week 0, sunday

[alttitude]

[ - it feels a little bit odd, for everything else to fall into place.

Jae-ha finds another window to sit by, erhu in front of him, playing a song. It's one that he played frequently on the pirate ship, a soothing one to close up tiring days. Gi-gan would sometimes sit by him as he played and.

He lets out a breath.

When he catches sight of Varian, he offers him a smile and a wink.]

Didn't I say that it would be fine?

Comments

[alchemenace]

[ Varian offers up a smile right back, though it's more wry than anything ]

Are you trying to tell me you knew for sure it would end up like this? Because I'm pretty sure you didn't.

[alttitude]

[Well - ]

No, I didn't. Not exactly. I'd thought I'd have to make a dramatic getaway running away from some disgusting executioner monster that they conjured up or something like that.

[ . . . ]

But this does work just as well.

[alchemenace]

Instead of a disgusting executioner monster, we had... uh... that.

[ themed? violence? if only either of these fucks knew what a cinderella is. ]

I don't think you could've just ran way from that kind of execution.

[alttitude]

No, but I wouldn't tried, unless some magic forced my will down.

[ - but until that very last second, Jae-ha would've tried to get away. He knows himself. He's not the type to accept things like that as they are.]

... it's still unfortunate for Miss Sharpay.

[alchemenace]

[ that takes him by surprise, and varian a bit at the sentiment ]

Are you serious? She, she killed your Captain. She would've gotten you killed, too, and she didn't even feel bad about it!

[alttitude]

Women do desperate things when they're forced into corners, when they think that they have to.

[ . . . . it's his default answer, though he pauses, and it's clear that's not all he feels about it.]

... but I haven't forgiven her, before you mistake my feelings for that.

[alchemenace]

Everyone can do desperate things. It's not just limited to women. [ he sounds. genuinely baffled by the specific. ]

So... if you haven't, why do you say it's unfortunate?

[alttitude]

[Jae-ha wonders if it's worth explaining in length but - all he can offer is:]

... the Captain always taught me that I should prioritize the lives of women and children above all else.

It makes sense that Miss Sharpay didn't have any bruises found on her - the Captain probably didn't want to harm her, even as she defended herself. She probably thought something about how Sharpay was young, reckless, forced into a corner, and how she'd come to regret her decision if she had enough time to stew on it.

... when I think about it like that, I can't feel satisfied.

[alchemenace]

... She didn't seem to regret it when she got caught.

[ he has to point it out. he doesn't know how he feels about that descriptor, self-awareness hitting him at the most inopportune moment. he doesn't know if sharpay was any close to his own circumstances, and he has a kneejerk denial that she could possibly be, but he doesn't want people to be lenient on him because he's a child. he doesn't want to be thought of as a child at all.

he doesn't say any of that, though, just looks quietly discomforted ]

[alttitude]

[ . . . and Jae-ha just laughs faintly.]

She couldn't even face me.

[Which is all he has to offer on that. Maybe to everyone else, she didn't regret it. But to him - he could barely get a word out of her, once he put all the pieces together.

That said - ]

... is it hitting too close to home? Shall we move on?

[He won't pry too deeply into the reason behind Varian's expression if it's not welcome, but he also won't pretend that he doesn't see it.]

[alchemenace]

What? [ it's a bit breathless, and he shakes his head ] N-no, there's nothing to, to hit close to.

[ which is super believable! wow, varian! nailed it. he looks away, holding onto himself. ]

But, but yeah, we should. We should talk about something else.

[alttitude]

[ . . . super believable.

In which case, Jae-ha will move to the side and pat the open spot next to him:]

Would you like to hear a song and a story then?

[alchemenace]

[ he had not expected to get away with that. he's grateful that jae-ha isn't pushing it, so he just goes ahead and sits down next to him with a small smile, trying to. lighten the mood. that he caused.

hm. ]

Sure? But it better be good. I heard pirates told great stories.

[alttitude]

Why of course we do - shall I tell you the tale of the Pirates of Awa?

[in fact, he'll even begin to play his own dramatic music. it begins with an opening arrangement and will likely continue to follow along with him as he goes through his story.]

Awa was a port town, you see, a bustling hub of training for its kingdom. The people there were lively, the women beautiful and the men strong, the children were healthy and their lives were happy -

Until, that is, Yang Kum-ji came in.

Have you ever seen a monster, Varian?

[alchemenace]

[ he was listening intently, but then. oh is this an interactive story. okay. he blinks. ]

Um. No? I saw an ancient automaton once, but that's really not the same thing.

[ is changing his raccoon into a giant ravenous/monstrous beast seeing a monster. don't answer that. ]

[alttitude]

Hmm, no I don't think it is. A monster is often a big, ugly thing. A gross beast that can't be trusted.

That's why Yang Kum-ji was more of a monster than a man.

[interactive!]

You see, he sank his ugly claws into the town. He got the government officials to be on his side, and he eventually became the lord. Of course, these officials were all monsters in their own right. They bothered innocent women, they attacked families, injured children.

And one woman would have absolutely none of it - back then, she was known only as Gi-gan.

[alchemenace]

[ oh it's That kind of interactive story ]

... So, so what did she do? To fight them.

[alttitude]

[IT SURE IS - but jae-ha's expression doesn't seem to budge toward sadness at all. rather, he seems happy to be able to share the story with someone

he offers an encouraging smile]

What she had to do, of course. She found herself a boat first, because she knew the battles would be on the water. Next, she gathered her men -

They were fishermen, traders, people who made boats for a living... but none of them were soldiers or mercenaries. Quite a group she had to work with. But they were united under one agreement - they wanted to protect their town, and remove the thugs who were harming it.

So began the efforts of Captain Gi-gan.

But she had one rule for her crew: they were never allowed to kill anyone that they fought. They could sink their ships, but their lives were to be spared. Not because their enemies didn't deserve it, but because she didn't want her beloved men to have blood on their hands and live as murderers.

That... is the way that the Captain lived, and wanted others to live.

[alchemenace]

[ while he listened attentively the whole time, he's almost reluctant to speak up at the end of it. still, when he does, it's quiet:]

... She was a really great woman, wasn't she? I wish I could've known her better.

[ his smile is only a bit sad ]

[alttitude]

Well, luckily, I made it. So I can tell you everything you need to know.

[ . . . against all odds, but he'd rather not dwell.]

When I see her again, she'll hit me for telling the story like it's just hers - and she's right, there's plenty of other people involved but... as a pirate, I don't feel like hiding my pride in choosing my Captain.

[alchemenace]

... Well, hopefully the time when you see her again is, is further off, so she might've forgiven you for telling the story like that by then.

[ he's tryin ]

[alttitude]

[ . . . .

He's cute.

Jae-ha laughs, endeared.]

We'll see! I hope she misses me - she's always been bad at saying so. But for now - I'll have to act in her stead, and start a rebellion of my own.

[alchemenace]

A rebellion? How are you gonna do that?

[ like, genuinely, considering the stuff these women are able to do. ]

[alttitude]

Gathering information first, determining their true goals next, and then coming up with a plan of attack once it's determine who would be best to trust.

That's how the Captain would do things - though I obviously have to make amendments. I used to be the most magical thing around.

[he's not bitter]

[alchemenace]

Right, because of the, um, the dragon thing?

[ he did read those tapestries ]

That sounds like a solid plan, but how do you determine who to trust?