as his annoyance jumped up a notch. The smell was driving him crazy.
"But it's just so hard to decide," complained Jack as he weighed two swordfish cuts in his hands. Their bulky pale meat, lined by stormy gray skin, looked identical to Sid. Jack had been agonizing over them for the last ten minutes. "On one this have the perfect texture, but this one's meat is just right. Not too tough, not too slimy…"
Forlorn and noticing his brother's rising impatience, Jack picked a fish steak and waved over the merchant, whom seemed equally relieved the pirate loitering at his stall had finally made a decision. His hands shook the entire time as he wrapped the steak and counted out the money Jack offered him, his wide eyes constantly flicking back to the tattoo curling on his neck.
Jack ignored him. He leaned against the counter and stared out at the salty sea. The first smile Sid had seen in a long time contented his features. "This is the life, Sid. Sailing on the seas, sharing the best food, meeting new people. If only they had a tavern of some sorts and serve real food… or a proper restaurant…"
Sid rolled his eyes before sighing for a different reason. "I'm glad this is one thing that never changes. This sense of normalcy," he admitted grudgingly. His hands were full with bags of vegetables and spices, resulting in his familiars abandoning him for better smelling company.
After they retrieved the bought fish, they continued at a modicum of faster rate. Apparently Jack had enough awareness to pick up on his brother's hesitation; it only took them two more hours to get to fish No.5 on the list.
A big crowd milled around the whale meat stall as the seller portion out fresher cuts. His voice cutting above the din, announcing that he was selling the first of the weekly haul. Sid spared the place a sidelong glance before turning his attention to the list in Jack's hands. His offer to buy the man a belated present seemed to have been forgotten since neither whale meat nor salmon was added. He opened his mouth to remind his brother when a jovial voice drowned out the housewives.
"Young masters! Why heavens, it has been far too long. What brings you to these waters?" Belvedere cried. His Geborgen accent giving those words a military clip, a similarity that reminded Sid of Hoshi's barks across the decks of the Borealis.
Jack stiffened at the familiar jovial and loud voice. Belvedere. One of Cedric's friends… if the term could be stretched that far. A merchant with a nose for money and penchant for never shutting up. He groaned inwardly. And I was having such a nice day…
Sid took a half step back behind Jack as was his habit whenever anyone familiar approached. He frowned lightly as if he couldn't believe he was seeing the person standing behind Bel. "It has been too long. A good day to you, Bel, Ma Zhi," he hesitated.
His awkwardness doubled after he spoke. He hated that he looked far from his best at the moment - a slightly old outfit he didn't mind disposing and his hands filled with bulging bags. He wanted to just melt away. If he asked Jack, though, his brother would insist he looked immaculate. So, he knew he couldn't rely on the man for assurance.
He did, however, nudged Jack's heel with his foot while his face was downcast. Take over, please, his action conveyed. The slight frown tugging at his lips supplied the reason for his discomfort.
Jack, doing his best to stall on facing Belvedere, froze when Cedric named a second visitor. Mother Zhi? He went into a panic. He assumed his reunion with his mothers would be on Norjan soil, once Lady Luck came close to his homeland's shores. In his mind, he'd prepared several scenarios and reactions to meeting them again, after many years. Lily had been the first to break his carefully constructed apologies, but her presence in Trovale was paramount. He hadn't expected to see anyone else until his return… certainly not Zhi Ruo.
A gentle hand took his, pulling him away from the fish stall. He could never say no to that inquiring touch. Jack raised his eyes. The dark and peaceful gaze of a doe smiled back at him, framed by long, dark gray locks and crow's feet. His eyes welled up.
Zhi Ruo reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, subtly smoothing away a falling tear from beneath his glasses while her thumb grazed the scarring.
"Hello, Jack," she said in a dove's song.
Her son made a happy cough, his throat thick with emotion. Not quite trusting himself, he took her hand away and kissed it. They held hands like an embrace. It was all they dared to do in this public space.
Once he released her, he cleared his throat and made a formal bow to Bel. "It's nice to meet you again, Master Merchant. It's been, what, more than three years since we've last seen each other, surely."
"No, no, Master Jack, please don't bow. I'm but your humble servant," the ginger santa protested. His chubby hands waving animatedly, causing ripples down to his elbows.
Unable to stop the man from being so formal, the merchant returned the bow. His magnificent robes sagging in the middle to accommodate his girth. "It's truly a pleasure to see you alive and well."
Bel placed his hands on Jack's shoulders and guided him back into an upright posture. A fond smile spread across the bulldog face as he recalled an important detail. "Happy Birthday, Master Jack. Three days overdue but still a happy occasion. We must celebrate!"
Arm and in arm Bel led Jack back towards the whale meat stall. His beady eyes twinkling in excitement. "Ms. Zhi Ruo told me this is a wonderful delicacy from her home. It's such a rare treat that she only made it once on your thirteenth birthday. Will this do for an impromptu gift?"
"We could," the jolly man bumbled on. "Check out the other stalls and get you a treat you prefer. Some rarer ingredient perhaps?"
While those two conversed, Zhi Ruo went over to Cedric. Her expression didn't change. The Feian matron preserved undiminished tranquility in her features, capable of soothing the hardiest soul, and the most calloused heart. But looking at her other boy, adopted by proxy of Jack, a certain softness rippled across that indomitable pool.
"Tu ne vas pas dire bonjour?" (Won't you say hello?) Her head tilted in the same manner Jack's did. Her Trovalian had improved since Cedric last saw her.
Cedric's conflicted stare softened when their eyes finally met. He felt her soft hands relieving him of half his load so that she could thread slender fingers between those of his freed hand. "Bonjour, Maman. Thank you for coming to celebrate with us."
He sighed softly when her fingers squeezed his; it made him remember her soothing presence during his darkest hour. His body wrecked with so much pain that he thought he was going to die. He hadn't had the guts to tell Jack he tried taking his own life shortly before Finnegan Island. It was because of her and Ma Lily that he continued breathing.
"I missed you," he admitted softly in Trovalian. "There are days when the nightmares seem too real and I find myself longing for your embrace. You, Jack … Ma Lily, the three of you gave me purpose. Now I have others too. All I needed to do was let them in just you like suggested."
Sid saw the emotion dancing across the smooth, ivory face. He experienced a twinge of sadness grow inside him; he hated upsetting her like this. Apologising, he touched her cheek gently. "Ma, please don't let me ruin this moment. It should be about us, about Jack and his birthday."
He forced a shaky smile. "Can you believe my brother is now a year shy of his third decade?"
"No. But then, he never was big on celebrating them."
Wrapping her hand around Sid's arm so that he may escort her, Zhi Ruo looked knowingly at the pair ahead of them. Jack's face reddened as he fervently attempted -- and failed -- to turn down Belvedere's generous offers for a birthday gift.
She chuckled, amused by their adamant conversation. She leaned closer to Sid until their heads nearly touched, speaking in a confidential way. "Fill me on your latest adventures. Won't you? I'm curious to hear about this Stardusk crew. I've only heard what little Jack sends in his letters, and Lily's."
Not here, Cedric's downcast gaze conveyed. His body stiffened as he felt her body heat. He swallowed while dark thoughts swirled at the edges of his mind and he struggled to suppress the memories of his ordeal. He willed himself to stay, remembering how she anchored him to reality back then. If it wasn't for her, his mind might have been lost forever. Adrift in replays of those harrowing three days.
He inhaled her perfume and clung to happier thoughts. He was okay. He was safe. Jack's here, she's here. He needed to breathe. Relax. Cold sweat washed into his opening eyes and stole his vision. He blinked nervously when he saw her break away. His panic mounting slightly when he noticed Jack and Bel were gone. He craned his neck as he searched for them.
"Maybe we can speak more back on the ship," he suggested distractedly. His eyes finally latched onto Jack returning with a wrapped slab of something in his arms. The elongated parcel was longer than the man was tall, giving the chef a dwarfed appearance. Beside him, Bel sailed jauntily, swinging the bags of the remaining ingredients.
Sid and Zhi parted to let the two pass. Without exchanging more than a glance, they floated behind the two men. Bel's voice masked their quiet conversation about this and that. It was Zhi who carried it through given Cedric's sudden depressive mood.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Belvedere whooshed around the kitchen, peeking under lids and opening cupboards without any shame. His eyes twinkled as he broke in girlish glee over each discovery. The piece de resistance was Jack's spice collection. He gaped, staring at the rows of gleaming jars running across the longest wall. He never heard of half of these spices.
"Feian, Jaipuran …. oh? What is this lovely one?" he muttered to himself. That calculating mind already calculating the weight of the jar. "Smells like basil, cardamon and … yes, star anise. I get a few other nodes. One of Master Jack's own creations no doubt."
Cedric and Zhi Ruo watched the merchant making his way down the rows. They expected him to turn around and announce the exact worth of all the spices once he was done. Sid shook his head in exasperated amusement. This felt nostalgic in ways he didn't want to admit. His shaking hands grabbed the teapot as he lifted it up to refill his adopted mother's cup.
He decided to end the retelling of their adventures by bringing her attention back to his brother. "I doubt it will take the crew long to realise Jack's birthday passed. The Captain always finds out. And, I believe she has been wanting to celebrate it since her surprise birthday feast." His lips quirked a little knowing his little lie had been heard.
"Oui, fére?" he teased as he looked at Jack laying out their haul for inspection. The half-ton slab of whale meat sat, still wrapped up, on a different table. "Fére …?"
Jack, halfway through deciding the best way to use the whale meat without it spoiling, stopped when Belvedere entered his kitchen. He tracked the merchant with a suspicious gaze, eyes narrowing with every touch to his spices, every error that happened when they were replaced. One was set askew so only half the label could be read at a glance. The poultry and beef rubs were switched. A pronounced vein throbbed along his temple as the cook looked ready to boil over.
Gliding forward, Zhi Ruo stuck a steaming cup of tea under his nose. Jack sniffed. Ginger and lemon breathed a calming steam against his lips. A Feian recipe, made from memory, and a staple of his childhood. Jack inhaled deeper. His pupils dilated as the tension in his shoulders relaxed and he made a sheepish smile to his mother.
"Thanks." He took the tea.
Zhi kissed his cheek. She sat down next to Sid as Jack took a sip. He seemed to unwind enough for Sid's words to finally seep through. He looked down along his nose at his younger brother. "No one on this ship knows my birthday, fére. Except you… you didn't tell her, did you?"
"Hm," Sid hummed dramatically. He might have "accidentally" told Alicia while training with her a week ago and Madame Doctor when he kept asking whether he would be well enough to leave the ship. Capitaine would learn about this special day later in the afternoon. As for Luro and Kadi, the men had caught on to the "not so secret" secret before he approached them. Chester made sure they found out.
He shrugged. "Non, I don't remember discussing your birthday nor mine." He grinned. "Mama Zhi being here is enough of a surprise …" He trailed off.
He patted his Maman's hand gently; he was confident neither she nor Bele would mention that letter that reached them via the Thieves Guild. Lazarus, that creepy fossil, never failed to deliver whenever things concerned Jack. He wouldn't after claiming the chef was his favourite grandson.
"So …." He began again. "What do you plan to do with the whale meat? Curry? I'm sure Mama Zhi would be happy to help out."
A blush creeped into Jack's cheeks. "It's uh, stew, actually. You don't have to, Mother, really I--"
She walked up and rested a calming hand on his shoulder. "I'd love to help, Jack."
Nodding, blushing harder, Jack showed her where to start.
Sid grabbed Bel by the arm and he tilted his head towards the door. Pressing a finger against those fat lips, he fixed the Master Merchant a threatening glare. "Don't ruin the moment" it emphasized. Belvedere nodded as he recalled the second half of Master Sid's instructions. Sid nodded gratefully when he saw the man remembering the casket of rum, the bottles of champagne and the cake. He let go and they slipped out with Cedric leading.
They worked in silence for a time, side by side. Knives clacked on wood in unison as mother and son first cut the whale meat, and then herbs, while waiting for the water to boil. The moment wasn't familiar to Jack. In his youth, all his mothers were courtesans of the Lotus Blossom. Zhi Ruo acted as a part time carer, too, using her medical knowledge from Yula Fei to help when girls were hurting or sick. Jack started his culinary skills with the brothel's own cook; he could count on one hand the times him and his mother made meals together.
And yet it was as easy as breathing. The endless calm that radiated from her was a balm on his soul. Just being near her released some of his tension and, for the first time in months, he felt a measure of peace.
Zhi Ruo leaned forward a little. "There it is."
He blinked. "What?"
She made a little smile and traced it with her fingertip. He hadn't realized he'd been smiling, faint as it was.
"Ah. Yeah. It's been...well… I mean, I'm thankful that you're here so we should just--"
There was that hand again, pressing against the side of his face, smoothing back his hair, tenderly inquiring. He turned into it. "I think...you came at the right moment."
She bobbed her head, birdlike. An invitation for him to talk about it.
"I don't want to burden you. We've come together again, after so many years--"
Her hand moved to his upper arm. She squeezed it reassuringly. "This is just another conversation."
Blowing out a big exhale, Jack wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and nodded. He wrote to his mothers regularly, despite the risks involved, and sometimes it was hard to remember that the words spoken in their presence weren't the first exchanged in the years he had neglected to return home. It added a profound weight that didn't need to be there.
Slowly, Jack began with the events after Trovale. Zhi Ruo would have heard most of it between him and Lily, but it'd been awhile since their last letter exchange. It started awkward, at first, but the more he talked something uncoiled at the base of his diaphragm. A knot of tension he hadn't realized he was holding onto uncurled itself as he spoke of things he dare share with anyone. His fears and frustrations; sorrows and regrets. The emotions he buried deep to focus on the now and the future… they'd been festering all this time, neglected. A weight lifted from him as mother and son continued working side by side.
As Zhi Ruo predicted, it became a natural conversation. They ended up near the fireplace once the chopping was done and ingredients thrown into the water. Jack stirred as Zhi Ruo sat nearby, enjoying her tea and giving her knees a chance to rest.
"Capitaine!" Sid's strangled cry shattered the silence.
He fought to pull his hands back over his nose but she dragged him in by his wrists. This was the last thing he wanted! To be dragged, with his nose unprotected, into the devil's sulfur pits. The smell was making his eyes water badly.
He dug his heels against polished wood and he twisted at the waist in a cat-like fashion at the waist but his struggles were in vain. Given how much weight he lost since Trovale, Ru had no problem moving him. He pouted when they ended up dangerously close to the source of his torment.
Sid glared at the death concoction swirling with hues of tongue numbing lava. The whale meat provided a visual dullness in it all but he was certain even its purity had been tainted. A brief look at the table told him the stew, while not as fiery, promised to be another explosion of flavour. It was, literally, a choice between two poisons. He shuddered, remembering even the bread would be lightly spiced.
"This level of spice brings back memories of the Lotus Blossom," he fidgeted. His stomach twisted painfully at the memory of his very first dinner there. They had been served a dish Ma Zhi Ruo cooked herself. "I bet Alicia and Madame Doctor would approve," he said through a gritted smile.
At the back of his mind, he received Chester's smug message. The fur siblings have found the box he asked them to retrieve. He told them to bring it over since it contained the surprise he mentioned. He continued pouting to keep his brother and the captain from suspecting anything.
"Of course you're coming along! You gotta learn to appreciate good cooking before you die!" Runali was loud, making herself known before she reached the kitchen. "I will pick you up if I have to." She warned as Cedric struggled to break free. The moment she broke into the kitchen she added, "And how come you told everyone else it was his birthday, except me? That's not fair, I'm the captain!" She puffed up in mock anger, but with a turn she grinned and tugged at her coat to show her new pin.
"Jack! Look at the new…" Runali's voice faltered when she realized there was an unfamiliar face next to Jack. "...pin… Cedric made for me..?" She finished the sentence while eyeing the woman over. It was a quick assessment, but Runali determined this woman was friendly by her soft presence. She stared for a moment longer, then looked over at the food. She had to rearrange her thoughts into new priorities. "Uh… who?" She politely nodded to the woman. "Why?" She pointed to Jack this time. There were more questions, but she figured those two were more pressing- even though the 'why' was fairly open ended.
Crimson as the tomatoes on his counter, Jack buried his face in one hand as his other continued stirring. "It was too peaceful to last," he muttered as the captain and Cedric came into view.
Zhi Ruo flicked a meaningful look at him as she sipped her tea, then set it aside. He cleared his throat. "Cap-- Runali. Meet my mother. Ma Zhi Ruo. Ma, this is the captain of Stardusk, Runali Lev."
Standing up, the Lotus Blossom mistress bowed in a Feian manner. "Captain Lev. It's an honor." She stepped forward and took Runali's hands. Her own felt small and soft on the palm, rougher at the fingers, equal parts tender and hardworking. Her smile never revealed teeth, but her eyes twinkled knowingly. She gave Runali a little squeeze. "It's so very nice to meet you. I want to thank you for caring for our sons."
"Ma," Jack protested meekly. Zhi Ruo ignored him. Shaking his head behind her, he answered Runali's second question with, "She and Cedric's… friend… were on the floating market. It was a coincidence that we bumped into each other." Jack frowned. "A very rare coincidence."
To Runali, Zhi Ruo's rose-colored smile grew a little broader, pronouncing laugh lines around her mouth, and she winked.
"Ma…?" Runali echoed as she stared at the older woman approaching her. The one eye she did have grew wide as the woman spoke. There was a sense of familiarity the woman had, but Runali chalked it up as something typical for mothers. But the surprise quickly grew into a wide grin at the new revelation. This was another of Jack's mothers. She had heard stories, she had met Lily, but now she got to meet another.
"Ah, a mom! How lovely!" Runali returned the squeeze and continued beaming. "It's so nice to meet you, I've heard many stories!" Hearing Jack pulled her attention and she pouted at him. "Why didn't you tell me your birthday passed!" Looking at Zhi Ruo, she shook her head. "So full of secrets this one is. I ask for nothing and this is how he repays me." She played up the dramatics, mostly to tease Jack. As hyperactive as ever, she slipped one hand free from Zhi Ruo and tapped her new pin. "Also, look at the cool pin Cedric made for me."
The mother appraised it with a beaming eye as her son peeked over her shoulder. "That's beautiful work, Cedric."
"One of your best," Jack added.
Cedric hung back and listened to the conversation. Hearing Jackie meow as she appeared in his pocket, he ruffled the fur on her tiny head. The kitten responded by biffing her summoner with her paws. She wrapped her paws around his fingers eventually and started gnawing playfully.
"Teething?" he asked Chaos, who draped herself around his shoulders.
The older kitten narrowed her right eye and tilted her head off to the left as she was prone to do when "thinking". She looked at her sister again. "Mao," she confirmed.
"Right. Better warn Jack," Sid instructed.
'Must I?' Chaos seemed to imply with a slight wrinkling of her nose. Sid tapped her lightly on her nose. "Oui. Jack doesn't like any of you biting him."
Chaos decided that was the time to leave. Popping away, she reappeared in front of Zhi Ruo and started rubbing against the woman. "Mao?" she chirped with extra enthusiasm, hoping to get picked up and cuddled.
Sid pulled a Chester and rolled his eyes. He reached down to play with his smallest familiar but she had abandoned him too. The shy one had returned to her new favorite perch, Jack's head. Mewing happily, she began making a nest out of the dreads. Chester snorted disapprovingly when he appeared at Sid's feet with a large, flat box clamped between his teeth. Wrinkling his nose in disgust, solely because he was left to do all the work, the big brother went ham demanding pats from their summoner.
Sid obliged happily. "I have to leave you for a bit, petite leo. You will get a big bowl of cream." Chester cut in with a meowed question. "Non, three of you," Sid stressed. "They deserve their treat too."
Chester's ears fell and he scampered off to the other master for comfort. He had a feeling he might be able to get the chef to give him sole ownership of all that cream. "Rrraow?" he asked Jack as he rolled around the man's feet.
Sid wedged himself discreetly between 'cat-magnet' Jack and his capitaine and cleared his throat. "My other surprise has arrived," he announced. Embarrassed over getting everyone's attention, the summoner kept his eyes downcast while shoving the box into his brother's hands. He tapped the top of the box lightly to indicate that Jack should open it.
"Can you guys not?" Jack huffed and siddled away from his stew to prevent cat hair from falling into it. He didn't, however, make a move toward detaching the cats from his person. He petted Jackie on top of his hair and nudged Chester a bit when Sid approached him. His hands automatically accepted the box, though his eyes were one big question behind the glasses.
"What is this?" he asked, curiosity tugging at him.
The lid popped open easily and the Stardusk insignia winked at Jack in its full glory. The silvery star decorating a black satin choker was fashioned out of palladium and studded with tiny diamonds along the edges. Embedded in the heart of the star was Sid's first aeter, Chester's stone. To answer Jack's unasked question, Sid's finger directed Jack's eye (and Ru's) towards the pair of earrings in the box.
Chaos' aeter was the centerpiece of a smaller palladium star. Given the curled edges at the bottom, it was clear that the earring would go around Sid's ear lobe and fasten at the back. The tiny diamond trails, mounted on flexible metal strips, would creep around the helix of his ear; these additional details made it look like a shooting star. Jackie's aeter was set in a golden fixed-bead earring; a style that wouldn't look out of place on either brother.
"What do you think?" Cedric asked his brother and his captain. "I wasn't sure about the colour of the satin strap so I made sure I had variations around. As for Jackie's stone, I always thought a hoop hanging half way between Jack's earlobe and jaw would be attractive. Oui? Don't you like it?" he tilted his head to try and get a better look at their faces.
She was fairly content holding Zhui Ruo's hands, but eventually let go when Cedric called them to attention. It wasn't often he wanted everyone's eyes on him. Curiosity had her leaning against Jack as she peered in to see what this surprise was. And for a moment, upon seeing it, she wasn't sure exactly what it was for. "Hm…?"
And then it clicked. "Oh!" She straightened up and looked at Cedric. "You finally figured out how you'd wear our symbol!" Runali couldn't help but laugh. "As fancy jewelry no less. Of course, a fancy man in fancy clothes should have equally fancy jewelry." She gestured to him. "Put them on, put them on!"
Jack didn't answer at first. One finger traced over the symbol, the supple strap, and the aeters. He swallowed hard as his eyes became over bright behind their lens. Zhi Ruo clasped her hands in front of her, and stood apart, allowing the three Stardusk members to have their moment.
There was a sniffle. Jack quickly dashed at his eyes and then pulled Cedric into a hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "Can't help it. This is… this is the best."
He stepped back so Sid could see him beaming. "You make me so proud. Thank you. I love you, baby brother."
Laughing at Runali's excitement, Jack quickly handed the box back to Sid. "Yes, by all means. Don't keep your capitaine waitin'. It'll only look its best when you're wearing them."
Cedric's cheeks glowed a dusty pink. He bobbed his head then shuffled towards the nearest table. After placing the box on the surface and pulling a gleaming pot towards himself, he used the reflection as a mirror while he donned the earrings. He checked his appearance twice then ran a finger along the choker. A small frown graced his face as he struggled to put his current thoughts into Common.
"Captaine," he stammered. "C-could you return the honor and help me put this on?" He passed her the choker. "I feel it means more if you do."
Without a word, Runali slipped from one brother's side to the other. She held a bemused grin and daintily took the choker in hand. With him being much taller than her, she gestured for him to bend slightly. "I'd be honored to." Runali carefully clasped the choker around his neck and then moved back over to Jack. "Look at that. Feels like it's official all over again. Heh, well I for one think he looks great. What about you two?"
Zhi Ruo gave a happy clap, showing her approval. Jack grinned wide and squeezed his brother's shoulder. "Wouldn't look better on anyone else. Welcome to Stardusk, brother. Officially speaking."
"Oh my! This is soooo precious!" Bele exclaimed from the doorway. The sound of his upbeat voice made both brothers flinch visibly as the moment shattered. "Manners. Where are my manners?" he spoke out loud as he rushed forward.
Before anyone could blink, the merchant towered over Ru making her look like a child standing before Santa. An image further reinforced by his girth, almost twice hers, and the two stacked caskets of alcohol. For some reason - at least to Sid - those boxes look small in Bele's hands. It almost begged the question whether the man had any fruit powers.
The optical illusion resolved itself when Bele placed the boxes on the table. Neither expanded or grew. Sid continued eyeing them suspiciously, though, as a pudgy hand was offered to Ru.
"An honour to meet you, Captain Lev," he pulled her hand upwards then leaned over to kiss it. "Aaan honour. I'm Franz Belevedere, at your service. I'm also - ah, erm - a merchant," he covered. Apparently, whatever he wished to say was veto-ed by a glance in Jack's direction.
After he pulled away, Ru could see a business card sitting in the palm of her hand. The quality of the paper and the tone of the ink boasted subtly of the money this man possessed. His lips quirked into a grin. "I came to celebrate Master Jack's birthday and to update him on - "
Bele was cut off briefly but Sid added with a deadpan. "Kunal Spices - " Now it was Sid's turn to be physically shushed.
Bele picked up the slack. "On to newer ideas, I'd like to start a line of eyewear and eye tonic called Lev Eye Specialist. The market is in its infancy so there is much to be made. I'm sure it will sell as briskly as my Tashigi Hair Products line. Ah, yes," he produced a rolled up scroll. "Speaking of which, I should meet my silver haired muse to offer her her share of the royalties. Yula Fei mania would make us richer."
Sid's eyes twitched. "Are you trying to market the entire crew?"
"Not trying, Master Sid, I've already started. Makachi Guns & Co, my weapons customization franchise should launch at the start of the summer. I commissioned artists, since you've already refused, Master Sid, to send me sketches of logos for Vilimar Scientific and Medical Publishings." He held up three more fingers. "Masuma's is my high end boutique. Arcadius, the ladies' man, is a good name for our first adult line. And, Lan - "
"What!?" Sid stared at the man in horror.
"Adult products, Master Sid. Coverings, toys and things. I'll gladly send a box along with Ms. Adelaide when she visits Master Jack," he said, waving aside all concern as if he was simply doing shop inventory. "But yes, Captain Lev, back to Lev Eye Specialist. Will you agree to the use of your name? We can work out a decent cut for your royalties, naturally."
"Belvedere," Jack's voice cut through the excitement with a dangerous note, "You're not using Stardusk as a marketing scheme."
Some of the q disappeared behind rolls of skin. The Geborgen bulldog, lovingly named by Sid, turned to Jack with a serious glance. "Master Jack, if not me then someone else will borrow your names. Such is the price of fame. With me, Master Merchant, laying claim, you can be assured that your good names won't be sullied in ways you'll never consent to. I'll never push out products you hate to be associated with or exploit workers in an appalling manner." He thumped his chest. "Kunal Spices is considered a popular and ethical brand. Almost as good as those sold under the Pirate Lord's name. Everything put into jars and boxes are mixes you've smelled and tasted."
"Wait-- you already put it into production? Without my consent?!" Outrage flared into his face as his voice pitched into a disbelieving octave. Jack loomed forward, pushing his sleeves up his arms as the first hints of Armament haki began flowing through them. Zhi Ruo was there in a moment; no one had even noticed her move. One hand on his arm froze her son, eye twitching.
"Perhaps your captain has a say in this?" She lifted an eyebrow toward Runali.
Said captain was still staring at the business card she was given with a quizzical expression. Sure, she heard Belvedere but whether she understood or not was hard to say based of how she looked.
As the gears turned, her brow furrowed with each name said- not in anger but in incredulity. This man was serious and seriously using their names as a figurehead for business. On one hand, she could hear her mother's approval of business seeing as she became the head operator for the merchant shops… or whatever she was doing these days. But on the other hand, she agreed with her father's stance on being more… calm and casual. And on a third hand, she had only known Belvedere for a few minutes and she was preferring to not have done so.
Hearing Zhi Ruo pulled her from her thoughts. "Right…" She started, sliding the business card onto the table. "Jack no fighting in the kitchen, that's one of your handful of rules isn't it?" Runali scratched her cheek, looking over at the three. "With or without your consent it sounds as if he'd be doing this anyway…" She could take a wild guess and say he didn't ask the others. "I'd… much rather be celebrating a birthday than discussing…" Runali could only gesture to the man. "So maybe this can be… discussed later."
Jack bit his cheek and threw a withering glare at the merchant. "We're not done with this," he jabbed a finger at Belvedere. "You and I are going to have a long discussion about the rights to privacy -- and a name."
Reluctantly, he allowed Zhi Ruo to pull him back. Jack huffed and smoothed out his dreadlocks. "Not sure if I share your enthusiasm, captain, but I suppose we can table this… for now. Very well. The stew's done anyways so -- Bel, you're with me. You can help serve lunch. Ma, Ru do you want to get the crew down here? I'm sure they'd love to see Sid's latest fashion upgrade."
Giving his brother a wicked grin, Jack pulled Belvedere with him, a dozen reprimands and arguments ready for the man.
Alicia's Meeting (3 Days Before Jack's Birthday Party)
It's his actual birthday but no one knows … shhhh!
Chaos meowed her surprise when Jack's tanned arms swiped her off the table. The black kitten wiggled and tapped them endlessly wishing to be free. Chester, her only brother, glanced in her direction and let out a huge yawn. He lowered his head back onto his folded front legs and stared at Alicia. "Rrrrr," he rumbled, expressing his feline wisdom.
There was something in those green eyes that showed an understanding mismatched with his current form. A look that Sid recognised when the ginger cat finally looked his way. For a moment, summoner and familiar fought silently. The human was clearly more reluctant than his companion to participate in this tell all. Chester sniffed loudly to break the tension and the two let their focus drift back to the group.
He stared at Jackie rolling around as a tiny, tickling ball. Her paws worked hard at keeping her fluffy tail clasped between them. Not for the first time, he wondered who gifted it to her. He had a sneaking suspicion that it was Amaiya but Zilia was also on the list. The two women were the only ones with ribbons in their rooms. He inclined his head politely as Kadi spoke.
Earlier he found it easy to show empathy and nod his sympathetically while Amaiya shared her tale. He wouldn't hesitate to assist her anyway he could, a message he conveyed to her mind directly in the lull before capitaine started speaking. Amaiya's second request - reasonable as it sounds - felt awkward in the extreme. He was already someone who hated calling attention to himself and to share anything about his predicament would do that.
No, he reasoned in his closed off thoughts. He would share only if this was absolutely necessary. There was a chance he remained insignificant enough for them not to pursue him. It was a hope he clung to ever since he received the orders to return to Trovale immediately. The summoners' council wished to trial him for treason against his King and his country. Not just him but every summoner loyal to Charlotte, according to Victoire in her last letter. She managed to escape because she was a royal.
Cedric thought he lost all affection for his mentor but reading the letter changed everything. His Madame had been nothing but loyal to Trovale and the council branded her a traitor. She might have been misguided at one point but this was a mockery of her entire life's work. Then, in an act of defiance, he tossed the summons into the lit kitchen stove. Jack walked in shortly after and wanted to know what happened. He lied a little and pretended to be upset that Vic had finally married her betrothed.
Feeling his féres eyes on him, Sid jerked back to attention and smiled wanly. He shook his head. I'm fine, he soothed. Tired and a little cold. Nothing everyone's not feeling. Sid squirmed a little afterwards. Aside capitaine, Zilia and Jack, he hadn't mentioned his illness to anyone. He couldn't help wondering if the rest were as oblivious as they seem. The signs were starting to get more visible: his significant weight loss hidden under the layers of thick coats, his sporadic coughing fits and his constant tiredness. It was only with capitaine and his féres help that he managed to keep up with his daily chores.
He chewed the inside of his lower lip thoughtfully. His turn had finally come and he made his decision. Easing into one of his rare smiles, he said, "Luro, Jack and Kadi seem to be in accord and I think what they say makes sense. It's good to be cautious but I don't fancy living a life constantly looking over my shoulder. It's a time better spent creating memories so we won't leave with any regrets, no?"
Sid felt selfish voicing that out but, in the quiet hours following their latest adventure, he realised what really mattered after death - memories. It would be all Jack - no, everyone - would have left once his time was done. Realizing that made him want to try harder for Jack's sake. And, he planned to start with his fères birthday.
Jackie broke free from his cupped hands at that moment. She mewed helplessly as she rolled towards someone else. Sid blinked before shaking his head. "Ah sorry for my cats being cats. Amaiya, I think it will be better now that we agreed, more or less, to support one another and not fight alone, oui? Thank you for bringing us together and having this talk."
I check in pretty much all times of the day, either from my phone or from my home computer. So it's likely I'll see messages shortly after I've received them.
Patiently she listened as each friend gave their response in turn, giving her full attention to each individual without conveying much within her expression other than the occasional nod. It came to her as a slight amusement that within this meeting she would find opposing opinions to her own, as often it was that everyone would be on the same page in regards to their gathered thoughts. When Cedric had finished speaking she sat herself up a little as she gave a short pause to process each persons response before moving her attention onto Jack. "Alicia or Amaiya is fine, whichever you are most comfortable with."
After a short pause she gave her response. "I am not wont to posture at the idea of anyone baring a potential threat. But there's a world of difference between a hired thug who would most likely pale in comparison to those present here... compared to the likes of Irukia, who may have surpassed us entirely." her tone remained gentle but it came with an edge of stress that was telling she didn't quite agree with the shared sentiment of Jack and Luro. "However I would agree that fighting together and refining personal skills are both good ideas."
She thought for a moment on how to better word her concern, her brows furrowing a little in thought as her thumbs overlapped each other while the rest of her fingers intertwined with one another. "What I ask for is something more of a thorough reflection towards the past and the consideration to come forward with information on threats that have the very real ability to kill us. To simplify it a little better, someone you may have cheated out of coin in some random game in a remote bar... I think we can handle it. A woman who up until recently was thought to be an immortal god... 'maybe' worth mentioning."
Alicia leaned back a little in her seat before standing up, "As I mentioned before there is no obligation to fulfil my request nor is it a mandatory ask by any means. I would just appreciate being able to see the cards dealt to me... to us, before the turn comes to play our hand." she walked around the table towards the door as she continued. "Any of you can find me or Ru at any time if you feel there is something you wish to speak up about and please don't hesitate to ask me questions about the information shared here today. Also thank you for the kind words, it only reaffirms that I'm exactly where I should be." she gently smiled as she placed her hand on the door handle, appearing to close the meeting before opening the door to allow a wave of fresh air to filter into the room.
"Ah, something else I should forewarn you all about. My sister is an excellent strategist and has more than likely made preparations for each of you, I have no doubt she already knows who each of you are by now after all." the air from the deck of Lady Luck kicked up strands of the swordswomans white hair as she turned to glance back towards the rest of the crew. "As for Irukia herself... I'm expecting to lose." she didn't elaborate further on that, feeling that the statement in of itself would be enough to convey just how much of a threat Alicia considered Irukia to be. The swordswoman departed from the meeting as she turned and left onto the deck, allowing the cool air to cool against her skin.
Jack Kunal runs into Seliria, cook of the Nova Pirates aka 2nd Worst Generation crew, on a backwater island. They stumble into a mystery of vanishing children that leads them to infiltrating a navy base. For the full Part I post, click here.
Just Chefs Doing Chef Things: Part II
Location: Maiyis Island, docked
Pre-Finnigan Island
While they made their way to the other side of town Seliria updated Jack with her information, one piece of information she made sure to linger on for a moment, especially considering the discarded uniform.
"There are no women at this naval base," Seliria said looking over at Jack. "None in the area as well, only one that seems to visit from one of the bases on occasion. That's what the people and a few of the patrols said…I got a fair amount of looks thanks to that. Hopefully she doesn't mind I 'borrowed' her outfit."
The two eventually ended up in a part of town known the old district though it didn't match it's namesake. Most of the pathway and buildings had been polished and remade, repainted or made to hide that the buildings had aged in anyway. Seliria pointed at an old decrepit house during their walk, it stood out among the other buildings and was apparently the home of one of the oldest residents of the island. After they passed it ended up in that state, the house had yet to be torn down as it was considered a monument to the town, being one of the first few buildings when the town was first built. It was given the bare minimum of care to keep it from falling over onto itself, to keep the new materials from outnumbering the old ones.
"This place is supposedly a monument which has kept it here but I'm pretty sure there's a reason why it hasn't been torn down yet beyond that."
Seliria opened the front door motioning for Jack to follow.
"If anyone asks I'm the daughter of the old man who lived here," Seliria said once they were inside. "It was an assumption and I ran with it. Let's take a good look around; I'm pretty sure there's something here."
The inside wasn't much better than the outside, rotted wood filled the area and cobwebs had officially outnumbered the antiques that adorned the walls. Bits of light filtered in through the dark house through the cracks and holes in the walls; the dirty carpet had been torn in a few places and had a few dried spots here and there throwing off the triangular patterns on the rug.
A grandfather clock rested on the far side of the room and compared to everything else in the area it wasn't completely covered in a coat of dust, the clock especially so with the hands just a little bit off from noon.
"See anything?" Seliria said picking up an old can.
"I stayed in a barnhouse like this once," Jack commented while looking out a window. He didn't seem to fully register Seliria's question, lost in memory and dust motes. "Decrepit, rotting to its core. We were hiding for our lives, my mother and I, and I was afraid that…" his voice trickled off. His eyes had started to roam the rest of the building, taking on an unfocused look as he took in everything-- and nothing-- all in a sweep. They passed over the grandfather clock before doubling back.
He walked over to it. Even in the moonlight, the soft gleam of metal caught his eye, brighter under the dust than any other thing in the room. A finger running over it came away with only faint dusting that discolored the skin. He rubbed it off with a thumb. "Come here," he said. It was a polite request more than a command. "This must have been moved recently. Or...taken care of it. It doesn't have the same amount of dust as the rest of the items, so it's been disturbed recently."
Jack contemplated the clock, then moved the carpet's edging away from it, kneeling to the floor to see if there were scuffs on the hardwood, or on the wall behind it.
Seliria's eyes moved to Jack moments away from commenting that wasn't an answer to her question but remained silent as she spoke. She stared at him in silence for a long moment, she made no attempt to interrupt him only staring to show she was listening, her gaze moving away only after he had stopped talking.
"Hm."
That was the extent of a response she offered to him, her face remained the same but and it was subtle there was a trace of emotion in her response, showing it was more than just a casual acknowledgement.
At Jack's call Seliria set down a half broken toy and walked over to him, her gaze moving to the clock her eyes narrowing as she picked up on how it was different from the others items in the room. She started to reach towards it but stopped seeing Jack kneel down, her eyes moving to the floor as well. There didn't seem to be anything behind the clock, no sign that the object itself moved in anyway; the floor around it looked the same as the wood a few feet away, old and worn out. However upon closer inspection there was a strange line in the wood coming from the clock, it didn't match the lines of the wood around it and Seliria followed it.
"Good eye and you're on the right track," Seliria said.
Reaching up she turned the hands on the clock, once the hands were both on twelve a loud click resonated throughout the room.
A part of the floor popped up at this causing the recently moved rug to lift up slightly; walking over Seliria threw the rug completely aside and raised up a secret compartment.
"Sure who we're looking for is down here."
The place under the house seemed almost as old as the building itself, judging by the stone surrounding them and the prison cells this was probably where the old base used to be. Seliria found it hard to think of the place they just came from as 'new' given its appearance but she saw the navy insignia on one of the walls as they made their way down a narrow hall with prisons on each side of them. The rust on some of the iron bars showed their age and the cobwebs around them could rival the ones in the building above.
If it wasn't for the lanterns hanging on the wall, which seemed untouched by time it would be hard to believe anyone had come down here in decades.
"While I was walking through the town I ended up being tailed," Seliria said grabbing a lit lantern off the wall. "I slipped away but seeing it was naval officers wasn't a comfort. I thought they had realized who I was…but that wasn't the case. They weren't looking for a pirate."
Seliria said this as they came across a door.
"It was after that I rushed after you."
She pushed it open without hesitation and entered the room behind the door, the hallway ended into another room, prisons running along the wall as well but unlike the ones behind them these had recently been tended to. The metal bars were fresh and movement came from within the cells. Seliria held the lantern up to one only to notice a child within it, her eyebrows arched and she looked back at Jack. She started to say something but when a navy officer shut the door behind them, moving in front of it she quickly closed her mouth. Footsteps echoed in the room and before long multiple officers had surrounded them, pointing the barrels of their rifles at them.
"Why are you two here?"
Seliria turned towards the voice and a man stepped into the open, he was a taller man with a broad chest, the bulge of his muscles showing in his clothe which matched that of a typical Commander. His hand rested on the saber on his waist and his eyes narrowed at the two, armament ran along his blade as he gripped the handle a bit tighter.
Seliria would have said something but the voice that addressed them clearly wasn't his.
The woman from earlier stepped out from around the man, still dressed in the same clothes as before though she had adjusted her appearance since then, and judging by the daggers attached to her waists, the naval officers that had now surrounded them and the glare she offered the two of them alongside the commander it was clear she was ensuring silence wasn't an option.
Carrie didn't seem to be anywhere nearby even in the prisons surrounding them.
"Two Worst Gen's showing up on my doorstep out of nowhere…" the woman said squeezing the bridge of her nose. "What a dilemma."
"Worst Gen?" Seliria said shrugging. "We're just two chef's taking care of a few things. Isn't that right?"
Jack followed Seliria down, one hand on a hidden weapon, and his nerves singing with tension. The navy insignia on the walls felt like an ominous brand; following him everywhere, on the fringes of the multiplying threats that wanted him dead. His eyes trained on the back of her neck as she spoke and he couldn't help a snort. "Would've been nice to know that earlier. I don't suppose it matters now…" His hushed voice died when she opened the doorway.
The child laid on her side. She was dirty, her clothes tattered. Unconscious to the world. Jack froze, for just a heartbeat. The mere sight dredged up a memory that made his breath hitch and fear run so cold in his veins it was a miracle he didn't crack into ice.
"Spirits," he gasped, rushing to the child's cage. He reached for the lock, pulling it hard enough with Armament to break into pieces and one of the bars in half. The guards came, surrounding them, as he put a hand to the child's neck. The little girl's pulse was strong and slow-- sedated. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. The guards' talking sounded distant as he stared at the child, but one of them felt familiar. A woman's voice. He forced himself to look away to stare up around them. The woman. The mother in distress. He stared up at her with a blank, stony expression as Seliria talked to him.
"Yeah…. just two chefs. Trying to do something good. Where's Carrie?"
The woman didn't seem too pleased with either of their responses, her eyes moved from Jack to Seliria, not pleased how eerily calm the woman was and the expression on Jack's mug. A small chuckle came from her at Jack's question and she made a motion to the room around them with her hand.
"That tiny thing? She's around her somewhere."
"…that's awfully compliant for someone so secretive," Seliria said.
"I see little reason not to be honest with two people about to die."
The officers seemed to shift slightly and the commander remained silent but his hand still rested on his weapon, the others were waiting for one sign of aggression from the two, the tiniest twitch towards their weapons, up until they realized that neither were really carrying any.
"Miss they don't have weapons," one of the men called.
"Probably hidden don't let your guard down," the woman responded. "Even if they don't have weapons these are Worst Gen, a punch from them could kill you."
Seliria dug in her pocket causing one of the men to yell at her and point his weapon at her, the woman didn't stop however instead pulling out two pairs of black gloves and calmly almost tauntingly started putting them on, the commander started to step forward but stopped at the woman's glance. She opened her mouth to speak when another man stepped out of the shadows, saying he looked like a hot mess would be polite. Most of his body was covered in bandages and his face was swollen to a point he looked half puffer fish, it was hard to distinguish a face between the lumps. However wherever his eyes were when they landed on Seliria he screamed, fell onto his rear and immediately backed away.
"That's her! That's the woman who brought me here!"
The woman looked over Seliria who rubbed the center of her gloves and flexed her fingers a few times.
"The mysterious leader known as Auntie," Seliria said. "The top woman of the Red Sharks. Though the ones who don't know that call you Coca right? I've been looking for a face to that name for some time. Glad I found you."
Auntie's eyes opened just a bit more, surprise showing on her face for a brief moment and with a small chuckle she brought a hand to her mouth. The woman continued to laugh for a few minutes even leaning forward to hold her stomach and pat her knee, the men around them looked at each other before she reached up and wiped a tear from her eye.
"I'm so flattered," Auntie said. "I didn't expect all this was just to see me. So…why did you beat up my lieutenant, drag him here and draw me out?"
Seliria looked back at Jack at this.
"Just so you're caught up on what's going on, the woman in front of us is the leader of an underground organization that specializes in slave trading. I'm sure you can look around and see what they specialize in. I could tell you where they send them but there's little point…just imagine a terrible place in your mind and it's probably it. She's been running around for a while now thanks to her expansive network…which is now just her and that man crying in the corner over there."
Seliria pointed at the battered man holding himself while looking in their direction.
"I came here looking for her…and you ended up getting mixed up in my search since she's apparently the one I'm looking for…you Stardusk have really bad luck."
"Are you two quite done?" Auntie said.
"Yes of course," Seliria said turning back to her. "To answer your question."
Seliria held up two fingers towards the woman.
"I'm here to give you two options," Seliria said before crossing her arms under her chest. "I've dealt with most of your organization in my free time. You're the last one especially after I drag him back to prison."
Seliria motioned to the man on the verge of wetting himself a few feet behind Auntie.
"You can tell your men to put their weapons down and surrender peacefully, I will then only beat them within an inch of their life, kill you and bring them in afterwards…or you can resist and I kill everyone but that one right there. I got plans for that one."
Seliria motioned to the commander standing a few feet away, his eyes narrowing at the woman as she offered them their choices.
"I don't like either of those options, I die in both," Auntie said with a small shrug.
"That's the point. You have too many connections to rot in a jail cell so I'm just going to make it simple. I dislike the system anyway…they'd just end up hanging you eventually so I'll just save them the trouble. My fellow Chef here can make his own decisions but that's what I intend on doing to you if you don't surrender…he's a whole other matter."
Auntie looked over at Jack and made a motion with her hand causing the large man to take a few steps forward, his shadow easily covered the two as he drew closer. Seliria considered what this man had to eat to get this big, his head was almost touching the ceiling of the place. Though he put on quite the imposing figure, a good look at his face showed a tinge of hesitation. He only moved at the behest of Auntie, a good eye could tell he didn't want to be here. He made no effort to draw his weapon and his body was tense, like a dog waiting for their owner to give the 'go' signal.
"Well Jack…what do you want to do? Since you're involved in this your opinion matters as well."
While the adults talked and threatened around him, Jack remained mute, staring at the unconscious child resting in the cage. He made the briefest glance at Seliria when she explained the situation to him. They were so close she could the veins on his temple protrude through tense white skin. He worked his jaw. His fingers raised up to trace the Stardusk tattoo on his neck. Gently, he rubbed at it, muttered under his breath, "Sorry captain."
He looked over his shoulder at Auntie and the big man that'd appeared. His expression was cold-- the normal, shy warmth that rested behind a distrustful smirk had vanished.
Jack spoke to Seliria without looking at her as he lowered his hand from his neck, long finger playing at his wrist. "I think… you had no right to use me like you did. We're going to have a serious discussion after this about how to properly share information."
Tensing on the final three words of his sentence, Jack spun on his heel and threw his hidden knife. The spy had given his number.
The dagger was black with armament and aimed for the big man's inner thigh. The moment it left his fingertips, Jack was following the motion through, pivoting full circle to punch the man's chest who'd been screaming at Seliria. He grabbed the gun, ripped it from the man's hands with armament strength, and turned it on Auntie. He pulled the trigger without even bothering to see if his blow had connected with the soldier.
"I don't know when exactly I used you Kunal but whatever you say," Seliria said glancing over at one of the men.
The commander quickly drew his sword, armament surrounding his blade knocking the knife away, though he had the time to react to Jack's attack the other man didn't, he barely had time to move his hand to the trigger before he was flying into the far wall. The commander's eyes widened seeing he was aiming at Auntie. The woman' eyes narrowed when the shot fired, raising her arm armament surrounding it and with a swipe she knocked the bullet away.
"If that's their answer kill them," she said.
She looked at the surrounding man who seemed frozen in place; the commander's eyebrows arched seeing his men were basically statues. Just as she opened his mouth to speak the men fell to the ground simultaneously with low groans, their eyes rolling back as Seliria started walking towards Auntie. There were indents in the floor in front of the men where someone had slammed their foot down, the owner of the steps currently rotating her arm as she approached the large man.
"If you don't mind I'm going to get the woman I came here for. If you deal with the big guy don't kill him."
The Commander seemed torn, his eyes flickering between Seliria and Jack, he had his sword pointed at the man in front of him but letting Seliria remain close to Auntie was also a problem.
Auntie gritting her teeth turned towards the far door only to see Seliria slam it shut, leaning against and crossing her arms under her chest. The woman looked back where the woman had been to where she was, her hand moving to the pistol that was attached to her waist.
"Damn Worst Gen, you're pirates! Why do you care about my affairs! You're criminals yourself; are you trying to move in on my territory?"
"I'm just here to end your life I don't know what he wants with you," Seliria said motioning to Jack. "I still need to ask you some questions so you get a few extra minutes to make your peace."
Jack's eye twitched. He wanted Auntie to be his target; he needed her to be his target. Some part of his mind that coolly observed everything without attachment, told him it was solely to make himself feel better. Who took her down shouldn't matter. But she took Carrie and he hadn't known better. He could hear at least five woman in his thoughts claiming him a fool, and he rightly deserved it.
Pushing the regrets from his mind, he pivoted to the commander. His butterfly knives were in his hands before he'd even made the conscious decision to reach for them. A pair of raging watery eyes captured the commander in their sights. Jack's step faltered. Waiting. Giving the commander a chance to rethink his position.
When the commander didn't drop his sword, Jack lunged.
The cramped space, and Seliria's fighting at their backs, made maneuvering difficult but Jack was trained for close quarters and he knew the navy's military methods. He'd fought enough soldiers to know… and he'd been taught by a general who's talent for duel fighting was art in motion, and she possessed Full Armament Haki. Compared to her, this backwater commander was a novice playing soldier.
Jack struck hard and fast. His left-handed knife was in a forward grip and led his assault. Their black blades connected, sparks flying. His right hand was a reverse grip. It came from the angles the commander least anticipated. Jack aimed for the chest first, hiding his second strike across the belly. The commander threw up his sword in time to block it. He kicked Jack in the chest and jumped back. Absorbing the impact with armament, Jack didn't falter, and quickly followed the commander with a snake's attack.
They exchanged blows with weapons fueled by haki, their expertise equal, neither giving way to strength. The commander's flicked and he smiled. He had the man's technique figured out.
The next left-handed strike aimed for the commander's throat. It distracted from the other knife slithering up under his guard. The commander curved his sword around Jack's throat thrust and yanked the knife from his grip. Then the commander latched on to his right wrist. He squeezed, meaning to crush to spy's wrist with armament and disarm him completely. Jack leaned back-- and head butted him.
Howling, the commander collapsed. Both hands held onto a nose that bled through his fingers and down his lips. Jack kicked away the man's dropped sword and wiped his blood from his forehead. There was a blue and purple bruise forming on his brow but he didn't pay attention to it. "You military types. You never look for the cheap tricks, do you?"
Jack picked up his weapon and stood over the commander. His face was dark and unreadable. "I'm going to ask this once: why are you here and what have you been doing? Please avoid using vague and non-answering answers."
Seliria watched the exchange between the two men in silence, crossing her arms as she observed each other's movements. She made sure to meet Auntie's gaze each time it moved back to her as a silent reminder not to interfere but both women were focused on the fight. Auntie's demeanor had changed the moment the two men started fighting, and at its conclusion she merely closed her eyes. The outcome of their exchange had been decided after the first blow and she understood it on some level, she realized very quickly there was no escape.
The woman's stance was no longer aggressive but almost eerily calm, her hands folded neatly in front of her and there was an emptiness in her eyes as she stared at the fallen Commander.
If she feared for her life it no longer showed, she was akin to a statue the rising and falling of her chest the only sign of life coming from her anymore.
The Commander didn't speak for a long moment remaining on the ground, his hand slowly moving away from his face. The once towering man seemed little more than a boy as his eyes downcast stared at the floor. After a moment he only raised his eyes to look back at the woman who seemed to say something with her gaze, something he understood all too well as he turned his attention forward again.
"…If I speak…my daughter…"
The man cut himself off after that and remained silent merely lowering his head so Jack could finish the job.
"Her name?"
The man looked up as Seliria who had chosen to remain silent spoke up, pulling out a small notebook from her pocket. She stared at the man her brows arching slightly, he seemed to hesitate for a moment but spoke the girl's name out loud which caused Auntie's eyes to narrow slightly.
Silence filled the room again as Seliria started looking through the book, the sound of pages being slowly turned offering the only sound in the room and with each page turned the commander body seemed to tense up more and more. Seliria took her sweet time reading through whatever list she had until she turned the page once more, almost able to feel the hope draining from the man and tapped a name on the page.
"Maggie Wormayer. Red hair, mole on left cheek, green eyes," Seliria said.
The Commander's head shot up at this and he turned to her, Seliria shut her book looking back at the man.
"She's safe."
Every ounce of tension left the man's body and he fell forwards onto his hands, his breathing came in bursts and tears mixed with the blood still dripping from his nose. The man sobbed quietly clutching at the ground as Auntie's tightened her grip slightly, the only sign of emotion she had exhibited in the last few minutes.
"…thank you."
The commander mumbled the words before sitting back onto his knees, he turned back to Jack and wiping the tears from his eyes spoke.
"Auntie came to this island a few weeks ago. She came bearing the names of not only my child but some of the men, especially ones in higher positions. She threatened their lives if we didn't help, she had eyes everywhere…when one of the men tried to send for help…she personally returned the letter sent…along with…"
The commander trailed off but his eyes told the rest of the story, the smallest smile found its way onto Auntie's face for a brief moment but left as soon as it came.
"She asked us to turn a blind eye to her activities, not to check ships with certain marks. Today she took children from our town…and here they are. She heard someone was snooping and told some of my men to destroy my office, make it look like an attack to draw attention away and destroy evidence of her involvement. Most of the men didn't know what was going on; she only targeted the ones with any pull."
Jack stepped away from the commander. He wordlessly watched their exchange, and nodded with gratitude when the commander divulged his knowledge. His attention flicked back to the woman, his eyes narrowing.
Seliria looked over at Auntie who made no efforts to move, with a small shake of her head she looked back at the Commander.
"Those pirates you hate so much just saved your ass," Seliria said walking forward. "Remember that while you're in prison. Knowing someone like you you'll be out in a year or two."
Seliria took Auntie's arms and pull her hands behind her before tying her hands together with rope she had on her person, the Commander quickly realized who the bounty hunter was as she tied Auntie's hands behind her.
"Jack," Seliria said focusing on Auntie. "Even if I didn't know this woman was Auntie…you still got pulled into my affairs. If it had been up to me I wouldn't have involved you, a customary greetings and goodbye was the extent of my intention."
Seliria raised her eyes to Jack.
"You Stardusk have a habit of getting into trouble though don't you. I don't say it often so listen carefully."
Seliria stopped speaking tightening the ropes causing Auntie to flinch slightly before a small chuckle escaped from the capture woman.
"I'm sorry you got involved in this. If you have anything else to ask the Commander I ask you wait till later."
Seliria pushed Auntie causing her to fall face first onto the ground, though the woman was being treated roughly and essentially at the mercy of her captors the small smile never left her face.
"I'm going to bring this guy," Seliria said motioning to the Commander. "Up top with the rest of his people, I'm then going to wake up and move the kids in the other room. I'd rather not have to explain why all the adults are sleeping so it's going to take a minute."
Seliria tied the Commander's arms behind his back, the man offered no resistance and stood when Seliria pat his shoulder, stepping to the side to wait and be ushered out.
"I'd imagine it'll take me about twenty minutes…you mind dealing with this one while I'm doing that."
Seliria said motioning to Auntie before tossing Jack a bag.
"I still need to bring her head in for the bounty so don't mess up her face too much. Since you got this involved in my business I'll give you a piece of the bounty. We can discuss it after."
Seliria walked over to the man and pushed him towards the door.
"She's a dead woman either way so do whatever. Matters none to me who cuts her throat, long as she's not breathing by the end of all this."
"Before you go doing that…"
Seliria looked back at the woman as she raised her head and grinned at the two of them.
"This isn't my only prison…you kill me and a lot more kids are going to remain 'missing'.
Selira arched a brow at the woman before speaking.
"And?"
Auntie's smile shrunk from her face and her eyes narrowed at the woman who spoke to her, half lidded eyes meeting her own.
"Don't know what kind of person you think I am but I'm here for the money not the kids. I ain't their guardian, don't matter none to me what happens to them."
"What?! You agreed to help me!"
"For the money," Seliria said holding up a finger. "This guy here is the nice one who does things for free. If he doesn't kill you I will, you got something to say I'd tell him."
Auntie eyes shot over to Jack as Seliria pushed open the door pushing the Commander out, ending their conversation abruptly a cold look in her eyes.
Closing the door behind her Seliria left Auntie to Jack as she went to retrieve the navy officers.
"Trouble should be etched into our colors," a tight smile tugged his lips but it lacked humor. "I don't need a piece of your bounty. Just get the guards-- I'll start getting the kids once we're through here."
He waited until Seliria left with the commander before turning to Auntie. "This is your last chance to willingly give up what you know. I can't save your life. Are you sure you want to die without saving a piece of yourself? No? Well, alright then." Brandishing a butterfly knife, Jack advanced on Auntie.
******
When Seliria returned with the guard, they found Jack sitting on the floor with little Carrie in his arms and the rest of the children sleeping around them. The bodies and Auntie had been removed, though a few bloody streaks marring the floor led to a room the two cooks hadn't explored. He didn't look up when they approached, still looking at the child in his arms, but when Seliria was close enough he started to talk.
"Norja, my homeland, is an immigrant country. The natives died centuries ago to a volcanic disaster. Everyone who lives there once came from somewhere else. And it's mostly lawless. Bandits and flesh traders roam the countryside freely. They steal everything but your bones. But...families are too few. It's hard to maintain a population that comes and goes, and is stretched out too thin. That's why children are off limits." Jack looked up at Seliria, his cheeks streaked with dried silent tears. There was a tortured glimpse behind them that seemed out of place, even here. As if what he was saying and truly thinking didn't correlate. "You don't deal in kids. You just don't."
He glanced down at Carrie and shushed her anxious, sleeping mumbles. "You'll find her and the other bodies down the hallway, in another room. The children didn't see them. I think they've been sedated and might have to be carried out."
Seliria's eyes immediately went to the blood trail when they approached but it refocused on the children relatively quickly. She took a quick note of their features before writing each one down in her notebook. While she was doing so Jack spoke to her causing her to look up at him, she didn't respond and her face remained blank though her eyebrows drew down slightly. She hadn't expected any sharing to happen today.
She made no attempt to stop him however, there was a certain weight to his words that she understood and it kept her silent and attentive. She closed her eyes as he finished and gave a small nod. Jack did seem a bit too into this but hearing all of that she understood a bit more why, opening her eyes she looked at the children for a long moment.
"Seliria?" he called after another row of silence. He got up awkwardly, doing his best not to jostle the sleeping child in his arms, and walked over to her. He leaned close to avoid the soldiers overhearing their entire conversation. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew who Auntie was and… wrongly assumed you purposefully dragged me into your hunt. Not accidentally. I don't mind it, but that's also besides the point." He smiled apologetically. "I also don't believe you. What you said about only being in this for the money. If I'm right, take Auntie to the Lotus Blossom in Norja. They'll find her other prisons and dismantle them. Tell them a lost cardinal directed your way. If I'm wrong… well, you'll receive double the last posted bounty. Especially if she's left alive."
Seliria closed her book and was moments from following the blood with the guards focused on something else when Jack approached. She put a hand in her pocket and tilted her head slightly, her brows arching pretending their conversation was a normal one as her stanced relaxed slightly. Hearing Jack's words she gave a very small almost unnoticeable shrug.
"You have to care about someone's opinion to be hurt by it...but I appreciate the apology."
His following words caused her eyes to narrow, and she clicked her tongue a bit. She quickly pulled herself back not wanting the guards to notice the shift in attitude. After a moment she glanced sideways at Jack before placing her hands on her hips. She almost seemed pained for a moment before she finally spoke.
"...there's none left."
She almost mumbled the words as she crossed her arms.
"I've spent some time breaking apart her organization...hunting one bit by bit. I saw no reason to tell her that though."
Seliria looked at the child in Jack's arm.
"They're annoying, loud and a pain to deal with...but they don't deserve this."
She moved a strand of hair behind the girl's ear, staring at her face for a moment before sighing a little.
"Unfortunately...people like Auntie always have extra connections. Even if her places are dismantled something on this grand of scale isn't normally done alone...I may take you up on your offer if that's true."
Seliria looked back at the guards.
"I normally keep my business to myself...but that makes us even for what you said in the house."
Seliria started to walk away from Jack but stopped as a familiar face ran up to them, Max dressed in normal clothes stopped in front of the two breathing heavily. Resting his hands on his knees he held a hand up to the two as a silent indication to wait causing Seliria to glance at Jack.
"D-did you two hear what happened?" Max said straightening up. "About the Commander, and the kids and all that….oh you must have."
Max said this looking over at the sleeping children, he looked over at Seliria for a moment, a small red tint filling his cheeks before he looked away. Seliria allowed disgust to show on her face for a brief moment before putting her mask back on when he looked their way again.
"A general idea," Seliria said. "We did just get here so it's all very sudden."
"Yeah...I'm sorry everything ended up like this. Well the good news is that thanks to the destruction of the base we're all being transferred. Where I'm going is a bit closer to a main base so it won't be as bad. It's out east somewhere. There are a few unlucky ones who will be staying to help...that's not you guys right?"
"Since I just got here they just moved me somewhere else. I don't know about him."
Jack didn't understand what she meant. What had he said in the house to prompt her sharing? For the life of him, he couldn't remember. But then exhaustion was setting in too. By now he imagined Runali worrying over his disappearance. I should have been onboard hours ago… we were supposed to raise anchor before dusk… He would get an earful. If not from his captain, then certainly the doctor. She can yell on my face all she wants while I can take a nap. Gods, I am tired.
Getting to his feet, Jack went to follow Seliria out before Max stopped them. A protective hand wrapped around Carrie's waist as he watched, apprehensively, at the two's exchange. His eyes flicked between them, noting the small sneer creeping on the other pirate's face before she quickly hid it again. Hm.
Jack quickly picked up on Seliria's half lie, he shrugged, jostling the sleeping child. "I go where the Navy points. But yeah, I'll be staying a couple extra days to help with the kids. Speaking of I need to get this one home. If you'll excuse me…"
Seliria gave a small nod in agreement with Jack before going to leave herself but Max quickly held his hands out.
"W-wait please!" Max yelled running towards both of them.
His yelling drew the attention of the officers and Seliria had to hold back clicking her tongue and turned to face him, walking away now would just look more suspicious. She raised a hand in greeting to the two men causing them to shrug and go back to their notebooks. They made no attempts to move from their spot.
"...yes Max?"
"...we're probably not going to see each other again," Max said rubbing his arm. "hopefully." Seliria thought before offering a nod.
"I know it's a weird taboo and you guys don't have to tell me yours in fact I won't ask...but I want to tell you my reason for being here. Who knows I might get lucky."
"That's not nece-"
"So I used to work as an inventor at Brass Cape. I wasn't in the upper echelon, I was average at best but it was good work."
Max closed his eyes and smiled at the pleasant memory but quickly pulled himself back before patting himself on the chest.
"One day however I came across this horrid man, he ended up dragging me around Brass Cape destroying a quarter of it in the process. He ran off afterwards and the guards caught and blamed me for the mishap! I tried to describe the man to them but they thought I was lying, making up some imaginary person. My name's not even Max, that's what he called me and I explained that but they marked it down as my real name."
Max squeezed the bridge of his nose his body shaking at the memory.
"They gave me two choices, go to jail for destroying part of the town...or work off my debt in the navy. Clearly I chose the latter….I can't eve use my real name because 'Max' is listed on the contract."
Max lowered his hand and looked back at the two.
"The one good thing about all this is being moved I should get paid a normal wage...most of my paycheck goes to my debt….anyway I'm telling you guys this in case you've met the guy. He's a giant red headed man with the smile of an imp and eyes full of dangerous joviality. I noticed we actually have bounty posters on the group he's with. They're called the Stardusk Pirates and his name is Luro. Would you happen to know him?"
Seliria moved her hands to her hips wondering how she should respond to this situation. In a weird way it was almost sad that he was so close.
"I generally deal with Worst Gen Pirates."
"Oh...yeah no the bounties didn't say that about Stardusk….I don't know who the Worst Gen Pirates are."
"That meant Jack wasn't on the list." She closed her eyes glad that was clarified. "Pre Kane'arteum bounties aren't going to help Max. That will more than likely change when he moves."
"Then I can't be of any assistance. I don't know where this 'Luro' currently is. He's one pirate among many it's unlikely that we'd know where he was at."
Seliria didn't look at Jack but she didn't try to hide her desire to move the conversation in a different direction.
"...yeah...yeah you're right. I wanted to try though, no harm in asking right? One day I'll find this Luro Makachi and make him pay for the damages he caused."
"Good luck with that, I'll be taking my leave. If I may offer advice, I'd be wary of a pirate that can destroy a quarter of a city, don't get yourself killed chasing after him."
"A-ah...yeah that...makes sense. I'll keep that in mind."
Seliria raised a hand and walked away from the two men aiming to put distance between Stardusk and the Navy.
You've...got...to be...kidding me… A shrivel of dismay drained the heat from Jack's face as he listened to Max's poor predicament. He remembered that trip to Brass Cape. The fiasco of the Alley and meeting the second Worst Gen crew dominated his memories, but beyond that, now that he thought about it, he had seen Luro passby with a young man in tow. He and Sara had been busy though and he didn't pay much thought to it at the time. For a brief moment of horror, Jack wondered if Max knew he was Stardusk too, and he raked fingers of his one free hand through his dreadlocks. His hair resettled over his shoulder and hid the rest of his tattoo not covered by the uniform's collar.
Mild concern and sympathy painted a genuine expression, but inwardly Jack breathed a sigh of relief when Max's tale came to an end.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Pirates are a nasty lot, you might want to heed her advice. Better to live the life you want than get tangled up in their criminal affairs...whose to say you won't get thrown into jail for real next time?"
Jostling Carrie, Jack inched out of the warehouse and in the opposite direction of Seliria. She'd made it clear it was time to part ways and he didn't disagree. The sooner he found Carrie's home, the sooner he could return to his ship and sail far away. Doubtless they may already be looking for me-- oh no. The thought of Luro showing up now….be quick.
"I really need to return this child to her home, Max, or...whatever your name is… so I'll be taking my leave. Best of luck to your ventures." Or not, all things considering. Giving a final wave, Jack made his hasty retreat.
Luro Makachi and Adelaide Summers venture out on an island famous for their flower fields. Among this rainbow beauty, Adelaide demonstrates her Devil Fruit power to help Luro make wind Armament gloves. In exchange, she asks for a conversation with Imposter. This is a continuation of that request. For the full first post, click here.
Windy-Wind, Flowers and Conversations: Part II
Location: The Fields of Rainbow Isle // ???
Post-Meeting The Court of Miracles
Stretched out in front of Adelaide Summers was a throne room or at least what remained of one. The ruins around her had clearly been beautiful at one point; a broken chandelier rested nearby its golden glass shattered lying next to what looked like pieces of armor. The carpet which lead to the double doors, one of which was hanging off its hinges, was dirty and somehow wet in some places. The large hole in the wall that let in a gentle breeze, blowing the tattered tapestry that hung nearby showed the world outside, endless rolling hills of green stretching out at far as the eye could see.
The outside was inherently beautiful, a cloudless blue sky and a yellow globe in the sky.
At the far side of the room past fallen candelabra, broken statues and the like was a throne which was surprisingly well kept given the state of the room and sitting on it sideways was Luro twirling liquid in a silver goblet.
A long sigh escaped from Luro a crown resting askew on his head, except for a red cape he was dressed in his normal clothes, though his shirt was buttoned up fully.
A moment passed and his eyes moved over to Ali, he blinked a few times his eyes widening a bit at the sight as he jumped a bit seeing another person.
"Oh."
Luro swung his legs over the throne standing up and setting his goblet down revealing the purple liquid within it.
He looked at Adelaide before a grin adorned his face and he rested his hands on his hips.
The man seemed similar to the previous Luro for the most part, but there was a different air about him, he gave a feel akin to seeing a bottle of rum resting on a bear trap.
"It's been ages since I've had an actual visitor. Sorry for the mess his letters always arrive late here."
The strange air immediately left and he carried the aura of a normal person as he adjusted his crown to fit properly on his head.
"Let's see…if you know him then I guess I should introduce myself. Since we both apparently can't be Luro, I've been given the name Imposter. Which I admit is very rude but that's another story. If you came all this way I imagine you wanted something from me?"
There was no trace of light in the man's stare, his eyes were covered in a deep fog, an abyss with no particular end. Nothing about him internally resembled anything human, but he somehow wore the mask well, enough that the mind naturally filled in the blanks and recognized him as just another person. Almost like looking at the painting of a human being, an image and nothing more.
Adelaide readjusted in two blinks to the abrupt change of scenery. She placed an orange lily to her nose, the only flower left in her hands, while she looked around at the broken throne and the scenery beyond. Bits of her fizzed into wind as she took in the new surroundings of those parts of her reported back...wrongness. Her eyes flicked up to the sky with it's smooth light blue polish, and experienced the sensation of staring at her feet sinking into wet carpet. A frown formed behind the lily as she contemplated this phenomenon, and coincidentally, ignoring Imposter.
"Love what you've done with the place," she said at last. Her glinting eyes flicked to Imposter and she smiled. "Would you like me to write you letters instead?"
Taking one step forward, her foot crunched on the broken glass of the chandelier. Adelaide didn't seem to mind. She sauntered towards the throne. As she walked into the path of the breeze that moved the tapestry, it blew through her. Her body dissipated from the knees up into wind that blossomed at a sluggish pace. He could almost hear a long inhale as Adelaide touched the edges of the throne room, but no further. It eventually reached the Imposter himself. It curled his hair and twinged he fringes of his cape. It nudged the crown on his head a nudge farther to the side. Then it retreated. Adelaide reformed herself at a slower pace and when she was whole, her chest rose and fell rapidly, as if sucking in full lungs of air again. She stopped on the first step to the throne itself, and placed her hands on her hips. "I wanted something from you? Maybe. Maybe I just wanted to meet you. Maybe I haven't thought it farther than this."
She smiled at him. "The infamous Imposter. It's so very nice to see you. But what are you really?"
"He'll never deliver them," Imposter said waving his hand at the idea of a letter. "Thought is appreciated though and thank you, I practice décor in my free time…which is constantly."
He watched the woman in front of him move around his room, shoving his hands into the pockets of his outfit, his eyes remaining focused ahead even as she brushed past his person. He smiled a little waiting for her to go through her particular motions, only pausing to bring a hand to his chin wondering if he should offer something to his guest. He didn't have any tea and he knew she probably didn't want what was in the goblet.
He looked at the woman smiling a little at her words before he turned and folding his hands behind his back looked at the wall in front of him. He seemed to peer through it staring at something beyond the walls, his eyes lowering slightly.
"To come into this world with uncertainty…I like that," Imposter said. "It's very brave…haha you are certainly entertaining. Fair enough then."
Imposter looked over at Adelaide and smiled before his brows arched a bit as he caught her other question.
"You are…probably the only person to actually come in and ask," Imposter said with a small nod. "Well since I have nothing better to do and well…you asked, I don't mind answering your question."
Imposter turned toward the wall and started towards it, he kept his pace even as he drew closer though instead of walking into the wall the word seemed to shift as if in response to his movement. Everything blurred into a myriad of colors, like a painting with no direction only splashes of yellow and red here and there. Imposter continued walking however paying no mind to the changing world and in the next moment all the colors quickly crashed together and the scene shifted, the two standing on a white balcony staring out over a field of green that stretched endlessly towards the horizon.
Compared to before the castle itself seemed brand new, stretching high towards the sky behind them, multiple spires with a strange foreign flag attached to them threatened to pierce the expansive blue above them.
Imposter's footsteps echoed on the stone before he placed his hands upon the railing, the way behind them, the throne room had been rebuilt and the suits of armor stood standing and proud, glinting in the sunlight that poured over them.
"My name has been lost to time," Imposter said. "A piece of history no one wants to remember. To speak my name was to invite misfortune…so many chose to keep silent then call on me. Those who were brave enough and survived became my associates."
Imposter paused and looked down at the field for a moment, he kept his back to Adelaide as he continued.
"The Undersea King? Davy Jones and his wonderful sister? They're merely fragments of what came before. I suppose they're the closest things to decedents I have, save the boy. There are more out there but their names aren't worth remembering. Those three are at least fun to watch."
Imposter glanced over his shoulder at Adelaide.
"Regretfully what I am no longer exists in common tongue anymore, the old languages have erased me from existence so nothing carried over…in that case Imposter actually fits me as a name. I'm a very very old being who has existed longer than most can fathom."
Imposter turned his attention forward again a small chuckle escaping from him before he raised his hand and spread it over the field. The scene in front of them started changing again, the green fields slowly withered to a dull brown. The sky slowly shifted into a bright crimson as yelling filled the fields. The beautiful land was trampled by boots of steel as armored troops ran at each other down below, trampling over anything that dare stand between them and the opposing army. Steel met steel and red stained everything and Imposter watched with the smallest grin as the people below him tore themselves apart for a silent reason.
The castle behind them was barely still put together and pieces of the railing had been blown apart, a ball of fire flew through the sky crashing through the castle creating a hole a few feet away, bits of debris and dust falling over the two.
"I suppose now I'm just someone who enjoys watching these people tear themselves apart…though I also enjoyed it when I was free. I just don't have a guiding hand in it anymore…well supposedly"
For a brief moment the air around the man shifted, for a fragment of a second he seemed more animal than person, not in shape but form. It was barely a breath however and whatever it was faded quickly.
Imposter turned to Adelaide and motioned towards the field below, the people had all but vanished and the green had returned, in the span of a blink the peace had returned to the castle.
"I'm unable to speak my name anymore, the one curse placed upon me. Only Luro can speak it now, mainly because we share it but he refuses to utter it himself, it's quite the dilemma. Thus unfortunately answering your question is different, what I am makes no sense to living or dead things anymore and my name was lost to time. Thus Imposter a being borrowing another's existence works for me."
Imposter chuckled a bit holding his hand out, his goblet flew from its position back to his hand.
"Sorry to disappoint, I get very few visitors so I try to be at least somewhat courteous."
The world is his canvas and with broad strokes, he paints utopia under a red sky. The quote made Adelaide's eyes glimmer knowingly as she watched the Imposter's existence unfold. He talked of power and ancient birth, a grandiose life for someone who once existed in her world. Her version of it. Lost to time. Not even the dead Norjan civilization was lost. Their people remained frozen under ashy caskets and their recordings sinewed into stone.
Adelaide fixated on the scenes Imposter built for her, marveling at its consistent realness. She even smelled the taint of blood and soiled bodies wafting from the bloody fields, swept to her nose on a warm wind. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted Imposter's change. His form twitched with his emotions. She was entranced by a realization: he personified her life.
Adelaide took the goblet from his hand. She swirled it's contents and sniffed the rim. A sweet wine perfume wafted her senses. Never breaking eye contact, she took a sip.
The goblet slammed onto the balcony. Adelaide's head jerked and she closed her eyes. Minutes ticked by and she didn't move a muscle, except to swallow the drink and it's horrific bitter taste. Eyes moved rapidly beneath her lids as if she experienced intense dreams. It wasn't until Imposter moved, beyond her awareness, that the dreams stopped. She stood motionless for a long moment.
At last, she released a slow and controlled exhale and blinked her eyes open, recapturing her surroundings. "Hm."
Adelaide contemplated Imposter's cup. "That doesn't taste as it smells. You should adjust that." she said, handing it back.
"It's, truly, a very nice story you wove. Hardly a disappointment. Complete with a show even. How very thorough of you." Placing both hands on the balcony, she vaulted up onto, planting both feet on its stony banister with smooth and elegant balance. Never going too far out of the Imposter's presence, she walked back and forth with arms stretched out, lackadaisical, like she once witnessed a trapeze artist do it and wanted to see how it felt. She towered over him with a smirk and mocked his voice.
"'What I am makes no sense to living or dead things anymore.' I ate a bit of fruit once and suddenly, I am wind and the wind is me, and the only thing that hates me is the sea. I watched stones produce false animals and magic with sacrificed paper. Davy Jones says hello without ever dying, and there's a cave of flowers that glows at nighttime because they can. Little that we see makes sense, to the living and the dead. I see you. That satisfies."
Crouching on her haunches, Adelaide grinned cat-like and placed her chin in her hand, the way she saw both Luro and Imposter do. Her hand stuck out towards him for a handshake. "'Imposter, a being borrowing another's existence'. Hello, me. Tell me, me, what other existences have you borrowed?"
Imposter took the goblet staring into it as the cup refilled itself once it was returned to his hand. He smelled it for a moment before offering a small nod towards Adelaide swirling the mysterious liquid in the cup, if he knew what she saw he didn't show it. The liquid itself if one looked close enough never showed the reflection of the one holding it, but he moved it away before it showed what was really there.
"For it's bitter smell it is very sweet. The dreams it offers does make the contrast worth it."
His eyes raised from his cup as Adelaide spoke to him, watching her climb onto the banister.
Raising his eyes to meet her he folded his hands behind his back as he listened to her, finding humor in her balancing act. He supposed her devil fruit allowed her such fearlessness, or perhaps this was her natural state of being, either way he enjoyed those who willingly lingered near danger, they were some of the more fun ones.
At her mockery his grin widened slightly and he listened to her with small shine in his eyes, impersonating an imposter, he found such a thing humorous. He had a feeling she would do it well and he always enjoyed watching the spectacle. Most people lose themselves in the illusion and it was always a joy watching it. Those with rather rebellious spirits were always more interesting.
"A story though...haha well I do aim to please after all," Imposter said with a small shrug.
His eyes moved to her hand for a moment and with a smile he held his own out towards her.
"Hmm perhaps actions is better here, you never know whose being dishonest nowadays. Liar's are abundant you know…"
Just as he was inches from her hand, his own hand extended forwards shoving Adelaide off the edge, a small smile resting on his face as he watched her fall. He had made Adelaide's body heavy as if she had been hurled into the sea, and allowed her to fall towards the earth her body crashing through the ground below, breaking it apart as if it were glass.
The sky opened after she crashed through the clouds surrounding her in a sea of blue before the world seemed to rebuild itself, the earth once again appearing under Adelaide as a castle built itself from the group in the distance, quickly forming into a towering structure. A low chuckled echoed and a voice spoke to Adelaide, as if it was coming from her own mind. "I have adorned the robes of King and Queen."
A redheaded queen stepped onto the balcony of the castle, her crimson locks glistening in the sunlight, subjects lined up below her and she raised a hand to them offering a gentle smile. That grin however shifted slightly, the edges curving up into a rather sadistic one as she peered down at them before Adelaide connected with the ground.
A pillow of fluff met her instead of hard ground and the brightness of the sky was replaced with darkness, the ground below her replaced with shattered and grim ridden cobblestone, the decrepit buildings rising up creating interconnected alleyways that seemed to stretch on forever in between the countless buildings.
Along the streets there was a redheaded youth on his hands and knees, surrounded by larger children who stared down at him with twisted grins. The boy was covered in marks and dirt and a grunt escaped from him as a kick connected with his ribs. "I've walked in the tattered shoes of pauper's."
A familiar smile found its way onto the boy's face, one full of malice that twisted the boy's face. His head lowered the older children didn't see the glint of his teeth or the dagger that slipped into his hand.
Adelaide passed through the cobblestone as if it wasn't there as the boy raised to his feet brandishing the dagger.
A white void surrounded Adelaide on all sides, numerous images appeared around Adelaide showing her different faces and lives fading in and out of view, whole existences being displayed in seconds, love, hatred, revenge, loss, a slew of emotions passed through her. "I've worn the guise of man and monster."
A red haired sailor appeared in one scene a slew of men behind him all at the ready, the scene shifted to a monster it's form twisted into multiple bent shapes, rising from the deep sea, countless eyes peering at whatever lied in front of him.
Strange worlds even showed in the reflection some clearly different from the one they inhabited. "Life after life, person after person and each experience different. I'd like to say I've been everyone."
Imposter appeared and Adelaide's descent suddenly stopped, paused in motion as if time itself had decided to cease at the presence of the man. Making a downward motion with two fingers time continued and whatever spell he put on the woman faded as he folded his hands behind his back and she was gently placed back on the ground.
"However each experience has been different," Imposter said. "It's never been boring. Some matters remain the same, a natural part of the cycle but for the most part no one life I've lived has purely imitated the others."
Imposter closed his eyes a small chuckle escaping from him as long black cracks formed along the ground of the white void, like clawed appendages they spread around the two even filling the air.
"...there are barely any traces of my old home left in this world."
Imposter's voice softened for a moment his eyes staring into the nothingness, narrowing slightly.
"The floating islands, the crimson waterfalls that flowed into the rising sea...all gone. Replaced with a world of metal and brass."
Imposter shut his eyes a small laugh escaping from him at the very thought.
"Didn't realize I still had sentiment left. Didn't even like the place, guess I'm just upset I wasn't the one who destroyed it."
Whatever moment he had faded quickly and he offered a shrug.
"I've lived perhaps too long. I even know how those 'Devil Fruits' came into being, why they bestow power."
Imposter held up his hand and flexed his fingers, his hand turned into wind akin to Adelaide's before he closed it into a fist reforming it.
"Why they're very specific and who they once belonged to...I find it humorous the earth bestows such imitations." "L…….I……….A……..U…...N
Another voice tried to slip into Ali's thoughts, Imposter was speaking and focused elsewhere so if the voice was his, it probably wasn't purposeful. The voice sounded distorted, in fragments but there was something desperate.
Adelaide's smile imitated the Imposter's as she was pushed off the balcony. She hadn't expected anything less.
As she fell through his memories, for the first time in her life, Adelaide experienced the sensation of having no room left in her mind for herself. The stimuli of the Imposter's realities-- clouds wetting her skin to the cobblestone grime clumping under fingernails-- and his many lives' emotions and his own monologue drowned out whatever response Ade might have had. She'd no choice but to let them flow through her until the journey was done. She landed next to Imposter, inspecting black fissures that were formed, and recollected her sense of self.
It was his light chuckle that brought her attention back to the present. A tiniest frown tugged at her lips. The faintest reaction, teased by surprise that years of masking emotions couldn't abate.
"None left? Djal, you're brimming with sentiment."
The broken-down castle and the cup of wine and the endless sequences of his past. Emotions that poured into her heart like a waterfall; fast, hard, and unrelenting. Gone the moment she reached the bottom. Had he been waiting all this time? To show someone new his life? Thinking of the past laid out, Adelaide wondered if it wasn't sentiment after all, but something more bittersweet. Nostalgia.
The voice came then. Fragmented gasps twisting into her thoughts. She didn't pay it mind, at first, thinking it was another of Imposter's trick. But his address didn't falter and his attention was on her. He seemed to like waiting for her reactions; so, was this not him? A hand slipped into her bag and pulled out a new flower. She smirked when she saw it was a blue rose, stolen from a Norjan market.
"What are you?"
The question slipped from her lips as she sniffed the flower, covering up her minuet distraction. Her mind grappled for that other voice. She remained focused on the Imposter, outwardly. Eyes amusedly attended to him just they had since they met. She even sauntered to closer, showing an interest piqued. She held out the blue rose for him to take.
Liaun? Who's Liaun?
Imposter couldn't help but a laugh a little at the idea of having any kind of sentiment left.
The smile that formed on his face however almost seemed real before his eyes focused back on the strange landscape, something in the world seemed to shift slightly in response but Imposter seemed unfazed by it. He merely spread his arms out to the empty world and grinned at his endless domain, just as she started to give it new shape, to return them to his throne room he stopped hearing Adelaide's voice once more. His eyes moved to the rose for a moment, his brow arching as he reached over and took hold of it, the blue petals shifted into onyx at his touch, as if he'd stolen the blue inadvertently.
He seemed to stare at the flower for a moment then up at Adelaide, his eyes seemed to say something that didn't match the man's general demeanor, but he only shut them and chuckled. In that tiny moment of silence, the voice reached out to Adelaide once more. A………..I…………..U………N……
The cracks ran further along the empty space, flaring outwards creating an intricate web that slowly expanded further and further outwards. The lines pulsated, beating like a heart in its chest, the sound was quiet and first but it was steadily getting louder, growing in volume as time passed.
"Now that's a proper question," Imposter said a grin adorning his face.
The sound at this point was almost deafening, the voice grew louder echoing through the mind, loud whispers heard only to Adelaide as Imposter continued to speak unstirred by the loud heartbeat filling the air around them. The further the cracks grew the louder the voice grew, and the louder the whispers became.
"I'm Imposter. I'm everyone and no one, I'm hope and I'm despair. "L……………I…………..U…………N……. I'm both sides of the coin and the unknown third. I'm whatever the world needs me to be and the very thing it doesn't want me to be. I……………..N………………..U………. My roles are endless, limited only by the imagination of the ones unfortunate enough to cross my path.
I'm real…and I'm a fake. I'm nothingness…and existence. It may be hard to understandL………..I……….U……………N but I am everything and nothing, peer into the void, look at the world around you, all has been touched by my hand and has become a part of me. Even humanity…sadly they don't know it yet."
Imposter raised his eyes to Adelaide as the petals shifted on the rose flying into the air and twirling around them, it was at this point, the cracks exploded outwards towards them and the voice in her head became absolutely clear. ALI! Run!"
Imposter stood in front of Adelaide holding a blue rose in his hand, he chuckled a little wearing the guise of someone oddly familiar to Adelaide, as his own grin adorned her face as he stood in her skin.
"Awww….how unfortunate…I almost had it. Guess you get to go back. I enjoyed our time together. My smile fit perfectly on your face too…"
Luro knelt in front of Adelaide in the large field, his eyes wide and his hands currently gripping her one of her own. He saw her eyes clear and smiled seeing they had managed to break Imposter's grip on her, though he still had trouble stopping her own body.
A pistol was currently pressed against the side of Adelaide's head, held there by her own hand, Luro had a firm grip on her hand and the pistol itself, his actions serving as the only obstacle to her finger currently resting on the trigger, he noticed a flare in her eyes and he quickly moved the gun away from her head as her finger pulled the trigger.
Luro let out a relieved sigh and fell backwards, his clothing was torn in random places especially around the torso and leg areas, red stained most of his outfit and blood ran down his arms, legs and torso, there was a small cut on his face which was also bleeding which painted his face scarlet but he only grinned paying no mind to his current state.
"That feeling like insects are crawling under your skin and the laughter will leave your body in a moment. He didn't get a firm hold on you," Luro said looking at Adelaide. "The roots couldn't dig too deep thankfully."
The feeling he was describing was the strange sensation of not being in control of one's body. Luro knew it all too well, and Imposter had gotten his roots into Adelaide. The foreign body that had invaded her had tried to seep into her very being, at this stage strings had woven through most of her arms, legs, torso and neck merging with her and running through her body like veins. She'd be able to see the invisible lines that ran through her, wriggling under her skin, slithering through her body trying to keep its tight hold on her, traveling as a centipede does, appendages running under flesh. Just the act of moving a single finger would be exhausting, everything resisted her and her mind was filled with Imposter's laughter, echoing as loud as the voice within his strange realm, cruel maniacal laughter, the joy of someone picking apart something bit by bit.
The invasive puppet strings slowly slunk away back into her body, falling back towards her chest and as they did it became easier and easier to move, until the sensation faded away completely Imposter's laughter fading with the feeling.
Luro stared at Adelaide watching her eyes for a moment and after a few seconds his body relaxed and he sat tailor style leaning forward a bit. All the exhaustion hit him at once and his shoulders slumped a bit.
"Sorry for taking so long Ali. Imposter got a hold of your body pretty quickly and kept me at bay."
There were signs of battle all around them, familiar marks in the ground from Adelaide's own wind and spots of blood were scattered here and there.
"Sheesh…it's like he knew you were coming. I don't got powers so I can't do much with my body. He probably got caught up having too much fun when he got yours."
Luro reached up rubbing his head before his eyes moved over to his sleeve, he blinked a few times noticing the red on his clothes before looking down.
"Oh I'm bleeding more than I thought. I'll just tell Z I got into a fight with another wolf, she won't ask questions past that. I'm just glad your safe. Jack would be mad if something happened to you."
Adelaide laid in the corpses of flowers and ignored Luro. Her mind turned as drank in the world around her, only to find it the same as Imposter's world. If anything it was duller.
No one is me, except me.
But someone had been.
Adelaide hadn't known the intrusion took place. Hindsight dictated she should have; if not by her own instincts, than by who the Imposter revealed himself to be. Instead, she'd become careless. Worse: egotistical. She'd danced into enemy territory with an eye on knowledge and consideration of consequences. Fingers dug into the soil of the glorious flower fields as her own words drifted back to her on ruined petals: If I had to choose a place to die, it'd be here. The ultimate outcome that blinded her to the possibility of a worst fate. Hands flexing, Adelaide found the pistol again.
Without warning, she shot up and aimed the pistol at Luro's head. Her eyes were wide and empty. Her expression was a blank slate.
She pulled the trigger.
The hammer clicked but the barrel was empty. Adelaide frowned. "Décevant," she muttered, and threw it to the ground.
There was a moment where, possibly, she considered killing Luro another way. Or perhaps Imposter continued lurking in her body. But as she looked at him she noticed the half of an orange lily drooping from where she'd intertwined the long red locks with it's green stem. Her eyes drooped to slits and her shoulders slumped.
"Fate's spoken for you today, kid." She looked back at him. "But... some day, I think I'd really like to kill that djal of yours. If only because he took my best rose with ill intentions. That was rude."
Luro stared at Adelaide for a long moment, concerned the effects might have been a bit much on her. Just as he was contemplating another method on removing Imposter's influence Adelaide was up and he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. He blinked a few times and only tilted his head at the sight. No surprise, no realization just a shipwright observing the type of gun currently pointed at him.
It was hard to tell if he knew the trigger was pulled as his demeanor didn't shift, it wasn't until Adelaide threw it away did he realized the gun was actually empty.
"Oh were we playing 'are we friends or not'? Did I win?" Luro said picking up the gun. "I played it a lot with Nura, she liked doing that too."
Luro stood up brushing himself off, when Adelaide mentioned fate Luro smiled and pointed to the rifle on his back.
"Fate doesn't speak for me, that's why I carry the L.A.S.S. Fate wants me dead after all," Luro said before extending his hand to Adelaide. "That's a natural response when meeting him. The real one isn't much better."
He paid little mind whether his hand was taken or not and continued.
"…actually thinking about it almost everyone whose met him has tried to shoot or stab me."
Luro crossed his arms as Stardusk was also on that list but put it aside for the time being.
"Hopefully the imitation you met was worth the trouble you went through," Luro said smiling at Adelaide. "Also I'm sorry Ali but you'll have to get in line, I got business with him first, feel free to desecrate the body afterwards though."
A devoid smile, lacking all malice, touched her face. It was an expression that rested in the cheekbones and jowels; certainly not in the emptiness of her irises. She accepted his hand, and allowed him to pull her up. "Give me a sideline view, and you have yourself a deal."
*****
When they returned to Lady Luck, Jack waited for them with crossed arms. A cloud of dark disapproval hung around him. Adelaide held out her hands as she ascended the ramp and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"We're still alive, aren't we?" she patted his arm then went below deck.
Jack's eyes followed her but his arm stuck out to stop Luro. His eyes swept over the giant's wounds. He handed the man a bag of medical supplies that'd been sitting at his feet. "I didn't find Zilia, so you'll have to make due for now. Did you let her meet him?"
Luro was a little behind Adelaide rubbing the side of his head, he agreed to letting Adelaide watch but he now had to figure out how to do that.
Seeing Jack waiting for them he stared up at him, his eyes twitched a little seeing he had a 'Zilia' look on his face. He knew there was no way past that so he made his way up the ramp, Jack's arm stopped him from attempting and he mentally sighed sad the attempt didn't work but he preferred getting an earful from Jack than Zilia.
"Thank ya Jack," Luro said picking up the bag. "If she asks wolves attacked me."
At his question Luro's eyelids lowered a bit and he looked in the direction Adelaide had gone, he made a motion with his head for Jack to follow him.
"Let's talk elsewhere…I like Ali but…it'd be best if she didn't hear this part," Luro said rubbing the side of his head. "If you know that much ain't no reason not to share the rest."
To his credit, Jack didn't flinch as fear crept up his throat at Luro's words. He maintained a neutral expression while giving his silent agreement, then made a gesture back to the ramp. "Not here. Off the ship. Feel free to lead the way."
Luro nodded in response and walked away from the ship, he walked for a bit tending to his wounds as they walked. Zilia had extended on his basic medicinal knowledge due to his penchant for getting into trouble, basically wanting him to take care of at least part of it before reaching her. In the end she checked every wound anyway but it was enough to stop him from bleeding out at least.
Once he felt they were far enough away Luro slipped one of the gloves on.
"Just in case someone's nearby."
Luro flexed his fingers and holding his arm out a burst of blue mist exploded out of the glove before something was pulled in eventually a small gust of wind exploded outwards incasing the two in a mini tornado, the howling winds seemed quiet on the inside but it was clear their words wouldn't reach far.
Luro made sure to keep it small so it wouldn't damage anything in the area…and to keep from drawing too much attention.
"It'll also keep the animals away," Luro said removing the glove. "Ali helped me harness this…so I don't want anything to happen to her."
Luro put the glove away and turned to look at Jack.
"To answer your question I did let Ali meet him…even though I didn't wanna. A promise is a promise though," Luro said sighing a little. "What would you like to know…I can tell you what Imposter did to her…and what to watch out for."
Both eyebrows shot up as Jack watched the tornadoes come into being. His mouth opened, then closed, and he seemed to think better of it. Instead, he stepped closer to Luro to fix the bandage on his forearm. "Let me guess: she wanted to meet him, and in the process got taken over by him and attacked you." Jack smirked as he observed the giant. For a moment, he was very similar to his counterpart. "We hypothesized at great lengths what would happen. I told her you were off limits but...she didn't like the idea of the Imposter. She needed to know what threat he posed. I guess she got more than she bargained."
Jack stopped and rubbed his neck. "I wish you'd said no, but… no, I'm not surprised. I don't blame you either. She'd have tried to force him out, so I guess this was the better option…
"Alright. I don't need to know what happened explicitly. I understand enough. But I do want to hear what will get you worried."
"That's pretty much what happened yep," Luro said offering a small nod to Jack. "I'd expect no less from ya Jack."
He held his arm out and was thankful Jack was doing it, Zilia always shoved a note in his face about his haphazard wrapping. Just as he was contemplating asking Jack to rewrap a few others he picked up on what he said.
"She coulda just asked me. I've had to deal with the guy for years," Luro said scratching his cheek. "I am still sorry. I'd rather Imposter not meet anyone else if I can help it. He's done enough damage…we've done enough damage."
Luro closed his eyes at the thought of forcing Imposter out.
"…I'm glad it didn't come to pulling him out. If Ali tried that I would've had to consider her an enemy…and I like Ali. I only got Imposter to go back because of Lina. If he got out again…that'd be it for me…trying to draw Imposter out is no different than putting a gun to my head. It'll mean my end…especially considering Alicia has full permission to kill me and honestly he's almost gotten out on his own a few times."
Luro's eyes narrowed a bit at the thought of him coming out, it took everything he had just to keep Imposter at bay, he lost track of how many times he almost fell to him. Allowing him out wasn't an option.
His expression returned to normal pretty quickly and he brought a hand to his chin trying to figure out how best to explain what he wanted to say to Jack.
"Sorry I rambled what I mean to say is Imposter…let Ali go," Luro said shaking his head slightly. "He had her…but he released her. That doesn't make sense. Ali is much stronger than I am, while she was lashing out at me there was little I could do but defend myself. I eventually found an opening but Imposter witnessed all of it. I doubt he would just leave me but…he could have infected her."
Luro rubbed the side of his head realizing his words probably didn't make much sense.
"Imposter can plant what's like a seed into you. That's what I call it anyway. It eats away at who you are, and if the roots are deep enough…it's really hard to get rid of him…I'm still trying. Ali's fine but he still got in there. What worries me is that she didn't meet the real Imposter…I didn't exactly keep it a secret but I didn't explain either. From what she mentioned the Imposter she met was a fabrication of her own design. It wasn't the 'real' Imposter. So he managed to get that far without exposing his true self…and he just…let her go. It contradicts all his effort…granted he never makes sense but you see what I mean. He had what he wanted and took no risk himself, and just…released it."
Luro shook his head at the very idea.
"Hmmm sorry I guess this doesn't make sense. I can never figure out what he wants. Maybe he was just having fun. Just…keep an eye on Ali that's all I really wanted to say. She's free of him but the nightmares won't leave for a few days. I believe Ali can deal with it but…she was exposed to him even if it was a fake for too long."
Luro tilted his head slightly.
"People with less mental fortitude would be dead by now. I've caused and witnessed it, he leaves hidden scars, lets you destroy yourself slowly and watches with a smile as your consumed by your own weakness. Even if she says she's fine just...please check on her as much as you can."
Luro's closed his eyes at this and dispelled the wind with a wave of his hand.
"I'd feel better knowing someone's making sure she's okay. I think Ali's a good person, I like her I don't want to deal with what I deal with more than need be."
There was a sadness behind the man's eyes as he spoke this words, a fog of emotions swirling through him but after taking a deep breath he managed to regain his composure and smiled again.
"Hm that's it Jack. Oh and tell Ali I had fun, I don't think I got a chance to say so earlier and thanks again for helping me out too. I'm probably going to stay here and get my bearings a bit before heading back."
Jack rocked back onto his heels, Luro's wounds tended to the best of his ability, and quietly absorbed what the man told him. He grew more somber with each passing explanation until he shook his head and muttered something in Arbirean. "You did what you could. For that, I'm eternally grateful. I don't… I don't want lose her, too."
Jack's confession was small and quiet. His eyes didn't meet Luro's as he got up, taking the medical supplies with him. A hand weighed on Luro's shoulder as he gave a sad smile. "Thank you. Don't worry, I'll take care of her."
He started walking away. He made it to the protective sphere's edge before stopping and turning to Luro. "I think I might know why Imposter let her go. She's going to come back one day and ask for another favor. She won't be able to stop herself. Promise me— don't fulfill it. Even if she draws her winds on you. Even if you have to fight her. Promise me you won't."
Luro offered a small nod to Jack smiling a little at him glad he was going to keep an eye on Ali, seeing him walk away Luro raised his hand to get rid of the wind only to freeze seeing Jack stop. He blinked a few times as he turned to him once more before listening to what else he had to say, his smile shrunk slightly hearing she might not let this Imposter thing go, Jack seemed pretty adamant that she'd one day she'd return.
"That makes a sad amount of sense," Luro said rubbing the side of his head. "No need to catch something that'll be back."
While filling a few of the blanks in his own mind concerning Imposter he caught the rest of what Jack said, his eyelids lowered a bit and he closed his eyes for a moment before offering a small nod to the man.
"Hm I didn't know what she wanted so I agreed to it. Knowing she's interested in Imposter I'll be more careful," Luro said before opening his eyes. "I'd prefer meeting my end and taking him with me then letting him plant his seeds in someone else. Imposter will die with me I'll make sure of that. I won't let her meet him again...I promise."
With a snap of his fingers the wind faded and he offered one last smile to Jack before turning and returning his attention to the field.
Location: An Island That's Really Frickin' Cold
Pre-Meeting Davy Jones (Again)
"Dear Captain and Jack. I've had a major breakthrough with the gloves! Thanks to all the help from Ali and you guys! Meet me on the winter part of the island, it's going to be really great! Also don't worry I've informed Z that we're absolutely not getting into any kind of trouble, so you don't have to worry about lying to her already, it's taken care of.
I removed a few of the limiters on the gloves so they mayyyy be a little….explosive. Don't worry I know the signs, I'll make sure to hide before they go off...and of course inform you when they're going to not be safe anymore. Anyway I'll see you soon, I'll make sure to be somewhere you can easily see me."
The letters had been carefully placed in common spaces Jack and Runali visited, Zilia had been wandering the ship concerned about unnecessary ventures. She apparently overheard something about training and went on a manhunt, Luro watching her patrols managed to slip the letters into spots she had already checked, she was apparently going out with Kadi and Ali which gave them an opening and Luro intended on making the most of it.
******
"Have I ever professed how much I loathe the cold?" Jack reiterated as he and Runali tramped across the frozen hillside. Thick wrappings of fur and seal hide encased him into a cozy cocoon that barely warmed his mood. From the moment Runali came to him with their letters, to here, he'd muttered under his breath like a petulant child.
Jack pulled the hood more tightly around his face and shuddered. "How are you doing over there?" he asked the captain, who he could hear beside him but couldn't see with the hood on.
With every cold step, Runali pictured how she casually danced around Zil's detective path and collected hidden letters, only to end up off the ship now. "It was warm on the ship." Runali responded, though it was much too low to hear. With every cold climate they stopped at, the captain was thankful they grabbed Cedric along the way. Had it not been for him, she would have been a lot colder and a lot more upset about it. That or Alicia would have had to remind her countless times to get warmer clothes. But if anything, she definitely agreed with Jack's plight. The cold was not fun- especially considering she was born in hotter climates. Heat and deserts she could withstand, no problem. Freezing temperatures? Had it not been Luro or any Stardusk crew, she would have ignored the call.
Hearing Jack call out to her again, she looked over and spoke louder. "Oh, terrible time! The cold is the worst!" Her cheery tone betrayed her words. "I don't get why he likes the cold so much- and how we end up getting roped in." Well, she knew why. There were very few times she actually said 'no' about something to Luro. For example, having an elephant on the ship was a definite no. But training with the gloves was more reasonable, more practical, and usually meant she could have fun in the process. "You see him anywhere yet? Because I'm not against turning around."
"Hi guys!"
A voice called out to the two though it didn't sound directly in front of them, a fair bit away from the ship Luro was sitting tailor style a few feet above them. He was seated in the hand of an ice statue made in his likeness, the statue in a strange pose with one hand extended out and one hand up, with Luro sitting in the palm of the large Luro who stood with spread legs mimicking some strange movement.
Hopping down from the Luro statue which was only about ten feet in height Luro waved the two closer grinning at them.
"Hi guys! Glad you got to sneak out. I wanted to show you the changes I made thanks to your help," Luro said pulling the gloves out of his sleeve.
Similar to how he was on the ship Luro was dressed in his normal clothes, but he was still radiating heat, it was to a point any snow that got too close either melted upon touch or inches away from him. For some odd reason it didn't melt the snow at his feet.
"I'd figure I'd give you a demonstration first," Luro said grinning at them. "This statue is part of that."
Luro motioned to the large Luro statue before pressing his hand against him, the ice immediately cracked and broke apart leaving only a single leg beside him as it crumbled to pieces.
"Thanks to Ali I've found a way to harness the wind...which speaking of."
Luro held his hand out with the glove, a burst of blue mist exploded out of it, the air around them seemed to draw in by some invisible vacuum before exploding outwards, creating a dome of wind that surrounded the group, waves of blue lines surrounding them on all sides, continuously moving and howling quietly.
"There now I can show you Infusion."
Luro snapped his fingers, a small flame forming at the fingertip of the glove before he touched it to the wind, the wind sucked in the fire before the lines turned red and the dome of wind quickly became one of fire, immediately blocking the outside cold, and subsequently melting the snow at their feet in the process. In the span of a second the cold chill was replaced by a gentle heat that imitated spring.
"It allows the mixing of multiple elements. Admittedly it's still in it's experimental stage….but it works."
Luro held a hand out to Jack and Runali.
"Pretty nice right? Could I borrow your weapons for a moment you two, I wanna show you one more thing. I think you'll especially like it. Ah please coat them in Armament first though."
Jack gripped his hood with one hand and craned his head back to look at the statue. "Huh." Once again, he marveled at Luro's phenomenal construction skills. He jumped back, startled when the statue cracked and began to crumble. His eyes flowed down to the red giant himself, eyes arching with every word that came out. "You've been busy."
With some reluctance, Jack took out his butterfly knives and handed them to Luro. "Please don't break them," he said, even though both blades were protected by his Armament, "Sid made those for me. Mind explaining how we can combine elements now?"
"Not really sneaking off if it's your ship." Runali commented to no one in particular, too busy staring at the ice stature Luro made. "Busy doesn't seem like half of it with Luro." She took a small step back when the statue crumbled. Her curiosity grew when he mentioned a new element. "Ohh, this should be fun." She pulled her hood off and looked around at the new warmer area he created. Had she not seen it with her own eye, Runali would have thought things like this were close to impossible.
At the request of her weapons, Runali took the blades off her hip and surrendered them after covering them with the armament as instructed. "I trust you won't break my Nova gifts. But agreed, start explaining Teacher Luro."
Luro smiled and took one of each weapon waving his hand for them to keep the other one before placing the Captain's ring on a belt around his waist. With a grin he held his hand over Jack's knife.
"I won't break em but I can't do this with my rifle yet. Only the bullets," Luro said. "It's easier with something like this."
Fire erupted from the glove and Luro grinned before looking up at the two.
"Infusion also works on weapons, if you add a little…"
Luro trailed off and fire promptly enveloped the knife, the flame taking the shape of the blade, crackling and flaring but maintaining its shape.
"That happens and if you add a lot."
Fire exploded off the glove and the flames surrounding the knife followed suit substantially growing longer than the blade until Luro was holding a flaming sword in his hand. He took his hand and moved it along the sharp edge of the 'blade', by doing so the fire moved with him, reshaping under his hand until he made it imitate a Yula Fei blade. It looked similar to molding clay at first glance, the flames moved easily growing wider or shorter depending on what Luro's finger did.
"It grows accordingly and you can reshape it as need be."
Luro grinned at this and closed his hand around the knife dispelling the flame.
Moving the knife to his belt he grabbed the Captain's weapon and repeated the process, a flaming wheel formed in his hand and with a grin he spun it with his finger before ice quickly enveloped it snuffing out the flames and forming a wheel of ice.
"It works with ice too and wind too," Luro said. "Also if you direct the element…"
Luro turned and hurled the Captain's weapons, a burst of ice exploded off the chakram destroying the dome before a row of spikes made of ice followed behind the flying weapon.
Luro stared up at the circling blade before holding his hand up and catching it.
"...really glad that worked," he mumbled. "Didn't want the Captain mad at me if it didn't come back."
Grabbing the weapons he handed them back to the two and promptly removed the gloves off his hands slipping them back into his sleeve before pulling out another pair.
"Infusion uses a lot of energy though, I haven't found a way to adjust it yet. You guys should be able to form weapons out of the element itself as well, but to use Infusion you have to learn how to use expel."
Luro pat the gloves in response to this before continuing.
While trying not to die by Al-wolves...by alley wolves," Luro said holding up a finger. "I learned how to borrow outside elements. This process can also 'release' a bit of the element out of the glove. I don't have a fancy name for it yet so it's called Expel for now."
Luro held the gloves out towards the two and smiled at them.
"It's not hard to do, I'll teach you how to do it."
Luro gave a very quick explanation on how to use expel, there were numerous ways to trigger it but it was akin to summoning the elements themselves, it just required a certain movement.
"Oh right if you want it to work well you have to yell 'Infusion!'. I yelled it earlier, once you do it once it remains active for a bit."
Luro pointed to the gloves.
"So yeah do that thing I told you then yell 'Infusion' or 'Manifest!' something along those lines. Infusion is more effective but anything will suffice. I yelled 'Biscuits' the other day and it worked. See if you can at the very least use Infusion on your weapons."
"Do we have to shout something?" Jack asked, taking his blades back, preemptively feeling ridiculous at the thought of shouting random phrases in the middle of a fight. Still the display had sparked a certain eagerness in his eyes. He started reaching for the fire gloves-- then paused.
"Let me try the wind," he said, reaching for them instead.
Invoking the gloves' elements had become second nature. Wind instantly whipped around Jack, circling around his hand with fine blue lines, and for once he didn't mind the temperature drop. A grin split the man's face as he fluctuated the element, getting used to its feel. "Now I know how it feels," he remarked to no one in particular.
He played around with the wind glove for a bit while watching Runali from the corner of his eye, curious to see her first attempt at Infusion.
Much like Jack, except more obvious, the display made Runali starry-eyed and excited. "That's so cool Luro!" Was the most she cared to yell before reaching and grabbing the fire gloves when Jack decided against them. She didn't bother collecting her other chakram, fine with Luro holding onto it. Before she could attempt, she paused to look over at Jack testing out the new element and with a smug grin commented, "Ah, Windy's got competition now."
With a laugh, she infused her gloves with haki, creating small flames in each hand. It was familiar and easy. "Nothing new here, easy peasy." She let one flaming hand disspitate to hold the chakram she didn't give to Luro. "C'mooon flame-!" The burst of flame that followed came as a surprise. Fire circled around the wheel, not quite keeping to the shape of it, only to suddenly expand outwards. Instinctively, she tossed the chakram in the air so neither Jack or Luro would get caught in the destructive path. "...Huh, that could have been bad…" She watched the flames expand, melting more snow in the process and then caught the chakram in her hand when it came back down. "...Almost had it?"
Luro only smiled at Jack at his question and made a motion with his hand as a response, more than happy to hand him the wind gloves and watching as he summoned it forth. His body seemed to relax slightly at the sight glad the winds didn't send him flying a few feet backwards. Luro brought a hand to his chin and grinned glad he made the changes, there was no need to mention that he hadn't doubled checked them since it worked.
He grinned at the Captain's response, her excitement rubbing off on him a bit. This was part of the reason he enjoyed these things, getting to see this expression on the Captain's face always made it worth it. Jack wasn't always as expressive but his smile was always nice to see.
"I'm glad ya like it Captain. I'm just getting started though," Luro said with a firm nod. "It's a nice feeling right. I'll have to give Ali some good rum later as thanks."
Luro stared at the Chakram as the Captain attempted to summon the flames, he brought a hand to his mouth his eyelids lowering slightly as she summoned them forth, watching the fire surround the blade. His brows arched slightly seeing the shape before the Captain hurled it upwards.
When she caught it Luro took the one he still had on him and eyed it for a moment.
"You were really close Captain. It can be hard to do on the first try, I fought with it myself" Luro said. "You'll get a feel for it eventually. Infusion can be hard because it's directly manipulating the element. Instead of summoning it forth and releasing it."
Luro placed two gloved fingers on top of the Chakram.
"Infusion!"
Fire formed on the fingers of the gloves and he made a slow rotation around it, the flame running along the edges until it eventually covered the blade, matching its shape.
"You can do it slowly like that which makes it easier to manipulate it. Eventually you'll be able to shape the element as it comes out."
Luro smiled and shut off the flame before placing the Chakram back on his belt.
"For now I want you guys to practice getting Infusion down. Afterwards I can show you more of Expel which allows things like this."
Luro reached over and touched the 'leg' of the statue, a burst of blue exploded off the glove before the ice was blown apart leaving a rifle of frost, similar in form to his own in its place. Yanking it off the mini platform he held it out for the two to see.
"Infusion and Expel, creation and manipulation. The birth of an element and the shape of it all in one. That's the plan for today."
*******
"Infusion!" Jack barked-- and nearly collapsed with relief when he felt a push and then the wind of his glove engulfed it, extending its reach over a foot.
Five… or six tries, if he was being honest, it took to succeed. The very first was like a gale erupting from his blade; it vaulted him in the air and landed him deep in the snow. He arose with a steaming red face of embarrassment and was thankful he hadn't worn his glasses.
The second time he got pushed onto his ass.
He stayed on his feet after that, but he felt annoyed the glove gave him grief after feeling so fluid. Just like my relationship, he thought with a sigh.
Once he managed it, however, the smirk returned and he gave an experimental swing. A blue line rippled from the blade's edge and cut through the treetops. Jack flinched as one by one, they fell, creating a roaring rukus. He looked back at the other two. "I… uh, I think I got it."
Like Jack, it took the captain several tries to get the actual infusion down. Each time, she tried it only resulting in her usual use of the gloves, which meant fire being blasted in certain directions, and the few mini explosions she created.
"At least it's not cold…" She mumbled at one point when one particular explosion sent all three of them into the snow.
Eventually, she got the hang of creating the fiery wheel and managed to manipulate it around and then off her chakram. The success mixed with her giddy excitement to show it off to the two tired her out enough to have her laying in the snow for a break while she watched Jack.
"Nice!" Runali quickly sat up when the treetops started crashing to the ground. The sounds of wildlife scattering around made her snicker. "It's fine, it's fine. Just blame Luro, he's usually the one causing big messes. What was that? A sword? Some sort of whip?" As she spoke, rambling away a list of weapons and saying 'Infusion' in the process, she sparked her gloves to life again, and created a flaming knife surprisingly easier than before. "Do it again Jack! Gotta make sure you're absolutely positive you can destroy a forest." She laid back in the snow, tossing the fiery blade a few feet away and watched it melt the snow around it.
Luro watched the two from a distance at first smiling a little as he watched them practice with infusion. He was glad he brought up practice, he had messed up a bunch of times himself, and after the Captain's explosion he was reminded why it was important to have the basics down, even if he was excited for the next part. Pulling his head out of the snow he spit out a bit of snow.
"Well the landing was soft, better than when I did it," Luro said grinning.
For some reason Luro had turned his head and stifled a bit of laughter while the two practiced. It was more than likely from seeing the two mess up but the timing was a bit off, he'd turn his head before they manipulated the element itself only to clear his throat and focus forward again.
Luro clapped as Jack managed to cut with the wind, even he couldn't do that.
"Good job Jack and of course Captain, that's half my job," Luro said before laughing a bit. "You did amazing as well I didn't doubt for a moment you guys would get it."
Seeing the smiles on the two's face really did make the effort worth it, he was already excited but the Captain's excitement pushed him even further still. Jack's restrained joy never got boring to watch as well.
"Alll right! You guys got a good handle on it so let's touch on Expel. First we need a bit of element…"
Luro held his hand out summoning a flame but blinked a few times before closing his hand snuffing the fire before clearing his throat.
"I-Infusion…" he said before the flame roared to life the same exact way again.
Luro opened his mouth to speak but ultimately fell to his hands and knees, losing himself in laughter as he pat the ground with the glove repeatedly, tears stinging the edges of his eyes.
"I-I'm sorry. It's just...hearing...hearing you two yell Infusion so many times I just...I just can't…Hahahahaha! I didn't...I didn't think you would and Jack...Jack when he-Hahahaha!"
Luro climbed to his feet and wiped a tear from his eye.
"Ah...ah I'm sorry. I really am I couldn't resist. It's uh...you don't have to yell it. I mean it's fun to do right? I think it's fun but yeah the glove works fine without it. It just feels good to yell."
Luro cleared his throat and after speaking 'infusion' summoned the flame.
"So Expel allows the manipulation of an outside element, whether it's one you create or not doesn't matter. You've already been doing it with wind and a little of what you've been doing."
Luro dropped the fire to the ground before turning the glove over, palm facing it.
"Expel!"
The fire quickly rose upwards with Luro's guidance and he made a few motions with his hand causing the fire to circle in the air creating a flaming spiral that continued to rotate, he kept his glove over it to keep it manifested before Luro pointed at the rotating flames with his other hand.
"Anything that can't be made with Infusion can be made with Expel. Now...Expel takes a lot of energy because it's a very powerful technique. I haven't managed to balance the energy so be careful with it. It'll lose a lot more power from the glove than infusion. Don't use up all your Armament."
Luro 'gripped' the flames making it take the shape of his rifle before resting the 'flaming rifle' on his shoulder, ignoring the fire clearly burning his outfit.
"You can control the element's very structure as well by mixing an element with it, like making a 'cold' fire by infusing ice and using Expel to keep it manifested as one thing."
The flame immediately turned blue as if in response to the sudden infusion and the fire stopped burning his clothing.
"You guys could do much more than I did. It wouldn't be impossible to make a person shaped element, or rather you can make things easily your size. Limit is your own imagination, for now just try to make something with an outward element, whether it's the ice, wind or fire doesn't matter. Don't use Infusion to shape it, use Expel. It'll be familiar to infusion...but it'll resist you more because you're shaping something after it's taken shape rather than while it's doing so."
Luro tapped his exposed chest motioning to the Stardusk Symbol.
"Try making something familiar like this, it has a complicated enough shape for practice. Once you do that feel free to experiment further."
Luro removed the rifle and it dissipated into nothing the flames fading away.
"If you lose control Expel can also destroy the object itself. Just focus on 'pushing' the main element."
Watching Luro double over, gleefully laugh his lungs out, caused an imperceptible and high-pitched screech around Jack's hand. He glared at the giant as the rush of stupidity and humiliation gave his face a healthy red tint not caused by the bitter cold.
"I'm going to get you later for this," promised Jack.
Whether or not Luro took note of this disgruntled threat, he steamrolled forward, and Jack pushed down his annoyance to focus on his training. An eyebrow rose as elements were manipulated into various shapes and didn't bother to mention Luro was, in fact, burning himself.
After the short demonstration, the trainees went to work. What Jack noticed as a pattern between himself and the gloves came up once more as his element played hard-to-get with expulsion. He concentrated on the Stardusk symbol, per Luro's suggestion, first. He felt a decline in his haki and nothing to show for it. His lips pressed into a white line as he tried to keep from panting, but after minutes ticked by, he realized he was only holding his breath and was forced to release it.
Jack dropped frustrated into the snow. He ignored the freezing patches that began spreading on his legs and instead watched Runali for a moment. Her fluidity and natural confidence almost made it seamless-- certainly her imagination eclipsed his.
Releasing a long exhale, Jack closed his eyes and let his mind relax. Something familiar, something familiar… He shifted through various shapes and objects he encountered on his day to day. A few were tried and erred; the element fought him with it's unsubstantial essence, refusing to contour to a rigid structure. His brow puckered. Fingers curled and flexed as he tried to expel his element into a recognizable shape.
When he opened his eyes, a blue-glowing, wispy and transparent capybara stood in front of him. The tall rodent stood at his eye level, calm and relaxed as the real thing. Jack's eyes widened and he tilted his head. The capybara mimicked him.
"Huh."
"Hm… can't say I won't remember the name at least." Runali mused after Luro confessed to teasing. She was almost sure Jack would keep to his promise about getting him back- and that sounded entertaining enough.
After listening to Luro's explanation and fumbling around with the gloves as Jack did, the captain spoke up. "I'll be honest I only understood… some of that explanation but," She started with what she knew, creating a ribbon of flame that hovered around her in a close circle. She held a concentrated expression as she stared at her gloves, and then began to mimic the hand motions Luro made. However, as the clear shape of the Stardusk symbol settled in her mind her hand motions started to differ. The end goal wasn't to make a rifle after all.
After a few minutes of dangerously wavering flames and missteps, sure enough a fiery Stardusk symbol hovered in her palms with a long ribbon coiling around her. "Hah, I could make this symbol blindfolded!" She kept it hovering in her palms as she peered over at Jack's creation. "Huh indeed, chef. Luro wasn't wrong." She chuckled. "It's not person sized, but there's definitely no limit of what to make."
She twirled the trailing, fiery ribbon around her hand. "I hear these are probably the most docile animals- which makes me all the more curious since you're far from docile yourself." Runali gave him a light tap with her foot, nudging him up.
"Do these work between gloves?" She looked over at Luro and held out the fiery symbol towards him. "If I give this to you, could you take it?"
Luro didn't move only watching the two in silence, his hands folded behind his back. He offered only a smile to Jack's words, he'd expect nothing less. Watching the two he was reminded of the many times he failed to conjure anything from the gloves, he had forgotten how many weeks it took, asking for Armament every day just to try again.
When Jack and the Captain managed to use Expel the same day, he wasn't able to hide a bit of his surprise, his eyes widening a bit at the sight. He hadn't doubted that they would catch on quickly but to summon what they did was still impressive.
He shut his eyes smiling a little at the reveal, those with Armament could manipulate the gloves easier, but it didn't change the fact that anyone could use expel. Their Armament control played a part but at the end of it they obtained results through their hard work.
A part of Luro hated that he had ignored this side of his friends for such a long time.
Luro opened his eyes as the Captain spoke to him, his normal smile returned and stepping forward he gently took the symbol as a response to the Captain.
"Yep it's pretty easy, it's just like using Infusion," Luro said. "It can't be passed back and forth too many times though, each time it gets a little weaker, you take a chunk of it when you 'borrow' it."
The symbol had grown slightly smaller but it retained its shape just fine.
"If you guys feel comfortable I'd like to do one last test before we return. Only if you feel up to it of course. Expel and Infusion do use a fair bit of Armament currently. Still you guys...are doing especially well. You did what took me weeks to do in the manner of a few hours, I can't say I'm not impressed...though I had a feeling you'd be fine. Whaddya say?"
Luro tilted his head at the two awaiting their response.
Jack glanced at Runali and his wind creation broke. Blue wisps unfurled and dissipated into the air, making the capybara disappear. My haki must be running low. Sighing, he stood up and brushed off the snow. "I used to have a pet capybara as a child. Named Beatrice II-- my mothers' gave it, don't ask me why. She was the closest friend I had though."
There was a brief and wistful pause as he recalled the giant rodent, a being of infinite calmness and passivity. The creature brought great comfort to his family during their journey to Norja's coast, where the Lotus Blossom of today was established. Clasping hands behind his back, Jack pulled his thoughts away from the memories and turned his attention to Luro as he spoke up. An eyebrow quirked up as he exchanged glances with Runali.
"Well, my haki is running low. But I think I have one more test in me. How about you, Captain?"
Runali had been keeping her attention on Luro's hands when he took the fiery symbol. She used one of her own hands to keep Luro's still and then used the free one to carefully take it back. Her concentration broke when Jack called out, and she ended up causing the symbol to disappear in a small 'poof' between their hands. "Hm? Oh yeah, I can burn out the rest of my haki with one more test. If I use up all my energy though, you gotta carry me back Luro since I don't think Jack's gonna last long enough to."
"I miss my pet bear," Luro said crossing his arms. "I understand Jack...I definitely understand...he'd always try to claw and eat me...we'd wrestle all the time and he'd bite me….good times."
He looked back at the two as they gave their answers causing Luro to grin clapping his hands together, he'd have to figure out some way to pay these two back a little extra for their help today.
"Consider it done Captain. I'll carry you back if I have too as well Jack. The Captain on my back and you in my arms. Least I can do," Luro said grinning at the two. "We'll keep it simple and it'll give me an excuse to use the remaining Armament in these gloves as well, it'll be good training for Infusion and Expel tool."
Luro gave a small nod at this before walking up and placing his hands on the two's shoulders.
"I want you guys to know that I would never try to purposefully kill you...unless you asked me too. Keep that in mind."
An explosion of wind sent Luro flying a few feet backward and the moment he touched the ground he slammed both his hands to the ground.
"Infusion!"
A large ring of Ice quickly rose up around the two, multiple rings growing high cutting off the waving Luro a few feet away.
"Find the Escape! Oh and-"
His last words were cut off as the walls fully formed, walls of ice that reflected only the two trapped in the makeshift maze, at first the sky was visible but a moment later the ice quickly closed creating a roof of frost that blocked out even the sun, thanks to it shining through the place remained lit enough to reveal the large hole in the wall nearby.
"Survive."
Luro's words seem to come just as large spikes made ice formed on the ceiling before shooting down at the two.
It appeared the maze itself was a set of deadly traps, piercing creations poked out of the walls and floors, there was a clear giant ball of ice waiting to be tripped out of sight, and the arena had lifted off the natural ground slightly allowing a few pitfalls in the process.
Luro sat on a makeshift statue of Kadi peering down into the ice from above, it wasn't possible to see out from the inside, he made it that way to avoid giving them an unnecessary advantage, but thankfully he could see their progress just fine. Luro's brows arched as he wondered if he went too far as he peered at a few of ice guillotines over the spike pit under the narrow flaming ice bridge.
"I got the idea from that fun time on the ship though," Luro said smiling. "Oh wait the Captain died back then didn't she….ah it'll be fine they're stronger now."
Luro gave a small nod at his sound logic.
"It'll be fine, worst case we have to deal with Z later."
Jack swore. "You've got to be--"
His words cut off as the spikes erupted from the walls. He backflipped to avoid three of them, and then raised a gloved hand as a fourth aimed for his hand. It crumbled at his touch. Without wasting time, Jack jumped on top of the spikes that had already been created, using them as platforms to get through the maze.
"C'mon, Captain! You don't want to be left behind," he called over his shoulder.
"Oh well this is fun." Was Runali's reaction to the sudden maze. Her hands went behind her head as she examined around, only to take a casual step forward when a spike threatened to pierce her. "Dangerous." She commented. Seeing Jack rushing forward through, Runali couldn't help but laugh. "You're gonna burn your energy before we get halfway. Slow down, relax! There's no-" She could hear the cracks of the ice as it formed and reformed into spikes. Hearing it made it easier to nimbly dodge out of the way- especially when the spikes came from places she couldn't see. "No rush." She finished when she was at a steady footing again.
Reaching Jack's side, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sure you gotta know how to use it, but knowing when is just as important." She moved farther ahead, nimbly dodging a few spikes before yelling "Patience!" as she reached yet another wall. Except when she made it to said wall, she wasn't expecting the floor to disappear under her. With quick reflexes, she put a fiery claw into the wall and hoisted herself over to solid ice. "...Or you could use haki the full way through and not fall out of the ice cage."
The moment the two crossed a threshold into a narrow hallway, a loud rumbling suddenly followed. Luro watched from his spot as the giant ball of ice suddenly started rolling towards the two from behind. He gave a small content nod at this and placed his hand down on the statue, the maze echoed and three cannons formed at the end of the hall in front of the two. Chunks of ice, the size of cannonballs shot towards them from the front, the large ball of ice was gaining speed from the back, and after a loud creak before the walls started to close in on them.
The ground at their feet had discrepancies as well between the floor and walls, similar to the one that had opened under the Captain revealing hidden pitfalls to the careful eye.
Past the cannons was a corner and a clear exit to the hallway, the cannons only seemed to be firing faster with each passing moment however and there was already a fourth one starting to form.
"It's so much fun playing with everyone," Luro said grinning at the two. "Shame I can't add the fire pit."
Jack gave a lopsided grin as he landed next to Runali. "'Slow down'? Admit it, you're just jealous I got ahead of you. Would the captain like to take the lead--"
A rumbling beneath their feet cut off his words. He snapped up, narrowing his eyes, only to widen when a massive globe of ice appeared at the end of their one-way path. "Well, that can't be-- look out!"
Pulling Runali away, they both barely managed to dodge the blast as cannons manifested up above them. Then -- just when Jack thought it couldn't get any better -- the walls started closing in. He rolled his eyes. It's like he's actually trying to kill us or something, his inner voice snipped, but there was no time to speak his sardonicism out loud. Jack's eyes darted around, looking for an escape.
They evaded more cannon fire. "We need to move up!" Jack said, pointing up, "Get on top of this hell-maze Luro created. We can take out those cannons and not worry about being crushed." He turned his smirk back onto her. "Then you can think of a flashy way to dismantle this maze and impress your boyfriend. Unless you got one now?"
"Chef you couldn't keep up with me even if you tried." She teased after yet another close call. She was leaning on the ice wall when it began to push her forward. "S'a little dangerous, someone could get hurt." Runali laughed, ducking out the way of cannon fire. Hearing Jack again, she couldn't help but scoff. "I'll have you know," She dodged another icy attack and moved closer to Jack. "One, I don't have to impress anyone." She placed a hand on his back as she spoke. "And two," With an unexpected and forceful shove, she sent Jack forward as another cannon took a shot. Except, when Jack moved forward he landed right on one of the false panels causing him to fall right through towards the ground. "I always have a plan!" She had to duck out of the way of the cannon fire but laughed to herself. "Most of the time anyway." She figured if at least Jack was on the outside, stopping the source of the maze would have been easier. However, if that didn't work, well Jack was right about one thing. There was always an option to be extremely flashy and dismantle everything. Rubbing her hands together she took a deep breath and mustered all the energy she could muster. "Easiest way to get through a maze…"
From the outside of the maze, an orange light began to glow brighter and brighter encompassing most of the space. The ice clearly started to melt from the growing flames only for the orange glow to suddenly burst through the top in the shape of a stampeding elephant, twice the size of any normal one. Chunks of ice exploded in different directions and the sound of ice cracking echoed as the fiery shape charged through the maze and when it got to the end it faded away leaving nothing more than remnants of what was in its wake.
That and of course Runali, who had a dizzied look as she stood on the remains of a pile of ice that threatened to collapse under her. "See? Noooothing to it." Despite her laugh and thumbs up, it wasn't as convincing when she went tumbling from… possibly overexerting her haki.
Luro watched the scene within, his brows arching at the two as they dodged and moved around the obstacles in his maze. Just as he was wondering if he made it too easy he noticed the orange glow, with a small tilt of his head he watched something burst out of the maze, he leaned forward a bit a small chuckle escaping from him as the Captain broke through the maze. The construct lost its many foundations and began falling apart, standing up from his position he started walking, ice steps forming as he made his way back down to the ground, the statue falling apart behind him once he reached the bottom.
"Well you got out and that's all that mattered. Still you guys really can shape things with ease," Luro said opening his notebook. "This is good, perhaps it's the flow that allows it to more easily take shape. I should put you guys in death mazes more often."
Jack, from where he laid in the snow next to Runali, lifted his head long enough to say, "Luro. From the bottom of my heart… please don't." And he laid his head back down.
Shutting his book he grinned at the two before motioning to the now destroyed maze.
"That'll do for today. I'll have a lot to work with thanks to these so thanks guys," Luro said with a small nod. "Hopefully I can bring you some good news soon."
