Topsy Turvey

[youhearthebells]

Who: Hazmats with special guest star Aokiji
Where: at sea, a Navy base in the west-southwest, then Turvey Top
When: seagoing Oct. 1-15 with a stop of about a day on the 9th to raid a Navy base, then Turvey Top from the 15th onward (tbd by October plots)
What: they need a new ship. They're going to steal one from the Navy and then take it to Turvey Top to get it refitted/hide out for a while. And deal with curses, plots, and witches. Also picking up a lost and lonely Kuzan at some point.
Warnings: not likely but let me know
Style: anything you want
Status: closed to whoever's under "Who"

The vacation was nice, but for a few days of Cynthia not remembering some of her friends, but it became clear by the end of it that Raphael wasn't coming back, at least not in the immediate future. They had to accept it and continue on, now without any of their turtle-pals who had brought them together as a crew in the first place.

Size of ship was not quite an issue, but the Hazardous Materials had gone through so many changes lately that there really was only one way for it. Gan Ning felt they needed a fresh start, and what better way than by procuring a new ship? They could christen it with a new name, though he didn't mind still being referred to as Hazmats in homage to the turtles who built the crew and were their friends. Besides, that was what the bounty posters called them, no sense in confusing that. A few casual inquiries around Aquatica Paradise uncovered the presence of Navy bases on small islands in this part of the world. But of course, what with that rumor of the frigate passing through on the current soon...

They set course for the base to do some real piracy. After that, though, they would have to see what island would come up on the escape heading. They could hide out there to refit the ship, make it their own. Little did they know they had found an island with a witch who was rumored to bless or curse even visitors...

Comments

[heartismyown]

[Roxas nods a bit.]

I think so. It's okay. Just try to match cards and have high ones, right?

[by_heart]

You got it! Okay, last rule. We're playing strip poker, so whoever loses a hand has to take a piece of clothing off. First hand was the tutorial so it doesn't count.

[He gathers all the cards back up and shuffles them.]

Think you've got it? I could walk you through it again.

[heartismyown]

I think I got it. If I get confused, we can go over it again.

[Roxas figures if he focuses he should be able to keep his mind on task to play. He nods at the final rule though and leans forward to watch him shuffle.]

[by_heart]

Alright! Just let me know.

[Lea deals out the cards face down this time, then picks his up and looks them over.]

Figure this out and I can teach you the more complicated stuff. There are a few more ways you can win and once you learn those, we can work on betting.

[heartismyown]

Yeah, okay. But just like this for now, okay?

[Roxas already knows he's close to the limit of what he can process at one time, because it's taking a lot of focus to do it. He wishes these things would just click for him, but it's probably going to take practice before it does. He looks at his cards, thinking it over. Again, none of them match, but he also wants high cards right? So he selects the three lowest cards and holds them out to Lea.]

I don't want these ones.

[by_heart]

[Lea deals him three more cards and takes two more cards for himself.]

Alright, let's see what we have.

[He lays out his hand: two pairs, one of fives, one of tens, and a three. It's kind of crap, but better than nothing.]

[heartismyown]

I've got this.

[Roxas has a pair of sixes, a jack, a king and a ten. He looks at it, humming a little.]

You won?

[by_heart]

Yup! Two pairs beats one pair. That means you have to take something off.

[He shouldn't find this as amusing as he does.]

[heartismyown]

[Roxas nods a bit. Actually, he isn't wearing that much so his options are limited. He stands up and unbuttons his shorts, sliding them off his hips, leaving him in his underwear and t-shirt. He tosses them aside lazily and sits down again.]

Okay, so now we try again right?

[by_heart]

Yeah, we keep going until someone gets naked or bored, whichever comes first.

[Whenever he's played it before, "bored" usually comes first, much to his disappointment.]

At least that's how it's supposed to go.

[He collects the cards, shuffles and deals again.]

[heartismyown]

Okay, well we can go again!

[Roxas smiles and picks up the cards. He looks at them quietly before handing over two to Lea for exchange. Maybe he'll win this round!]

[by_heart]

[Lea's hand is junk, so he exchanges three. He manages to scrape up one pair, but that's all.]

Usually this goes on forever because people wear too much. We've got, what, six hands at the most? Shirt, pants, underwear, done.

[heartismyown]

Yeah I guess so. That's not too long a game though.

[Roxas lays out his cards, he has three tens and a two and a five. He gives Lea a grin.]

Look! I got three!

[by_heart]

[Lea frowns and yanks his shirt off and tosses it in the direction of his hammock.]

Yeah, I see that. You win.

[If he ends up naked first, this is just going to be weird and not fun at all.]

[heartismyown]

[No need to be a sore loser Lea, Roxas wasn't upset when he lost his hand. He gives the cards back so Lea can deal again, glancing at him. Even the last time Lea was shirtless around him, he didn't think about it much, but now he's a little lost in thought.]

[by_heart]

[Lea shuffles the cards and when he looks up to deal them out, he notices Roxas looking at him. He raises an eyebrow as he deals.]

What? Counting ribs?

[He's well aware how skinny he is. It's just a metabolism thing.]

[heartismyown]

Huh? No, I was just thinking.

[Roxas turns his attention to the cards in his hands again and focuses. A big load of nothing. He takes three cards and turns them in to Lea.]

Not about anything really.

[by_heart]

[Lea deals him more cards and looks his own over, trying to decide what to do about them.]

Why don't I believe that? C'mon, spill.

[Roxas is never "just thinking." He's learned that.]

[heartismyown]

Nothing, really! I can't really see your tattoo from here, that's what I was thinking.

[He waits while Lea decides everything.]

[by_heart]

You wanna see it?

[Lea turns a bit to the side so that Roxas can see his shoulder more clearly, then swaps out two of his cards. He was hoping for a full house, but it looks like three of a kind is the best he can do. He lays his cards down.]

Can you beat that?

[heartismyown]

[Roxas smiles, pleased and nods a bit.]

Yeah, I still like it.

[He leans forward and sighs.]

I don't think so.

[He lays down his cards. Nothing matches, but he does have an ace! that's something!]

[by_heart]

Well, then something's gotta come off!

[Lea grins and snatches up the cards to deal them again. He'd probably be this excited if it looked like he was going to win a regular game of poker, so it's totally okay, right? Totally.]

[heartismyown]

[In that case, Roxas crosses his arms over his stomach, grabs the hem of his t-shirt and pulls it over his head, tossing it aside too. There's no embarrassment, after all he's not really a girl and Lea's probably seen him in a state of undress before. He can't recall a time, but it's possible.

It's a little weird though with the breasts there. He's not used to looking down and seeing them.]

[by_heart]

[Lea takes a good look while he deals out the cards. He was a bit shocked by the whole situation at first, but now that he's kind of gotten used to it, he's not passing up the opportunity. In a way it's kind of depressing. Is this really how low he's sunken?]

There's your cards.

[He's going to look at his cards now. Not boobs. Not boobs at all.]

[heartismyown]

Thanks!

[Roxas looks over the cards carefully trying to decide what he wants to do. He looks over them carefully and then trades three cards. While he waits for Lea to decide, he leans back on his arm, opening his body up for viewing. It's not intentional, just a happy accident.]