high_seas | What happens in Deesuko Ballia...

[Motochika does keep saying he wants the best for him. Mitsunari believes that Motochika's telling the truth, even if some of his attempts to help feel like pity to Mitsunari (particularly if he's in a foul mood like this).

Motochika's words bring something to mind, and it tempers Mitsunari's anger.]

You told me before to live my life well. I swore that I would do so. That is why I drank with you. Because it would be "enjoyable".

[And then he got too drunk by accident. As for the marriage... he thinks very, very hard on it. What was his reasoning, drunken or not? It has something to do with this train of thought.

He almost gives up because he's tired and frustrated and it's just not coming to him, but then, at last, something surfaces to the forefront of his mind. He speaks slowly as he puzzles it out.]

I agreed to sign this marriage license... because then, I... would be able to fulfill my vow? I could do so married to you.

Well, why not? It would be cute if we suddenly had baby parrots.

[In Kodachi's mind, that made perfect sense.]

[They finally reached the wealthier (and consequently gaudier) parts of Deesuko Ballia, and Kodachi pointed out the bakeshop she'd mentioned earlier. It was full of confections that were needlessly opulent, and nothing you'd find in a truly high-class pastry shop. Bigger was not always better.]

[She stepped inside, and the servers bowed to her unctuously.]

What do you want, Mr. Ragna?

[The waitresses sidled up to him, batting their lashes at him. Looked like some of them were looking for . . . big spenders.]

[It was also a good thing that Kodachi managed to hoard gems that they found from various islands - like those crystals from Anygrav Moon and those sapphires from Revenland. They sold for pretty pennies, and she had gotten as much as she could - mostly because they were pretty, but well, a little wealth couldn't hurt either.]

[Kodachi looked with interest at the pink and purple drink that he had.]

You're so sweet. ♥

What's that?

[Xun Yu laughs at that -- whoever thought she'd see Motochika so awkward when the topic wasn't women -- and takes pity upon him. Kind of.]

I've been wondering, Captain...

[Is she pushing things too far by asking? But it's a mystery that she simply cannot solve, and so she plows on.]

Why are you still married to Ragna?

[That shuts Motochika up for a second and he stares at Mitsunari while his brain processes that information. It does certainly sound like a very Mitsunari decision to make as well as something he might attempt to talk him into after drinking heavily, so it's the most likely scenario. He really, really doesn't remember, which is vexing, but he's willing to accept Mitsunari's account.]

Then leave it as such.

[If it gives him a better chance to get his point through that thick head of Mitsunari's, then he's all for it.]

If it was your own idea, it isn't like you to go back on it so easily.

I...don't rightly know. It's pink.

[That was about all he could say for it. It was pink and apparently involved alcohol.]

How do you suppose that works?

[The bartender could probably explain, but that would mean someone would have to ask him. Motochika was the sort who would stare at a problem for days on end, trying many strange and varied ways of solving it, before asking someone who might actually know the answer. If he asked at all. Sometimes it suited his ego better to just accept whatever strange conclusion best answered the question for him.]

[Motochika's brain requires a moment to start functioning again after grinding to a screeching halt. That's a turn he wasn't expecting the conversation, such as it is, to take.]

Why wouldn't I be? There may not be much advantage in it beyond being damn hilarious at times, but I see no reason to have anything done about it. Besides, he can't well pull his whole lone wolf act when he has a husband he's supposed to be dutiful toward. Not that he is, of course, but you take my meaning.

[Mitsunari thinks about it.

It doesn't sound so bad, actually, now that he remembers more and more. It was valid, he wasn't tricked, and he didn't promise anything ridiculous. As Motochika said, it's not that binding. He wouldn't be compromising his other loyalties.

It's just a way to uphold a vow he already made.]

...Fine.

[He looks down at the license in his hand.]

I'll allow this to remain.

That's rather... sweet of you.

[Not that she's of the opinion that Ragna deserves such consideration. It complicates the Azure Grimoire matter, too. No one else even knows that their souls could be at risk if the restrictions on Ragna's arm shift.]

Do you see good in everyone?

Perhaps it's from a pink fruit, like pomegranate.

[Kodachi inched closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder and giggling for no reason. Well, actually she was laughing because the drink was pink, which shouldn't be funny in itself - but such were the effects of alcohol.]

Bartender! I want one of those too!

[That went from "date" to "mating partner" real fast.]

"Cute"? Hell no. The last thing that boat needs is more animals running around...

[They already have too many of those if you ask him ~~and none are fluffy enough to justify keeping them~~. He can only hope that project doesn't work out.

Once they reach their destination, however, Ragna instantly forgets all about the pet woes, which are now replaced by the discomfort caused by the waitresses. Seriously, do they have to stare at him like that? It's unlikely to make him want to spend more money here.]

You mean besides leave? [One would hope that, combined with one of his most potent death glares would be enough to deter the waitresses, but no dice. They might be used to that sort of thing.] ... Dunno. Do they have cheesecake?

[He gives Motochika the most deadpan of looks.]

Y'know, I've no idea why I even bothered asking.

[Ragna suspects the answer would be the same no matter what his actual level of proficiency was─ and regardless of what skill he'd asked about, for that matter. Although to be perfectly fair, judging by his creations... his confidence might be justified for once.]

"Rising Sun"? ... You mean that hideous spider-like thing?

[If so, that may be the biggest possible mismatch as far as naming goes. And description, too, because like hell he'd call that "tiny".]

If by "hideous" you mean "grotesque and fearsome," then aye!

[He's going to choose to take that as a compliment, even though it probably isn't meant to be one. One day Ragna will learn to talk about things without insulting them, surely.]

I try to keep a couple about on the ship with enough materials to build one or two ashore if we land, but they're really meant to scare off the weak-hearted and assure that only the boldest of opponents make it to the truly fearsome stuff. And then to myself, of course, if they manage to survive all that.

[It's no fun if he doesn't get to gloat, after all.]

Do you suppose they'd stay stripy if we poured them together?

[Somehow it had become science experiment time. Motochika watched with rapt attention as the bartender made Kodachi's drink, but watching the process really didn't make it make any more sense. There was just no reason layers should form like that! When the drink is set on the counter, he picks both drinks up and holds them out so Kodachi can see them better.]

It seems almost like witchcraft.

Hm? I try to, aye. There are some that are totally bereft of it, of course, and that saddens me a bit, but I tend to think most people have at least a bit of good in them.

[There are really only two people he can consider worthy of his hatred. Everyone else he tries to at least give the benefit of the doubt. He almost lost a great deal because he failed to do that, let seeds of doubt be planted that drove him to mistrust someone he never should have. He doesn't ever want to repeat that.]

Ragna can be a handful, certainly, and a headache, but he's a good man when you come right down to it.

Really? Glad to hear it!

[Motochika manages a smile, even though moving his face only makes his head hurt more. It's worth it, considering the occasion. Not only has Mitsunari agreed to stay married to him, but this whole annulment business is over, which means that maybe he can go find a nice room at an inn somewhere with a nice bed where he can sleep until some time tomorrow.]

You won't regret it, I promise.

[Too hungover to realize one shouldn't casually make promises to Mitsunari...]

[Mitsunari is uncertain just how much stock to put in that promise.

...He decides he will hold Motochika to it.]

Don't disappoint me.

I don't think so.

[But why that was, she didn't know. She was already too buzzed to care. She was already half-draped on the captain, staring with amusement at the drink.]

[She finished the rest of her tropical-looking cocktail, getting another glass of something that probably wasn't hers - but as she was treating the whole bar, nobody could complain.]

[She knocked it back, sputtering at how strong it was but forcing it down anyway because that's what people did when drunk.]

They'd be flying around.

[Not the point, but . . . it had to be said.]

[Kodachi glanced at the women who were all but trying to sidle up to Ragna, and she stifled a laugh.]

He's married!

[At that, they all looked disappointed, though some didn't look too deterred by the idea.]

They do. I'll have a cheesecake slice as well.

[So she woke up with her back aching. A moment later, that was because she realized that she was sleeping supine with the knot of her kimono digging into her spine. Another second later, she realized she was sleeping on the floor of . . . the captain's cabin?]

[And then, it took a whole minute of muddling through her first hangover that she realized she had fallen asleep beside Motochika, whose feet were beside her head.]

What is going on here???

[Her voice was scratchy, and she coughed, rubbing at her throat.]

Actually, I meant something more among the lines of "an unholy lovechild of an extremely ugly pug and a crippled scorpio that has run into a wall at full speed while running away after seeing its own reflection in a mirror" level of hideous, but suit yourself.

[That day is not today. And that was an... awfully specific and colorful description.

Truth is, Ragna asked because he has (very briefly) considered the possibility of turning to Motochika for... help (as much as he hates the thought), should his left arm ever require maintenance. It doesn't look like it would be necessary, but forewarned is forearmed ~~(pun intended)~~ and stuff. Now that he's heard what kind of things the captain usually builds, he's not so sure anymore.]

... So you're trying to tell me you sit in your castle or whatever guarded by all those?

[You know where he's going with this, don't you.]

Ship, not castle. Well, I keep a few around the fortress at Nakatomigawa, of course, since that's where I get a lot of my building done, but I tend not to make too many improvements around the castle. Most of the retainers there served my father, so they're not quite as amenable to my way of doing things.

[Apparently, he's willing to shrug off insults to the Rising Sun's appearance. It's supposed to be fearsome-looking, after all, and it's not entirely Ragna's fault that he's incapable of appreciating art. If he'd insulted Pi-chan or Yo-chan, that would be an entirely different story.]

[The best Motochika could manage in response was a miserable groan. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd woken up with a hangover at all, let alone one this bad. He tried to sit up, but the pounding in his head suggested that maybe that was a very bad idea. Instead, he rolled over on his side, trying to escape the sound of Kodachi's voice. Too loud. Any sound at all was too loud.

How did he even get himself into this state? His capacity for alcohol was usually ridiculously high, so to drink so much that he'd be this miserable, something must have happened. Sadly, he can't really remember much of the previous night and thinking too hard made his head hurt even more.]

R-right. I'm sure that won't be an issue! I'm a man of my word, after all!

[He just fervently hopes he won't mess things up somehow or that things won't somehow be messed up for him. Life, it seems, is never, ever simple.]

So...er...I suppose that's taken care of, then. I suppose it's alright to go catch up on my sleep...?

[Is he already a henpecked husband? Is this happening?]

Er...Kodachi? Perhaps we should go find something else to entertain ourselves? There's no shortage of things to do on the island, after all, and I do believe that drinking some more might not be the best idea...

[He may have said that but of course he was going to keep drinking wherever they ended up going. Deciding that the drink was going to go to waste if he just stared at it, he started on the layered drink, disappointed when it began to mix together. If it wasn't going to be exciting to look at, he might as well drink the whole thing.]

What happens in Deesuko Ballia...

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