Meeting of the Minds

[breakfastmetaphors]

Who: Everyone who chooses to participate
Where: Breakneck Cay
When: December 5th
What: A summit to get down to business and get this situation sorted out, L-Elf-style
Warnings: Possible violence?
Style: Any
Status: Open

Upon arriving on Breakneck Cay, if you can navigate the shoals safely and find safe mooring, you'll notice that the beach is more or less abandoned unless you count the countless shipwrecks an snarled piles of debris strewn across the shore. If you approach the jungle, you'll notice a makeshift sign pointing towards a path leading into the trees. There's a lengthy note tacked to it with a detailed map, an exhaustive list of rules and etiquette for participating in a military summit, and probably more if anyone actually got past the part with the map.

The meeting is to be held in a strangely silent clearing. Upon arriving, you'll find L-Elf sitting on the huge stone in the center, fast asleep. It's immediately obvious that this is not a social occasion or it at least wasn't planned by someone with any idea how to make guests feel comfortable. There's nowhere to sit except on the ground and definitely no refreshments. It might be a good idea to send someone back to the ship to pick something up if you want to make it through this thing.

Comments

[blowfishabq]

The representation of the Blue Sky Pirates had been silent during the spirited discussion so far- just Jesse fidgeting next to the silent man in the black hat and sunglasses. Voices were getting louder, people were getting more and more involved in the argument at hand, and it seemed like the perfect time. A hand slipped into a pocket, unnoticed, and then-

In the center of the circle, at the feet of those currently bickering with each other, an explosion rocked the clearing. Dirt flew into the sky, obscuring vision, and when it settled, there was a deep crater where the explosion had detonated- not to mention a sizable hole in the base of the boulder that had been L-Elf's seat.

The ragged circle of pirates was surrounded by a triangle of weaponry- Finnian with a boulder over his head ready to fling, Guy with a navy pistol aimed into the crowd, Ringabel with flames swirling around an outstretched hand. Jesse stood before his captain, a second pistol raised protectively.

[ungenauigkeit]

Walt stood behind Jesse, not moving, his eyes on the crowd in front of them. He waited for the dust to clear, then drew himself up slightly.

"You are all alive right now because I let you live. If the trajectory had been altered slightly, many of you would not be standing right now. All the arguing will get you no where if you don't have the power to protect yourselves from the Navy or each other."

[sun_goddess_sacrifice]

"How dare you disrupt this meeting!" had no one thought to disarm anyone? What an oversight. But L-Elf had set this up, she had assumed him to be the paranoid sort that would take such things away from people.

Still the explosion had frightened her, and these people were threatening her and everyone else. The only response acceptable in this situation was to take defence, thus only seconds after he yell balls of fire floated around in a rather large radius, it was her default reaction to all things that startled her.

"Protect ourselves? Perhaps those that would dare sabotage important proceedings should consider protecting themselves instead."

[youhearthebells]

The explosion had Gan Ning rolling for cover, drawing his sword in the same swift movement as he leaped out of the way. Once it was clear this wasn't the onset of something larger, he rose to his full height, brandishing River Master in front of him, not at all daunted by pistols and fire (Finn, though, he had an eye on that one).

"The hell was that?! You set off a cannon or somethin' in the middle of us just like that? I knew this had to be a setup."

He snarled at pretty much everyone and turned on his heel, gesturing hard at Cynthia. "I'm outta here. C'mon, Cyn, we're done with this. Round up the crew so we can shove off."

[blowfishabq]

"All right, now everybody just chill!" Jesse bellowed, aiming the pistol in his hand at both Futo and Gan Ning in one swoop. "Nobody's here to hurt anybody! And if we all act like we've got a brain in our skulls, it can stay that way, all right?" He looked between them again, then over the rest of the crowd meaningfully.

"This here is a demonstration, like the captain said!" He kept the pistol up. "Not one of you here saw this coming- and if we wanted, you could all be dead right now. This could've been a setup. The Navy could be in the bay right now. You all need to open your eyes!"

[ungenauigkeit]

Walt took a step forward, watching. He wasn't surprised at the reaction- he predicted this. But he wasn't scared. He'd stared death in the face many times before. This was nothing.

"No one knows why we're here, but we are. And just like all of you, we're just doing what we can to defend ourselves. This is what we can do."

He held up some of the mercury fulminate, almost smirking to himself. "This is what caused that explosion. No one else in this world could make something like this."

[sun_goddess_sacrifice]

"You are using weapons and caused an explosion, how can you claim no one is here to hurt anyone!?" it was a contradictory statement!

"I care not for your demonstration, or whatever it is you are trying to do. You have disrupted meaningful discussion and are now being threatening," she glanced back towards where the explosion hit. "And if it is simply a matter of fire and heat, I can cause more destruction than that." she paused a moment and decided to add with a wry smile "Perhaps there should be a test between us, how long can you last against everyone else even with your weapons?"

[thatched]

It's a clever way to do it really. Thatch was startled at the noise and action, enough to drop a hand on one of the swords at his waist and draw it part way, but he listens to the spiel and those reacting to it. It was a ballsy move, but not a bad one all things considered. They seemed like entrepreneurs more than anything and that, Thatch could appreciate.

"There's a time and a place, gentlemen. If you want to make friends, this isn't a wise way to do it." But on the other hand. "However if you can stick around until after the meeting, I'd like to see your wares, provided you don't turn them on me."

A few pistols. The explosives especially. Yes those would definitely come in handy.

[redcinemareel]

Grell...was not amused.

Yes, the explosion startled her, and the dirt got all over her, which makes her even more angry, so she reacted. She brought out her DEATCHSCYTHE, leapt into the air, and cut the boulder in half vertically. Sorry, Finnian.

She landed on her feet atop the upper half that slid off to the ground, pointing her weapon at the instigators.

"And what makes YOU think to underestimate us?!"

[thatched]

Grell. Honey. Baby. Please. Don't hurt the nice weapon sellers. It's just business, after all, if foolishly done. On the other hand, if they provoke Grell into action and they end up painfully regretting it, well, finders keepers as they say. He folds his hands in his pockets and waits for the action to unfold.

[blowfishabq]

When the scythe sliced through the boulder, a muscle in Jesse's jaw spasmed, and the pistol immediately settled into aim directly on Grell. Finnian might be brand new to the crew, but he was a kid and you just didn't do that shit.

"Look, you heard the old man," he said, voice signficantly lower than before, but every word bit off hard. "If he had thrown that tiny bit of crystal just a few feet different, a good few of you would be fucking obliterated right now. That's why we're underestimating you. Because it would have been that goddamn easy."

[english_dignity]

Arthur rose up from his curl (so soon after those damn living nightmares, he did not need another explosition in his face. And he was fit to be tied, green eyes blazing and his own gun coming up to aim for Jesse.

"And some of us have already lived through bombs landing on our heads," he said with a growl. "I suggest you move your aim away from my captain."

[redcinemareel]

"Not everyone can be killed, you foolish barnacle! No matter what you may create! Not all of us are as squishy as YOU!"

Her grip on her weapon tightens as she grit her teeth.

"Give me a good reason to not CHOP YOU UP RIGHT NOW!"

[ungenauigkeit]

"Our aim was not to injure anyone and to showcase our abilities, and it looks to me that we've succeeded. So it would be wise for you not to attack my crew."

Walt moved out from behind Jesse and stopped next to him. If things got really ugly, they had enough mercury fulminate to use to get back to their ship if they had to.

"Stranger things have happened in this world. If you say you can't be killed, I'd be willing to test that out. I just hope it doesn't come down to that."

[sun_goddess_sacrifice]

"Everyone here can be killed!" Futo knew this first hand, she had even experienced it when it shouldn't have been an issue.... The shinigami was being annoying, but there were more pressing matters than that, like the fools trying to get some sort of favor with threats!

"Be gone you uncouth bandits!" she directed this towards Walt and Jesse. "You use threats and then claim you don't wish anyone hurt, and then threaten a fight. You are simply bringing anger and disrupting this council when these were all important questions to consider. Play what you wish elsewhere, but leave here at once."

[blowfishabq]

"Hey, looks to me like we've got plenty of people threatening fights here." Arthur got his wish, because the pistol was now aimed directly at Futo again. Jesse drew himself up a little, taking a step halfway in front of Walt. "We gave you all a show. Nobody got hurt. But we don't back down until everyone else does, all right?"

He snorted a little, shrugging. "And you call us whatever you want- look around!" He spread a hand, indicating the ragtag crowd. "I mean-" He laughed out loud. "Come on! Yo ho ho, bitch!"

[anelegantmyth]

[But she already knew what was going on. She knows Jesse and she talked to him earlier. Are you seriously going to drag her away from the only interesting thing about this summit?]

...do we have to?

[youhearthebells]

[he shoots her a look over his shoulder, not breaking stride even for that. What do you think? This is a man who doesn't trust easily, especially in a circle full of potential enemies. Even a staged attack is a betrayal of what little trust he had, he's gone. Outta here. Doesn't even flinch at any guns pointed at his back.]

[anelegantmyth]

...are you seriously walking away from me right now?

[youhearthebells]

I gave you an order!

[shouted back over his shoulder]

[anelegantmyth]

[Did he just...no. She's known him nine months now and she was starting to believe that he would never pull a stupid stunt like that. Oh no, she thought they were friends. Not captain and crew member. Friends. What does she even say to this?]

[youhearthebells]

[Alas, Cynthia, crossing into the minefield that is saving face as a captain, intersecting with anger and mistrust. He doesn't mean to go there, really, and he'll regret it later. He also won't force her to come, although if she still hasn't left by the time he gets to the ship and sits down to work out a new course, he might send someone to make sure she gets back safely.]

[anelegantmyth]

Fine, Kitty. I'll come back to the ship with you, Kitty. Clearly we don't need any new alliances with the other crews,Kitty. Plus I didn't want to see my friend's demonstration anyway, Kitty. Might as well skip the good byes while we're at it, Kitty. We totally don't want to be polite to the other captains, right Kitty?

I'm not going back to that stupid boat, and I sure as hell won't take orders from you.

[She stalks off to some other direction. After blowing up like that, the summit was the last place she wanted to be at while she cooled down.]

[redcinemareel]

[BURSTS OUT LAUGHING]

Kitty! [CACKLES] That's too rich!

[fierybluebird]

[Thatch's bird was unfazed by the explosions (IRONICALLY. But then again, it is made of fire. Explosions don't faze it.) but at the laughter, he takes off from Thatch's perch and chirps quietly chasing after Cynthia.]