Harbinger of death from the world of witchcraft

[wavesoakedlegs]

Who: The crew of the Koumyou.
Where: Isla Empieza; maybe out on the ocean later?
When: From the 11th until the 17th.
What: The cursed, the uncursed and the influence of That Voice.
Warnings: Violence and general unpleasantness.
Style: Any!
Status: Mostly closed to the Koumyou; ask if you think you could get involved?


1. Strangeness begins
2. A Special Meal

Comments

Under Sail: A Special Meal

[aidreamofsenpai]

Whatever has bothered Aiichiro lately, he seems to be over it. In fact, he looks completely at peace right this moment, walking out from the galley of the ship and looking around for someone to feed. He's looking for Rin, ultimately, but everyone has to eat, so he's going to grab anyone who comes by.

"It's a little early, but I've got some dinner ready! It's a really special meal..."

It is indeed a pretty nice meal. The stew smells delicious, there's a flaky bread that's a little flat but has a nice scent to it, and even a tart! He's obviously gone all out to do something that isn't the everyday fare, and he's just as obviously proud of it.

"I thought since I'd been being a little weird lately I should really make it up to everyone, so please have some!"

Guess he's crew now, right?

[thepurpleway]

Gakupo had never been on a ship before, so he's wandering everywhere with wide eyes and wonder! He spots a new face carrying some food with him. A special meal?

"Ah, it looks really delicious, but...I don't really need to eat food..."

HI NEWBIE

[aidreamofsenpai]

"You... don't need to eat food?"

Aiichiro doesn't really know how to handle that. In fact, he hadn't even considered it as a possibility. Then again, he hadn't really accounted for new crewmates in his plans at all.

It's a pretty big mistake, he thinks, and he's not sure how to fix it.

"Um... does that mean you couldn't taste anything even if you wanted to try?"

:D

[thepurpleway]

Gakupo hasn't been part of the crew for more than a few hours and he's already messing things up.

He shakes his head negatively. "Not unless you have eggplants on the menu?"

Re: :D

[aidreamofsenpai]

"You can only eat eggplants?"

Now that just sounds weird. And doesn't make any sense. Either someone can digest food or they can't, right? Of course Aiichiro knows some people have allergies and stuff, but you can't really be allergic to everything but a certain food. Right?

He blinks, then asks rather bluntly. "What are you?"

[thepurpleway]

"More or less."

Gakupo was surprised at the question coming up so quickly, but gives a wry smile. "An idol, of course~!" And now that smile is a bright grin. "We have to watch what we eat, you know!"

No, Gakupo, that isn't what he asked...

[aidreamofsenpai]

"I don't think just eating eggplants is probably very healthy... don't you need lots of different kinds of nutrients to live?"

Aside from the question of how to get the poison into this stranger, now Aiichiro is just flat out confused and maybe a little skeptical.

"Besides, if you're going to be on the ship, you can't just not eat if we don't have eggplants! Won't you starve to death?"

[thepurpleway]

"Define nutrients..." He has a differing thought on them. Isn't a lithium ion battery good enough?

"I can run for about sixty-nine hours without charging, and a full week if I go into sleep mode. So I doubt I'll starve to death." Gakupo crosses his arms. "Are you saying you don't have eggplants?"

He needs to know this so in case he needs to invest in some.

[aidreamofsenpai]

"Um, not that I know of?"

He's never had reason to think about having eggplants, okay? "I could get some though! I'm sorry for not having what you need!"

Never mind that it's neither really his job nor his fault. Nor that he's trying to poison the person. "Are you... saying you're a robot? Or something? But then why eggplants?"

[behisstrength]

Motochika pauses, taking a moment to regard Aiichiro, even over the food -- after the recent strange behaviour, he has every reason to. What he sees apparently pleases him. He cannot deny that it's a relief to find Aiichiro peaceful, without a trace of that former agitation.

Motochika smiles.

"That is thoughtful of you," he says, finally lowering his gaze to take in the food.

It looks as good as it smells, which means tempting indeed, so there really is no other answer to give.

"So be it."

[aidreamofsenpai]

Aiichiro smiles, then goes as far as starting to serve up the food for his captain. Everything's going to be all right now, he's sure of it. He just has to get everyone to eat, and then everything will be just fine.

He speaks as holds out the bowl, a piece of bread nestled on the plate beneath alongside it.

"I thought everyone could use a bit of a treat. I've been experimenting with recipes, and I was thinking maybe I could even get Rin-senpai to try it if I made something special..."

[behisstrength]

Motochika takes the food. Aiichiro's enthusiasm is reassuringly normal; with the ominous happenings going on, he had started to fear for the boy's wellbeing.

"My thanks. Rin is fortunate to have such a devoted friend."

He pauses to dip the tip of the bread into the stew, and takes a bite, before humming in appreciation.

"The first taste is promising," he offers, one corner of his mouth curling upwards.

[aidreamofsenpai]

"I'm really glad."

Aiichiro watches a little too closely, perhaps. He's not entirely sure of his plan; the problem is that he doesn't know anything about poisons, wound up finally taking what seemed best after talking to several people on Isla Empieza, while trying not to be too obvious about his goal. He'd wound up guessing a lot about how to do it, but surely it's enough, right?

As long as everyone eats a decent amount, instead of just taking a bite or two, he thinks. Hopefully. And then they'll all be free.

"I want to learn to cook a lot more things! I mean, cook them really well, not just make them edible. It's a really nice way to make people happy."

[behisstrength]

"A noble goal. Morale is an important part of life at sea. One person's mood impacts the tone of everyone's mood."

Given Aiichiro's normal abundance of energy, Motochika doesn't think much of how closely he's being watched, putting it down to eagerness to see how the whole meal will be received.

With that thought in mind, Motochika starts to eat the food in earnest.

[aidreamofsenpai]

Morale is something that he's good at, and for a moment Aiichiro gets lost in the idea of actually being able to help everyone on the ship be happier. For one blessed moment, he forgets what's happening here.

Then as he watched Motochika eat, the voice comes back into his mind, ever so slowly, reminding him.

That's right, he won't be cooking for this man anymore. Or seeing him at all, very soon. But it's all right, because everyone will be happy once it's over.

It's all he can do to not fidget while the older man eats.

"I'm really happy when I can help others."

[behisstrength]

Motochika pauses to talk.

"Excellent," he drawls. "Compassion is a great strength. Mitsuhide is living proof."

There is warmth and pride in his voice as he speaks of their first mate.

He resumes eating, making a substantial dent in the food.

[aidreamofsenpai]

"He is. Mitsuhide-san is very good... proof of that..."

Suddenly, there's a catch in Aiichiro's voice. He can't really explain it, why that one phrase threw him off his logic so badly. Except that maybe he can, because just now he's imagined Mitsuhide's face, the pain on it at the way the captain will surely be reacting soon.

No. No. He can't fall apart now. It will be better. It will.

"Captain Motochika, you and Mitsuhide-san..."

[sharkasm]

It's typical of Rin that he didn't really notice Nitori acting any different. To be fair, he would have, under normal circumstances.

Normal circumstances don't include little girls being swept overboard and swallowed by a whirlpool that vanishes immediately after, and Rin being unable to save them.

Rin is never very social, but since Clementine drowned, he's resorted to his usual tactics, avoiding people as much as possible, refusing to speak more than two syllables at a time, and shouting and generally acting out when those methods still don't succeed in keeping people away sufficiently. But, by now, he's felt too much for too long; he's more numb than anything. Besides, he tolerates Nitori better than most at the worst of times.

"Right... Thanks." He really doesn't pay any attention to the meal, no matter how nice. He knows he needs to eat, that's all. If food gets brought to him, rather than him having to go looking for it, so much the better.

He's just self-centered enough that he doesn't even think it's weird.

[aidreamofsenpai]

"I... umm..."

He hasn't been sure how to approach Rin about his feelings. He knows that his senpai is upset over Clementine, and he is too! But it's not like he can do anything about it, and unlike Rin, Aiichiro doesn't really feel all that much like he should have been able to do something. On the other hand, maybe the voice in his head is just drowning out the guilt that should have been there.

"I made the bread myself, too. Everything. Here, I'll just put your plate together for you..."

He does so without waiting for confirmation, then holds it out. "Do tell me if there's anything I could improve on, but I asked around a lot on the island for recipes..."

[sharkasm]

Accepting the plate, Rin takes a bite straight away, in spite of not being all that hungry, simply because the food smells so good. The taste rivals it, really, but he doesn't pay attention to it.

"It's fine." Technically a compliment, it lacks any enthusiasm; it's born from a desire to get Nitori to shut up, more than anything.

But the food is good, and Rin eats it, quickly but without hurrying. It won't be long before he finishes his plate.

[aidreamofsenpai]

Aiichiro isn't sure he's ever felt so relieved in his life. The sight of that empty plate is the sign that everything will be okay, that his senpai can go home. Of course, Aiichiro himself isn't going, but that doesn't matter. Rin has plenty of other people to support him as he works toward his goal.

"You should have dessert too. I made sure not to make it too sweet, just for you."

He takes the plate from Rin with a smile. "Please? I really want your opinion. I'm trying to learn how to make more different types of things..."

[sharkasm]

How is Rin supposed to care about dessert when -...

He's about to blow up in spite of his general numbness when Nitori says please, and Rin can't seem to hold on to his anger anymore. He doesn't deserve a special meal, and if he suspected that Nitori only made it to make him feel better, he would have thrown the entire contents of the plate in Nitori's face to start with. But that doesn't seem to be why Nitori is doing this, and Rin is honestly a little glad that some things - like Nitori being an idiot - are still the same, even after what happened.

Besides, what if Nitori is next to be swept overboard? Rin needs to do better, then.

"... What'd you make?"

[aidreamofsenpai]

"It's a fruit tart!"

Aiichiro is really excited that Rin is asking, even if he knows that his senpai really isn't excited about it. He's upset over Clementine too, but there's everyone else to worry about too.

And it's almost over. Soon, Rin will be home and it'll be like all of this was nothing but a bad dream. "I'll get you a small slice, okay? Just try it, and I'll be really happy."

[sharkasm]

"Fine..."

Of course, Rin does it to stop Nitori's insisting as much as anything, but he'll eat whatever he's served, provided it isn't seriously terrible. Besides, there are worse things in the world than fruit tarts.

By the time he's served his slice, some of his habitual sullenness has worn off. His mood is still bad (when is it not?), but he starts paying a little more attention to things other than his own misery.

"What'd you put in here? It tastes weird." Not bad, really - not bad at all, and Rin keeps eating at his usual, fairly brisk pace. Just something he can't identify.

[aidreamofsenpai]

Aiichiro giggles.

"It's a chef's secret, senpai! I can't tell you or you won't need me to make it for you again."

He'd be worried that it was a bad weird, except that Rin is still eating. So that's not a problem. He finds himself hovering a little, and finally reaches out to set a hand on Rin's shoulder, very gently.

"I'm glad you're eating. I know things have been hard, but it's important to take care of yourself. I don't know what I'd do without you here."

It's true. He doesn't know what he'll do. But it's more important to make Rin feel appreciated before he goes than to really think about that.