The Nature of the Serpent

Turning her head when he put his hand in her shoulder, Musetta smiled sadly. Here she was being comforted about not having anything she especially loved by a man who had been marooned for so long he'd given up the idea of escaping the island. It seemed very backwards to her, and a bit uncomfortable to that she seemed to need the hope more then him.

She was mostly glad when he removed his hand. Mostly but not completely. A friendly gesture like that was a rare commodity for her since she became captain of her own ship. "I..." She didn't know what to say really, so she turned her head to face the ceiling once more and then sighed. What was the point though of all that idealistic love of life though if she didn't stick to her principles? If she didn't follow through with what she started?

Maybe that was what it came down to, there was nothing he needed to do, so he could take the easy way. Her on the other hand, she needed to see to it that her brother was the last one to be a victim. That losing him and her father hadn't been meaningless. Musetta closed her eyes again, not wanting to think about her own lost. She did not want to grieve over the long dead, there was too much to do. "Tomorrow, the storm should pass. Will have to do another survey of the wreck, see how much of it is left," her voice was tight, but it was better to try to set her sights on tomorrow then look back at the past.
 
"There will be whats needed." he assured her. "If there something you can't bare to part with I should be able to fish it out of anywhere." he shifter onto his back, his side pressed against hers in the tight space. "Things have a strange way of working out in the end. I've been here years, and only now do I have something to do with my life." he looked at her. "Maybe all that time alone game me the perspective you need, or enough to nudge you to where you need to be. You're a shaer, a doer. I don't think you could ever be happy with my life. But then I'm not sure I am all of the time, content, but thats not the same thing. You don't seem to be either.
 
Musetta thought about what he said. It was hard not to, despite her disdain for philosophy. The way he talked almost sounded like premanifested destiny, which she also wasn't sure she liked very much. Yet despite all of that and the subject matter not being very uplifting Musetta found herself surprised to realize she did not in the end mind his musings. By design or happenstance perhaps he was right in some small regards. She could not have this kind of conversation with another, neither a Memeber of her crew or even someone from another ship. It exposed a weakness that was human, but could be seen as making her easy prey. Life as a pirate was precarious.

"You sound like you're ready to do something," she grinned to herself. "If you are, then I suppose there is something we can trade for after all." Musetta closed her eyes. What was her passion? Maybe she didn't have one anymore, she didn't think she nessisarily needed one, but she would admit, even if only to herself, it would be nice to have that again.

The storm was picking up outside, but the noise of the wind and the rain was not so bad to cause her to stay up. Besides she was warm lying there in the little shelter, and comfortable. It was likely the first time in months she actually felt at ease as she laid in bed.
 
The storm-tossed island was now greeting the dawn and Aias was still in bed. Usually he'd be up and inspecting storm damage to the reef but he was next to Mesetta and although awake hadn't opened his eyes. He was also still under the blanket with was fortunate as it hid the soft contented glow to his skin. He hadn't dreamed but that was normal, what was there to dream about? Fish? Plants? Shipwrecks and sea serpents? He sighed and turned to look at the human next to him. Why was it that he felt safe? Did he trust her? A Human. Maybe he felt sorry for her and her misguided quest. Whatever the reason he was reluctant to move away.

"It sunrise." he said softly. "You slept the entire night..." it was more than could be said for him.
 
"Hmm?" Musetta fluttered her eyes sleepily, a smile, soft and serene upon her lips. "Oh," she sounded a bit surprised as her eyes stayed open. "I suppose I did," she then stretched out carefully, still seeming happy if not completely awake still as she closed her eyes once more, though she did not tuck her arms back under the blanket.

Then she turned and looked at Aias. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, sounding more serious and more awake. She wasn't as at ease as she had been upon first waking, but she was far from uncomfortable. It was more like she was trying to put on her persona as captain now that she was fully awake. Polite, but trying to be in control.
 
"I'm unused to sleeping next to anyone." he said sliding out of the cramped shelter and stretching. He had some serious muscle ache on his shoulder and side but he would he alright after a swim. Speaking of which it was getting closer to breakfast time. "Time for fish.." he started walking towards the sea as he pulled off his shirt letting it wall to the ground and was soon stepping down the shore and waking into the sea.

He hadn't waited for her because he had no idea what to talk about after having spent the night next to her and enjoying it, and because he was hungry. The sea was him home and here he could think, and catch fish. Both were good.
 
Musetta was only a little surprise when Aias walked of and headed for the sea. He was unuse to being around another person, and it seemed that he found it easier to be active. As she got out of the shelter and stretched she realized he wasn't afraid to give his opinion however, judging by last nights conversation.

Shaking her head of those thoughts she ran fingers through her hair while slowly picking her way down to where their cook fire had been. With Aias getting fish, she needed to get a fire going. After breakfast though it would be time to get back to work. In a way Musetta wished she could just relax and enjoy the sound of the sea. The thought surprised her and she frowned as she started to light the tinder. This was not a vacation, she needed to get off the island. Apparently she was just not awake yet!
 
He waded out and pushed off to float face down as he slowly swam out. With the sun in the sky it was the colorful day fish that glided over the reef. He could hear some large mammals out to sea too. Whales probably chasing the same plankton the serpent was.

He dove and grabbed hold of a large looking fish and was back on shore barely five minutes after he left. Not enough time to think but this was his favorite... He walked thought he trees and dropped it into the pot still flopping and then handed both to Musetta with a proud look on his face. "These are my favorite... there a lot of meat on them, should be enough for both of us. Usually I leave the lef overs for the shakes when they're around, barracudas too." Birds sometimes but they don't like this island."

He sat to watch her with his stomach rumbling. "Fish are easier to get than fruit."
 
Musetta blinked at Aias, did he said he purposely encouraged sharks around the island. He was truly an odd one. Yet he was smiling so happily she couldn't help but grin back as she pulled out the fish. "Well you're not suppose to fall with the fruit," she teased.

Pulling her knife out, Musetta cut off the head and started to debone the fish. "When I was younger, my brother would sometimes catch fish when we were at port. Once I was with him and he handed me the pole for a moment to do something or such, I don't really recall. I just remember there suddenly being a sting pull after he started to walk away. I kept pulling on the line, nearly causing me to fall in." With a wistful look she put the chunks of fish in the pot. "The size was about the same."
 
He tilted his head and looked at her, it was the first time she had spoken of her brother, she was starting to think about the good times.. maybe. "They're rare..." watching her cut up the meat can torture on his empty stomach so instead he went to watch the fire. "I didn't have a brother I was close to. Big family, but things went the way they went." a shiver ran down his spine. "Its a good thing I don't go back. They were not happy I wanted to leave and won't accept me now that I have. Its our way. Their way. And I like it out here in the sun away from the dark."

He stopped talking when he realized his slip and dripped another branch on the fire. "Fish taste better than fruit."
 
Musetta glanced at him once the fish cheeks were also in the pot and lifted up onto the fire, realizing she was getting hungry. She had lifted an eyebrow wondering exactly what me meant by the dark. Was he from the far north, was it a metaphor, or was he talking about something else?

"I don't know about that," she said with a laugh. "After all there are so many different types of fruit. That's the beauty of things though, we don't have to have one or the other, but can have both." The pirate then tilted her head, still grinning. "Are you just trying to tell me you refuse to climb up the trees again?"
 
He looked up at the fruit in the trees. "I'm too heavy, and it hurt." he said "I swim, its what I'm good at, and fish." he looked at the fish on the fire, it was going to be dry again, he was beginning to miss just eating them underwater. He lay down on his side on the sand and looked at the fire that way. Then turned his head to look at her. "You must think its strange I left my family like that, but I wanted a different life, I wanted a purpose. And now I'm here." he smiled like that was a good thing. "I wanted to find my own place."
 
Occasionally Musetta would turn the fish, wanting it to be nicely cooked. When Aias looked up at her she looked over. "Well I suppose you've got your own place alright. As for a purpose, I suppose we all make our purpose. Large or small. I have crew mates who had to leave home because they didn't fit in. You're not the only one that has that problem, so don't feel your alone in that regard."

The fish was done, if she cooked it any more it would be burned and that would be no good. Dishing up the fish on a pair of leaves she handed one to Aias. "I'm glad the skies have cleared. The water isn't too choppy and will be as safe as it can be for a few dives."
 
He looked at the fish and sat up still looking at it as he spoke. "Every one does what they think it best." he picked up a piece of fish and broke it so it would cool and caught the smell. "What are you hoping to find in there?" he looked at the beach. "There are a lot of things I saw but not very useful to me. I could get something if you tell me what it is though."

A day in the sounded great exploring the wreck and finding more things. She had seemed pleased with what he had found last time and there were lots more things as he had said. As he thought he picked at a piece of fish and nibbled on it still looking in the direction of the sea. Then he turned back to her as he remembered it was her home. "Or I could just stay on shore in case you need help."
 
Her eyes also wandered to the water and the wreckage half concealed. Squinting at the sun dappled water she absently ate a piece of her breakfast. "Tools mostly. Things that will be useful for making a raft or something to get off of here with. Rope would be good. Don't bother with weapons, but if you can grab any coins that will be useful once we get back to civilization. It's not a priority though, don't go out of your way for it. Gold is meaningless if we're stuck here." There were other things she wanted, things like the music box she dropped. It was pure sentimental and not a good idea to peruse so she stuck to the important things.

Musetta looked back at Aias and gave him a sad smile. She got the impression he was trying to hold himself back. For him it was a fun adventure diving into the wreckage. For her though it was something much more personal. She needed to let go of the sentimentality. "I don't mind the help. It's a large ship anyways."
 
He moved to her and stood there facing the sea. He could small it from here, feel every impacts of a wave against the reef and the air resonated to it's call, but looking at her she knew the call of the sea but it didn't ache on her bones like it did with him. "Then lets go." he loved towards the shore trying not to let his nerves show as he reached the edge of the water and stopped.

"You make your life on the sea." he said "Its in your blood and it has accepted you, what do you have to be afraid of." Who he was talking to was left unsaid and then he was wading in and feeling the water around him, but he waited for her to go first. He had never seen a human swim before.
 
Musetta nodded as he suggest they go and started heading off. Standing, she stripped down once more and headed to the water as well. When he spoke she frowned, unsure she wanted that to be true for her, the war inside continuing. Upon her feet touching the water she let such philosophical thoughts melt away.

A few steps in and hip deep in water she finally went fully into the water, aware that Aias was watching her, but not the least bit self conscious about it. With a mindfulness of why she was swimming she made powerful strokes into the water, taking her to the wreckage of her ship. She paused in the water still a bit off, looking at it and sighing. It was a wreckage, nothing more, just another wreckage. With the mantra in mind she continued swimming, it did not help much though.
 
Underwater he pulled the shirt up to hid his neck. It was torture on his extremely sensitive gills and made him feel like he was suffocating but it hid them well enough for him to follow her towards the wreckage and still stay submerged. He had never once actually held his breath before (except for the traumatic memory of the first time he had to learn to use his lungs that he didn't like thinking about) and he didn't want to try in front of her.

He glided with ease behind her into dropping out of formation to glide his fingers over the bottom as his legs did most of the pushing. He did however move to the far side of the wreck and inspect where the hull rested against the reef and where most of the damage was. In fact most of the bottom had been torn off and she was lucky to have a keel.
 
The wreckage could have been worse, that said she would have much preferred that the storm had waited a few more days, for it was much more treacherous then before. Musetta noticed out of the corner of her eye Aias swimming towards the ship, opposite from where she was headed. She hoped he would be mindful of the dangers while enjoying himself.

Not having time to dawdle she went up once more for air before she committed herself to her hunt. There was a plan in her head, but it was only a bare sketch of what she wanted to accomplish so there was plenty of room for adaption. As she surveyed the wreckage to find useful things, she scooped up a canvas bag. In and of itself a simple thing, but she had nothing to carry anything she found.

It took time, lots of time to find anything within reach that she thought she could use, and after being out there for some time Musetta was about ready to take a break when she noticed something unexpected, unneeded, but tempting all the same. She didn't bother questioning the decision, instead Musetta went down and quickly grabbed two of the bottles. Sometimes it was good for moral to be slightly frivolous. With her surprising gain in fortune she headed for the surface once more, it was time to take a small break.
 
Aias had found a way into the deepest bowels of the ship though a hold in the side and as sifting though the wreckage and sand. He could feel the vibrations in the water even better than the fish could and then in another few days or if another storm came the lower part of the wreck would collapse and with it's backbone gone the rest of the ship would break apart. This could be their last dive to her.

He had however fund nothing that caught his eye even a level up he saw nothing.. and the level above that was canons. There was a playful eel that wanted to snake around his arms, one he thought he recognized, maybe it was a good thing he wasn't hungry.. a pet would be nice... and Musetta wasn't a pet, was she? She kept her here and spoke to her and fed her.... Or was she a prisoner? Maybe she was a friend... but friends didn't trap friends on deserted islands with them to study them did they? What did friends do?
 
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