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Post by Kuro on Sept 24, 2012 23:05:27 GMT -5
The Shroud Demon did not fully recognize that Beth had meant to compliment him with her remark on open eyes, thinking that she meant it as a general fact, but still felt inspired by her words. He switched back into his normal voice, the one that did not sound as if it was being amplified through a megaphone.
"Yeah...Stories...The stories are the best. Of course...You don't have to just read them as children. I got my first book when I was...this many years old." He sat up and showed his hands to Beth, apparently with the intent of showing his age despite his constant changing of the number of fingers showing. He didn't provide any closure on his age but brought his hands back to him as if he had actually revealed anything. The front of his face seemed to be pointed at the hourglass, but there was no way of knowing whether or not he could actually see it.
"Um...Uh..."
It looked as if he seriously pondered on that question. After several moments of undoubtedly critical thinking, he turned towards Kaede and shouted in the booming voice of justice, regardless of his victim's distance away from him.
"Avast, Kaede! Have you yet seen the strange Cologne in the distance?! An island of great and magnificent adventure, I am sure! Have you seen it?! Have you looked at it?! Turn your gaze to the great island in the distance, please, oh skilled doctor of life-saving!" Having no idea of whether or not Kaede was a doctor, he just saw the surgical mask, The Shroud Demon eagerly awaited her response and thought of what would happen on the next valiant outgoing doing.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Sept 27, 2012 4:28:28 GMT -5
"I'm not a doctor..."
Although she had put away everything she had needed to make sure that neither Snake nor his possessions suffered any undesirable after effects, Kaede still found time to busy herself with sorting and resorting things. After all, you never could be too prepared for whatever might occur. She responded in an annoyed tone to Shroud Demon's addressing her, not looking away from a bottle of solution. After marking the concentration with a pen she placed it back in her bag and gave a cursory glance over her shoulder for the island he spoke of before turning back to her work. She wasn't expecting much of anything, given that he had a bucket on his head, but she promptly did a double take when the sight actually seemed to reach her brain. Without much care for anything else she stumbled to her feet, slowly raising the goggles and lowering the surgical mask to reveal wide eyes and a moth agape, respectively
"...not yet."
Mumbling to herself now, it was clear her mind was occupied with things other than responding to the hero of justice. Not turning for a second, she backed away from the sight, knocking some of her containers over and spilling the contents on the deck. She continued like this, away from the front of the ship where she had been sitting, and anyone who cared to pay attention might notice that her eyes were not wide with wonder. She stopped by the kitchen on her way to the rear of the ship, leaning her head in to quickly look around.
"Connor look alive, I think we need you to-"
Her little venture to the kitchen was short-lived as her speaking to the robot chef was cut short by a series of low rumblings from far away. The line of ships to be precise. Kaede did not wait to figure out what that meant, she already had an idea of what it was. Rushing to the back of the ship she made for the wheel just as the cannon fire began to touch down all around them. They were more than just splashes and waves, as whatever was being shot at them was summarily exploding with high force beneath the waves, rocking their own boat around terribly. Fighting with the wheel Kaede attempted to make an about turn, or at the very least avoid going in a straight line towards the potential danger. Unfortunately physical strength was not her forte, and while she wanted Connor to be ready for something like this, the time had not been on their side.
---
By some miracle, she had at least managed to steer the vessel portside, greatly decreasing their velocity, and by some miracle the cannon fire soon stopped. Whether this was actually because of her maneuver though, was unclear. The danger seemed to have ceased though, so to her logic she should continue to do what she had been doing, and before long the ship had drifted to a relative standstill after making a continual about turn. What mattered was that they were alive.
They didn't have much time to collect themselves however, and not ten minutes later a dark shape could be seen moving below the water towards their vessel. Instead of ramming into them or dragging them down to the dark depths however, it swiftly moved alongside the ship and ground to a halt. Another minute or so and the water began to be stirred up, becoming very turbulent as something emerged from beneath the waves. Something an elongated metal shape, comparable in size to the Lucky ducky but dark in color and segmented like a beast. From the sharp angles of the thing and the distinct ridges running along the hull, it would not take a genius to figure that actual collision with the craft would prove fatal for many a vessel. Before long it had surfaced to what could be deduced at about halfway, and as the remnant water streamed off its surface, a little waving banner became all the clearer as it was no longer waterlogged.
The recognizable standard of the Navy.
By the time Kaede had set the wheel in place and moved to the railing to get a better view, already there was a grinding noise and the sound of speaking coming from somewhere on the top of the submersible. Before long, and a lieutenant emerged from a door, fiddling with a strange device shaped not unlike a ridiculously oversized pistol. To those in the know it was a bullhorn, rather than the usual snail-phone.
"Attention please! You are entering a restricted area under naval blockade, and currently under the jurisdiction of the Marines. Please state your business, and no sudden movements, or you will be fired upon."
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Post by Kyubey on Sept 28, 2012 16:21:26 GMT -5
In a Marine holding cell, a solitary figure sat by himself in a corner. He was a somewhat older man, with no particularly interesting features, save for a suit which was rather out of place considering where he was, and the distinctly large cup of tea that he held. Despite this peculiarity, however, he didn't seem to attract much attention. From his very nature, he wasn't the sort of person people tended to notice. He didn't do anything to warrant suspicion either, in fact, just that he was able to stay so still despite having been kept there for a couple of days was a bit strange. And the fact that his cup of tea was still full after all that time, without having been refilled once. And, as anyone in the area would notice, he didn't drink any of his tea either. And, though this man was alone with his thoughts and his teacup for quite a long time, the beverage still seemed to be as hot as it was when the man was taken in for questioning, as it still emitted some steam.
If one really stopped to think about it, there were many things about this man worth noting.
If anyone had been paying attention to the suited man in the corner, which nobody was, of course, they might have noticed that the tea stirred a little when the lieutenant spoke through the bullhorn. And if they were paying really close attention, they would notice that the tea was speaking in a soft female voice.
"Hey Finnegan," said the voice.
"Yes, miss?" said the man quietly.
"I'm booooooored."
"I am well aware of that, and regretfully there is nothing I can do. Just like the past eighty-seven times you reminded me of your boredom."
"Can we, uh, do something? I wanna play."
"Unfortunately, I cannot do that either. We are in a holding cell. This is a very serious event, and we must act formally."
"C'mooooon, nobody cares about that." the tea settled for a while, and then stirred up again. "Finnegan, I'm hungry."
"I am aware of this as well."
"Do you think the guys that the lieutenant man's talking to have any food on them?"
"It is not likely."
"Maybe they'll wanna play."
"Also not likely."
"What kinda people do you think they are?"
"Pirates, no doubt. Of the worst kind, I'd imagine. It would be wise for us to have no dealings with them."
"That's so dull, though. Well, I guess we'll find out later when we get to meet them."
"Indeed we shall," Finnegan sighed.
"But it'd be better if we can just leave, ya know? We've wasted so much time here! I'm tired of napping and doing nothing!"
"I am sure we will be released as soon as these nice gentlemen have no further need to detain us. Now, I highly encourage you to stay hidden. I do not believe you would want to be discovered just yet."
A short burst of steam emitted from the teacup and went straight at Finnegan's face, before settling down again.
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Post by Kuro on Oct 1, 2012 23:11:42 GMT -5
"Ah! What's going on?! Are we being seiged by the skyfish of the twentieth sea? Is the kraken attacking us?! ARE WE BEING EATEN BY THE EARTH ITSELF?!"
The Shroud Demon yelled at the top of his lungs as the ship swung wildly to and fro, tossed and turned by the playful hands of the seas. He had bounced around wildly at first, caught very much off guard and trying as hard as he could to not fall off, his bucket shaking around, making various clanking noises but miraculously staying on his head. He eventually clung onto the mast with all of his heart until the ship finally calmed down, and even several moments after that. He looked around for a bit and seemed a bit confused.
"Uh...D...Did we win?"
And then the black beast of death came from below the waters, swimming towards them to place their souls in to the jaws of death. He jumped to his feet and drew out his sword, ready to create much justice in the name of justice. "You will never take me alive or dead, foul beast! Fire the cannons! Ready your fists! We shall show this creature the power of heroism!"He jumped forward with his blade held above him, preparing to cut straight through the metal scales of the cold, robotic skyfish...until the marine banner showed up. He tried to stop his jump mid-way, clumsily landed on the deck on his feet, and skidded back a few steps. He put the sword back onto his...back and peered at the white thing.
"Uh...Did the fish eat the marine, or -" The marine came out of this skyfish with a large gun and started speaking words. The Shroud Demon had the small thought of speaking to the man, but backed off. His allies would know what to do...he didn't...he wasn't in charge, or...anything, didn't know anything, really. The cannons and all, how, uh, ridiculous, should have asked their permission, first...
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Post by Sprite on Oct 3, 2012 0:39:20 GMT -5
Snake did not turn to face Connor as the chef trapped in metal struggled to make himself look busy. His clumsy attempts at both washing the pan, and trying to make conversation did not seem to faze the green-haired warrior as he continued rummaging about in the cupboard. One might have noticed however, the tenseness of his shoulders, and the slight trembling of his arms as a fine dust of bread and cheese pilled up around his booted feet.
"...grilled cheese..."
The single word might have been audible to Connor in his nervous ramblings about the various applications of bread to cheese and vice versa. The single phrase out of the many that Snake had probably been angrily muttering to himself under his breath.
"Grilled. Cheese?"
Snake's fury seemed to reach its erupting point as he could no longer vent his frustrations through disintegrating bread and cheese in his fists, seeing as he had already gone through a whole loaf and wheel. He whirled about, his face livid and strained with anger. Grabbing another wheel of cheese from the cabinet behind him, he reeled back and loosed it at Tomoconnor, the cheese wheel spinning through the air like some giant tasty shuriken.
The cheese smashed into Tomohawk's chest, sending the metal automaton stumbling back a few steps. The robot chef was further struck by a barrage of bread balls, some cheese wedges, and even some onions which exploded like tear gas grenades. It was a testament to the robot's finely crafted outer shell that it had suffered no dents from the furious barrage of projectiles from the powerful Ravunyan Prince.
Having finished assembling his 'grilled cheese' on Tomohawk, Snake stomped his way rapidly across the kitchen. Grabbing the robot by the front of its torso plate, the warrior rammed Connor against the wall, shaking everything in the kitchen as he stuck his face an inch from Tomahawk's cold blank visor.
"After all you've done, after all we've done for you, even in the midst of all this happening now. All you can talk about is grilled fucking cheese?!"
The chef had a penchant for walking through fire unharmed, but even he might have been able to feel the near palpable heat of Snake's anger through his vehement words. The Prince's pupils had become slitted like a snake's as he wielded his laser glare on Connor.
"Where's your pride, where's your fire you empty shit! After kicking my ass at least convince me you deserve to be saved so I can have the pleasure knowing that I'll be mutilating the same badass shit-head killing machine I saw on that day!"
Swinging his knee across in a vicious strike, Snake managed to strike the heavy metal robot body to the floor with a hard THUD. Jabbing a condemning finger at Connor as he bent down to continue his verbal assault, Snake almost spat at Connor as he voiced his anger.
"Hell, even that man I faced that day on the beaches outside the Happy Happy. That man with his pride aside and only his family's safety on the line, is he in there with you? A pathetic and loathsome shit like you is not my opponent. Not my prey. Not my friend. I will tear you a new assho-"
Snake was interrupted in his tirade as he ship shook from the cannonfire assault. Giving Connor one last disgusted glare, Snake turned and ran out the kitchen door, unwinding his Ravunyan whip from his waist.
Sliding around the corner and dashing to the side where the cannonfire threatened their ship, Snake wound back with his whip and lashed out at a cannonball. Holding back his strength and instead emphasizing the delicate nature of his intended maneuver, he pushed the foremost cannonball to the side, causing it to explode along with the next couple that were incoming.
"Cobra Crack!"
With a shout, Snake unleashed a powerful whiplash at another wave of cannonballs, the resulting shockwave rocking their ship even more, but setting off a giant chain explosion that stalled the cannonfire by another salvo.
"Who are these bastards..." muttered Snake as he stayed his whip in his hand as the odd metallic undersea vessel surface.
Coiling his weapon in a loose loop, Snake got closer to the railing and looked down at the marine.
"You're obstructing royalty in the pursuit of business that pertains to his kingdom and allies. Out of the way."
What he said wasn't entirely untrue, but the warrior prince wasn't sure if this short declaration would be enough to send the marine away.
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Post by CJ on Oct 3, 2012 23:05:34 GMT -5
Tomahawk slowly managed to stand up from its place on the ground after Snake left. Connor was astounded to see nothing had damaged the robot whatsoever, as should have been expected from Rank 3 of the Grand Path. He became sorrowful, thinking of all the wasted food, but his thoughts returned to the words Snake said.
His family... did Snake know the connection between Meek and the Warlord? Probably not but he could imagine what would happen if he ever met the man.
"So Anderson's son turned out to be a punk? I'm not surprised," he would say before trying to beat some sense into the Warlord. How embarrassing would that have been?
Snake could make a guess at the connection if he knew Connor's real name, Kurai Uzo, but he didn't know about any of that, right? For some reason, Connor thought he did and it terrified him. Like the time he spent at the mercy of the A.I., he had nearly no memory of the first eleven years of his life. But if anyone were to know what happened, aside from that strange man, Hidane, Connor wasn't sure how he'd explain it. Beth didn't even know and he trusted her most.
How was he supposed to have the pride Snake expected him to have when he hated himself? He beat his wife and then nearly killed his friend. Even though it was the A.I.'s actions, he still created it to survive Sylvia Valentine.
Snake was wrong. He'd never become a man worthy of respect. He wasn't a prince, a warrior or even a decent father. He was a coward who didn't deserve anything, much less the chance at life again. It made him angry to think of all the pain people had to go through to get him to this point.
A small flame burned for a moment around Tomahawk's right fingertips, but the mind inside did not notice. It took one look at the mess of food about the kitchen, got up and left.
---
"Pro tip, Luan," Beth called out to Snake with an unsure smile. "I know you haven't been a prince for a long time, so you might not know this, but you should name your country, Ravunya, before trying to bark orders as 'royalty.'"
Beth was somewhat afraid the Lucky Ducky Happy Happy Ship wouldn't hold together in the initial confrontation with the Marines. She was only truly afraid of three things, losing her loved ones, someone she didn't fully understand, and the ocean. Once she hit water, she was done for. She prayed the ship would stay intact and was somewhat grateful to have Snake and Kaede there in case things went terribly wrong.
She sighed in relief when the attack stopped and let go of the railing. She looked to see that Shroud Demon was alright. Despite his confidence in his ability to navigate with a bucket on his head, Beth worried about his safety.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Tomahawk walking out of the kitchen. She noticed Snake had just been in there as well. Something happened, but she would have to find out what later. Snake had a certain way of handling things that she didn't agree with, but if it got Connor to do something other than mope around, she'd be happy. Then again, they could have been having a conversation about the weather for all she knew.
"My name is Beth Anderson," she shouted as calmly as she could to the Marines. "We don't mean any harm. Our friend here is not... ummm... feeling alright, you know, in the head. What are you blockading?"
She hoped Shroud Demon would not be offended but she felt his actions had to be explained even through a possible lie.
---
[Kaede,] Tomahawk said as it approached her after being called. [What's going on?]
Bits of food still remained on the robot's torso. It looked toward Beth as she tried to communicate with the Marines. At this point, Connor still did not know they were near their destination.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Oct 6, 2012 18:29:02 GMT -5
"You're obstructing royalty in the pursuit of business that pertains to his kingdom and allies. Out of the way."
"My apologies your highness, but we aren't permitted to-"
"Turn back or be fired upon. Make the choice, for I am impartial."
While the lieutenant seemed sympathetic to the plight of the Lucky Ducky, he didn't much get a chance to settle things. What could be discerned as a superior emerged from the submersible and took the megaphone without hesitation. Though he looked to be in charge (at the very least, probably the captain of the vessel), he was dressed in a more traditional blue naval uniform rather than that of the marines. Sporting even a tricorne and powder wig, he looked quite disparate with the lieutenant and his customary white uniform. His deadpan expression belied a distinct annoyance, if not anger with Snake at the very least.
"My name is Beth Anderson, we don't mean any harm. Our friend here is not... ummm... feeling alright, you know, in the head. What are you blockading?"
"There is a quarantine in effect upon this area, Beth Anderson. Nothing enters and nothing leaves. At such a time as appropriate to when the quarantine is lifted, travel to and from this place will be permitted once more, but until that time it would be best for you and yours to turn back from whence you came."
---
[Kaede, what's going on?]
"I... I don't know, but I have an idea. I bet if we- oof! Come on, this way!"
Listening to the others speak from near the kitchen where she had moved, Kaede tried to formulate an idea of how to proceed. The island they had searched and traveled for lie just ahead, and while she didn't expect it would be simple getting to it, she hadn't thought the place would be in this state. She had never been to a futuristic place like Colyne before, but she could tell from the myriad of smoke columns rising from the hourglass-like isle that it was not in the best of states. Hearing of a quarantine to boot, and she wasn't sure how much she wanted to go to that place anymore. Taking a deep breath, she decided at the very least to mitigate the hostilities that were brewing. Grabbing for Connor's arm she attempted to drag him forward with her, but with everything else going on she forgot he was a large and massively heavy robot. As she went to pull him she did not expect him to remain in place, and so fell backwards over herself as though she had hit hard the end of a leash someone had tied around her. Exasperated, she struggled to her feet, and waited till he moved of his own accord.
"Excuse me Sir, over here! Look! We have with us a... machine, from this very island! We've brought him- it back to Col... Seven Gates, for repairs! As you can see, it's had a bit of a problem with making food, which we originally bought it for. You know, a... food robot!"
Stumbling in her speech more than once, Kaede had to think on her feet about how to pass it off like they were not just some random passerbys. By her reasoning, if they could make it look like they themselves were at least familiar with this place if not actually from it, then they would be afforded more than simple dismissal with the threat of violence. To do this, she had to wrack her brain for the appropriate details to make a convincing excuse, or at least one plausible enough to convince what she guessed were marines not entirely knowledgeable about the place they were guarding. It was a gamble though because at the very least, their submersible vessel indicated that they were not your average run-of-the-mill Navy detachment.
---
Apparently it counted for something, but not much. Kaede's lie had gotten the commander to to deign them with a response greater than 'Leave or Die', and he actually let them past the blockade. This was of course in the barest sense of the expression, as the only thing he really let them do was to follow his own ship back to the largest portion of the blockade. It was made abundantly clear that any deviations from the orders he had given them, would be met with extreme prejudice and they would be fired upon. As much as Kaede hated to be entrusting her wellbeing to another like this, it was arguably better than just turning away and resigning Connor to his robotic fate. She didn't know about the others, but that was not good enough for her.
And so here they were, in jail. Well, a holding cell to be precise. Once reaching the main contingent of the blockade where the largest collection of ships was cloistered, the crew of the Lucky Ducky was summarily detained and placed in a cell for further processing. All in all it was a rather unpleasant experience as they were stripped of their belongings and herded like cattle to the cells, to be held in waiting while their ship was searched. Realizing this was the closest thing to being allowed access to the island, Kaede resigned herself to the process of being searched and detained, though it probably went without saying that the others of the Lucky Ducky crew would not be so willing to go along with it all.
Specifically how they reacted to this whole process though, was entirely up to them. It was worth noting though, that they were in the middle of a marine blockade now.
"Ugh... sorry guys, this didn't go as well as I thought it would. I think our best hope is if we stick to our story, then things might work out. At the very least they should let us go, I mean, how many other people come by with robots?"
Residing in the general holding cell, Kaede sat with her back to the wall, holding her neck with her hands. Assuming the others had not all gone wild and caused some serious trouble, they too would be thrown into the general holding with her, even Connorhawk. It was nothing more than the brig of the largest ship in the blockade, but it was not all that bad really, apart from the distinct lack of freedom. There were guards stationed within earshot if the prisoners needed anything, and the place was fairly well lit and not at all a dank grimy holding cell.
"Nevermind if they aren't actually from Colyne in the first place..."
The last part, understandably, she muttered to herself more than anyone else really. She rightly assumed that if the marines were to catch wind that Connorhawk was not from this place, things would not be so lucky for the group of the Lucky Ducky.
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Post by Kyubey on Oct 8, 2012 23:52:43 GMT -5
When the cell doors were opened and the prisoners were pushed in, Finnegan didn't take notice of them. In any other environment, he would have seemed perfectly natural, but given they were in a jail cell and the people that entered were anything but ordinary, it would be apparent that one would have to try really hard to not take notice of the newcomers. In fact, for someone who had been locked up for days, he sure seemed interested in the far corner of the room.
"Ehm, salutations," he said after a few moments of being awkwardly silent. "My name is Finnegan, and until right this instant, I have been completely alone in this cell. There is nothing interesting about me whatsoever, and I have no interest in any sort of interactions. I very much like quiet, don't you? Yes, no time for excitement, I'm far too busy following the rules and keeping to myself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will continue drinking this ordinary Earl Grey."
The tea which he was referring to had been bubbling with interest since the others entered. It had been steaming at a somewhat quiet pace mostly, but as soon as Finnegan drew attention to it, the liquid almost looked like it was boiling. Just for a small second, if someone happened to be looking at the teacup, they might have seen what appeared to be a very tiny little girl peeking at them.
"Wow, you guys look crazy!" the tea said in a high-pitched sort of squeal.
"Golly, it sure is silent in this cell, isn't it? No noisy children at all, wouldn't you chaps agree?"
"Hey, are you a robot? I've always wanted to see one of those!"
Finnegan laughed nervously, and spoke in a hushed tone. "Now miss, I'm sure these people are very upset about being arrested. We wouldn't want to bother them, would we?"
"Oh, they don't mind. Right guys?" the tea came down to a simmer, and a gleeful laugh could be heard. "So, that poncy Marine guy captured you too, huh? Isn't he the worst? Anyways, who are you guys? Where're you from? You don't look like you're from any of the blues."
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Post by Sprite on Oct 9, 2012 1:06:02 GMT -5
Snake surprisingly went just as quietly as the marines might have wanted him to. With a grimace, he coiled his whip about his waist and put out his hands to be cuffed. Glaring daggers at all the marines about him, he descended into the depths of the odd aquatic vessel.
As Luis was taken from him, he sensed the snake-whip stir slightly, but a quiet hiss from Snake stilled the zoan weapon. They had been through plenty of situations like this, there would be a time to reunite very soon.
He was fairly certain he could have overcome the vessel, and its crew with sheer brute force. He was the Crown Prince of Ravunya, it was his job to embody the sheer fighting spirit and indomitable will that his people were known so well for.
But at the same time, he could only imagine what kind of damage his actions could cause Ravunya on the political and global scale.
Crown Prince of Ravunya Goes on Rampage! Destroys fleet of Marine Vessels!
It would be endless trouble for his mother and father. Such action would be more like the former prince of Ravunya...
"Vasil..." muttered Snake to himself. His thoughts drifting to his brother, a vicious sociopath who had almost murdered the child of the Anderson's in cold blood and petty revenge. Snake still bore the scars of their final fight, five knotted furrows carved into his bicep where Vasil had struck him, pulling his flesh free like gobbets of jello.
As the cell door slammed shut, Snake lifted his head warily as he sat down, his back resting against the bars of the cell.
"Great. A talking cup of tea. I don't suppose you know what's going on, or how we could get out?"
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Post by CJ on Oct 9, 2012 20:34:24 GMT -5
Beth wasn't one for personal possessions but she couldn't help but feel bad for Snake. She did not understand the logic behind keeping Tomahawk and Connor but having to give away his whip but she did not question it. She was disappointed Shroud Demon's bucket wasn't taken away. It seemed she would never learn what he looked like.
She had to agree with Kaede. She wished they could just continue traveling their own way. If this was the way they had to take to restore Connor though, she would not complain. She kissed the top point of Tomahawk's faceplate as they found their own corner of the cell.
"You're the chef bot from this point on," she whispered with a sad smile, "but we'll find Connor soon, I promise."
As she turned to address the others, the robot gripped onto her hand. Her heart sank, remembering this kind of touch before. The hand was dead cold but she could still understand the action behind it. She remembered a shaking hand from a man with terrified, pale eyes.
Please, don't leave me, he said. She promised she never would.
Of all the prisoners Beth expected to be paired with, Finnegan and his giant tea cup were the furthest from her imagination. She was somewhat relieved but these two brought on a whole other mystery.
Tomahawk and Beth leaned back when the tea cup spoke. They looked at each other, as if checking to see whether or not they were going crazy.
[Beep boop,] Tomahawk said plainly, raising its hand toward the tea cup.
Beth's face nearly broke hearing its introduction. She breathed in to retain her disposition.
"I'm Beth Anderson of Gomorrah Island," she continued. "It's nice to meet you, Finnegan, even in this... place. You said there weren't any children here but is there a child here in this tea cup? Does she have some kind of Devil Fruit?"
She narrowed her eyes at the giant tea cup.
"Or are you magic tea?"
For a brief moment, she shot a glare at Snake. How to "get out?" Was he trying to get them all in trouble?
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Post by Kuro on Oct 9, 2012 23:01:40 GMT -5
The Shroud Demon's bucket had stayed on top of his head at all times. When there someone tried to take it off, he had resisted and convinced all of them that doing so would be a very grave mistake indeed.
"Mr. Marine, we do not remove the headwear of those on the ship! Taking this helmet off of me would be similar to me simply tearing your hat off and stamping it onto the ground! This helmet is my helmet, it will protect me at all times, and is the extension of my me! This helmet is, without a doubt, the most important aspect of my armor! This helmet is my - Oh, I see that you have submitted to the words of truth. I thank you, kind Mr. Marine."
It was most likely that they had simply left the bucket on him so that he would stop talking and stop the constant clanking and rattling coming from him shaking his head all around as he had spoken. He was now in a cell, bucket and pans and lids attached, although he did feel rather naked without his sword. It hungered for the happy tears of the downtrodden, and did not belong in a cell far away from its wielder.
Downtrodden.
The Shroud Demon thought of the word. It was one of the few big words that he was most certainly sure that he got right whenever he spoke it. DOWN - TROD - DEN. Downtrodden. He knew what it meant to, and that made it even more better.
"Downtrodden, downtrodden, downtrodden, downtrodden..."
He started repeating it to himself in a quiet, happy sing-song voice, so distracted by it that he did not see the interaction between Beth and Konnor or any of the other people, and continued on with it until he was interrupted by the voice of an old man. An elder.
"..."
He listened to the words of The Old Man and his magical teacup, focusing all of his attention on their words.
"..."
He dramatically stood up in the cell and practically yelled his response after Beth, Konner, and Viper had made theirs.
"Greetings - no - Salutatations, Mysterious Old Man! We are the humble heroes come to serve you on your quest! We know of what purpose you fullyfill in the story, and will do whatever glorious adventures of justice, moral lessons, fun, and happiness you will ask of us! And your teacup! We pay great respects to your magical artifact!" He had gotten down to bow before The Mysterious Old Man in the middle of his introduction and now shuffled up to the teacup, almost daring to hold it in his hands, at the very least looking at it with large, wide eyes full of wonder. Eyes that were hidden, of course. "Hello, my fair maiden of the tea seas! I am the Shroud Demon, a defender of justice! I hail from the seas and I speak for the seas - no, I speak for justice! Are you a witch in disguise or a speaking object? Are you the princess who shall tell us of the dragon-ridden lands that we must save?"
The Shroud Demon was still on his knees since he had bowed before the Mysterious Old Man - er, MOM - and simply shuffled on over to the teacup. His voice had been as loud and full as excitement as ever, and his eyes were still locked onto the teacup from behind his helmet.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Oct 13, 2012 22:53:40 GMT -5
"That machine with them doesn't mean much to me. Assuming it isn't just a man in a suit, I doubt it even comes from this place. They pressed the matter and now they're in custody, perhaps for the better. Once this whole thing blows over, we may be inclined to release them."
"These ones are special though, if they are who I think they are. I'm goin' to meet with them, and if thin's go well you're goin' to move them to better housin'."
The marine officer that had been in charge of the submersible from before stood at a desk in a dimly lit study of the ship. Having a heated conversation with someone, he clearly was quite exasperated if not angry while the other person. She on the other hand was quite amiable, speaking and acting as though the two were on the same level, even as she swiveled in the chair behind the desk to face him.
"You can't just order me around. I have authority over this entire detachment, I am a Commodore of the Navy."
"And you used to be a Vice Admiral. That's the beauty of havin' someone in your pocket Lenoir, you can do what you want with them."
---
"Kaede Young... Grinshol..."
Absentmindedly responding to the girl's questioning, Kaede was busy examining some papers in the warm light. She had left her bag on their ship and her staff had been taken from her, but there was something she could not part with that she knew would also be taken. To prevent this, she duct taped it to her stomach and merely wore her clothes as normal. The marines weren't about to take her shirt off, so when searching her they didn't find it.
It turned out to be nothing more than a manilla folder with some papers contained within. It wasn't some miracle way out like a chemical compound to cut through the bars, or even something like a metal file. Chances were she could have smuggled something along those lines, but for whatever reason she chose these papers to bring. And for whatever reason, she was busily studying them now.
She soon stashed them in the folder once more and hid it behind her however, when she heard people coming.
---
"No no, there's no need for any of that. We're just goin' to talk."
A number of marines had shown up outside the cell, armed and at the ready to fire into the cell. It seemed the reason was clear when the Commodore appeared not long after, taking the keys from one of the stationed guards and standing by the door to the cell. The woman from before followed after but when she saw the display of force shown by the marines, she audibly complained to the commander whom begrudgingly had the men lower their weapons and go about their duties elsewhere. Taking the key from him, she stood by the barred door as he took a position by the opposite wall, watching everything that happened with a scornful eye.
"Well anyway, I'm awfully sorry about all of this. The navy is quite worried about this place, you could say they're scared even. Enough to start lockin' people up in here, anyone who gets too close, you see. You're not trespassers though, I can tell as much. Your robot alone proves that."
She looked to be in her late-twenties, wearing a dark pea coat, dress pants and brown soft boots. She had long, wavy red hair along with a red plaid scarf tied around her neck, and she spoke with a strange accent which certain peoples in the cell might have heard the likes of before. Just as in dealing with the marine officer in his study, she had a very endearing nature about her and she spoke warmly with the occupants of the cell as though they were already good friends.
"I am curious though, as to what you're all doin' here. I mean really, I can tell that ain't a cookin' robot." At this the marine commander standing nearby tensed up, appearing on edge at the realization. "I'm not with the navy myself, so you don't have to worry about bein' truthful with me. My name is Aithne O'Brien and I want to help you as best I can. Funny thin', I have a title, but it's rather stuffy so I never really use it."
Kaede had thought she had this whole situation figured out and that if her plans went accordingly, they would all get out of this imprisonment in no time. When Aithne started talking to them, specifically about seeing through the lie she had made, it was like Kaede's heart suddenly jumped up her throat and her blood went cold. If anyone was to be doing the talking to this new person, it wouldn't be her. At least not initially.
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Post by Kyubey on Oct 14, 2012 16:19:01 GMT -5
"Oh! You're talking to me! You're not weirded out! that's so great! You guys are awesome."
The tea started bubbling again, as giddy as tea could possibly ever be.
"That is nice, but it would be wise to not attract too much attention, we still don't know enough about..."
A small human girl materialized from the tea, seemingly swimming in the stuff, but if one were to look closely they'd find that she was only human from the shoulders up, and was actually part of the liqud. She had a wide grin on her face, as wide as could be considering how tiny she was. Finnegan hung his head in exasperation as the little girl revealed herself. He was obviously trying to keep the girl a secret, and despite his honest efforts, he was completely unable to control her.
"Alright, but please, as long as we're in this cell, do not tell anyone your n-"
"My name's Camellia Charina! It's a pleasure!"
"Oh dear. I am terribly sorry, everyone, Ms. Charina tends to get a little carried away. I do hope you won't tell anyone about what you're seeing right now."
Camellia giggled again, positively ecstatic because of all the attention she was getting. She didn't often get the chance to talk so openly with people, and whenever she did, she always made sure to enjoy herself.
"Great. A talking cup of tea. I don't suppose you know what's going on, or how we could get out?"
The girl leered at Snake, a bit miffed by his attitude, but not enough to bring down her joyful mood.
"Nope! Can't say I do! Finnegan and I were just put in this cell, just like you! And of course we don't know how to get out! We would be outta here by now if we did! Silly!"
She stared confusedly at the C-Bot, trying to figure out the strange contraption. She then spent a few seconds trying to figure out what the C part stood for. Crazy? Conquest? Chinchilla? Then she got bored and shifted her focus to Beth.
"Not magic! Just Devil Fruit! The Tea-Tea Fruit to be exact! That's why I'm in this here teacup!"
She didn't give Beth too much attention, however, as she was soon captivated by the Shroud Demon. Never before had she seen someone quite so interesting. She had heard about defenders of justice from stories read to her as a child, but she never dreamed that she would get to meet one in a jail cell of all places. And he thought she was a princess, how neat! She wanted to know more about the enigma of a person, and had half a mind to let him keep thinking she was a princess. Immediately she began dreaming up a story about a magical quest to a land of fairies that the brave heroes would have to go save, but was interrupted by Finnegan of all people.
"Old? OLD? You listen here, sir, I am 47, and that's hardly old. Hmph!"
Camellia laughed hysterically at how flustered her butler had become, when she faintly heard the footsteps of several Marines, which was enough to make her quiet.
"Ms. Charina, please hide yourself in the teacup!" he said quietly but harshly. Without another word, Ms. Charina did just that, fully turning back into ordinary tea just as they came in. Both Camellia and Finnegan stayed quiet as Althne spoke, though the tea did get a bit steamed up when the robot was mentioned.
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Post by CJ on Oct 20, 2012 11:10:42 GMT -5
Beth laughed at Shroud Demon's introduction. She was really fond of the strange man, in a way that she imagined she would toward a younger brother. In a word full of angst and revelation, she was glad to have someone like him around. Although she would like to know just what was under that bucket.
Meanwhile, that Kaede was still sitting doing whatever busy work occupied her time. With the addition of Snake to their team, she was all the more necessary. As much as Beth could lecture him, Kaede was the only person who could really force Snake to understand necessary topics.
Beth and Tomahawk leaned in closer as the girl revealed herself in the tea. Camellia was truly a sight to behold. She nodded to Finnegan, understanding the necessity of keeping a secret like this. But she could only imagine what kind of horror it would be if someone were to accidentally drink the tea.
"It's nice to meet you, Finnegan and Camellia," she said with a slight smile. "Devil Fruit are really strange, aren't they? Well, I hope we all can get out of here soon. I'm sure this is all just some misunderstanding."
Aithne's entrance made Beth pause in wonder in some contrast to Kaede's silent fear. She couldn't help but be entranced by her attire. She tried to think of the last time she ever bought something for herself. The baggy, hand-me-down clothing she wore was pitiful in comparison to her coat and pants.
As soon as she began talking, she was even more dumbfounded. She had only heard one other person speak like that. She wasn't about to ask her if she knew him until she heard her name. Goodness knew, even if they came from the same place, they wouldn't likely know each other but her last name convinced Beth otherwise.
"O'Brien?" she asked. "I've heard that name before. You wouldn't happen to know a Martin, would you? I hate to stereotype, but your speech is incredibly similar."
Tomahawk straightened up but otherwise remained still.
[How did you know I wasn't a cooking robot? Beep.]
"Yeah," Beth continued. "How did you figure that out? Well, I suppose you could see its hands. Not exactly made for cooking. It's broken and we need to access this island to fix it. That's all we want."
She hoped the partial lie would be enough to satisfy Aithne. Just what was her title anyway? She did not seem like the typical Marine.
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Post by Sprite on Oct 24, 2012 4:04:06 GMT -5
Snake scoffed a bit seeing the tea girl emerge from the overly large tea cup. He had known there was something odd about it, and in the world he lived in, he couldn't say he all that surprised.
"Tea logia...hah. Absolutely refreshing." was all the rebellious punk prince of Ravunya could say on the matter as he put his arms behind his head and leaned against the wall, trying to relax. He calmly and coolly observed the tea girl and old man, his sharp eyes not leaving them.
When the woman in the coat entered the room, his eye flicked to her, but he did not change his posture. He ignored Beth's critical look, hell, who wouldn't want to get out of a prison cell?
After hearing all he wanted to hear from Aithne, Snake stood up and dusted off his jacket as he cleared his throat. Looking at Aithne he finally spoke up.
"Well, Miss O' Brien. If you really want to help us, could you first explain to us the situation? I'm a bit lost as to why the Marines have cordoned off everything on and around the island. We have urgent business we have to attend to, business that won't be involving or bothering anyone but ourselves and our robotic friend here."
He didn't bother trying to pull the Prince card. It seemed that sharper figures like this woman tended to give less respect to those who flaunted and relied on their status to get them where they wanted. That and Snake himself didn't usually like to bring it out, he was still new to it. And he would much rather just intimidate, bash, or solve his way through most of his problems.
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