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Non-Lethal Sweets
Topic Started: May 29 2017, 01:08 PM (1,409 Views)
Gigasheep
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Sheepsu
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“I uh…”

He hadn’t really thought about the fact they’d ask who he was. Compared to just seeing his face, his name would be more valuable in some regards, easier to search databases etcetera. Which then left him with a dilemma, give his real name and risk being found out, or give a fake name and risk getting confused and therefore found out. He supposed he could just cross his fingers on this one, after all he was a no name and chances were they didn’t know he was in the Grandline, with no mention of him being made in any papers after Brick Blues.

“I’m Kid, I-I like… Exploring, but got… Stuck here”

He was struggling to both make things up, and sound sure of himself. After all, although he’d been semi good at lying for a while, he was dreadful at saying what he meant without stumbling over his own words. Whether they’d believe him or not he didn’t know. So instead he had to consider the rest of what they’d said. He for sure wasn’t a poacher, although he knew if he needed to he would probably put a raptor out of its misery.

“I don’t w-want to harm the animals here… I-I just wanted to explore…”

He managed. Perhaps he sounded a little younger than he had planned, but it seemed like his attempts at explaining himself alongside the stronger winds outside led to him being permitted in, although he felt nervous and uncertain due to their eyes practically boring into the back of his head. As he was led along, he couldn’t help but be impressed by the tents that had remained up, despite both strong winds and the constant threat of raptors jumping them. They moved quickly and could probably jump pretty high after all.

Soon Kid found himself in a tent with many other people, one of which he recognised. As soon as he stepped in eyes seemed to turn towards him, staring him down like he’d done something wrong. Perhaps he shouldn’t have punched the raptor? Or stabbed it with a candy cane? Or smacked some smaller raptors with a candy mace. Actually he was beginning to have a few regrets here, especially as he could have probably just made himself look big to scare them off. Wait… That was bears. Now he felt even worse as he nervously walked forwards. He wasn’t sure where to look, where to stand or what to do. Would he seem weird approaching the girl? Would he seem creepy if he just stood in the corner? He couldn’t just announce he was here… So maybe he’d just really slowly walk towards the girl he’d helped and cross his fingers.
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Morose

Morose in hot weather

Jungle View

Storm On Ship


The rain began to pour and the wind howl before Morose was able to get below deck. Half the crew was already below deck on break, while Morose had been with the poor fellows stuck on watch on deck. The boat creaked and rocked in the waves, but it was in no danger of damage or capsizing. The real risk was painted on some of the sailors' faces.

"So much for the feast..."

Morose grumbled to himself as he deftly donned his apron over his damp clothes to step into his warm and familiar kitchen. After quickly getting a fire going in the stove, Morose started twirling around the cooking area gathering ingredients, chopping and partitioning portions, and bringing things to simmer. Soon the Galley smelled of his wonderful cooking and it even seemed to ease the sickness of some just to smell it. After half an hour, warm bowls broth began to circulate among the men from the kitchen. The feast would not have set well with the men given the current conditions. Something light, simple, warm and quick would be best. After another half an hour, fresh loaves of baked bread were served with fruit preserves.

Morose worked diligently in his kitchen, however, he could not help but hear the discussion in the galley. The men that had gone ashore were retelling their tale to those that had remained. While the crew had expected some of what was seen, the storm, volcanoes, and more ferocious beasts, as well as the oversized nature of most creatures, seemed to unnerve some. Through the window that served as a counter for finished plates to rest on, Morose occasionally looked up from his work to note the concerned expressions of the crew. It was also noted that many, including Salas, were still ashore. Despite the warm and cozy nature of the galley that Morose was careful to cultivate, a dark feeling seemed to seep into the men anyway. Morose noticed this as well and his own expression darkened. As recently as earlier that day, the men did not hide the fact that many of them were not comfortable with Morose's leadership outside of the galley. With the island proving more dangerous than forewarned and Salas now weathering a storm with a dozen of the men somewhere on the island, the ship's morale had dipped some from the beginning of the day.

Morose was careful to keep some of the food back. Eventually, those on deck came below to warm up and get some food from themselves and switch places with those that had got to eat first. Morose then brought out the food for them and some towels to dry off their faces and hands. While it was warm in the galley, there was no open flame like that of a common room, so the towels would be welcome substitutes until warm blankets could be used later. With everyone fed, Morose began the process of tidying up and contemplated exactly what to do with the fickle spirits of the men. Would be difficult to stay at the island if the men grew discontent. Even more so if something were to happen to Salas. Morose's eyes were startled for a moment. Salas and the men had not come back yet, no surprise in the storm, but as soon as they storm subsided, he would likely need to lead a team back ashore that evening to look for them unless they returned of their own accord. But Morose did not act hastily and resumed his work.

"Perhaps they took shelter with that woman..."



Jungle Hut

The Storm in jungle


The rain was a deluge of water that hit the hut and flowed off. There were leaks in places, but some of the oddly placed instruments of Jane's now made sense: they caught rain water that leaked in or in some cases flowed in through hollow tree limbs and trunks. The lively woman had finally settled herself near the center of the group within the hut and seemed to be praying or praising something before she finally replied to Salas,

"Ah, um...relationship? Hm, I suppose you could call it that. Yes, my relationship with them is a simple one. They speak and I listen. I and anyone else can understand them as easily as you understand me now...probably. You just have to pay attention to the signs. Before you speak, you take a breath. Before you move, your muscles tense. It is the same for the speakers. All one must do is know where to look for their preparations of the words."

Jane stopped speaking suddenly, looking up and quietly thinking to herself. She never took off her garb or even lowered her hood that shrouded her face, but it was more apparent now that she was indeed a woman and one with wisdom but not from age. She was likely an educated person once upon a time from another place. Like the volcano and the storm, this odd woman clearly has a rhyme and reason to her behavior that may have been beginning to don on those who paid attention. While most of the crew were smitten with Chroma, a few of the more mature pirates had an eye on Jane for one reason or another that looked less lustful and more intrigued.

"...The speaker of the sky will pass soon. It will be dark then and not the best time to return from where you came. You may stay here if you wish..."


Jane stated, looking at the roof of her hut and seeing much more than what was visible. She sounded indifferent to the prospect of having overnight guests, but her eyes which shown dimly within her hood seemed troubled.



Studious Girl

Marine? Camp

Rain In Tent



While most of the occupants of the large tent (mess hall), eyes Kid suspiciously, no one moved to stop or engage him. Freely able to move through the tent with nothing but eyes on him even after he passed, he would get to the table with the one he recognized.

While some of the girls looked as bashful as the one Kid had accompanied, a few of the older ones looked mischievously at each other and then Kid.

"Hey, kid, you got a name?"

One asked without realizing she said his name. One girl looked away at the sudden engagement. The one Kid recognized simply became quiet and looked down, occasionally stealing glances in Kid's direction. In the background, several individuals, mostly the males, were eyeing the exchange sharply and obviously listening in without restraint.

"We heard you took out a raptor and some juveniles by yourself. Perhaps you could share how someone like you could do something like that?"

The one girl asked with a challenge in her eyes. She apparently didn't think much of Kid's physical appearance. It was fair to say even more muscular and well-armed marines would likely not fair well against a raptor by themselves, much less on the run and outnumbered.

The woman's statements immediately started several other tables to whispering behind Kid. While everyone remained safe and warm inside, the rain storm continued overhead for a few hours with the ending being a constant sprinkling of rain with the thunder far, far away.
Morose • Chef • Freedom PiratesBounty: 13,000,000 • SD Earned: 281 • Beli: 58,010,000 • Location: GrandLine, Little Garden Island

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Togamau
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Salas was quite intrigued with Jane's explanation of the speakers, that everything that happens gives a sign beforehand. It was definitely true, as long as one paid close attention to their surroundings they could predict what would happen. There must have been more to it than that, however. It seemed almost too simple, the 'speakers' didn't seem to send messages as much as announce their intent and let the world get out of their way.

"So the spirits are as willful as ever, showing no care for the mortals around them as they play their inscrutable games. We are not sure what to make of that information, whether it is a source of comfort or despair to know that humans are so far beneath the notice of the world around them."

Thinking about such an existential subject forced some introspection upon the Shaman. He remembered vaguely how he had felt before everything had gone wrong in his life, like he had some great destiny that the world would guide him through from start to finish. Like he had the wisdom to tell others how to live, like he had friends in the spirit world and the powers within him were in tune with his own will. Then all of the companions "fate" sent his way vanished one by one until only Morose, the kid who told him he smelled bad when they met, remained. He grimaced at thinking about what had happened in his world, how little control and how few friends he really had.

"We confess we hoped that there was a way to speak to the spirits of the world, if only to ask questions. I suppose listening in on the conversations of beings that don't acknowledge Our existence will have to do for now. Perhaps We haven't been giving proper attention to Our listening,
it is a place to start."


He realized that he was more thinking out loud than really talking to anyone in the room, but these were things he needed to work through. He had learned that he couldn't let the world control him, that he couldn't command the world to change around him, listening must have been another piece of the puzzle for his journey toward stability.

There was an offer to allow him and his men to stay overnight in Jane's hut, with the fact that darkness made things difficult for those without shelter. That would be good for the men of his crew, but Salasais felt a different call. "Your offer of shelter is generous, Jane. We appreciate your hospitality and willingness to entertain Our ignorance. Our people will stay and offer what services they can to make their stay less of a burden. Salasais,
however, feels a calling to go into the night and train His listening. We will be fine, and Salasais knows the way here when he needs to rest."


He closed his eyes and heaved something of a sigh before turning his eyes to the freedom pirates, "Pardon Our absence, but there are things We feel a need to do here. Be good to your host and don't do anything We would regret to hear, we shan't be far." He spoke the last bit almost like a threat, just to make sure that the crewmen understood that they were to be on their best behavior. Once the storm had largely passed, the Shaman made his way out into the darkness.
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Gigasheep
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Sheepsu
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In the end he didn’t really walk forwards, more stood there with his arms moving from held behind his back, to crossed in front of him to in his pockets. He couldn’t figure out what was most comfortable in this situation. If he held his arms behind him he’d see more social than he was, in front of him would be rude and in his pockets seemed… Just the right amount he supposed. So with his hands now in his pockets, his thumbs rubbing over some of the metal capsules he’d stored there, he inched closer to the girl, noticing someone asking his name whilst saying it. Damn that always confused him:

“I… I’m Kid…”

He managed, his face reddening even more now. He wasn’t particularly ashamed of his name, more he actually kind of liked it, but the problem there was that it led to many awkward situations, including people not believing him to begin with. He sighed slightly, making another small step forwards whilst looking around him nervously. His guard was up, which he supposed made sense in a marine base, but this was more of a social guard if that made sense. His mind kept running back to the fact he hadn’t spoken to anyone apart from Katie for nearly a month now, which… Could really mess with you.

“I…”

He wasn’t able to form a response to one of the girls who shouted out to him. He briefly gestured to the weapon on his back though, the large candy mace which he wouldn’t have been surprised to find with blood caking the end. Thankfully it wasn’t then. He then glanced down to his belt loops of his shorts, expecting to see his other equipment to show off the fact that he was geared up to fight stuff, only to find that most of it was missing. He paled slightly, which was surprising due to his naturally ghostly white skin. He couldn’t quite figure out how or why this had happened, but somewhere he’d managed to drop all his stuff. He groaned a little, sure he had the blueprints, but if his kit fell into someone else’s hands that could spell chaos. Plus, think of all the sugary snacks he was losing there, especially the cola gun which had been filled almost to the brim with drink!

The teen looked around him, noticing many eyes glaring at him with many conversations being about him taking on a few raptors. Unable to really deal with it anymore, he picked up his pace finally and headed towards where the girl sat. Sure he hardly knew her, but he knew her better than other people here so it’d help him calm down a little bit. Last minute though he realised that sitting down next to her where a group of girls were as well would seem weird and a bit creepy from his point of view, and so last second sat down on the table behind her, facing towards her and attempting a smile. He was shaking a little bit, and so reached into his pocket again, retrieving one of the metal capsules and unscrewing it. A little steam erupted as he waited for it to cool enough for him to be able to drink it.
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Dusk
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There was a clear attunement to nature within the hut of the wild woman of Little Garden. As she entered the hut, Chroma smiled and nodded to herself, a serene expression falling upon her as she walked along the floor, kicking her shoes off as her bare feet took in the bountiful good vibes that washed around the floor, as if she were standing along the shores of the sea of happiness and tranquility. Her hands ran along objects and, at times, across the beasts and men that had entered with her. Without knowing it her, fingers would trace scars and wounds, shaking her head softly while keeping up a sorrowful smile. "You have all been through so much," she'd murmur.

Sitting cross legged near where a pot lay, Tie-Dye would allow her hands to fall atop her knees, her palms facing towards the sky. "This is a very nice spot, Jane," she'd nod. "Very groovy."

As Salasais and Jane began to converse about the voices of nature and the ancient beings and souls that roamed this earth, Chroma would begin to inhale and exhale, breathing in the calm, yet wild atmosphere that pooled within the hut. Before long though, Salasais would come to the conclusion that there was something he needed to do, no doubt because of the darkness she had seen hidden within him that he wished to face. Arising from her meditative spot, she'd hold her hand out toward the Mossman in a calm and kind gesture. "I want you take something from me before you leave, as a token of our friendship. It holds some of my energy within it, and will hopefully help guide you through the darkness," she smiled, turning her hand around to reveal a small, amber stone, tied by a cord. Chroma had been wearing it around her wrist before taking it.

"I'd accompany you, but I came to Jane's hunt for another reason. There's someone out there whose chi wishes to overthrow the cosmic balance and I need to prepare for it. You're a groovy dude though, I hope you find what you're looking for out there."
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Raikou

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Morose

Morose in hot weather

Jungle View

Storm On Ship


Morose sighed as he slumped against the hull of the ship within his galley. He said nothing and was alone with his thoughts, but his furrowed, blonde brows told a story of their own. Earlier, Morose had finished sweeping the floors and wiping down the tables and cooking surfaces. Morose eventually looked up and took special note of a table in the galley that had not been used that evening. Food enough for them had been set aside though they never came back to eat it. No watchman reported seeing the crew return to the beach either.

When the storm passed and the sea settled to a less choppy wobble, Morose went above deck. Dark clouds still covered the sky and the stars, so even without the rain, seeing anything was difficult without a lantern or other light. As such, Morose blinked and squinted fruitlessly in the dark trying to make out the shore. While the lamps hanging above deck were lit, night vision was limited. Morose paced along the railing impatiently. With the storm passed, sailors were finishing up the last of the tasks before they could bunk for the night. Once the last were below deck except those on watch, Morose was able to go about extinguishing the lights until it was dark enough to give him a chance of seeing. There really only needed to be one or two lights lit anyway.

In the dark, Morose's eyes reflected the barest hint of light, taking in as much a view of shore as possible...shortly after Morose forcefully roused a couple men from their after work activities to row ashore and stake a pole into the ground and light a torch on it. It would illuminate a portion of the beach and the remaining rowboat still ashore. It proved necessary too. The storm had nearly carried off the remaining boat. As the 2 pulled into the sand, they were able to pull the other boat further ashore. Looked like heavy work and Morose watched from the railing of the Freedom ship with a satisfied nod to himself. He did not take his eyes off the men that went ashore until they returned. There was some movement at the trees' edge. Had it not been for the torch they lit first, they may have had company while they were working on the 2nd boat.

Morose ignored the groans and complaints of the men who returned, instead taking a shift of watch himself over the beach. The young chef eventually became too weary from the day to even sit and keep his eyes open. Rather than sleeping outside all night, Morose finally retired to his quarters.



Jungle at NIght

The night in jungle


After settling things in the hut and striking out into the night, Salas would find a jungle devoid of light except for the occasional glow of something in the dark. Sometimes eyes, sometimes bugs, and sometimes a mystery, there was never much of it. Salas would find the jungle just as thick and treacherous to pass through as before, only this time it would be too dark to normally see. In addition, any night predators would likely be aware of Salas before Salas was aware of where he was. It would not be long before Salas would come to realize he was becoming surrounded by creatures of the night. Some were quiet and some were obviously large in size, but all seemed at home in the evening. It felt and looked like a different world from the daytime.

While the storm had come in on a cool breeze, it was gone now. Behind, it left a muggy atmosphere that was thick to move around in. The ground was also soft. Anything not supported by enough mulch and roots had become mushy or puddled. Salas would need to take care not to get stuck in something he couldn't get out of or slip and fall perhaps.



Studious Girl

Marine? Camp


The girls that were attentively looking at Kid and waiting on his responses were quickly taken aback by his behavior. It seemed their preconceived notions did not match the seemingly shy and anxious before them. They were also confused by his replies and asked his name a few more times until they finally understood what his name actually was.

Eventually the storm passed and those in the big tent changed shifts with others. Some of the girls left the table while others came in to sit down. Some were dressed casually while others were in marine attire. It became apparent that while some of the women of the camp mingled with the guys at other tables and elsewhere, the girls at the table across from Kid were of a different variety.

A curfew was imposed on the camp. Many started heading to their tents. However, some of the girls and many of the guys at different tables remained with Kid. While the girls seemed intent on cracking Kid's exterior or any number of other objectives, the men seemed very much like they had been the whole time: quiet, watchful, angry at the world.

"So Kid, what will you be doing on the island while you are here?"

One of the girls asked in a familiar tone.
Morose • Chef • Freedom PiratesBounty: 13,000,000 • SD Earned: 281 • Beli: 58,010,000 • Location: GrandLine, Little Garden Island

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Togamau
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Salasais was a bit shocked by Chroma's gift. He certainly could feel a portion of her aura of calm within it. It was the first time that he had acquired such a talisman freely given from its source, and also encapsulating a positive emotion. "Thank you, Chroma. Salas will try not to squander this gift. May we meet again favorably." He gave a courteous bow as he exited the hut into the night.

It was wet, and even for the night it was fairly hot. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust and his footing to be regained, but moving through the jungle was something in his nature and thus was never far from his memory. The Shaman would frequently close his eyes and stop moving for brief moments to attempt to reach out to the feeling that called to him. He did feel the eyes upon him just out of sight, he sensed a hunger in them. The mild glow of his eyes made him easily visible to other creatures of the night.

He didn't show any fear, just a gentle rustling of his moss cloak as it formed vague limbs to show he was not completely defenseless. Nonetheless, Salas resolved not to engage the creatures around him as he held Tie Dye's amber talisman in his hand and rubbed it with his thumb for a feeling of calm. It didn't take too long for him to find a spot with relatively firm ground on which he could seat himself and commune with the wilds. He needed to have a heart to heart with his demons that simply couldn't wait until morning.

Salasais held the stone somewhat tighter as a small measure of uncertainty entered his heart. There were both internal and external causes for said unease, he was clearly not alone and did not want to think of what would happen if he was to be set upon while in his trance, or what he might do to those unseen beasts while channeling the spirit inside him that had slain so many others before.
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Gigasheep
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Sheepsu
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It seemed to take the individuals sat nearby a little while to figure out his name, and after correcting them a few times now he just felt more conscious than ever. He should have just taken his middle name in the end, or maybe just made one up. Though again, making one up would have inevitably have led to something foolish like forgetting it, and then he’d get in trouble with this lot. Still, despite his red face he was happy to be out from the rain, and as much as he hated talking to people at times, it would be good for him to return to his roots. After all much of his youth had been spent relying on others. He supposed he’d been done with that from the moment he upgraded his body.

The rain soon quietened up, the rumbles in the distance also ceasing, leading to many individuals leaving to presumably go to sleep. However there were newcomers too, sitting at varied tables around the room. It felt like there were specific friend groups around, just like a general schoolyard. Then again Kid had never gone to school so what would he know? Still, seeing as the girl from before was most certainly the intellectual type, he could feel at least slightly among his own in front of these people.

“Uh… Uhm”

As he looked briefly at the girl that had asked him, he tried to formulate a response quickly, revising it in his head before repeating it to avoid muddling his words, a habit of his which had proved semi-successful so far. Her thought about how he’d essentially crashed here, and how he really just wanted some more snacks for himself, and enough food to not collapse. Taking a sip of his chocolate drink which had now cooled, his nerves seemed to rest a little bit as he finally managed to respond.

“I-I’ve been out at sea for… A while. I n-needed to collect some supplies and… Uh… Refuel”

He’d almost completely forgotten about the engine built into their… His ship. Still weird that he was now sailing on his own to be honest. Most the time he’d been relying on the sail, but the fact that they still had that thing would actually prove useful in the future. Damn he could have been here almost a day earlier, although he supposed yesterday he’d spent the day fixing up the ship and finalising his MultiTool which he was still yet to properly utilise. He thought about things for a moment, before building the courage to return the question:

“W-what are the… You all uh… Doing here?”

He found it kind of odd that a marine encampment would be found on such an odd island, especially one so dangerous. And the fact they hadn’t been attacked by those dangerous creatures… He still found it kind of odd. He took another small sip of his drink before noticing the small drips of chocolate from the attack earlier on his arm. Silently he wiped it off with his fingers.
Edited by Gigasheep, Jul 11 2017, 01:58 AM.
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Morose

Morose in hot weather

Jungle View

Storm On Ship


Morose woke suddenly, his hands flying before him in a defensive posture as if he were holding 2 knives in reverse grips. However, he only had one in hand, the one he kept near him even when dressed for bed. The boy's breaths were forceful and quick and his skin was damp with the unusual presence of sweat. His eyes darted about frantically before settling along with his breath. The tension in his slim frame faded away as he slouched back down in the hammock hung in his room. Morose closed his eyes with a sigh, but he did not let go of his knife. He eventually looked toward the porthole not far from his head which gave him a view of the sea and sky outside. It was the very beginnings of the morning with a dim light creeping over the ocean. With a joyless smirk, he rolled out of bed and started getting dressed and ready for the day.

Breakfast was prepared prior to most of the crew woke. Those that had been on night shift came in first to grab some before going to bed. The chef carried out his task without the usual smile or contented expression. Morose was occasionally asked or overhead inquiries of the captain. Like the crew, Morose was also curious and asked those that had been on watch the previous evening if they had seen anything. No, no one had seen anything.

With the galley cleaned and Salas's group not yet back, Morose rounded up a group similar to the one he had yesterday for the sake of going ashore and scavenging as well as looking into the situation with the crew that had yet to come back. Morose's rowboat bobbed gently in the water as the men took it over the waves to shore. The boy seemed lost in thought when one of the men cried out: monster.

There in the water not far from the boat and coming from the direction of the island was a long, winding shadow moving toward their boat. Occasionally the surface of the water was breached in multiple places by what looked like fan-shaped dorsal fins. The shadow would be upon them soon and they were half way between the land and the ship. Morose had knives in hand, but he did not stand yet. The boat had men in it enough to make maneuvering around the ship difficult. If it came to a fight, how could he? The shadow came...



Jungle at NIght


Salas's time in contemplation was not disturbed. Jane had stated the night time was not a safe time to go out, and Salas was easily aware of the company and attention he brought upon himself. The eyes upon him were visible and stored with perceivable force. Despite all this, not a single creature moved to consume the moss man. The evening went on uneventfully with birds and bugs and predators alike creating the symphony of sound that made up the jungle's evening tune. It was almost a peaceful time if only the feeling of the moment was considered.

The sun would eventually rise and with it the day. Salas's men had stayed behind with Jane at her hut. She saw to feeding them in the morning after, though the meal was not on par with Morose's and was tailored to a much more nature-friendly taste. Whether Salas returned to the hut or remained in nature all evening, Jane would meet with him to turn over his men to him. Some of the crew needed more persuasion to leave the women than polite urging would allow.

Jane looked at Salas for a moment that allowed Salas to catch a good look at her face. She seemed like she was about to say something and then didn't instead posturing herself uncomfortably and seeming anxious.



Marine? Camp


Over the remainder of the evening, Kid was filled in on the purpose of the camp: Research. All those in the camp, not a marine were researchers and scientists sent to the island to document its flora and fauna. The girls were all excited and eager to talk about their individual projects. Turns out many of the species discovered on the island were thought to be extinct, so their find and study would be big back home. The marines offered protection and occasionally captured and corraled specimens for further study. It was dangerous to go out of the camp without an armed escort. The girl Kid saved the other day had been separated from her escort and would likely have not made it back without him.

Eventually, the girls bid him goodnight and they all left for their tents. As soon as the girls left, Kid was set upon by the young men still in the mess hall. They had been listening to most of the conversations and were a mix of researchers and marines. Their interest in the girls was apparent, and they seemed intent to learn if Kid would be another rival or a man to be jealous of. This big of information was more important to them than talk about their projects which they were also excited for. Eventually, some of the guards that had been staying up with him said it was time to hit up the barracks. There he was offered a cot and some the basics for comfort.

The next day arrived with the camp being a buzz of talk, partly because of Kid's arrival and him saving the girl researcher, but also because of a plan that was soon to be set into motion which would be great for the scientists there. In the mess hall, Kid was guided by marines and breakfast was offered. They ate with him and it was at that point it was time to get down to business.

"You are not authorized to be here, but due to the weather and your help, we bent the rules. That said, we don't have to kick you out right away and considering the skills you seem capable of, we may be able to offer you a contract job and allow you to remain in the camp while carrying it out. You interested?"


One of the marines that had been accompanying him asked between bites of his meal.
Morose • Chef • Freedom PiratesBounty: 13,000,000 • SD Earned: 281 • Beli: 58,010,000 • Location: GrandLine, Little Garden Island

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Togamau
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It seemed that even the creatures of the night had elected to keep their distance from Salas, he internally praised their wisdom as he adopted a more centered posture and lowered himself to the ground. Despite being in what would have been considered a vulnerable position, the rigidity of his muscle tension showed that he was more than ready to take action if provoked. It was in that state of being that the shaman entered his trance.

----
Introspective Dream Sequence Within

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Salasais awoke from his trance in an icy-cold sweat, finding that his body's reaction to the terror he was experiencing had resulted in his mossy limbs forming and death-gripping the ground near him, rooting the shaman to the spot until he could regulate his heartbeat enough to ease his tense body. The charm he had been holding had been clutched so tightly as to leave a deep imprint in his palm for some time. The intensity of his physical reaction seemed to have scared off the other creatures as he could no longer feel their gaze upon him.

It took him some time to get back to his feet, the tension in his body rendering him almost paralyzed for a few minutes as he tried to loosen up. His breathing was ragged and he still wasn't quite sure what time it was or how long he had been dreaming. All he knew for sure was that everything was sore and that he definitely had some issues to work out. The entity he blamed for his aggressive tendencies apparently blamed the shaman for the very same transgressions. The most worrying part of it all was that he couldn't be sure that the voice, eerily similar to his own, was wrong in its accusations.

When he finally regained some sense of place and time, he could see that it was morning. He slowly made his way back to Jane's hut, leaning on trees heavily for support as he moved. As he came into view of the hut, Jane went to meet him, apparently the men would need an authoritative word to get them to leave the place. He could not yet tell if this was out of fear of the unknown or a desire to remain in the presence of women, but either way it was definitely time to return to Morose and the others; they must have been worried.

When the shaman saw jane's face, the first thing he noticed was discomfort. Normally, he would pry into it to discern the cause and suggest a remedy, but his mind echoed the words of his dream, that he reached out to become a monster on cactus island to allow himself to kill without restraint, and the color drained from his face and his eyes unfocused. He felt like she could see him for what his dream had labeled him: a murderer, a monster. His breathing grew hard, but he tried to regain his composure. He was overreacting, she would have said something to him earlier if she saw such things, that's what he told himself in his own mind.

"Salasais is sorry, his meditation last night has weighed heavily upon him and he is trying to understand what he has learned. What troubles you, Jane? We will endeavor to help if We can, once We have met with Our people to let them know We yet live."
Edited by Togamau, Jul 14 2017, 03:05 AM.
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Surprisingly the teen actually got a response to his question, being informed that in fact the marines here were carrying out research. It appeared many had been hired to help the world government discover more about the island but in particular research into the plant life which had managed to survive there. According to one girl, the plants she'd found had been extinct for many years, but could be used in important medical breakthroughs. He nodded in response slowly. He supposed he was at least happy that he hadn't been helping the world government directly, he didn't feel too fond of them after multiple injustices he'd been done by them. Well... Injustice might be the wrong word, but least to say they didn't get along that well.

As conversation continued it soon came to light that people could only leave with an escort, and that the girl he had saved had managed to become separated, and as such he probably saved her life. Something about that made him a little giddy, perhaps a little overjoyed at finally saving a life instead of ending it. Intentionally or not he knew he'd taken more than one life, and it haunted him most nights. Sure, he'd had his own issues recently but he could still remember the girl on Mirrorball, how he'd accidentally cracked her skull due to excessive force which he hadn't known he was even capable of. He sighed to himself slightly, as he noticed more and more people beginning to leave.

Many girls offered him a goodnight, which he silently nodded in response to, a slight smile with each as well. He wasn't confident around anyone, and his nervousness proved twice as bad when around women. It wasn't like he was being sexist or anything, just... He felt more nervous around them, and he'd never really been able to figure out why. As he wondered if he'd be sent out for the night, a group of male researchers moved over towards him, spiking his anxiety and causing him to wrap his arms around himself slightly to try and keep to himself. They didn't seem too aware though, and seemed more interested in the girls which he had been talking to. It was almost comical that they thought he'd actually try anything with anyone here, though he supposed despite being involved with marines they seemed nice, but... No, he was a pirate, not that they knew that.

"N-no I'm just... Uhm, passing through"

He had managed to add. It took a while of brief comments to finally half convince them that he wasn't after their crushes, and although they were nice he wasn't about to try and steal them away. He found the fact that hardly any of them had said anything to the targets of their adoration rather entertaining, especially seeing as even he'd managed... In a roundabout way. Not... That it really mattered anymore. It wasn't long before a few official marine guards came to break up the conversation, perhaps the first and only time Kid would feel relief when seeing a marine approach him, as he could escape the overly difficult questions.

A little time passed, and Kid found himself within one of the barracks. Although dark he could make out the bunk he had been assigned for the night. Upon testing it he found it to be overly solid and itchy, which inevitably would lead to a rough night. Sure he was a cyborg so couldn't properly feel that but... He'd been human once, and there was nothing wrong with that. Nevertheless he found himself laying down in the bed, yearning to get up and leave but fully aware his exhaustion mixed with the darkness wouldn't be able to lead him back to the ship. Despite his uncomfortable situation the boy found himself drifting off rather quickly, and before he knew it, it was morning.

Once seated in the mess hall, a plate of food which the boy probably wouldn't even end up touching, he noted one marine talking to him. He'd tried to keep his head down in case he was recognised, but being so groggy from a bad night's sleep in an unfamiliar environment it took him a moment to clock on to the fact he was being addressed. From what he understood he was being given... A job? He was instantly cautious, not wanting to remain affiliated with these people for longer than he had to. Despite this he was also aware the marines would most likely be his only source of supplies which he needed to acquire before moving off of the island.

"W-what would it... Be?"

He asked meekly. Being asked to help marines was a first, and although he would be aiding researchers... It was the same difference in this case. But... It was a constant internal conflict. Jobs meant working with people, whereas turning it down meant he could leave when he wished. But turning it down meant he'd need to probably steal resources, and forcing the researchers to go with less food felt kind of wrong. A jungle island although likely filled with nice foods, would just as likely be filled with poisons which he wouldn't survive more than a few seconds after consuming. Assuming the job was something he was capable of, there wasn't really any reason to turn it down apart from social interaction, but even that could be good for him.

Carefully the teen scooped up some food onto his fork, sniffing it briefly and hoping nobody noticed, before tasting a small mouthful. It wasn't terrible... But he felt conscious. Not only was he eating in front of others, it wasn't even his own food. Even if he'd been given it, he still felt like it wasn't his. Sighing slightly he attempted one or two more mouthfuls.
Edited by Gigasheep, Jul 14 2017, 11:05 AM.
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All the men in Morose's boat began standing to various heights and crouching down in reaction to the boat suddenly wobbling at each disturbance. Morose bobbed back and forth with the but for a moment before relaxing his neck and head to allow how body to move with the boat and allow the head to remain in place. His view of the shadow as it approached was less disturbed this way. Unlike a shark that might circle the vessel, this particular creature moved straight for the boat. As more of its body breached the surface, its intent was all too obvious. Morose looked at the creature with dour expression.

"This is what we get for not having enough things trying to kill us yesterday..."

Morose groaned. There was no time to say more. Morose immediately stood and leaped forward past most of the men that were standing or sitting to either side of the rowboat. One man crouching at the bow of the boat to see into the water became Morose's perched. The men didn't start looking around for Morose until the chef was already in the air again. The boat violently rocked forward from the momentum at a delayed pace along with the crew of the boat as they struggled to keep up with the speed of the young man now in mid-air with blades crossed before him.

Within a hair's breadth of this moment, a massive sea snake like creature burst from the water in an arc that would have it likely smash the ship and gobble up some of the crew men in the process. Morose had preemptively intercepted its course of attack however and met it in air. The snake's jaws unhinged and opened wide as it went in for its attack. Morose hung in mid-air before those rows of long, sharp teeth and fangs that looked capable of producing venom suitable for prey much larger than them. Morose stared ahead with grim determination as his knives sliced repeatedly in a second.


The snakes course had been altered by Morose's attacks and it landed to the left of the boat with a splash that rocked it and doused the men. However, several pieces of jaw, tooth and flesh fell to the right side of the ship. Morose had swam and exploded above the surface with a gasp for air followed by a frantic swim back to the boat. Crew members not too stunned helped pull the wet lad back into the boat. The man that now how a boat print on his back abstained from the activity with a grumpy expression and crossed arms.

Morose, looking like a wet coat with crazed eyes too big for his head looked around in a panic. The blue waters had turned very red. The shadow was no longer visible, but ripples in the water suggested the snake was still alive and on the move.

"We need to row. It's not dead yet and if it's vengeful, it won't need its teeth to ruin our day!"

As everyone re-positioned to being rowing closer to shore, Morose looked around the boat at the water. The dorsal fins easily recognized as sharks were visible. The fins were much too big though. Morose's knives were held at the ready in reverse grips. The seconds were painful in passing, and a surprise that rocked the boat occurred where something massive was thrashing about with something else. It churned the bloodied waters near the boat, but it did give the boat waves to ride to shore. A 2nd shark fin was seen approaching the boat from the rear and Morose couldn't seem to help but stand to face it. The row boat was not far from the shore, but that shark would soon be upon them. Morose's body tensed and coiled like a spring. Despite being soaked and in a breeze as they boat lurched forward with each stir of the oars, the chef did not shiver or get a chill. He just ground his teeth and stared intensely at the new enemy approaching.

Just as the shark moved within range of biting off the back half of the boat, it changed direction and swam away. A couple moments land the came to a sudden stop as the forceful rowing of the men propelled the boat halfway out of the water onto the sand. While the crew and Morose heaved heavy sighs of relief and collapsed into the boat to relax and catch their breaths, the sharks were going into a frenzy over a fresh, giant sea snake corpse floating not far from shore.




Jane sighed and held her silence for a few moments longer before nodding to herself and finally answering Salas,

"I saw read that you were troubled and knew that you had other matters to deal with, so I was reluctant to burden you. However, since you asked and the need is great, I will do my part: my home and the surrounding area have come under threat by interlopers dressed in white and carrying weapons. I believe them to be marines or mercenaries of some kind. For the time being, my friends and I have driven them off every time they encroached upon out lands, however, they grow bolder and bring more and more men each time they are turned back. I fear the next time they come, we will not have the means to repel them and the consequences would be dire. I would ask for a favor of you and your crew to aid me in putting a stop to the men for good.

Perhaps you will need time to consider my request, but the details are simple enough to discuss. Their camp is not far to the east of here. If they base and supplies are ruined, they will have not choice but to withdraw from the island lest they be subject to the wilds and her care."


Some of the crew took notice of the conversation. Many of them seemed eager to lend aid for some reason and anxiously waited upon Salas's reply.




One of the marines replied to Kid's question

"The job we had in mind isn't too hard...at least not with you accompanying us. You would join a group of around a dozen of us navy men on an mission into some denser portions of the jungle to the west of here. You'd be tasked with taking out some dinosaurs and aiding us in dealing with some oversized and brutish vegetarian beasts that have been stalling us and the researchers from acquiring and studying some of the samples and land that has already been surveyed as rich in valuable research specimens and other resources. For whatever reason, these usually docile types have been actively opposing our presence whenever we attempt to go into the area. No one's died yet, but it's only a matter of time before someone gets devoured or trampled, so we were hoping your aid would be the deciding factor."

After the one marine finished, Kid would likely notice all the marines at his table were only half eating and the other half were waiting on how he would reply. Some of the nearby scholars also seemed anxious to hear a reply while pretending to be doing something else.
Morose • Chef • Freedom PiratesBounty: 13,000,000 • SD Earned: 281 • Beli: 58,010,000 • Location: GrandLine, Little Garden Island

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When Jane explained the cause for her concern, Salasais almost wished he hadn't asked. Marines were on this island too, of all places, and apparently weren't welcome. It seemed that the hand of fate sought to prod him further amid the difficult trial he was undergoing. "Salasais would have hoped that he wouldn't have to fight on this island, but we are no friend to the marines and if they are a threat to you, who have been good to Us, we are obliged to assist you in repelling them..."

Perhaps the shaman was being tested. His vision told him that it was his own will that drove him to the deaths he had caused, so perhaps pitting him against a force which would mean him harm would reveal his true colors to himself. He was, of course, quite anxious when considering what he might find when he stands to defend the land from invaders. He did, however, think not to run in headlong without understanding; he needed to listen for what was truly happening.

"We do have one question, though. Salasais has not known the navy to attack unprovoked, though they are provoked easily. Do you know what they seek to gain from their trespass? If they have persisted in the face of your resistance there must be something they want, yes? Have you sought peace with them as you have with Us? Salasais is still with you, but We will stand stronger if he knows what it is We fight for."

As he listened to Jane's response, he remembered that Morose still hadn't heard from him since the day before. Once she finished her response he would give another word. "Our voice is not the only one to consider here, however, and we have friends who will need to know We are safe. We will counsel with our allies and return with word."

He gestured to some of the men to accompany him to the coast where he would meet Morose. "Morose! It is good to see that you are safe as well. We are sorry to have been silent so long, but We and the men with us received shelter from the storm from the woman, Jane, that we met earlier.
All is not well here, however. It seems that she and the beasts she lives with are threatened by invaders in white, probably marines. We are sympathetic to her cause, and the presence of these trespassers could complicate our time here if left unchecked."


He knew Morose wouldn't like the added complication, but the chef definitely needed an update on what was missed so far.
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Kid listened with interest. Although he wasn't used to being a gun to hire or anything like that, the idea of him going out and fighting stuff in the jungle for people... It felt like a bit of fun. The wild creatures had already proven ill effective against him, which would naturally keep him rather safe from their attacks. So perhaps this wouldn't end up being so difficult. Still... Something bothered him about the whole thing, especially with everyone now looking at him and hoping for a positive response.

"W-what kind of... Beasts?"

He sighed a little to himself. With all eyes on him he didn't really feel like he had much of a choice. If he said no he'd be thrown out almost instantly, and he still needed to restock... It wouldn't be impossible to find food in the jungle, but in the end it would prove a whole lot more dangerous than working as a team for a little while. Strange, working alongside marines felt like a completely different life, one where he was waiting to be shot in the back.

"Ok... I'll help you, b-but once we are... Done, I kind of... Um, need supplies"

Hopefully that would prove to equal them out. His assistance for some of their provisions. The food wasn't great but he was sure he could do something with it, even if he just cooked everything together. He doubted they'd have many sugary provisions. Either way he needed to know about the beasts for when they arrived. If they were as dangerous as they sounded he'd need some time to plan. Perhaps he could fashion himself a new weapon in the meantime, though that all depended on one particular thing.

"So... When do w-we go?"
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Morose was in a foul mood. All his clothes were wet, heavy, and clung to him. When the boat had hit the beach, a sprinkle of sand also stuck to him. Gingerly stepping out of the boat, he dropped suddenly as the ground turned out to be much farther down than one who was distracted might have thought. He caught himself, however, and began dusting off the sand as best he could. Fortunately, the rising sun was warm and the storm the other night cut the humidity down. It actually felt like a pleasant day in the tropics. But Morose still scowled and shot glares like daggers at his men when some, happy to be alive, tried getting out of the boat to hug him.

Most held himself rigidly as he stood on the beach waiting for the others to get their act together and move out for the day. Any step he made caused the wet material of his clothes to rub against each other and/or his skin. It was not comfortable. Sighing heavily and clearly frustrated, Morose was taking off his jacket when Salasais and party appeared at the jungle's edge. Morose spared a small smile for the doctor before being informed of the drama on the island. His small quickly left him.

"No. That wild woman may have helped you guys out when you foolishly stayed out too late, but we don't owe her anything. Part of us coming here was to get away from the law and people for a while since we seem to always get into trouble when we go ashore in populated places. If the marines or whoever is set on that woman and her monstrous pets, I say let them duke it out since us getting involved will likely only bring them down on us as well."

Morose was a flurry of heated words. Unfortunately, he was shorter and scrawnier than the shaman and looking similar to a drowned cat. To the men only spectating the exchange, he seemed a bit disrespectful to the captain. Some of the men even got offended for one reason or another over it and moved toward Morose while cracking their knuckles. Morose didn't seem to notice as he was focused on showing Salas his disapproval.




"Soon" said one of the marines with a smile. There seemed to be several relieved smiles circulating among the men.

"The beasts are just large dinosaurs. Nothing you likely haven't seen or caught a glimpse of already. Aside from the predators that roam the island, the threat level of the creatures we'll need to subdue is relatively low and not something to worry about...unless they charge. But like I said, you'll be with a group of us. We'll be spreading out and not give them any single target to rush at for long, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Once you finished eating, rendezvous with us at the front entrance you came through last night. We'll outfit you how you like if there's a need, and we'll head out. Will take us a few hours to get out there though and we don't want to be caught in the dark succeed or fail."
Another marine filled him in before standing up to take a tray back up.

A more outgoing marine also tried to pat Kid on the back and ease concerns since he was picking up on some pre-battle jitters or so he thought. Kid was then left to his own devices for a time. It seemed he had acquired some degree of trust with the latest show of compliance.
Morose • Chef • Freedom PiratesBounty: 13,000,000 • SD Earned: 281 • Beli: 58,010,000 • Location: GrandLine, Little Garden Island

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