I WANT YOU TO JOIN ME IN A MYSTERY RESCUE MISSION!

[om_nom_namur]

[Sometime around mid-month, a text message goes out to the general public.]

WANTED

Adventurers strong enough to brave the high seas
Doctors, healers, and those inclined to render aid to the suffering
A worthy crew
Explorers
Those inclined to solve mysteries

Interested Parties Report to The Maelstrom at Fayren Harbor
Anchor Weighs at Dawn June 20

*~*~*~*

[Dawn at the Docks - June 20]

[In spite of the early hour, Fayren Harbor is bustling with activity as the darkness thins. Fishermen who've been out all night rush to bring their fresh catch to the market, while others who will be out all day race to be the first out to sea, and first to the best fishing spots. At the far end of the harbor an enormous clipper towers above the everyday ships, drawing a crowd of gawpers who, after being yelled at a few times by the workers hurriedly trying to load her, have the decency to stand back and let those who look to be on official business move freely. At the top of the gangplank a man with a clipboard hurriedly checks lists and directs those bringing cargo aboard, while an oversized, burly man with blue skin and shark features watches, balancing in a crouch on top of the rail. Though he isn't saying much, there's an air of authority about him. For any wishing to enlist, the fishman would seem a good person to talk to.]

[Fair Winds - June 20-21]

[When the supplies for the expedition are loaded and the tide is nearing its peak, Namur hollers for all hands to gather on deck for a quick briefing, the sun beginning to crest the horizon and make the sails glow as he speaks.]

A'ight y'all, thank y' for answerin' the call t' come an' help. We got a whole colony a folks that's gone missin', an' I ain't gonna lie, I ain't got any idea what we's gonna be in for once we reach the island. No one's been able t' get there since they gone, or at the very least ain't no one bothered comin' back, an' folks is worried they mighta met a dreadful end if y' catch my drift. This voyage's gonna be dangerous, but I know we's up t' the challenge. Whatever quarrels y' got with each other, leave 'em on these shores, cuz from now on 'til we make it back we's all on the same team, workin' for the same goal. Watch each other's back, keep each other safe. If we do that, there ain't nothin' that's gonna keep us from hittin' our target.

When we get there, there might be folk that's sick, or maybe they don't want us botherin' 'em, or maybe somethin's already botherin' 'em an' they'll need our help gettin' rid a the pest. We done our best t' have somethin' ready for everthin' we could think of, but that don't mean we thought a everthin', so look sharp an' keep yer wits 'boutcha! Any kinda weird shit make sure t' report it t' somebody, preferably me or one a my kin. Enchantments an' curses ain't outta the question here, so if y' see somethin' strange, say somethin'. Easy as that.

Meantime, I 'xpect all them that knows their knots t' make theirselves useful gettin' this ol' girl t' run. The rest a y's gonna make yerselves useful in the galley, keepin' shit clean, an' learnin' the ropes. Don't wanna hear no bitchin' 'bout chores, we's all gonna be doin' 'em, so don't even start! Don't be stealin' each other's shit, an' definitely don't be showin' yerself for a shitty traitor. Them's the rules! Don't like 'em, get yer ass off the ship!

All that said now, let's get this baby out t' sea 'fore we lose our tide!

[There's plenty to do, both in getting the Maelstrom away, and in keeping her plunging dauntless through the open waters. Keeping sails trim, keeping the decks clean, keeping the crew fed. And plenty of opportunities to get to know the other members of the crew a little better. Namur will encourage those that don't know how to sail to learn from someone who does. It'd be a shame if all the experienced sailors became incapacitated without passing on at least the basics.]

[The Storm - June 22]

[There'd been some good cloud cover the day they set out from Fayren, enough to mottle the sea with sun and shade and provide a strong wind to speed their rescue mission. But the further from shore they ventured, the thicker the clouds became, and soon the experienced sailors would likely find themselves watching the sky with trepidation. Distant thunder rolls over the waves, until suddenly and without warning the wind abruptly shifts direction, and the distant storm bears down on the clipper with astonishing ferocity. Namur screams to be heard above the wind whistling through the shrouds.]

ALL HANDS ON DECK! GET YER ASSES TIED T' THE SHIP AN' GET THEM SAILS STOWED NOW! THIS AIN'T A JOKE OR REQUEST!

Comments

OTA- Gone Native

[singinghuntress]

A. Around the village.
[There's a new face among the villagers after one particular moonlit night. The woman was tall with her raven hair pulled back into a long braid that constantly draped over her shoulder, dressed like all the rest. She can be seen talking and laughing with other villagers as if she's lived her all her life.

Anyone that might recognize Rip can easily spot her in a crowd, though, there's something off. She looks remarkably... Human. And she's in the sunlight instead of hiding from it.]

B. Beach
[Rip can be seen on the beach tending to a small little boat, checking ropes and oars along with her supplies. The task takes her all morning but, she seems to be enjoying her work as she hums along some song she can't seem to get out of her head, even if she has no idea where it came from...

To anyone spotting her, it's obvious this woman's tended to this boat before thousands of times with how familiar she is about it. Finally, she loads what looks like a few crude but sturdy knives in her boat and a small net like satchel.

As she gets ready to head out, she strips out of a simple dress that she was wearing and tosses it into the boat, revealing a very simple bathing suit. With a few test shoves, she starts to get the boat in the water...]

C. Out on the water.
[Rip anchors herself out in the waters just off shore and gathers up her gear before getting into the water. She takes a few deep breaths before diving.. Anyone swimming around can see she's searching for pearl oysters.

When she does come up for air, she always has at least a few oysters in her little net. Eventually she'll get enough and head in..]

B. Beach

[youfool]

[While trying to loose Trunks, whose company was flattering if unwelcome, he spotted Rip in a time of day that, for all he knew, should've turned her to ash. The two were tepid, at best, but curiosity drove him to approach and ask what prompted this diurnal attitude.]

Good morning, Rip. What have you been up to in the last twenty-four hours?

[Maybe he should've kept better tabs on everyone, though with his perception, that was unlikely.]

Re: B. Beach

[singinghuntress]

[She pauses when she hears someone approach and turns just as he speaks, though there's no recognition on her features in the slightest as she studies him for a moment or two.]

Good morning.. you're one of the new arrivals, right? Have we spoken before?

[She looks a little sheepish because if they have, she must not remember. After a few moments she turns to tuck a few of the loose ropes back into place. A closer look at the woman might just reveal how human she looks.]

Re: B. Beach

[youfool]

[No spite, and no thick accent. Oddly, she responded to the name. The conditioning wasn't total, then? In seconds Ted thought he understood all that had happened, and how little else he could glean. Seems the island had claimed one.]

Yes, and no, respectively. Pardon; you look like one I know. I'll leave you to your chores; I'd better repair to mine.

[His tone and movements convey, he hopes, complete resolution. It'd be awful if the adversary know he knows.]

Re: B. Beach

[singinghuntress]

[As far as she knows, that's the name her parents gave her and she's been on this island all her life..So, the island definitely claimed one of them for now.]

Ah, well.. Sorry I'm not who you thought I was. Though, it's funny they have the same name I do. I thought my parents were the only weird ones with their name choices.

[She smiles slightly and finishes messing with her ropes and kind of feels sorry for him.]

Look, I might not be the person you're looking for.. I do hope you find them, but, you're welcome to stick around if you want.

C

[om_nom_namur]

[It was weird that Rip hadn't shown up that morning at the hammock they'd constructed deep enough in the forest that she could sleep without fear of being burned. Namur figured she was hunting, and stayed awake waiting for her as long as he could. Stranger still was the fact that when he woke up, she was still gone. Worried, Namur nosed around the forest until he could find a fairly recent trail, but it only lead into the village and got mixed up there. Sighing, Namur headed out to sea.

And so it is with delighted surprise that he finds her swimming- in the daytime. In the sunlight.]

Babe! Holy shit I been worried sick 'boutcha! The hell y' doin' out here in the sun?

Re: C

[singinghuntress]

[She hadn't been expecting anyone to be there when she surfaced from her latest dive and startled, inhaling a little water and coughing as she reached for some rope on the side of her little boat to cling to as she sputtered.]

W-what? Why wouldn't I be in the sun?

[She wiped some water away from her eyes and blinked a bit.]

...Why would you be worried about me? Do I know you?

[om_nom_namur]

[He swims closer, squinting as he does so. But it's useless, he can't really see what he's trying to see, so instead he just goes for it and sticks his finger in her mouth and runs it along her even, blunt teeth, then jumps back in alarm.]

Holy shit, yer human 'gain!

Uh. I mean...

Shit.

Course I'mma be worried 'boutcha. 'M only the love a yer life! But y' ain't right. Lemme see yer shoulder, aye?

[singinghuntress]

[Fingers suddenly in her mouth gains him a vicious bite with her blunt human teeth and an affronted glare as she jerks away from him and scrambles deftly up unto her boat to glare down at him.]

What do you mean the 'love of my life'!? I've never met you before!

[She huffs in annoyance as she grabs one of her oars.]

Fine, if it will stop you trying to grab me, here. There's nothing special about my shoulders.

[She twists around to show him her left shoulder with a very familiar tattoo and then the other blank shoulder... or mostly blank. There's definitely a certain mostly healed and slightly tender shark bite on her shoulder. The very same bite he might have given Rip a few days ago during certain activities of theirs.]

See!? I've had the tattoo for ages and the bite was from an incident months ago.

[om_nom_namur]

[Namur's brows knit together. She's definitely his Rip. He levers himself into the boat as well, and starts talking while he strips his soaked shirt.]

Funny, that tattoo looks awful familiar.

[Shirt off and dropped in a soggy pile at his feet, he pops the button on his jeans and pulls down the right side, showing his Whitebeard Pirates tattoo imprinted low on the side of his hip.]

'S the symbol a the Phoenix Pirates, an' 's based on this mark here. When my brother took over after Pops died, we closed off the semicircle here- [Namur traces where his own tattoo would go if he had it modified.] - an' we added some shitty li'l wings on the sides t' give folks a bit more options for bein' original. Some puts 'em up here, some 'long here.

[He sits then, legs spread wide to the sides of the boat, elbows propped on his knees.]

'M the one that designed what's on yer shoulder. 'M the one that put it there. An' the teeth marks, too. Y' got 'nother scar here- [He taps his chest, right between massive pecs.] -someone else give y' that'n, an' it goes right through t' the other side. I know y', Rip. Don'tcha 'member nothin'?

[singinghuntress]

[She immediately scrambles to the other end of the boat once he climbs on and grips the oar to her chest, ready to swing at him if he got closer. Instead, he starts.. stripping? Rip lets out a soft 'eep' as she drops the oars to cover her eyes.

Well, mostly cover them. She might be peeking a little as the shirt came off and he started to pull down his jeans. She's curious. That's all, right? Definitely. However, once she spots the tattoo, she gives him a strange look as she lowers her hands as he explains it. That didn't make any sense to her. ]

It's just a coincidence that we have a similar tattoo, that's all. I've never met you before now so how could you design it and give it? And how could you have given me the bite!?

Again, I don't know you. I'd never let some stranger bite me.

[...Even if she did find him strangely attractive. But, mentioning that scar? She rubbed her chest, right over the scar he was mentioning.]

...It was fishing accident when I was a kid. How the hell do you know about that scar? I don't...How the hell do you know me.