Like Clockwork

[seadevil]

Who: The crew of the Katabami
Where: Aeolipile Isle
When: November 10 - late November-ish
What: General crew log for visiting Motochika's new favorite place in the world
Warnings: Robots
Style: Any
Status: Open to whoever's in the area

It's just been luck and circumstance that's kept the Sea Devil of the West from the island of steampunk wonders. Unfortunately for the crew of the Katabami's budget and sanity, Kodachi wants something to power a jukebox and that means the greatest shopping spree of Motochika's life.

Hope the rest of you enjoy those hot springs...

Comments

[rebellions]

[No matter how many timeloops he goes through, That Nickname is sure to be one thing he'll never forget.]

Right, right... Keep telling yourself that, Sea Princess.

[If it's any consolation, it seems like making fun of Motochika has put Ragna in a better mood than he's been ever since coming back to this world.]

[seadevil]

I keep telling you no one's called that since I was a lad!

[Motochika has noticed Ragna's mood improving, which is why he's keeping up his protests. Well, that and it's his natural response whenever Ragna brings up that nickname.]

I think I've well grown out of it by now!

[He can't deny that he deserved it when it was originally given to him, though, and he knows Ragna is full aware of that. After all, it was Motochika himself that told him about it in the first place.]

[rebellions]

[If asked why he keeps tormenting Motochika with it, Ragna probably wouldn't even have an answer; it's mostly an alternative to punching the other man in the face, and for one reason or another he finds it oddly enjoyable. Which, considering how little the Grim Reaper actually enjoys, may be some sort of achievement.]

You sure? With how much you like wearing dresses and crap...

[He judges his usual sense of fashion anyway (and the pink, good lord), but the times he's seen Motochika wear dresses have consolidated his belief the captain should have never abandoned his Princess status.]

[seadevil]

That has nothing to do with it! They're perfectly comfortable, so why shouldn't I wear them?!

[Motochika logic. When you grew up being called "Little Princess," getting dressed up as one on a lark wasn't uncommon. He didn't particularly care who clothes were meant for. If they caught his interest, he'd wear them. No one ever dared challenge him on it. Except Ragna.]

[rebellions]

[On the contrary, one has a lot to do with the other in Ragna's opinion. Take that what's-his-name freak he's met recently (and whom he kind of forgot in all the mess that came later)─ the pink, girly clothes, no concept of personal space, picking fights for fun... Shit. They'd get along splendidly, wouldn't they.

Internally mortified by the idea of Amane and Motochika existing in the same time and space, the Grim Reaper quickly dismisses the thought in favor of teasing the captain some more.]

Point. It does suit your Princess image, after all.

[He can do this all day, you know.]

[seadevil]

It suits whatever image I wish it to suit!

[It's probably not a good idea to start a fight in a hot spring. For one thing, they really aren't, er, dressed for it. He considers getting out and sending out the challenge, but that would mean getting out and he's rather comfortable. Well, physically. He's a bit irritated otherwise.]

No one else sees fault in it.

[rebellions]

[Although it may be difficult to believe, Ragna isn't looking for a fight at the moment. Partially because yes, hot springs are hardly a fitting place for it, but also because his mood actually improved a bit from this conversation and he's usually only up for brawl when pissed off. Which, knowing his hair trigger temper, probably wouldn't take too long to achieve.]

You mean no one's telling you that.

[If you ask him, it's highly unlikely that he's the only person judging Motochika's... well, everything.]

[seadevil]

Why wouldn't they tell me if it's truly the case? It isn't as if I'm ill-tempered in any way.

[This...really is kind of true. Aside from bickering with Ragna, Motochika is generally about the most cheerful and easy-going person on board. Even when he probably shouldn't be. Especially when he probably shouldn't be.]

[rebellions]

[That's true enough, but it's also what makes him so laughably naive in Ragna's opinion. Not having any specific answer to that, the Grim Reaper simply shrugs.]

How the hell am I supposed to know? People have all kinda reasons not to tell the truth.

[As usual, his faith in other people is close to non-existent.]

[seadevil]

[Motochika just grumbles to himself and sinks into the spring a little deeper. He's pouting a bit now, like overgrown child he can be sometimes. He doesn't want to think that people are lying to him, but it's not like it's impossible. Of course, it could just be Ragna being contrary again.]

Well, I don't see a problem with it.

[rebellions]

'Course you don't.

[Ragna lets out a snort. If Motochika doesn't see the problem here, then he doesn't know what to tell him.

Except for one thing.]

After all, you're half-blind.

[seadevil]

I fail to see what that has to do with it.

[Except that his eyepatch is getting a little uncomfortable to wear, what with the heat of the hot spring. Might as well tug the thing off and toss it aside for now.]

I see well enough to get by, better than some men do with both of their eyes.

[rebellions]

Wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you.

[He still remembers the thing with the bone, thank you very much.

Glancing to the side, Ragna raises his eyebrows as he suddenly realizes how rare it is to see Motochika without his eyepatch. Hell, he'd be less surprised to see him wearing a dress to the hot spring, to be honest.]

What happened to your eye, anyway?

[seadevil]

[He's told the story so many times that even he sometimes wonders which one is the truth. When Ragna asks, he considers coming up with something new or dusting off one of his old standbys, even thinks about being vaguely honest for a bit, but ultimately he's not sure which is the best approach.]

Would you like the long version or the short version? Mind you, I don't tell the tale that often because people can get quite squeamish. Tends to make me have to cut things off before I can get to the good part.

[rebellions]

[His first impulse is to tell him to spare him the nonsense and just answer the question, but he quickly realizes it might be impossible with Motochika's love for telling stories.]

I bet even if I said "short", you'd still pack it with all sorta bullshit anyway, huh?

[Ragna lets out a sigh, slowly sinking into the spring with his eyes closed.]

... Whichever you want.

[He may sound dismissive about it, but truth is, he wouldn't really mind the longer version too much. Up until now, he was focused on nothing but his sister, Kushinada's Lynchpin, Ibukido, phenomena intervention and other things related to his world, but Motochika inviting himself to a conversation has been distracting him from all that. Which... isn't necessarily a bad thing, as surprising as that realization is.]