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

[youhearthebells]

...huh?

[it takes a moment for that to sink in through the haze, and then he's not sure how to react. There's a touch of anger in his hazel eyes but also so much exhaustion and grief that it's sort of blunted away.]

Whaddaya mean, missin'?

[willwork4sugar]

[The thief shakes his head, teeth gritting as he squeezes his fingers around the medallion in hand.]

She's missing- I had her go with Ariel, keep below the ships. Told them to get out if things got too busy.

...but no one knows where she went. I don't....I don't know what happened. She said she'd be okay..!

[youhearthebells]

She was still a mermaid, right...?

[oh hell please don't say she turned human in a hundred feet of water and couldn't get back up...

Ning sits there blinking like that for a while, trying to process it.]

Just. Disappeared again, huh?

[willwork4sugar]

[He nods...]

...that's what it sounds like. We looked for as long as we were able, but there's nowhere else she could have- or would have gone.

[A pause, but he refuses to say anything about not finding any bodies, either. She's not dead, she can't be dead.]

[youhearthebells]

[he shakes his head slowly. He knows, man, he knows. He shook down enough people on the Tartle to know.]

Last time...she just up and reappeared in that spider den. Hope this time it's nothing near as bad.

[he's not in any shape to brave a cave of spiders again, so soon. He's going to attempt to cling to that hope, rather than think she went the way o their turtle guys.]

[willwork4sugar]

[Gaius slowly moves to sit there beside him, nodding only vaguely.]

...yeah. I'm hoping the same. I just wish I could know for sure...

I keep thinking, maybe it would've been better if I had her stay aboard the ship or something....

[His first mission where he's put in charge and he goes and loses someone. That hasn't made him feel any better about the situation at all.]

[youhearthebells]

You couldn't have known. It's one of those things...none of us know. Can't ever even think it's gonna happen or we'd spend all our days hiding in our cabins waitin' for it to happen. Wastin' away.

[he's angry, though, deep down. At this world, jerking them around like this - again. And there's nothing they can do about it. It'll well up later when he's not so tired.]

[willwork4sugar]

.....

[Gan Ning's right, he knows. It doesn't make him feel any more or less at fault. He still wonders if things could have been different, then at least... At least what?

Gaius shakes his head, and he slips away the medallion, looking at the captain.]

....can't be sitting here either. You all right? Should've asked you earlier. What happened?

[youhearthebells]

[sigh]

That guy. [Kuzan.] He was a lot tougher than he looked. Moved like...dunno, I don't think I've ever fought anybody who moved so fast. And them ice powers of his. I feel lucky to be alive.

Still, if he didn't make it out to the water to stop you guys, then. I did my job.

[willwork4sugar]

Glad to find you in one piece. Think you can get aboard, or should I get Brady down here?

[youhearthebells]

Maybe better send him down here, just to be safe.

[he's been sitting here long enough for overexertion to cramp his legs. Before Gaius can go, though, he reaches to grab his arm.]

Hey. Thanks. You did good.

[willwork4sugar]

[He's in the process of getting back on his feet when Gan Ning grabs a hold of him. Pausing, he looks back at the man before he nods, hesitantly.

Setting a hand over Gan Ning's, he gives it a brief but firm squeeze before he turns to go and fetch their healer.]

[youhearthebells]

[Good man. He's just gonna stay right here. Yep.

God, what would he do without this crew? This crazy bunch of misfits who did what a pirate's armada couldn't and took a shard from the Navy. Good guys. And girls.]