Bon voyage

[hot_mes]

Who: Three ships a-sailing! (from here Law's crew of 8, Curufin's boat, and Floki's boat)
What: hunting for Door fragments and having adventures
Where: wherever the wind takes us, baby
When: August 14-September 19, a little over 4 weeks at sea
Warnings: unknown besides violence, sass-mouths, and general assholery. Will update as needed.

The first round of texts alerted everyone involved that the ship was finished. Law's plans dictated something alike to a brig sloop, only the final product came out a bit smaller thanks to limited resources. Twenty-five meters long and 6 meters at the beam, two masts, square-rigged, with a half-cabin in front to serve as forecastle and a larger cabin aft to store Kaiba's technology and provide shelter for the galley. Spoilers, he's named it the Corazon. Law's only order at that time was to prepare: pack a single bag and nothing more, make arrangements with your pals staying back, and show up to help load supplies at XX:00. The second text came on the 13th, dictating that only god-provided supplies the captain wanted were a map, a compass, and the boxes from Tranquility. Nothing else was worth his time, or his attention. The morning of the 14th, they're off!

The alliance of three ships includes Curufin's elvish longboat and Floki's Viking ship, so that anyone not capable of getting along could still be along for the trip while safely sequestered out of each other's way. Along the way they will stop off on any island with vegetation and animal life signs, to resupply both food and water, and anyone up for fishing is welcome to have at it. When it comes time to go diving for the fragment they've discovered, difficulty and adventures await.

Your captain has only two rules: your crewmates are your life so no killing each other, and if he gives you an actual order you obey it. Aside from that, there are no orders, just a mild suggestion that you not piss off the captain. He won't care if you piss each other off so long as we can all pitch in together to rig the sails, raise anchor, and get those fragments. Everything else, enjoy yourselves.

On September 5th, an anomalous reading at coordinates uncovers Null Sentries which attack the ship.

On September 7, through the 15th, there is a massive storm after which the ship will limp to one of the small islands just a few days away from the city, so they can make repairs and resupply for the last leg home.

[ooc: make your own toplevels! make multiple toplevels! prompts by day, by phase of the journey (embarking, hunting, searching for the fragment, returning), new prompts whenever you get a new idea, whatever. We're pirates, there are no rules. Jump between the three ships, meet up on an island where we've stopped, come get fed by Sanji because he's the best...
]

Comments

Rey. | OTA

[circumitus]

I. Into the blue again; (Ocean, August 17th-31st)

All things considered, the ocean should unnerve her. Rey had been aboard a much sturdier vessel than this when she had been a woman named Silva, an Argentinian who ended up drowned near the bottom of the ocean with several hundred bullets and wounds gored into her body. Yet her heart remained, the very thing that saved Rey all those years, collecting those varied lives and experiences that got her where she is now.

'Silva' should have been terrified of the wide open waters, but if anything, her bravado is stronger than ever. Her time sailing with the Argentine Navy as an intelligence operator gifted her with a variety of non-combat related skills. Even without the user-friendly maps provided by Sorrow, it seems that 'Silva' knew exactly where to go.

Like Silva, Rey doesn't talk much to anyone else. She stays focused on her task, goal-driven now more than ever. She doesn't sleep much, even when her eyes are heavy. She doesn't eat much, even when her stomach twists and her head is pounding. It's easy to just mistake that for her usual migraines, anyway, and even easier to ignore her mental anchors dragging her feet.

The fatigue gets wrung out when she shakes her head, mumbling instructions to herself inaudible to those who might investigate what she's doing.

II. You may find yourself in another part of the world; (Island, August 20th)

The headaches have gotten more troublesome than she'd anticipated, so it's a relief when they take a pitstop on one of the few existing islands on this planet. The first thing she does is set up a personal makeshift stove setup made from a soda can and alcohol. It burns just as well when Rey sets a pot over the mini-tripod to boil some of their water for the special tea she'd brought along for times like these.

This pain has been an ongoing problem for months, but for one reason or another, she's never questioned why. The tea certainly ends up helping her not to give a shit, once she has a cup boiled for herself.

See? It isn't so bad.

II POP CAN STOVE !!

[abyssalarcana]

Another disappointing island trip. While the others are off scrounging for fresh water, plant life, and near-shore fish, Caedra surveys their location with clear boredom. These islands are so empty of interesting native life. Where are the ankhegs, the orcs, the dragons? Or at least their local equivalents. Sure, the last planet had been burned to dust, or whatever it was - 'shook the air'? But this one she had thought would be more promising than it is.

It's on her return to the ship with a clear lack of enthusiasm in her step that she spots Rey crouched over something burning. A - oh, she's seen those little drinking cans in the shops sometimes, or used for mixers at the bar. But why is she trying to burn metal? Is she boiling the drink? Is that what those are for?

She pauses nearby and gestures to the can with the tip of her rapier, confusion on her face. "Explain this," she insists, although it sounds more like blunt curiosity than an order.

[circumitus]

For being on an entirely new world with vast spaces free for exploration, the frequent doldrums leaves something to be desired. Maybe then Rey wouldn't have to think about the pain in her head so often. Her one saving grace is the lack of blinding sunlight that was ever-present on the previous planet.

Which makes sensing Caedra being nearby easier when she hears the demon approaching, long before she aims her blade at the improvised setup Rey is crouched in front of. She doesn't even turn her gaze upward as she waits for the water to start bubbling a little more.

"Boiling water. What's it look like?" Rey retorts flatly, knowing full well what Caedra means. But if she's going to show up with curt questions, she's going to get answers of similar quality.

[abyssalarcana]

"It looks like you're attempting to heat an opened beverage can, yes," Caedra agrees, "But it's a very... hm, crude method, isn't it? We do have a chef."

They've been eating remarkably well given the available fare, so it's a reminder she doesn't need to give. Rey is coarse folk, she's beginning to see that now. Before, it was hard to say - her world was so full of newness and wonder, and it's easy to assume things about people one barely knows outside a handful of conversations. But the way she speaks and acts reminds her more and more of the poor laborers in the City of Rust, those who get by on copper and crumbs. She should have seen it sooner, but who would have thought that a construct from such a dazzling material plane would so often stoop to the level of an urban peasant purely by choice?

[circumitus]

Where Caedra sees crudeness and low class, Rey considers innovative and useful. Once the water is efficiently boiled, she just removes the piping hot aluminum can from under the tripod and shows it to Caedra more up-close after blowing out the blue flame. Not at all affected by the heat searing from the can, she holds it up with no visible sign of pain or injury to her fingers. Instead, she gives a better presentation on just how cleanly made it is. She's self-sufficient and a good worker when she has her own projects in mind, but don't ever ask her to do your chores if you know what's good for you.

"It's a stove that was once a can." Whether Caedra takes it to inspect firsthand or not, Rey starts to prepare the tea she got from Carlisle. "Am aware we have a chef, too. Just wanted to get away from people. Don't like someone doing everything for me."

Which is almost a 'fuck off, leave me alone' hint to Caedra, but Rey isn't holding her breath that the demon would take it. Or care, for that matter.

[abyssalarcana]

"These islands aren't nearly large enough to get away from people for long," Caedra says with a shrug. Yes, she understands hints sometimes, when she can be bothered to pay attention. But she doesn't look like she feels like going anywhere.

Instead she eyes Rey's unburned fingers with casual interest, remembering how she had seen the construct do something like that before at a bonfire a while back, then raises an eyebrow at the tea, noting its unfamiliar smell. "What are you making with it?"

[circumitus]

Rey just responds with a shrug of her own. She'll take what solitude she can get, even when she doesn't have to be cooped up on a boat with other people. At least in this distance she doesn't have to hear their talking and... existing.

After setting the little makeshift stove down, Rey focuses on brewing her drink with the hot water into a medium sized cup. It doesn't need much more than a few pinches of the concoction, considering this is the strongest Carlisle provided her with.

"Tea. Special blend made for me by a... friend." She's reluctant to share the state of her head with someone like Caedra, since she doesn't need to give the other woman any more ammunition of personal information.

II

[solase]

Alucard has seen her about on the ship, but she's quiet, and his concentration for the most part has been otherwise focused. Being their resident weather magician, he does have a job to do. Keep the wind going strong and their sails full -- but not so strong that he is to cause the ship any damage. It's a task that is honestly easier said than done but Alucard is an old pro at this point. Still, he watches her and contemplates how much she reminds him of another young girl he'd picked up on the Spire not that long ago. His little thief. Quiet as a mouse until he had figured out that just hadn't spoken Arnesian.

It isn't until they've found themselves on solid ground that Alucard manages to catch her in any sort of conversation though. Happening upon her little stove setup, raising a sapphire-studded eyebrow in curiosity as he does.

"You know, when most people set foot on foreign shores, this isn't the quite the usual response they have," he comments, idly. Brewing up -- is that tea?

[circumitus]

Mousey is not a word many would use to describe Rey. At least, not when they get to know her. But she doesn't know most of the people on this trip, and the ones she is familair with are either a mere acquaintance or someone she's not too fond of. Not a situation that puts her in a very sociable mood.

Their periodic stops give her enough stable ground to make use of her little makeshift soda can stove. Whenever she can, she takes advantage of their brief breaks to help ease the pain with a cup before it can get any worse from the trip. So far, so good.

She scoffs at the comment as Alucard approaches her setup.

"Had no idea that making tea was such an unusual response," Rey quips bluntly, pulling the pot of boiling water from the fire to pour into a cup filled with some sort of loose leaves. "Been to plenty of 'foreign shores' even before this, anyway. Not a big deal."

[solase]

Alucard is used to spending his time with a crew full of rude sailors. Her blunt quip in response to his words doesn't phase him. If anything, it's actually somewhat endearing. It's enough to make him smile.

Sidling up closer, he slides his hat out from where he has it tucked underneath his arm and dusts it off before popping it onto his head.

"Perhaps not for some, no," he agrees. After all, here he is talking to her instead of exploring himself. "You must either really be missing your tea, or there's some reason for it." He tilts his head at her inquisitively.

[circumitus]

Is he trying to pry for information, or is he innocently curious? Hard to say with people, really, and Rey isn't sure she trusts most of the members on this ship, let alone anyone at all.

Still, it isn't a matter of trust in this current moment, as she leans back with her cup of tea and takes a moment to inhale the fumes. The aroma alone is helpful in clearing her mind and the dull ache in her brain.

"It's medicinal. Made for me by someone." If Alucard wants more than that, he's going to have to ask, as Rey isn't one to freely give unsolicited information, even if it's about herself.

[solase]

With Alucard, it's hard to say in particular, although it's probably got to be a little bit of both, all things considered. He's got a tendency to stick his nose where it doesn't quite belong. Much like the cat he's had to leave back home with Rhy.

At least she gives him an answer he can believe. He watches her for a quiet moment, clutching her tea and all but climbing into the cup itself as he tries to puzzle it out. Does she have a health concern? Does the captain know about it? Is it enough to get in the way of her duties as a member of the crew, or is it merely worth keeping an eye on?

"May I ask what ails you?" He can be polite and civil, when he wants to be.

[circumitus]

Normally she would tell him that it's none of his business, but her mind is in the same place his is. If someone on board exhibited symptoms of weakness in any form, she would question their effectiveness for this trip as well.

"Just headaches," she replies, taking a test sip and deciding to let it steep a while longer. "Sometimes they're more like migraines. Started a few months back, but the tea helps."

Magical remedies are nicer than she would have thought before, it turns out.

II

[glacius]

Rey isn't the only one who's happy to get off those boats; being cooped up in them has been stifling for a number of reasons for the Glacius. The best distraction he has from everything has been his duty on this voyage, so the ice alien has been spending nearly as much time in the water as with his feet on deck—as much as he can get away with without exhausting himself. His serpentine form rippled through the water alongside the boats as they sailed; his unique anatomy allowed him to breathe through his gills as he kept his head submerged so that his keen vision could scan the dark depths of the ocean for any threats that might be heading towards them.

The alien had promised the rag-tag crew that he would make sure their voyage was a safe one, and so far he's managed to uphold his end of the bargain. He can only hope that the rest of this trip is as uneventful as it has been so far, so that they can get it over with—just get the fragments and head back, so that he can be reunited with Carlisle and can stop silently fretting to himself...

... And speaking of Carlisle, he catches a distinct scent as he trudges heavily up onto the beach to recuperate. At first Glacius thinks he just misses the cleric that badly and has pushed himself too much that he's imagining things, but then he picks out Rey's teamaking setup nestled among some flat rocks that make for decent sitting. The big alien hesitates, but... honestly he's glad to see a familiar face on this journey. The fact that it belongs to someone that he rather appreciates and trusts is enough to break through the sullen reticence he's been carrying with him throughout this journey, and he treks up over the sandy shore to stand a few feet away.

"Rey," Glacius clears his throat, folding his arms behind his back in respectful, if not reserved posturing. "It has been too long. My apologies, I... well, our last meeting did not go as well as I had hoped. I thought it might be best to give you some space. This is not an intrusion, is it?"

[circumitus]

To say that Rey doesn't trust most of the people on this ship is putting it lightly. It isn't that she has deemed all of them untrustworthy, but her lack of knowledge of the others does not leave much room for confidence that she can expect them to pull their own weight when it matters. They seem capable so far, sure, but being useful and being dependable are not exactly the same things.

There's only one that she can say she has any familiarity with to consider worthy of trust by any stretch, and that would be the resident alien. Most of that sentiment comes by proxy and the sheer fact that she has known Glacius longer than anyone else on this damned trip. He carried her when she had a rebar jutting out of her chest, and that's not a feat she can rely on many to manage.

But time has a way of messing with you. Or, it does when you've also messed with your brain somewhere in between the encounter Glacius is referencing and the present...

"Our last meet-- Shit."

Rey snaps her mouth shut before she can continue her inquiry, bringing a hand to her forehead as a sharp pain sears through her skull. This happens almost every time. Her memories surrounding those months are hazy and she can't say why, only hazard a guess. Maybe it's because of everything that had happened around that period being the same time she thought to take it upon herself to mess with her brain at Alphys' lab. Hell, how can you expect doing something so drastic and come out of it with all your faculties intact? The thought is too horrifying for Rey to consider, in case the migraines are not the only side effect she has to worry about.

And then there's why? She tries to think about what Glacius is referring to -- she had spent weeks shut up in her own room, not eating, only sleeping. Why? Maketh's betrayal was the trigger, wasn't it? Her leaving made it worse, didn't it? She left, and when she left, she died. They never even had the chance to talk about what happened, either. Why is it so hard to keep things straight without her head killing her?

Grateful to already have Carlisle's tea prepped and steeped, Rey takes a moment to bring her mouth to the brim of her cup, take a few relieving sips, before answering: "No, no worries. I-it's fine. You can sit if you'd like. Or stand, whatever."

That's usually an awkward way to have a conversation, but who is to say that Glacius plans to stick around? Maybe he has something better to do. Can't always assume, can you?

[glacius]

The familiar scent of Carlisle's brew is even stronger when done steeping right in front of him, but Glacius does his best to tamp down any worry or longing it elicits. It's easier to do when concern for someone else presents itself; he doubts the hand that Rey brings to her forehead is only due to the effort of recollection. He's not aware of everything she'd gone through in regards to messing with her own head, but he's savvy enough to know when someone is out of sorts.

The towering alien frowns, but ultimately accepts the invitation to sit; if Rey is feeling bad, it'll probably be easier on her not to have to crane her neck to peer up at him. He finds another sand-swept rock on the other side of her setup—silently grateful that the weather here is most often overcast, as it means it isn't a painful sun-warmed surface he's lowering himself onto—and sits, folding his legs neatly before him.

Now comes the difficult part, which is figuring out just what to say. Glacius can surmise from Rey's scattered behavior and need for medicinal tea that she isn't entirely alright, so asking that seems like it would be more bothersome than anything; asking her what is wrong seems far too invasive. The ice alien's gills flutter as he scrounges for a way to not make this entirely awkward, at the same time being damnably aware that any pause on his part that stretches too long will make it so. Socializing is hard, sometimes... but worth it, with her.

"That tea is a powerful blend," Glacius eventually notes, "I have seen Carlisle use it on many an occasion to temporarily quell aches and pains. It is... admirable of you to aid us despite whatever difficulty you might be experiencing. I am glad to know you are here to help me keep this journey on the right track."

[circumitus]

Fortunately, these particular ingredients are stronger than what their maker is even used to. Having an unnatural fortitude like Rey's makes processing substances like liquor and such more challenging and time consuming than it would for a normal human. Carlisle understands that enough to tailor the enchantment to suit her needs and biology, even while not understanding the sciences of it.

Despite the monthly gatherings at the Speakeasy, Rey is not a socialite, but she doesn't mind Glacius' company, either. She takes a moment to test the drink, unaffected by the prospect of piping hot liquid burning her tongue, because it doesn't. She'll stop caring either way soon enough.

"What? Oh--" She stops herself when she is slow to catch what Glacius means by 'hardships'. Right. He knows what the tea is for. Makes sense. "Um, it's fine, really. Just wanted to make sure that those fragments don't end up with the people."

Rey isn't sure if she could take on all the potential troublemakers by herself, but having at least one person she knows to have her back is somewhat promising.

"It's good that the crew has a second diver. Don't really trust the other one."

[glacius]

"Ha!" Glacius cannot the quick bark of laughter, though he calms himself quickly. "Ah, my apologies. It is just... such a relief to hear someone say so bluntly what I have been thinking to myself this whole time. About not wanting the people of this crew to have free reign over these fragments, and about not trusting our other diver. I've never encountered Caedra myself before now, but I've read the reports and Nick gave me a warning or two as well before I left."

The ice alien pauses for a moment to show that he is properly respecting the gravity of the situation. The cool and calm expression that he normally wears has already shifted back in place as he spoke, but now there's something more to it: seriousness and sincerity. "I will be careful and I will watch her closely, I promise. This is too important to treat with anything but utmost seriousness and caution. If there is any prudent information that you can give me about her that you think might help, I am... ehm... 'all ears', as the humans say."

[circumitus]

At least all those paperwork and diligence with the details have done the Guard some good. Rey was never a fan of it herself, even when she had an official affiliation with the group, more prone to turning in doodles than anything concrete and helpful. Nick was always better about that sort of thing, and he did warn her about Caedra when the demon had initially made her offer to help one of Rey's... problems.

The unexpected burst of mirth aside, Rey relaxes a little, appreciative of the fact that she doesn't have to try and explain her suspicions to Glacius or delve into the gritty details. He hasn't had any experiences with Caedra, and he is probably better off for it. But that doesn't mean he is better off diving in blind.

"For one thing, everyone but her is disposable in her eyes. She wants nothing more than to get home, and would get off on blowing up the whole fucking city and everyone in it if she had the chance. Watch your back when you're down there alone with her -- she gutted a guy at his own party the other month for kicks."

Ianchus didn't seem to understand what it was that attracted her to him in the first place, which leads Rey to assume that he would be better off not being subjected to his killer on this trip. That wasn't a very fun conversation to have.

i;

[deviledlegs]

See, here's the thing. Nobody - absolutely. no. body. - on this ship is allowed to starve themselves of necessary nutrients while Sanji is in charge of the kitchen.

He stands behind her as she mumbles, resisting the urge to simultaneously cry and yell. He won't take this as an insult to his cooking. These strangers don't know him, don't even realize this is a prime example of how to insult him. But it feels like an insult anyway, and that's beyond frustrating. In his hand is a bowl of clam chowder. The steam rises, beckoning Rey as Sanji clears his throat. If he had been dealing with one of the guys, he'd have kicked them across the damn shitty deck. He's not though, so he simply holds the bowl out to her, expression grim.

"You skipped lunch."

He won't bring up the bags under her eyes. That would be rude.

[circumitus]

Not being a chef -- and having terrible manners to boot -- that Sanji would take Rey's abstaining meals as a personal slight doesn't yet occur to her. It should have, though. She has been in this situation before, just in the reverse...

Snapping from her thoughts, her head whips around when she smells the chowder well before actually peering at Sanji from over her shoulder. Rey was tugging at some twisted ropes until she rises from her knee to her feet. Eyes on the cook than the food he brought her. After all, maybe it's not for her. There are other people aboard.

"Ah, yeah. Wasn't feeling very hungry at the time. Apologies."

The headaches have a way of killing her appetite sometimes, even if she can be a voracious eater.

[deviledlegs]

"You shouldn't apologize to me." Sanji shakes his head. No matter how insulted he feels, that's not what's important here. "If you don't eat regularly, it's your body that will suffer while trying to maintain the ship, and it's your crew mates who'll suffer if you can't chip in. I may not be a doctor, but if there's a reason you've lost your appetite, I'm sure I can cook up something that'll help. All you have to do is ask."

Please, ask. He stops just short of actually begging. It's her choice in the end, after all.

When she doesn't take the bowl herself, he steps forward so he can press it into her palm. Clams alone are good for combating anemia, enhancing the immune system, and regulating blood sugar levels. He doesn't know why Rey seems to be having a hard time, but if she is struggling with a problem, he's damn well not going to let her struggle on an empty stomach.

"For you, Miss Rey."

[circumitus]

Funny. She should start tallying the people who call her 'Miss Rey' now. It's not that she takes offense, it just sounds so... domestic, when she is used to being referred to as 'sergeant' or by some other rank and designation when it came to formalities. Otherwise she's 'just Rey'. No-last-name.

"Ah, um. Don't have to worry about that, really. Was always able to operate on less sleep and food than humans. Square meals is more of a luxury than a necessity..."

Something which Rey indulges in when she gets the chance, so she isn't going to say no to the chowder when Sanji offers it to her. It's a luxury, just like she said, and she'd hate to see it go to waste. She might be rude, but she's no barbarian.

Besides, if you suffer for nearly a century deprived of a sense of taste, you learn to appreciate food for what it really is, even if Rey hasn't been exercising that philosophy very much on this trip.

She's holding the bowl before she thinks to add: "Um, thanks."

Whew. Saved. Making her mama proud.

[deviledlegs]

"Less sleep and food than humans? You're not human?" Sanji immediately latches onto this, not out of surprise but rather concern. He's pissed at himself for not learning this fact sooner. It's pretty fucking important to a chef. Too well trained to grab her shoulders in his haste, he instead grips the rail. "Are your nutritional needs different? Or your sense of taste? Is that why you haven't been eating? I can adjust your meals at any time!"

[circumitus]

At his question, she just nods, hoping that's all the answer he needs. Then he asks further. She frowns.

"No, no, everything's good. Actually, um. Wasn't able to taste food very well until the last..." Time to tally the years spent in her world plus how long she's been here. "...eight years. So that isn't a problem. Will eat just about anything, though. Have even eaten bugs to survive."

She just shrugs like it's no big thing.