high_seas | Kiss Kiss Eat Some Meat

You look about as certain of what you are doing as I was, when I first joined the crew.

[The princess pony offers a smile as she steps up, her own attention on the horizon in turn.]

[Elsa looks at her new company for a moment as the princess speaks. Despite not having interacted much with them, she made sure to learn the names of the crew members upon joining. Fortunately, with there only being two ponies, it is very easy to know who is who, specially when Celestia has such a distinctly regal air around her. It's slightly unnerving for Elsa, who still says nothing regarding her former status and position, though she convinces herself that no one would be able to think of her as a queen anymore. A noble lady, maybe, but not a queen.

She smiles softly at the words, though there's a hint of bitterness there.]

Certainty is quite a rare luxury in times like these. Though, I am certain of what I have done, it's just that getting used to it is proving to be harder than I thought. I don't regret following Luffy, though.

[She would have regretted not going. Even if after following him her first impulse almost was to just lock herself in a room again. But she wouldn't do that, she was free, she wanted to be free and wouldn't return herself to a cage, no matter what.]

Has your mind changed by now? Are you more certain now?

Luffy has a certainty and a clarity of purpose which speaks deeply towards everypony, I think. [If that isn't quite an answer, well...]

I spent a fair amount of time recently under mental influence by a witch. It is very difficult for me to know exactly what my thoughts ought to be at the moment, when I am still sorting through everything that happened, and everything I did, while so controlled. But I think, on the whole, I am enjoying this journey.

He does... I was warned about it, but it's still surprising how he does it.

[She's a bit surprised at the next words, giving the pony a worried look.]

So you were among those who were affected by that woman? I can see how it would be difficult and hard right now. I'm sorry, but from what I've been told, you were hardly in a position to be accounted responsible for what happened, weren't you?

I've had many make that argument against me. I can only respond that my perceptions were deluded, not my reason.

[What she did, she will always blame herself for. But she says this so calmly and completely serenely, her private feelings might as well not exist.]

If I put that aside, however, this journey has been pleasant. As strange as this ship and its crew might be, I enjoy it here.

Oh... I understand, I was under the impression that it was both which were taken from you. I can see why you would deem yourself responsible... I apologize for my naive comment.

[Even if people could argue all they wanted against it, against it not being her normal feelings, or how it was all that witch's fault... Elsa won't argue about that, she knows what it's like to be responsible of something yet have people insist that it's not her fault, that it was an accident in her case. But none of those things matter when one blames themselves even if the world forgives them.]

When you say "strange" do you mean simply to the differences in species?

I mean most of them are complete lunatics.

[She says this with deep fondness, however, and no aspersions in the slightest. And she's including Pinkie Pie in her assessment as well, so the species thing never even enters into it. They're all insane. (Well, maybe not Kai.)]

Most of them? I thought it was just Luffy.

[She catches herself too late, when the words have already left her mouth and because of that raising a hand to cover it is nothing but a useless action. A soft blush taints her cheeks before she coughs a little and tries to regain composture and backtrack a bit in what she said.]

I mean, "lunatic" is too harsh of a term to use, of course. Though it's undeniable that our captain is someone pretty "special", not many people would be fine and calm upon being swallowed by a kraken after all. However, I thought that was a trait just reserved to him, not that... It could extend to most of the others.

I think they would be proud of it, actually. But no. They're all crazy. [Celestia, saying this, has slipped out of her calm and serene royal voice into a much more casual and normal one. It's very different.] But good people, at heart, which is what's most important.

Hasn't Sanji come running at you with hearts in his eyes, compliments on his tongue, and food in his hand, yet?

[Elsa notices the change in tone and smiles at the pony's words.]

I had that impression, though it's a relief to hear confirmation of it. I would have never thought that there could be pirates that would be good people despite their lifestyle... Though now I realize that not all the people who are persecuted are evil even if potentially dangerous.

[Had Luffy wanted, he could have attacked her, with that thing he did that was capable of even melting her ice with his touch and his rubber body... He could have created havoc easily, and the same applied for any other place. Yet he wasn't a bad person, not even a violent one, at least he had been quite patient with her and she knows it. Many others would have given up long ago with her, or halfway their conversation even if they managed to find her.

When Celestia mentions Sanji, though, Elsa can't help but look confused.]

Sanji? No, he hasn't. Truth to be told I haven't really had the chance to speak with him yet.

[Neither had she looked for it, but those are just details.]

Well... be prepared. You're very much his type.

[i.e. a female human]

But he does make excellent food, and he will certainly be eager to get in your good graces, so perhaps you will find some benefit to be had from it.

[A small frown comes to her face as she listens, mostly worried and hoping that whatever happens distances will be respected. And that Sanji's attentions won't be as overwhelming as Celestia makes them sound, then again maybe they aren't but for Elsa they seem so. She is accustomed to having doting servants, but the compliments and heart eyes are not part of what she's used to.]

I see... Have you been subjected to such a treatment?

[It could just be a "lady" thing with no care for their race or species, as far as she knows after all.]

Briefly. He heard me before he saw me coming, and thus had certain mistaken ideas of what species I am.

His expression was, I admit, priceless. But he has been a good friend and a chef of skill since them, once he got over his brief pout.

[She really only wants to warn Elsa of what to expect right off the bat. Sanji has never given anyone trouble that she knows of, past that first starry-eyed charge.]

[Elsa giggles despite herself as Celestia mentions Sanji's expression upon seeing her, she can't really know what it looked like... But she can imagine how it was, probably similar to the expression anyone who thought Celestia was human got upon seeing her.]

It had to be quite a surprise for him. Ah, forgive me but now I'm curious, what kind of diet do you follow?

We ponies do not eat meat, although we rarely complain about baked goods or candy. [Celestia might have unconsciously licked her lips at the thought.] It is a bit disconcerting here, since I'm sure you've seen Luffy's desire for meat, but to each their own.

I have seen it and hear of it. It's a bit surprising even for a human, to be honest, to be so fixated on meat. At least it's not just one type of meat, that would have been troublesome.

So you can eat cakes and chocolate? What's your favourite treat? Oh, do you drink tea?

I've always had a weakness for cakes. Especially heavily-frosted ones. [Maybe she can convince Sanji and Pinkie to work together on a cake... that would be excellent.] And I do like tea as well, though that I prefer less sweetened.

Is that so? I have a fondness for chocolate, in any of its forms, though the contrast of dipping fresh fruit on a chocolate fondue is particularly great. Tea, though, I prefer it without any sugar, I find that it's the best way to enjoy the differences between different tea types and brands.

[Elsa smiles and looks away from a moment, her demeanor suddenly slightly shy and awkward as she continues.]

Maybe... If it would please you, we could enjoy some tea together sometime? I usually read while doing so, but having a companion with whom talk would also be appreciated.

It would be a definite change, and a very pleasant one. I'd like that.

[She rarely had good company even back in Equestria, where most of her meals were either taken in private, or formal affairs with either courtiers or overawed subjects. When Twilight had been in-residence, she had occasionally enjoyed her student's company, but those times were at an end.]

How did Luffy come to recruit you, if I may ask? [In other words, how did a second sane person make it on to this crew?]

[Ever since her parents died, even before that, Elsa hasn't been able to have company during tea or anything she did. It's not without worry and fear that she managed that make the offer, but she understands that there's little way to avoid being with people in the current circumstances. And she wants to give it a try and make sure if she really can't be with others. Luffy promised that he wouldn't let her hurt anyone, that it would be fine and for now she has decided to believe in him.

Her smile grows at the answer before she giggles softly at the question.]

He invited me to join when we talked for the first time through the books, though I obviously refused until he found me and made a convincing case of his argument. I will admit to not be entirely sure, but for now I want to believe in him and as long as no one ends hurt it should be okay.

He must have seen something in you, during that conversation, that made him intent on having you join. And he is not an easy man to dissuade when he wants something.

[In this, they remain different, and Celestia remains in her own quiet sort of isolation in one respect: she is only here because of Pinkie Pie. Had her subject not insisted, Luffy almost certainly never would have invited her into the crew, and she knows that.]

[In that way, she is still an outsider here.]

I suppose that would be an explanation though I honestly don't know what it is that made him decide that. All I did was mostly panic over him being inside a kraken without showing an ounce of worry about his own well-being.

[She shakes her head at the memory.]

Back then I was convinced that he just invited everyone he talked with to join his crew, but it seems that there are some standards after all. As simple as they may be.

He is more complex than he appears to be on the surface... which isn't saying a very great deal, I admit. If I had to guess what he valued, I would say it is intensity. So far, I have sensed that in almost everypony I have met on the crew, and for those I have not, I may simply not have discovered what makes them tick.

[There's a rather humorless chuckle at that.]

I guess I was intensely worried back then. Though I would think that anyone who isn't used to that kind of creatures would react the same way.

Or Luffy himself. Unless you were including him as one of the creatures.

[She's not above having a laugh at Luffy's mild expense!]

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