Pirate Age

[Arcadius]

Was I a coward?

No. Or at least I have not seen myself in such light. I a person trying to avoid bloodshed at all possible costs a fool, or simply someone looking at things from above? I suppose that depends on one's perception of the corresponding events. Regardless, the conversation did not last long, and the night that followed was uneventful, as far as I was able to tell.

Arcadius let the events that unfurled in front of the local monarch go without adding his own piece of mind. Already, he felt like a fish out of water, suddenly finding himself as a player at a high stakes game of chess, who was only given pieces for checkers. This whole situation felt so alien to him, he kept himself quiet both through the ride to the palace and the initial ceremony as the crew made themselves look like uncultured oafs.

He couldn't, however, help himself to not mentally wince when the princess used the words 'friends' in such company. Either it was a trap, a diplomatic lie, which he favoured the most, or an exemplary case of foolishness. A monarch that thought of others as friends this easily had either a very weak kingdom, or was very weak himself. What Arcadius saw here made him think of the latter, the princess was young, and likely very inexperienced in the science of human nature.

Or it might have all been a facade all the way through, in which case, well...

He needed to be cautious of what he was doing and saying. He was awful long way from home, and with noone he could trust to guard his back. The though of how open to attack he was here made an icy cold shiver run down his spine.

"What?" Nolan's question broke his paranoid train of thoughts. "Oh. I... suppose I could lend a hand. Can't really say I have better choice than that, at this point." That was mostly true. He could run, but he wasn't a coward. He demanded an opportunity to demonstrate that his philosophy was not cowardice. "Plus I am still in debt to you." Also a truth. "Debts make for bad company."

Probably the wisest thing I have said that week. And first one.

 

[Winter]

~"If looks could actually kill, he probably wouldn't have made it out alive..."~
​

Each of the three generals were masterful warriors, impeccable leaders and would each lay down their souls for their country. They held great power not only in status but also as individuals with skills and talents, General Tanimura was nicknamed 'The Invincible' before he was forced to retreat by Odin during his years as a commander. Yet, each one of them could only stare with raised eyebrows and a look of utter bewilderment as Luro continued to talk, each of them leaning in more and more as if he were some kind of anomaly they hadn't seen before. It was only when he finished and Ray and Nolan spoke up that they corrected themselves in their seat and refocused on what was going on. Even Akiyoshi was at a loss for what to say and as for Alicia, she'd gazed with fiery fury at the hurtful comment but had ended up with her head rested in her hand as she leaned on the table, sighing to herself. Satia appeared to have a hand over her mouth as she attempted not to laugh at Ray's consistent attempts to kick Luro into being quiet. As for the Princess herself, "I see..." she said furrowing her brow as she turned to the nearest general directed towards her right who turned back to her and merely shrugged. Luro's brand of strangeness would appear to be something they hadn't experienced here before and for Luro it would explain allot of confusion between him and Alicia when they first met and even now in recent days.

The Princess nodded as Ray and Nolan gave their own words, responding with a gentle smile before shifting her attention to Runali as she explained the tactics of pirates, answering her question. "It appears we can not bargain for peace" the Princess commented before one of the generals spoke up, a man a little younger than Akiyoshi but with stronger features. "If I may your highness, I think if this pirate is to be believed and trusted, we should evacuate you to a safe location" he said, his voice deep but smooth. The young monarch shook her head, "I will not run and hide when my people sit in fear" she replied, "But-" began the general but she cut him short, "I would sooner walk into battle myself than run" she replied firmly. The general sighed but nodded, "Understood, but that aside we must consider where we spread our forces. Do we even know how many their are?" he asked openly which was when Akiyoshi spoke up. "A young man visited the estate with my daughter and her friends yesterday and spoke words of our enemy. He said they'll be intending to come ashore by smaller ships, likely learning from the last time when we were able to reduce their number at the cost of the fleet" he said, the generals nodding. General Tanimura spoke next, he was the smallest of the three but looked equally as formidable, "Can this information be trusted? I mean no disrespect Akiyoshi, I question not my faith in you" Akiyoshi raised his hand, "Worry not, I understand. I sensed no lie in his delivery of the information. I would consider his words at least to some degree" he replied.

Alicia spoke up next, "If I may, with the attack imminent maybe it's time to lay out a plan of action" she said, gaining the attention of the Princess who nodded in agreement. "I think the first priority is the safety of the people. I don't believe evacuating them off the island is sensible since the enemy fleet is imminent. If they gain knowledge and go after the people, we will lose before this even begins. The Temple of Róngyù can function as a fortress and has never been breached throughout our history. I believe we should evacuate those in Port Hurasai and Sovereign City to the Temple along with the surrounding towns and villages. Move the rest of the country north away from the fighting" she said before looking to General Coyuni, "I would like you to oversee this effort and use your forces to help control the evacuation and calm any panic that might spread from the release of the news" she said before looking to General Tanimura, "As we discussed your fleet will set up a blockade around Port Hurasai, recall them from their search and anchor them around the port. If they intend to come by boat you will be the first line of defense. Ensure the waters are well lit during the night" she said before finally turning to the last General, a man named Liu Shen, "Your forces need to be based around the port and Sovereign City, have patrols set up and be ready to fend off any that breach past Tanimura's fleet" she said, laying out the plan before them.

Each general nodded, "Of course we will need to coordinate this with the terrain maps to ensure the positioning is absolute. But in terms of a summary I believe that to be the best course of action" she said, looking between everyone. "As you wish your highness" the generals replied. The Princess turned to look at Runali, "As for you, I don't think laying you on the front lines is the wisest choice. In fact I have an idea that might be more suited for your skills. I'd like it if you could attempt to find who is behind this... while the fighting is happening. I'm guessing the person in charge will be focused on the battle at hand which would leave you a good opportunity to find this person and with luck... defeat them" she said before taking a long easy breath. "With this second attack, we can not permit whoever is behind this to have another chance... they must answer for what they've done and what they plan to do" she said. Alicia turned to Runali, it would be quite the task but with Runali's tactical knowledge and everyone else's skills, she believed if anyone was up to it it was them. "Do you really think it is wise to leave such a responsibility in the hands of pirates your highness?" asked Liu Shen who seemed displeased by the idea. "Given their achievements and the company they share with house Tashigi I believe it to be a very appropriate idea" she replied. Liu Shen paused for a moment before he responded, "I have many men in my command who would be up to the challenge, please, allow-" he was cut off for the second time during the meeting, "Your forces are needed elsewhere and every man and women will need to play their part. As pirates they have the best idea of where the enemy could be hiding and if that means a chance at a shot to defeat them then it's a risk I'm willing to take" she said. Liu Shen exhaled but nodded, "Understood" he replied.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Arcadius agreed to assist them in battle and Nolan smiled nervously. "Yes, we'll need all the help we can get." He felt a wave of relief rush over him, but as soon as it had come, it was replaced with worry and dread. "Though, I guess you don't have much of a choice in the matter...with the island and the enemies," Nolan stopped himself. None of them had nowhere to go, and the enemy ships were probably approaching as they spoke. "Still," he wanted to mention that they wouldn't hold it against him if he didn't assist, but he didn't want to imply anything, and if Arcadius was up for it, then all he could do was trust the navigator. "It's, it's good to know you'll be with us."

Talk about a big mess. The cook was on edge. He listened as the captain and the princess talked for a bit about Pirate tactics. One of the guards suggested they evacuate the princess elsewhere, but she refused and Nolan respected her greatly for it. This was what a true leader was like. They put the needs of their people first and they were willing to fight for their country and everyone and everything in it.

The generals talked amongst themselves for a bit before Alicia came up with a plan, a very solid sounding one. It impressed him and Nolan sat there, stiff. This entire thing was going to happen soon and he wasn't being very useful. If he had been more experienced in the art of war, he would have thrown in suggestions, but he was just a cook and these were generals, so he listened instead. The Stardusk pirates were going to track down whoever was behind all this and bring them to justice. Pirate heroes, it was kind of silly, but Nolan liked the sound of that, he really did.

 

[Arcadius]

I stood next to Nolan most of the war council. My knowledge of a lay-historian was hardly going to be of use here, I thought. The men in front of me wrote tracts on sneak attacks and defensive operations before I even existed, and I had no idea of the local geography. The port did seem like an obvious target, though, for any invading force simply required a shipping facility to land their forces and supplies.

Despite my very solid belief in my not-cowardice, I was rather glad the pirates would not partake in defending the port, a mission at open sea seemed like a much more safer option, if only because ship was a harder target to hit, and you could always jump off and try your luck swimming, something I seemed to have decent luck at. Worst come worse, I would wash up by another ship and all of this would begin anew...

Arcadius looked at Nolan and gave him a clever smile. "Well, that remains to be seen, whether you'll be glad I'm with you and the rest of the crew. Regardless, you still lack a navigator, so that one thing I can help with." He would need to get himself some weapons, though. Both the pistol and sword he came here with were resting at the bottom of the ocean, and everything so far has been happening too quick for him to stop and ask someone for the key to the armoury. After they were done here, he had to rectify this.

"Anyway, we'll see how the coming days will turn out, hopefully all of us will stay out of the harm's way and all of this mess will end up just being an old story to tell when we are old and nostalgic." The clever playfulness was gone now, replaced by a much more concerned tone. Sieges were ugly business, and if the enemy force was determined enough to take the harbour and siege the city proper... well, it seemed like some long days were ahead.

 

[Grothnor]

Ray listened to the preparation, finding the battle plan acceptable, if not risky. He wouldn't have had any problem with the assistance of General Liu Shen's elites, but they were needed elsewhere, and could prove to be a liability if things didn't go to plan. He offered some advice and consolation to the crestfallen General. "We're expendable and, being pirates ourselves, would likely do better at infiltrating a pirate armada. If glory is what you seek, your forces have the greatest chance at it. Keep your men light and fast; do not try to stop the enemy, just try to slow them and harass them. Keep their attention divided so they cannot turn their full might towards the siege. Once they begin to falter, your men will be in the prime position to strike and scatter them."

Lendria had been invaded so many times in the past, they had War down to a science. Ray would have also suggested that General Tanimura endeavor to sink as many ships as possible before they landed their troops, but the General looked like he knew his business and didn't need to be told the obvious. Finally, he would have suggested that the crops in the region be destroyed so as to starve the invaders. Crops can be resown, lives cannot. However, having seen the nature of rice farming on his way to the Tashigi Estate, found that it would be quite impractical to do so. You can't burn a rice paddy. Well, maybe if you poured a lot of oil in it first, but that doesn't seem practical on a large scale. Maybe as a trap....

"Now, as for our part," Ray addressed the StarDusk Pirates, "I have an idea: we find a straggler among their fleet, board and capture their ship without alerting the rest of the armada, interrogate the survivors as to their leader's headquarters, go there, disguises, beat-em-up, you get the idea."

 

[Mizos]

Luro looked over at Ray wondering why he was kicking him so much, he was being as polite as possible was this his way of telling him he was doing a good job? If so it was starting to hurt a bit but he said what he needed to so there was no need to say anymore for right now.
After being forced to sit down he listened to Ray and Nolan speak glancing at Nolan as he hit him a little harder than usual, he arched a brow wondering if he was doing the same thing as Ray but just smiled at him as he mentioned drinking.
"I only had a few dozen bottles I'm alright," Luro said chuckling a little. "I held back since we were meeting nobles today."
He went silent again as the others spoke leaning back and forth as the captain answered the princess and glancing over in the general's direction grinning at them every now and then before turning his attention from the captain to the princess, then to the Tashigi's then right back to the captain. He wasn't sure why but Alicia seemed exhausted at something, he wondered if she had gotten any sleep last night as he watched her with her head in her hands, he looked away from her deciding now wasn't a time to bring it up.

He listened as the princess spoke to her generals, and as Alicia mentioned a plan of attack making sure to pay close attention to what they were saying, it was hard to understand everything that was happening and he was curious what the crew were going to do in helping out Yula Fei. Hearing they had a separate mission his shoulders drooped a little since they wouldn't be on the front lines, he wanted to take them head on but the idea of taking out the leader of all this sounded better anyway so he just nodded at it, mostly to himself.
He looked over towards the princess as they concluded their strategy and shut his eyes for a moment, he tilted his head trying to take all of this in. The complex stuff was a whole other matter but so long as the captain lead the way he knew he wouldn't have to worry too much about thinking heavily.
"She's quite the catch Alicia, I've seen and on occasion have had nobles at the barrel of a loaded rifle. Not many think of their people first, I'm surprised there aren't a bunch of men after her," Luro said looking over at Alicia for a moment.
He glanced over at Ray catching him speak to the general who didn't seem to trust them with the mission, his brow arching a bit at his words though he ended up smiling as Ray continued mentioning a plan.
He stood up after this himself putting his hands on the table with a wide grin on his face.
"That's mean Ray we're your friends. We're not expandable you know. Fancy man number three will be fine," he said chuckling a little after. "I don't really mind what the plan is, long as the captain approves it I'll do it. Just tell me who to point and shoot at."
Luro looked over at Arcadius not missing all of his conversation with Nolan either, a small smile formed on his face as glanced sideways at him.
"Kadi you mentioned you can use a pistol right? I got some on the ship if you need to use one," he said before turning fully to face him. "By the way you shouldn't mention the prince...her majesty exposing herself. Nice as that would be it's serious time right now, we can talk about that later."
Luro waved his hand at him before his attention went to the princess, he still had one last thing to say and he wanted to do so just in case they ended up busy later.
"Your majesty you seem to have a pretty comfortable throne behind you...do you have any extra of those? I'd like to have a spare in case something happens to mine and it looks really comfy."
Luro sat back down after this folding his hands on the table, though he didn't take his attention away from the princess as he was serious about the question itself and he wanted an answer so he could plan on how to get it back to the ship.

 

[Capt. Blu]

After Runali fell silent, she listened to the royals speak. The captain had a newfound respect for the young princess when she put her foot down about not leaving. Surely, no one or at least no pirate would suspect such a thing from a peaceful island. It wouldn't stop the pirates that would be for sure, however, it would throw off their plan if they had decided to sneak up on her. Back and forth they all went in order to lay out a plan. None of it involved her crew, so she started to mull over where it would be best to settle them. However, the princess seemed to have that in mind as well. "Find the person in charge and kill them..." She thought over the idea. Sending her crew into the heart of the enemy lines in order to stop the boss of it all was probably the most dangerous thing there was. She paused for a moment, letting everyone else mingle in the process. The one time she did look up towards the others was when one of the generals openly displayed his distrust. "Well, he is right. We are pirates, there's no civility in what we do. What we do is in order for our survival."

Runali rested her head in her hands and looked between the princess and Liu Shen. "However, despite our presence here, you still don't trust us? Don't you think after hearing about a war, I would've packed up and left by now? I mean, obviously right?" Runali looked at the princess and nodded. "My crew can see to finding out who this leader is. I can't guarantee that we'll keep prisoners however." She missed everyone else's conversations around them, but did focus on when Ray stood.

"Aye, that's not a bad idea. Problem though. Not all of us are built for stealth. If we were to implement that, you and I would probably have to sneak on first and then signal Nolan and Ray to follow. There's nothing wrong with that though. It would be even better not to alert the whole ship too. Guns are loud kills, meaning you two," She looked at Nolan and Luro. "Would have to hold off until necessary. However, we can't guarantee that once we sneak on, they won't be waiting either." After giving her two cents, Runali listened to Luro. Leave it to him to ruin the seriousness of the mood. Very unprofessionally, Runali laughed lightly towards his antics before clearing her throat. "Aye, Luro. Alicia is going to skewer you." She wasn't going to stop his questions however. If he wanted a throne, then hell, he could ask. No matter how dumb it seemed. Besides, he had the rest of the crew grilling him to be quiet.

As for Arcadius...Runali wasn't sure where to put him in her plans. If he planned to join them, then she would add him to their somewhat stealth team. "If you're going to stick with us Kadi, then we'll make sure you don't die. Consider yourself a part of the crew." She didn't necessarily mean it as a direct offer, like when she asked the others to join. It was more like a gesture of acceptance and friendship. "Now, what exactly is next on this to do list?"

 

[Winter]

~"I look back and wonder how many lives were being discussed at that table that day"~​

The princess and her generals continued to deliberate on the plan for a minute more before the young monarch looked to Akiyoshi. "Lord Tashigi, I know you no longer wish to raise your blade, but might I ask that you help with the evacuations. I believe the people could use a respectable figure such as yourself to help guide them" she said, earning a bow of courtesy from Akiyoshi. "Of course Princess, I will do what I can" he said before looking to Satia who immediately raised her hand, "Father, I'd like to join Alicia in her mission" she said, her father opening his mouth before closing it again, looking to Alicia who in turn looked to Satia. "I... this will be very dangerous Satia" said Alicia, the generals remaining quiet as they observed the conversation. Satia sighed, "I know, but I feel I can do more if I'm where the fight is..." she said, a pause lingering in the air before Akiyoshi spoke again, "Satia you still have allot to learn, I don't know-" he was cut off again, "I was there too father..." Akiyoshi looked a little taken back for a moment before he closed his eyes as he let out a long breath, "I'm sorry Satia, I forget sometimes how far you've come" he said before looking to Alicia, "I suppose it's up to your sister if she's willing to have you" he said, giving his permission without really needing to.

Alicia looked to the captain for a moment before looking back to Satia, giving a small nod. "Alright, but you must listen to what I say. If you give me any reason to doubt bringing you alone I'm sending you right to the temple with the others. Ok?" she said, seeming unsure about taking her along. Satia nodded, "I understand, thank you Alicia" she said with a smile. Alicia took a deep clearing breath before she looked to the princess who had politely waited for their conversation to find a conclusion. "We have about a day before everything is in place and then it is just a waiting game for the invasion. I suggest you stock up on anything you might need before this begins. Thank you for meeting with me and thank you for aiding my people. If we are all here when this is over, I will see to it your kindness is repaid" she said before tipping her head curtly, as did the three generals. When Luro asked about the throne the princess paused for a moment and blinked, "I'll... see what I can do. Perhaps that can tie into your reward" she said, once again looking to the generals who looked just as bewildered and speechless. Luro has really seemed to throw a spanner i the social etiquette that these were used to.

With the meeting concluded, they would all soon find themselves descending the steps back to the carriages which would take them into Sovereign City. They got about a quarter way down before Luro was punched in the side of the head so hard there was no way it couldn't have almost knocked him out cold. Even Alicia's hand felt pain as she held it in her other hand, wincing as she nursed it close to her chest. "Man pretty!" she repeated before she continued down the steps ahead of the others in a bit of a sore mood. The comment had truly upset her and it was some what humorous that it'd been what her focus was despite his many other stupid comments directed towards the Princess. Akiyoshi and Satia watched with wide eyes, "Yep... just like her mother" Akiyoshi commented as Satia merely recomposed and continued walking. Fortunately for Luro, Alicia was not a fist fighter and so the punch wasn't trained but merely thrown hard. Had Alicia chosen to progress her training in fist and physical combat Luro probably wouldn't have remained on his feet. Before long the group would find themselves in Sovereign City. In the next few hours the military would arrive to begin moving people away from the city and port Hurasai. So they had limited time to stock up or enjoy themselves.

 

[Arcadius]

I zoned out as the was council progressed, feeling that the generals, princess and Tashigis had more than sufficient grasp on tactics and war planning. As far as I was concerned, my job would come with a good map and a point. I would be supposed to get the ship there, and then the captain would take over, and past that, I'd just make sure I'd come out of the whole thing alive. Hopefully, it would make the job easier for the harbour defence detachment.

Seemed like a prudent moment to concern myself with my armament for the coming battle, something I have, perhaps unwisely, tried to ignore to my fullest abilities. The ship probably needed checking as well. We had to make sure the sails and ropes would not give in while we were being shot at, or, embarrassingly, before. I questioned myself if I should bring it up to the captain. On one hand, I could be possibly eroding his authority, asking such elementary questions in front of his crew. On the other hand, I realized that I actually was going into combat, and that I really, really did not wanted to die.

With the war meeting over, Arcadius was now following the rest of the group down the steps from the palace, wondering if what he just witnessed was supposed to calm him down, because the big matters were in capable hands, or whether he should be scared over the fact that he was going to be part of one of those matters. The gloomy brooding was quickly dispelled by liberal application of well deserved violence on Luro. Kadi chuckled. "An apple that has not fallen far from the tree, you say?" he asked Aikyoshi, before doubling to catch the captain. He placed his hand on Runali's shoulder. "Captain, we should probably head directly to the ship, we need to take stock of the supplies and weapons, and check the ship for structural damage. I mean, not like we will be able to fix much in the day we have, but at least we will know where we stand. Or sail, for the matter." Perhaps somewhat rash to mention it just after they stepped out of the royal house, but the they were on the clock and the enemy would certainly not give them an overtime, even if they asked nicely.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Sneaking into the enemy ship and going undercover didn't sound half-bad. It was a solid plan and it was a lot better than just leaping into the fray, guns blazing and swords slashing all around. They were outnumbered, so if they got to do their damage from the inside, they'd have a much better chance. "That, that's a good plan." He nodded when the captain looked at both him and Luro. "No shots unless necessary, got it." If they did this right then the casualties would be few, though he understood that this wouldn't be some walk in the park either.

The princess told them they had a day to prepare and Satia offered to come with them. A few more words were exchanged between Akiyoshi and the princess, Luro asked for a throne and they were dismissed. If they lived through this, he would have a lot of letters to send to his parents and Annie.

They got back into carriages and rode back to the port in silence before Alicia gave Luro a strong punch to the head. The cook winced and gave his friend a once over, though to be honest, the redhead kind of deserved it. "You alright, Luro?" He asked quietly before turning to look at Kadi and the captain. "I'm not a war expert or anything, but Kadi has a point, we should double check everything before the big event." He frowned at the last few words. They could be dead this time tomorrow. Luro's silly antics, Ray's singing on the deck, the captain's tales and everything. They could lose it all by this time tomorrow. "It might be wise for us to go over the plan as well, come up with backup plans in case anything goes wrong. Maybe signals or something?" Perhaps he was over thinking, but Nolan wanted to make sure they were prepared. He didn't want anyone to end up like Danny. "I might need to get myself a sword too."

 

[Mizos]

Luro's fist tingled with excitement when the princess agreed to looking into getting a throne chair for him, with that as a reward he intended on working that much harder for the defense of Yula Fei. The sooner these pirates were taken care of the sooner he'd have a new throne for the rum room, and they could enjoy themselves in the city fully without worry...though he still wanted to go.
While leaving Heiwa Palace Luro folded his hands behind his head wondering what they should do first, with all the serious stuff out of the way they could go and see the city, drink a little, have some food, enjoy some of the entertainment Yula Fei had to offer. The possibilities were almost endless, he couldn't help but grin just thinking about it, though it was thanks to him being lost in his own thoughts that he almost fell when a punch slammed into his face.
Placing his foot down to keep from tumbling down the steps he turned to someone yelling at him only to notice it was Alicia, he rubbed his cheek as he watched her storm off tilting his head a little in confusion.
Was she mad at him from the comment he made about Akiyoshi, but he was man pretty Alicia was too...maybe he missed something.
He looked over at Nolan as he asked if he was okay and he held a hand up offering a small smile to him.
"I think Alicia's just being shy...still hurt though," Luro said chuckling a little. "I'll just consider it a friend tap...a very...hurtful friend tap."

Luro listened to Arcadius before moving over to Nolan, reaching in his sleeve he pulled out his notebook before flipping a few pages in it.
After making a quick note to look up the drink called 'Savant' he flipped a few more pages before walked next to Arcadius wrapping his arm around his shoulder offering a small grin to him as he pulled him close.
"Kadi there's no need to rush back to the Coral. I mean I miss her too but we should enjoy ourselves a little," Luro said grinning. "If you're curious about the weapons and Coral's shape I can at least answer that for you. I mean that is what the captain hired me for...the ship part not the weapons I just do that for fun. Let's see...I didn't count the swords but we have about...one-hundred twenty seven rifles, accompanied by fifty-two pistols, if you need to know each by variety just let me know I've been messing with them the last few days. The ship was just repaired..."
By Davy Jones but Luro wasn't going to mention that part since it was a long story.
"So she's actually okay in terms of structure I gave her a once over and the repairman actually did a good job, still touched my lass but that's another matter. We have enough wood to repair anything on the go as well, good quality wood too you can thank Nolan for providing some of that."
He closed the book and removed his arm from Arcadius shoulder putting his notebook away.
"I didn't really care about how much food we had but we have two-hundred twenty two and a half bottles of drink on the Coral hidden in a variety of locations, one being in the captain's cabin. We had more but...we lost them after the storm."
Luro closed his eyes taking a moment to honor the lost bottles of rum that went overboard in that moment remembering he didn't before continuing.
"I gotta do my job once in a while after all," Luro said putting his notebook away. "Still I won't stop you from being thorough Kadi, maybe that's your specialty everyone has an extra one."
He leaned over to Arcadius putting a hand on the side of his mouth before pointing in Alicia's direction.
"Alicia's is not taking a compliment so be careful," he said before walking away from him whistling a little.

Moving over to Nolan he rested his arm on the young man's shoulder before leaning forward a little poking his chest, hearing him mention something about a sword, he couldn't allow talk like that to happen when Nolan was the only other person he knew who was a good shot. Granted he hasn't seen Arcadius shoot or Ray aside from the cannon's, he wasn't sure if Alicia wanted too and the captain was already training with swords.
"If you're going to carry a sword let me give you a Makachi specialty with it," Luro said before pointing at his own rifle. "You'll shoot like an angry wife aiming at her husband guaranteed to hit...actually no that's not right. I'm still working on the sales pitch but I can vouch for it so think about it Nolan. It's okay if you fall in love too it's not cheating on your lass, she won't become your mistress just your very close personal friend."
Luro removed his arm from Nolan before stretching his arms over his his head before lowering crossing them over his chest.
"I wanna enjoy the city but I don't know if Alicia is still mad at me I don't know the way around after all." Luro said glancing in her direction. "Oh I got it Tashigi."
Luro looked in Satia's direction before clapping his hands together a wide toothy grin on his face.
"You could show me around, everyone's going to be doing serious stuff so we should go off and have some fun. Ray could come with us I don't think he's going to the Coral to check on supplies. If Alicia's not mad she could come too what do you say sounds fun right?"

 

[Grothnor]

So, Satia's coming along, is she? Ray thought. Kind of pointless to threaten to send her back once we go to sea, but I'm glad we're getting another competent fighter. Ray gave a few pieces of strategic advice before departing with his friends. Once they had left the building, he gave Luro a horrified look. "You asked for a throne? A bloody chair, of all things? By the Lords, you are never speaking to Royalty ever again." He sighed in exasperation. "Well, it could have gone worse. And if, for whatever reason, I ever get invited to my mother's Spring Salon again, remind me to take you with me." Her guests' reaction to him would be priceless.... Ray smiled.

They got into the carriage and headed back to the the port. When Ray heard Nolan wonder about armaments, he offered him his saber, the gold and skull embossed one he took from one of Captain Pars' lieutenants several weeks before. "Here, you can use this. I already have two other weapons, so I can't use it unless I want to hold it in my mouth, but that would just be ridiculous."

Ray was in the middle of deciding how many braces of pistols he would want to carry into battle when Luro suggested a night on the town before shipping out. Ray wholeheartedly concurred. "Whaddya say, Captain? I for one could use some liquid courage before the fight, and we have plenty of time before any fighting starts. How about it, Nolan? Kadi? Ladies Tashigi?"

 

[Capt. Blu]

The meeting was adjourned, with the plans in place. Runali thought over their part of the plan, letting it sink into her brain to be set in stone. Their task was to sneak in and strike the heart of the invasion. Stealth would be needed and they had to be prepared for anything. She didn't know how tough the pirates were, and it wouldn't have been wise to underestimate them. As the fresh air hit, her mind cleared from thoughts of battle, back to the more relaxed nature of the crew. In the matter of seconds things went from relaxed to down right humor- at least to Runali. Seeing Alicia deck Luro across the face made her wince, but then right after laugh a bit. "She really was upset about it. With a smirk, Runali patted Luro's arm. "He's fine Nolan. I'm sure there's not much of a brain to be rattled anyway." Her gaze turned to Luro with a short laugh. "Careful Makachi, Alicia didn't look so happy. Best to stay on a legendary swordswoman's good side, right?"

Their lighthearted banter ceased as Arcadius spoke up. Runali looked over at him with a curious, one eyed gaze. For an honest moment, she had forgotten he wasn't apart of their crew. She wondered why he went on about the ship's condition when in fact they had gotten it repaired by Davy himself. Quickly recalling her mistake, Runali planned to speak- however Luro took her place and gave him the rundown. While that went on the captain nodded to Nolan. "A back up plan is a good idea. However being surrounded by enemies on their ship gives you less options than you'd hope for. Don't worry, we'll come up with one before the time comes...or during. Whichever works." Once again, her attention was on Arcadius. With a slight tease, she spoke. "If you didn't quite understand our shipwright, basically, the Coral Pearl is in top shape and as far as the guns and cannons, Luro has them all in top shape as well. We don't have too many swords, so we don't have extra of those. Also, Nolan, you should probably stick with guns. It suits you better. If anything, it'd probably be best to go about creating a necessary back up plan or just make sure the ship is in a safer spot than out in the open. But it could be done before bed, or in the morning." Runali shrugged, listening to everyone else begin planning their activities for the rest of the day.

As they rode along on the carriage and soon ended up in the city, Runali debated either going back to the ship to sail it to a more hidden location, or sticking around to explore the city. "It'd be best ta restock on food and such...since we're kinda short from the accident. And clothes were lost. We'll need those- especially if we plan on heading North. The seas there are much colder." Ray's added, questioning settled her debate. "I don't believe restocking and relaxing before a big event can hurt. Besides, I want to see what else is around here. At least before it's in a state of panic or something." She hopped off the carriage and looked on to the direction of the town. "Well, anyone else care to join?"

 

[Winter]

~"The two most important parts of your life are the day you were born, and the moment you find out why"~​

Akiyoshi looked to Arcadius and chuckled inwardly, "It appears not" he said with amusement "But In some ways that is what troubles me the most..." he said, trailing off to himself as he watched Alicia descend the steps ahead of everyone else while clutching her sore hand. Satia walked past Luro shaking her head, "Never call a girl man pretty, you'll live longer" she said with amusement as she followed after Alicia, noting what Runali had said about Alicia being legendary. Satia looked ahead at Alicia, wondering just how her older sister had changed since leaving home on her journey. Perhaps a friendly duel with her would be in order to see how her skills have progressed. The last time they dueled was when they were both still in training back at the estate. Of course Alicia always usually won as she was older and further in her training, though she couldn't help but wonder if it'd be different now. Satia cast the thought aside as they all got into the carriages. Now that the meetings were over they would all be able to enjoy the city for a little while before the military came in to clear everyone out.

Alicia's hand was still red from the strike she'd given Luro by the time they reached the city and though she was doing her best to pretend otherwise, it was actually rather painful. Of course she didn't regret it, Luro was lucky she hadn't wailed on him for a solid few minutes after how he acted. Fortunately for him the princess was a kind soul, not one who would become agitated or hostile over mere words. By the time everyone had reached the city Alicia had mostly gotten past her irritation with Luro, though she was still not in a good mood about it. The swordswomen mostly remained quiet as they discussed what to do before she'd eventually give her two cents worth, "As I said before, the city is incredibly big and more so if you include port Hurasai. However if you're all dead set on going separate ways, that will be our best meeting point" she said, turning to point to a massive tower which rose at the center of the city, a beautiful spire with what appeared to be a giant gold bell at the top, though the bell wasn't visible from this distance.

Akiyoshi stepped forwards, having been forgotten in the conversations. He adjusted his glasses a little before smiling to the group, "I will be returning to the estate to get things in order before assisting with the impending plan. I don't know if I'll see you after this so I wish you well in what is to come, all of you" he said as he looked between them. "Alicia, Satia... please, be careful" he said in a more serious tone. He walked forwards and gave both his daughters a parting hug before turning to leave, getting back into his carriage which would take him back to the estate. Alicia and Satia waved him off before turning back to the crew, Satia looking to Runali, "Well, I'm on board" she said before looking to Alicia who nodded, "What kind of swordswomen would I be if I wasn't somewhere close to the captain" she said with a slightly amused expression before nodding, "Count me in" she said as they both walked to join Runali. "You know... we could finally see if Luro can take on the Sake challenge... " Satia suggested before looking to Alicia to check if she was still in a bad mood with the red headed drunk. Alicia sighed, "As long as he doesn't talk stupid again I'll restrain myself from hitting him" she said, rolling her eyes before giving a small smile.

 

[Fox of Spades]

"A Makachi specialty?" Oh, the rifles Luro had been tinkering with. Nolan eyed the gun and chuckled. Luro was good at fiddling with things, and while he was comfortable with his own rifle an upgrade could't hurt. This was going to be a big mission after all. "You know, that doesn't sound like a bad idea Luro. If you've got another one of those rifles, I'd be more than happy to take one." The cook was gentle person by nature, but things were going to get serious, and if any of his friends got into trouble, he wanted to be ready to help them out.

The redhead started joking around about it not being the equivalent of cheating and while Luro's jokes usually confused him, he ended up laughing along and it felt good. Ray offered him a sword, and after telling Kadi a bit more about the ship, the captain threw in her own two cents.

"Mhm, I am more of rifle person, but we'll need to be stealthy so I guess it's time to shake things up a little." The thought of possibly stabbing someone send a shiver down his spine, but it'd be better than being useless and watching his friends go down. "Thanks Ray, I have a feeling it'll come in handy—" He paused mid sentence when Luro suggested they all check out the city. It didn't sound like a bad idea since their ship and their weapons were all set to go, so he looked at his friends and waited to see how they would react.

No one said it was a bad idea and Akiyoshi didn't protest before leaving or anything, so Nolan gave his friends a grin. "A drink or two does sound good, count me in, Ray. As for Luro taking a drinking challenge," Nolan laughed. "Trust me, he's ridiculously good at that, it's actually scary. Back at Waterdeep I thought he'd end up with alcohol poisoning, but he didn't and I bet..." He gave the redhead a teasing stare. "I bet he's got alcohol running through his veins."

 

[Mizos]

Luro grinned and pumped his fist into the air glad to hear they were going to relax in the city, and it seemed Alicia wasn't mad at him anymore so there was no worry of any awkwardness during the celebration and they wouldn't get lost either, it was a win on both ends.
He did regret that Akiyoshi couldn't come with them but he supposed he had to take care of things on his own end, when the captain mentioned restocking he did nod in agreement as there wasn't enough rum on the ship at least in his opinion, plenty of wine but that was for being fancy he couldn't make grog with it which he was in the mood for right now.
"Well need more rum when we get supplies," Luro said. "I feel too fancy drinking wine all the time."

He glanced over at Nolan as he spoke of their time in Waterdeep bringing a grin to his face, that was a fond memory especially the pleasant conversations he had with some of the staff...at least he believed he spoke with the staff.
Whether he did or not the celebration was great and he laughed a little thinking of it before putting his arm around Nolan's shoulder poking him in the chest.
"I'll make one from scratch just for you Nolan and drink running through my veins...that'd be dream come true then I'd have rum whenever I wanted...though I'm pretty sure it'd be weird if I got shot though," Luro said bringing a hand to his chin. "Oh well I can't wait for this sake challenge, you all should join too. A wise old man I knew once said you gotta drink and celebrate while you have the time...though he was arrested a day later because his ship was attacked while he was recovering from a hangover but up until that point he was pretty good."

Luro removed his his arm from Nolan's shoulder before turning to Alicia and Satia, he made a mental note not to call Alicia 'man pretty' anymore after Satia's advice but he didn't know what kind of compliment to point in her direction. The captain had the ultimate compliment, being the captain so he couldn't think of one for her that beat that one.
With a firm nod Luro made sure to think of one that would make his friend happy, perhaps he should ask Nolan for his advice on it.
"Alicia and Tashigi please show the way to the challenge or wherever we're going! We gotta enjoy as much of today as possible. Then we gotta make sure to win later so we can celebrate again with even more!"

 

[Arcadius]

I was figuratively disarmed by the combined answer from the captain and Luro. At the time, I had no regrets about asking so directly, my life was on the line and they were pirates, after all, neither really helping me qualm my doubts about the situation. However, the longer the crew talked, the more I felt the nervousness wash away. Luro and captain seemed to actually know their stuff, and the Tashigi sisters were no doubt skilled and well trained fighters. The ship seemed to be supplied and looked after as much as one could hope for, and arguably, well...

The chances for living to see the next week started to look less grim, and truth be told, now that my mind was put at ease somewhat, I realized I actually could use a drink, but I still had one last thing to say about the weapons.

Arcadius sat quietly, munching on what he was told about the ship's armaments and supplies. What he initially expected to be unruly bunch of pirates turned out to be a crew that was more on par with the mercenary privateer captains back home. Thieves and looters under a different name, sure, but their business was mostly built around offering their services to the city states, harassing the trade routes and ships of their rivals for money and for whatever loot they managed to bring. Hardly a match for an organized navy, but they still adhered to strict discipline and skill code that made them small, but very effective force. Still, he had one last thing harrowing his mind.

"Crossbows. We should get couple of crossbows," he said suddenly, looking up from his corner of brooding. "We can't use gunpowder weapons, at least not until our task is complete, but we could still use something for cover fire if we'll need to hastily retreat. We can't use bows, not in the confined spaces inside a ship, but if we could find a dozen or so crossbows to take with us, it could make our job a lot easier. And then go drinking," he added, looking at Luro and captain with hope.

A drink would be most welcome in this situation, no doubts about that, and Kadi was actually curious what passed around here as alcohol. After all, he was in a distant and foreign land, and one should always allow to be culturally enriched if the time allowed for it. Henry's Port did have a decent wine, after all, and temperate lands were overall considered to produce grapes of the highest quality.

 

[Grothnor]

Nolan took his sword, thanking him. I have a feeling it'll come in handy...." Let's hope not, though. Ray thought ruefully. He was getting ready to give Nolan a few brief lessons such as 'fear cuts deeper than swords' and 'stick them with the pointy end' before Luro's talk of his excess wine caught his ear. "Wait up, you've been holding out on me, Makachi? Where'd you get the wine?" Ray playfully harassed his friend until divulged a hidden repository on his person.

He fell in beside Alicia as the group headed towards impending revelry, swigging from the bottle of wine he got from Luro. Kadi made the suggestion of arming themselves with crossbows. "A novel idea. A little low-tech, but a sound plan." He left the decision up to the Captain, more concerned with his drink. Another swig brought a smile to his face as a song began to swell in him.

Ray was wholly nonchalant with the danger of the upcoming fight. We met Davy Jones and lived. I doubt that anyone within a thousand leagues can make that boast besides us. The stakes keep getting higher and we keep rising to the challenge. Waterdeep was only frightening because I had never been in a situation like that before. Now, after all we've been through I know that we can do this.

 

[Capt. Blu]

Seeing that everyone agreed to enjoy the night while it lasted, the captain put a thumbs up. From restocking to putting Luro in a drinking contest, they were going to enjoy the night while they could. After all, that's what pirates did! "Party now, work later." She mused and let the Tashigi sisters lead the way through their home town. Luro had the right idea, suggesting that we enjoy the night and win later. Everything was set up, similar to the island of Utsukushi with markets donning the streets. However, unlike the excitement and upbeat nature of the tourist island, Yula Fei was a lot more calm and peaceful. It was a huge difference. Nonetheless, Runali slowed her walking speed to peak at each of the different items being sold.

In midst of eyeing several fragrant flowers being sold, she heard Arcadius speak up."Crossbows you say? That's not a bad idea…" She wouldn't have been able to use them- well, she wouldn't be good with a crossbow, considering her poor eyesight but that didn't mean Nolan and Arcadius couldn't use it. Luro too if he was willing. "Good thinking Kadi. Hey, Alicia, Satia, do you think they sell crossbows around here?" It didn't seem likely. Yula Fei was a very traditional place, but Runali decided that she couldn't pass up the chance to ask. And now, she was curious. Runali never used a crossbow before, and wanted to know if she could.

After questions were answered Runali had wandered into a market, planning to catch up with the rest of the crew if they chose to continue on. She was sure it wouldn't be hard to find Luro around here.All she had to do was follow the excess of alcohol and the disarray he caused in the process. If Nolan ever separated, she'd try places where food was sold. Runali knew her crew. As captain, she had to- which was also why she trusted that they could wander about Yula Fei without causing too much trouble. She herself (and whomever decided to accompany her if they chose to) stood into a small store, selling clothing. "This...looks pretty cool." Runali looked at the kimono she picked out and tried on. What better way to blend in, by wearing the traditional garb? Though, there was no real reason for her to try and blend in. "Well, I'm definitely taking this." Runali paid for it, with her other clothes tucked under her arm (having left her pants on), and then decided to find the rest of the crew.

 

[Winter]

Alicia began to lead the way towards where the challenge was offered. She'd seen people attempt it before, very few of which could succeed as the poison provided was some of the strongest Yula Fei had to offer. A single cup would probably knock Alicia flat, and though she didn't really drink she liked to think she had such a tight grip on her body that she could endure it to some extent. The people who walked by didn't seem to pay them much mind, aside from a few glances at the crew and a double take or two at the sisters, though everyone seemed to walk through without being hassled. When Runali asked about a crossbow she stopped and thought, looking to Satia who seemed just as puzzled as she was. They'd heard of a crossbow before, but it had a different name here "You mean an Arbalest?" she replied, Satia snapping her fingers as Alicia remembered the word. "We have those here, they're a specialty and quite expensive here though. As you might have gathered from the quality of our swords, the art of crafting just about anything here is done with great care and pride. An Arbalest from the weapon stores will cost a pretty penny, but will certainly perform past your expectations" she said before looking to Kadi, "After we see Luro through his challenge I'll take you to a store I know which sells them, I've known the family there for some years now and their wares are very reliable" she said before continuing to lead the group.

Eventually they would reach the place where Luro would meet his challenge, a beautiful building with a spark of life to it as people walked in and out of the multi-floored complex. Music could be heard from inside along with laughter and hearty talk. Alicia turned to the group, "You're about to see a very different kind of warrior. These men and women could probably drink poison and continue to tell you a story that would cause the most serious of men to smile" she said, noticing Runali had now caught up with them and in a Kimono no less. Alicia gave a wide smile, feeling a spark of joy that their captain was enjoying her culture which meant a fair bit to the young swordswomen. "That Kimono wears you well Runa" she said before leading them all into the building. Inside was not what some might expect from such a traditional and disciplined culture, but like all civilizations throughout history there was always a place where the expectations of behavior were dropped in favor of fun and good times. "Welcome to Perdition" she said as they stood in the entrance. The place was huge and busting with life, tables full of men and women drinking and talking among themselves while music boomed to accompany dancers for light entertainment. The bar was long with a few different staff pouring drinks for their customers and they seemed just as happy as they were. It seemed they were in luck as music suddenly changed, a table in the center of the room clearing as people gathered round.

​

The music began to play and as it did Alicia tried her best to explain how the game worked. "Before the music begins Sake glasses are set up on the table before the challenger. When the music begins the challenger must shot a glass on each beat of the song, as close to the song as he or she can until the song is over. If the challenger is able to remain standing they beat the challenge and win a bottle of the hardest, strongest Sake Yula Fei has to offer. If you throw up, you lose, if you sit down, you lose and if you fall unconscious you lose" she said clearly as she watched a large gruff looking man attempt the challenge. He made it three quarters of the song before he collapsed to the ground where he was dragged away by his friends, laughing following as the crowd raised their glasses. The challenge song wasn't long which gave a false sense of ease to the challenge, however as Luro might soon find it was allot harder than it looked. "Well Luro, good luck" said Satia as she turned towards the taller red haired man. "Just head up to the bar and let them know you'll be taking on their challenge. Don't be fooled though, this Sake is unlike usual traditional sake" said Alicia before leading them towards a table where they could sit close to the center table, that way they would have a good view of Luro attempting the challenge.