high_seas | Any port in a storm...

Entry tags:

Any port in a storm...

Who: The crew of the Antoinette
Where: Three Moons Tavern and Inn, Island Empieza
When: January 12th-19th
What: Time to get reacquainted, make new introductions, and weather the storm until they can return to their ship. And collect black coral from the beach.
Warnings: Possible language?
Style: Any
Status: Closed

(Please feel free to make new headings [for your character, for a day, for your character on a day, WHATEVER] and/or threadjack and/or use this as a mingle log. Backdating, forward dating, etc., all more than welcome.

ETA: With regards to Dog's suggestion of the coral, the evening of the 12th will be used to arrange the next week's rotation for keeping Tamaki company and checking the beaches for coral.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

How are you adjusting?

[Kyouya asks the question as he tosses the piece of coral into the bucket.

They are, in the manner of the Host Club, friends, but that doesn't mean he and Hikaru have ever been the closest. In fact, before Haruhi, the Host Club worked as three groups of two, rather than an actually cohesive whole. The addition of a lone figure, rather than another duo, set everything off balance, and... they're all still learning, he thinks, how to handle that.

However, that doesn't mean Hikaru is excepted from his concern. Especially here.

As much as he will scoff at Tamaki's delusions of them as a family, he finds, more and more, he thinks that way, too, even if he'd never have seen it in Ouran. It was never that important there. He could laugh.

Here, they're all he has.]

[This isn't exactly where Hikaru wants to be. A part of him is still pissed off at Kyouya for separating he and Kaoru; he understands why of course, and he hasn't made a fuss about it for once, but that doesn't mean he's pleased about it. Sure, he's supposed to be exercising his individuality a bit more... but if anyone thinks he's actually happy to leave his twin in a dangerous place where people are going crazy and trying to kill each-other, they're wrong.

He's gathered a few pieces of coral in his hands, ignoring the bucket mostly because he just wants to see how much he can carry first. Scouring the beaches every day for coral is incredibly tedious, so whatever small amusement he can get, he'll take it.

He's got nothing against Kyouya as a whole, but... they've never really spent any time together. As much as Hikaru considers Kyouya to be one of his friends, there's still a gap between them that he's never even thought of bridging. Leave that to Kaoru; Team 'Little Brothers' at least had a chance of understanding each-other.

He answers Kyouya's question with a shrug initially, but after a pause, remembers to elaborate and actually explain himself.]

It... still feels like a really messed up dream. I keep wondering when I'm going to wake up.

It doesn't go away.

[He and Hikaru have never been close, and he's never really cared. They exist in a comfortable place, neither of them close to each other but able to be in the same room and not kill each other.

Which is more than he thought would come of this idea when they started the club.

Still, this is a different situation. It's terrifying but he can't admit to fear. He has to be the one who is calm and in control, who doesn't flinch or cower. If Tamaki freaks out, it's just him being Tamaki. If Kyouya lets his fear show...

So, instead, he gives a quiet chuckle.]

I keep expecting to wake up and find out this was some... fever dream.

Or to find out someone wanted to test a new drug and decided to slip it to me to see the side-effects.

[...The sad thing? It might be hard to tell whether he's kidding or not.]

[You know, he'd considered being drugged as well. Granted, he also considered aliens and bodysnatchers and kappas, but after a few days of contemplation, aliens and drugging do sound the most reasonable. So he's taking it for granted that someone else is mentioning it, and choosing to ignore that Kyouya might actually be joking.]

Maybe we all accidentally got too close to a government secret, and they had to get rid of us.

[It was meant as a joke, but actually, now that he considers it... He stops searching for coral abruptly to look at Kyouya with concern. If anyone would know whether that would be possible, it would definitely be Kyouya.]

Can they do that?

Theoretically? Sure.

[After all, it was a government. And therefore? It was possible.

He bends down, brushing off another piece of the small coral.]

But why draw that much attention?

Our families are too capable of causing a fuss for us to just disappear.

They've got the cyborg replacements, though. Nobody will notice any of us missing.

[After another brief moment of hesitation, he returns to the coral-hunting.]

I couldn't even tell that Kaoru was gone.

[There may be more than a large amount of self-hate evident in that one, there. Seriously, what kind of terrible person is he that he can't even notice when his twin is replaced?]

The real question is, what kind of secret would they be keeping?

[No one noticed. Not friends, not family, not staff. It was one thing to know it, another to face the reality.

He doesn't like to dwell on it, and it must be worse for the twins.]

It's possible this is actually supernatural. At least nearly as possible.

[He's seen too many things here. Things he can't explain.]

Maybe we really can find this jewel and go home.

You really believe that this could be magic? [He's a bit surprised. He always thought Kyouya was the most sceptical one, but maybe Tamaki's brainlessness has started rubbing off on him.]

How can we be sure there even is a jewel? Does anyone have any proof that it actually exists?

[He really can't believe that Kyouya, of all people, seems to be accepting all of this. It's all so far-fetched!

He almost misses a piece of coral in his distraction, but quickly adds it to his small pile]

There's been a shard found.

[Kyouya kneels to pick up another piece of coral, slowly rubbing the sand off it. More to give himself something to look at than anything else.

He doesn't like believing in the supernatural. It was the easiest thing in the world to explain all of Nekozawa's "curses" against Tamaki. But this... This he actually believed.]

There's been a cold here that could only be stopped by physical contact. It penetrated any layers, fire did nothing. Only someone touching someone else provided any relief.

[He turns the piece of coral over in his hand, staring at it. It looks so normal. And yet, he believes what Dog told them.]

Then there were creatures that swept over our decks. Anyone they touched? Turned into things. The transformations were real. Vampires, werewolves, zombies. They were those things. I verified it myself.

[A single shard has these people convinced? How gullible of them. Still... Kyouya's never given reason for Hikaru to doubt him before. He's always been the most level-headed of all of them, so if he's buying into all of this, there must be something to it.

Hikaru crouches down to dig in the sand, under the guise of searching for more coral. Really, he just needs something to do while he processes this.]

Zombies, huh? How do you 'verify' something like that?

[It probably involved something really gross, when he thinks about it.]

Actually, nevermind. I don't really want to know. But we're stuck here until someone finds this gem, right? So why are we out here looking for something as mundane as coral? Shouldn't we be looking for it while everyone else is distracted doing this?

Because I know some of the people whose personality was altered by this. If they can be gotten to? Any of us could be.

[His fingers curl around the piece of coral. It's hard to say, really. He doesn't like thinking about it.]

If they can be made to kill their crew? Anyone could be.

Including me.

[He shrugged his shoulders.]

This thing wants all of us dead.

It's simple self-preservation to do what we can do help.

Anyone...? [He looks up at Kyouya in surprise. He--didn't realize it could happen to just anyone. Sure, it should have been obvious, but... none of them were affected. Surely that meant they were just immune, or something?]

People have engaged her without being possessed, and I think people who never engaged her were, too.

[He looks up, meeting Hikaru's eyes.]

We've been lucky. That luck might not hold.

You mean all this time, when everyone's been split up, any of us could have turned into a murderer? Wouldn't it have made more sense for all of us to stay together?

[There's a touch of urgency in his voice as he rises from his crouch. How had he not realized this before?! He had thought it was just outsiders they had to worry about, but if their own friends could be affected, too--!]

Because there'd be no warning.

[It's coolly said. The same sort of calculation that might go into one of Tamaki's schemes. Or against the newspaper club. Or anything else Kyouya set himself against.]

If we're all together when it happens, there are five victims all in one place.

Could any of us act in a split second?

But if one of us comes back alone? That's all the warning we need, isn't it?

[Calculated, separated risks. He sounds much less concerned about the potential outcome of this than he actually is, but... he's spent years practicing looking like he doesn't care about anything.]

[Sorry, he's just going to be frozen in shock for a moment here. Did--did Kyouya really just say that? How could he say that? They're all friends, aren't they? Wouldn't five against one be better than one-on-one?!]

If we retain any of our knowledge? It's easy.

[He's thought too much about it, especially as more and more information kept coming. Especially with Hikaru and Haruhi here.]

To know exactly how to go through our group.

How... can you be saying this with such a straight look on your face?!

[The coral pieces drop from his hand as he takes a step forward, disbelief written all over his face. He's shaking a bit in anger, and has to clench his fists to stop himself from lashing out. How could he? How can someone stand there and just casually talk about their friends killing each-other?]

Any of them could be in danger right now!

[Because if he can talk about this calmly, he doesn't have to admit how terrifying the prospect is. He just has to bide his time. If they survive this... If Dog keeps her word...

There might be a way to help them.

But, until then, there is absolutely nothing he can do. And that? Is the worst thing in the world. Bad enough that he'll put the fear he can't express into someone else. Let them deal with it.

Fair? No.

But this is all he can do.]

Or they could be fine and you're getting yourself worked up for nothing.

[He really can't believe he's hearing this. It takes all of his self-restraint to not take another step forward; he knows as soon as he does, he'll likely end up doing something he'll regret later. He's shaking all over with repressed anger now; his fists clenched so tightly, his knuckles are beginning to turn white.]

So you just don't care? Because they could be fine, that makes it all okay?!

[Hikaru is easy. He's an open book. He's easy to provoke. It's not like getting at Suuichi or Akito. Where it takes careful, sharp, precise blows to make them shift in their seats, to realize the extent that he knows. Here, he can get a proper reaction.]

There's been no indication of a personality shift among any of them. The likelihood of any of them being in danger is low.

[He grits his teeth, biting back his first response - to hit low and hard at Kyouya's personal self. It pisses Hikaru off more than anything to not be getting a reaction. He knows Kyouya cares about them, and he can't understand why he's being like this. There's a time and place to be cold and calculating, and right now isn't it!]

How do you know?! Isn't it possible for someone to hide something like that? Especially that new girl... Do you really know her well enough to say when her personality changes!?

[Despite himself, he takes another step towards Kyouya. He really doesn't want to be picking a fight; he just wants to get through to him. ]

Did you even tell anyone about all of this before you split us all up?

[Kyouya rises, setting the piece of coral he was holding down. His eyes stayed on Hikaru, waiting.]

What am I supposed to do?

[Hikaru wasn't trying to pick a fight, but he was. There was nothing else to do, nowhere to turn. So, one of the more emotional club members had to be his target, and he'd already fought with Tamaki.

He couldn't face those tears again.]

This is the best chance at ending the threat, rather than just dealing with the aftermath.

If you want to spend the next two days sitting around? Go ahead. You can find your way back to the inn.

[It's really, really hard for Hikaru to not just yell in frustration right now. How can Kyouya not get it? None of them should be apart from each-other right now, and especially none of them should be alone! He's strongly tempted to turn around and storm off, but he still remembers that incident with Haruhi at Karuizawa. As much as he wants to leave, he doesn't want to risk something bad like that happening again - especially when the consequences are so much more severe now. Instead of finding his friend crying under an altar, he could instead find him dead.]

Of course I'm not just going to sit around. [He scoffs at the thought.] But you don't have to send us all out as some sort of bait! We could have all stayed together, and just prepared ourselves in case one of us cracked!

And what would happen if we stayed together and one of us snapped?

[It's actually more passionate than Kyouya usually sounds. The words are harsh, his throat tight. His eyes narrowed a little, his shoulders pulling back.]

Tamaki's idea of handling things? Restrain. Which gives them another chance.

Mine? Could you actually kill someone? Watch them get killed?

[His eyes narrow a bit.]

And what if it's me? Which one of you could stop me before I'd already done damage? Especially with Tamaki there.

Any port in a storm...

17th

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)