I Prefer A See You Later

[meatthefuture]

Who: The Strawhats
Where: Sailing Log, Legends of the Hidden Island 05/02-05/03, Sakura Drift 05/05-?
When: 04/26th-?
What: Sailing around, doing typical Strawhat type things
Warnings: None
Status: Semi-open. If you're around feel free to drop in


Date yer threads!

Comments

Sailing, sailing, herpaderpaderp

[letteropener]

[Celestia has lapsed into a state of extreme lethargy lately, as the tedium of sailing without the duties of ruling to keep her busy has finally caught up with her. Which means far too often, she can be found lying listlessly around, napping or simply staring out into space. Quite a difference from the rambunctious and energetic crew around her.]

[But she is aware of her own state, and working against it as best she can, which is why she has also suggested that her fellow martially-oriented crewmates try their hands in a spar with her, putting their strength against her magic so they can develop techniques to deal with less conventional battle. So it's easy to find her for something like that, if you want...]

[seakingbait]

Celestia-chin, is everything okay?

[She hates seeing the princess, as graceful as she is, essentially lay about staring off into space all day.]

[letteropener]

Hmm? [The pony picks her head up, pulling herself out of her thoughts and back to reality. Still, the question receives a reflexive answer.] I'm quite all right. Why, is something the matter?

[seakingbait]

You look like the ocean is calling to you or something.

[letteropener]

Oh, no, nothing so prosaic. I am merely thinking.

[seakingbait]

Anything you want to talk about?

[She offers a smile.]

I can make tea.

[letteropener]

I can't even remember what I was thinking about, at this point. [Which she says casually, to hide how alarming that actually is. An intelligent, clear thinker like Celestia normally does not suffer such a lapse. ] But I'll never say no to tea.

[seakingbait]

[Keimi, on the other hand, doesn't think a thing of it. She forgets things all the time.]

I'll make some. See you here in a minute?

[She'll start making her way down below deck.]

[letteropener]

[Celestia is pretty sure that she could concoct an entire plan of utmost evil, plunging the entire world into despair and tyranny from her machinations, and not a single person on the ship would notice.]

[She really, really misses Twilight Sparkle right about now.]

I'll be here.

[And true to her word, she goes nowhere while Keimi works.]

[seakingbait]

[And a moment later, Keimi returns to the deck with a small pot of tea and two cups. She sets the platter on a nearby barrel. She pours both cups before offering one to Celestia.]

So... is something on your mind?

[letteropener]

Thank you. [Celestia magically accepts the cup, taking a small sip of it. It's part of a routine, a social script, something she can settle into readily.]

As I said, I truly don't remember what I was thinking about. Thoughts just slid through my mind without finding purchase. I have not had to do much serious thinking since I came here.

[seakingbait]

Is that a bad thing?

[She takes a sip of her tea. After all of the excitement they've had recently, Keimi has learned to enjoy the duller moments.]

[letteropener]

If you do not keep exercising your muscles, they will lose their condition. The same is true with your mind as well.

[When it comes to excitement, even the adventures hold little long-term stimulation for a keen-minded pony.]

[thetruehistorian]

[As one afternoon edges toward evening, Robin quietly sits next to Celestia, blinking a few times and then taking a deep breath.]

Is it possible for magical items to alter or possess a person's mind, in your world?

[She has an unawakened shard in her hand, and fidgets with it almost without realizing she's doing so.]

[letteropener]

Yes.

[She answers without hesitation.]

They are very rare, though the magical spells that can do so are more common than one might think. The boundary between a spell and an item can be hazy, in fact.

[thetruehistorian]

Is there a way to protect yourself from it? [Robin realizes she's fidgeting, almost with a start, then tucks the shard away.] Or... detect if it's happened in a subtle way?

[letteropener]

It depends on the nature of the effect.

Are you worried about the shards, then?

[thetruehistorian]

[Robin closes her eyes, inhales deeply, sets her jaw, and exhales slowly. There's a strong temptation to say that nothing is wrong, naturally. She's strong enough to overcome anything. There is no weakness in her mind or her spirit. But it's a lie. And Robin is the one who came to Celestia, after all.] Some of the texts on the subject have been... pervasive. I sometimes find myself considering courses of action that are not in keeping with my former convictions.

[letteropener]

Give me the shard and I will test something.

[Of course, the request is a test in and of itself. Items that influence minds usually influence said minds, first and foremost, to keep the item close.]

[thetruehistorian]

[It isn't the shard itself, so Robin passes the pale pink crystal over easily.] Cat has made it known that one way to awaken the shards is through a ritual which requires blood. There are some in the field who have fostered the belief that blood is more magically potent if taken directly from the heart. A person's life force also equates to power, so if the heart is still young, and still beating... Well, I've already implied as much publicly over the journals. The thing is, these texts assume a person's life is limited. That they'll mature, grow old, and die. I know of some who do not, nor will they ever, and that knowledge leads to... a certain curiosity... [Robin realizes she's staring intently at Celestia, and shakes her head to clear it, expression changing to one that might almost be guilt.] Naturally it's something only the most terrible minds would entertain. [Bereft of the shard, Robin begins sliding her fingers over a long strand of hair. She speaks softly, almost to herself.] All lives are precious.

[letteropener]

[Celestia isn't certain if that is magical influence speaking, or simply inevitable if macabre curiosity. Either is possible. She makes a show of examining the shard, her attention still held on Robin.]

Power is valueless without purpose, and the purpose you put power to defines what lengths you are willing to go to get it. So my question is, what purpose do you have for power?

[thetruehistorian]

To let people return to their own worlds if they wish. [That part, at least, she's sure of.] I want to find another way. But the only one I can find information on is... [Robin has a vivid memory of Hawtrey as he was just before his final death- a living corpse already, the flesh rotting on his bones, his eyes alight with that same envious green glow that accompanies Jones no matter where he goes. And just after that, finding herself face to face with Jones himself, demanding the shard in her ring. Will that be her inevitable fate if she keeps searching?] I don't know if other options exist. And I don't know if the feeling that there aren't any are mine, or if they've been put there by something else. I can sometimes feel a book's influence clearly and shunt it aside. But others have been more insidious. I don't catch them until later. But it calls everything into question then, doesn't it?

[letteropener]

And yet the legend never spoke of needing to awaken the shards, merely reassemble the gem. [Celestia speaks casually, treating the discussion as purely academic.] It may not be necessary. Nor have we explored this land in the depth it requires to rule out other options.

[thetruehistorian]

We don't have time for that!

[The outburst is unexpectedly loud, coming from Robin. She lowers her voice immediately, breathes deeply once again.]

It'd be foolish to ignore the things I have learned, simply because I don't like the truth.

Assuming it is the truth.

[She frowns, brows knotting together above her nose.]

If it isn't, then you're right, we need to explore more, dig deeper. But if it is, and this is the only way to master the native magic enough to challenge Jones's will, then delaying acceptance will only set us back. This is more than the legend we're given at the fountain. And even that is merely a fragment.

[Jump off a cliff, or keep walking along its edge, hoping to find a gentler slope down. A person might walk for days before finding what they're looking for, but by then it's too late to save the people drowning in the river at the bottom.]

Well. I suppose one way or another, if I keep searching I'll keep finding more. Be it another way, or more information pointing toward the shards.

[Robin nods to herself. That seems to be the best answer, for now.]

[letteropener]

[Celestia lets her vent as she needs, patient and serene, though a slight frown has crossed her face. When Robin reaches her conclusion, only then does she voice the concern that arose with her very first statement.]

Why do we not have time?