An island lost at sea.

[lost_sailor]

Who: Piers, the crew of the Alcyone, and YOU!
Where: Isla Empieza
When: 15th of October
What: The Alcyone returns to port to rest, gather supplies, and pick up a very important person while they decide on the next leg of their journey...
Warnings: None. Oh wait. We have Jade.
Style: [Brackets] or Prose. I'm sure we can adapt.
Status: OPEN. DO AS YOU WANT.

[With the adventure at Manila behind them, Piers is glad to land for once. While he tried his best to hide it from the rest of the crew, he was tired from the slew of offensive spells that he hurled at the moths to keep them at bay.

That was one island they weren't going back to.

They, as a crew, needed to regroup. He personally hoped that he could meet some of the voices that he had heard through he networks. But, above all, he wanted a good night's sleep in a bed.

Inns always solved everything.]

Comments

awww you think he's very important :3

[sparkplasma]

[As soon as he'd learned he wasn't alone here, Ivan had made it his business to find the harbor immediately, and stopped in a few times since without luck. It may have been partly luck that brought him here today, though, at this particular time... or partly something else. You never can tell with psychics.

Whatever the reason, he finds himself in the harbor just as an unfamiliar ship is pulling in to dock. Unfamiliar, and yet... Is that it? That's it! He can't help but grin, in spite of the awkwardness in their last conversation. Piers and Sheba. The Alcyone. They're really here.

So yeah, Ivan can be seen waiting at the dock as they pull in, and he'll wave as soon as he sees someone he recognizes.]

hey. Castmate <3

[lost_sailor]

[There were only two things on Piers' mind as he eased the ship up to the docks; finding Ivan, and sleep. The adventures were tough, and he hoped that he would never need to have Luke in a desert at all in the future. The young man was a bigger complication than Jenna ever was-- and Jenna could be quite temperamental when she wanted.

Even if she were to arrive, Ivan's appearance told him that there was no guarantees. There was a possibility that they'd never met in her mind. There was the possibility that she only knew him as the weary prisoner in Madras, held for a crime that wasn't his.

But a familiar face brought him hope-- and he waved as soon as he saw Ivan.

He'd recognize that head of blond hair and green cloak, even if he barely knew the young man.]

aw shucks >w<

[sparkplasma]

[And for Ivan's part, blue hair stands out even back home, so that's a relief. He scurries up alongside the ship, careful to keep out from underfoot of the dock workers, waiting for the gangplank to come down.]

Ahoy, Captain! Permission to come aboard?

[Open]

[jadethenecromancer]

[Since their unofficial Captain had spent most of their return trip on the verge of collapsing, Jade had decided to go easy on him and take charge until they were safely at Isla Empieza. Never let it be said that he couldn't be a responsible adult.

They all needed a break before heading out again, but rest wasn't at the forefront of his mind just yet. The Colonel could be found either on the ship, leafing through a large old book, or in town restocking supplies and keeping his ears open for news. There were a few things he had considered looking for, but beyond that, any details about this world he could catch from casual conversations would be valuable.]

on le ship

[sparkplasma]

[Once he's aboard, Ivan eventually winds up taking a walk around the ship, trying to familiarize himself with the layout of what might be his home for quite some time. It's kind of a bittersweet feeling. On the one hand, apart from the ship itself (and the absence of nearly everyone), the situation's more or less unchanged from their time on the Western Sea. But on the other... not gonna lie, he's a bit homesick.

As he passes some-room-or-other, though, he spots someone he doesn't recognize. Another member of the crew? He pokes his head in, curious.]

Hello?

[lost_sailor]

[Piers grinned, already embarrassed.]

Please-- just 'hello' is alright, and I am no Captain yet. We're all just sailors.

[But the gangplank goes down gently, with barely any effort. Playing along, Piers continued:]

But yes, do come. We have alot to talk about.

[sparkplasma]

[Ivan laughs, half sheepish for making such a dumb joke in the first place, and half simply amused at Piers' reaction. Oh man even if you guys barely remember him he is just so happy you're here.]

Of course. I'll be right up.

[And right up he is, as soon as the plank's secure. It's quite a bit different, this ship - the sails, the way it moves at anchor, and of course its much smaller size. It's... oddly exciting. Maybe he's not as adventured out as he thought.]

How was the trip? Smooth sailing? [-he asks once he reaches Piers.]

[lost_sailor]

[Piers glanced down at the young man with a smile, his relief obvious in his eyes. While they barely knew eachother, a familiar face and a fellow Adept was more than enough for him to take comfort in.]

The sailing itself has been alright. Although, the weather...

[Between a torrential storm that threw them into the currentless, windless seas of the south, the trip wasn't the most pleasant.]

[lost_sailor]

[Piers wasn't sure what to do regarding Jade at that point. Stealing the book from the library on Manila was the root cause of their problems for the final leg of their journey, but the man also proved that he was more than capable of owning his actions. He wanted to both reprimand and thank the man-- the two thoughts tugged at eachother in opposing directions, leaving a sailor lost once more in unfamiliar waters without a compass.

People were truly strange.

He approached Jade while they were still on the ship, but kept a respectful distance between them.]

...Was that book worth everything?

[Said quietly, without judgement.]

[sparkplasma]

... Less than fantastic, it sounds like. [Welp, it can't always be sunny in Philadelphia wherever that is.] In any event, I'm glad you all got here safely. Is Sheba around? [As he kinda glances about for her.]

[jadethenecromancer]

[Jade raises his gaze from the book. Given how little time has passed since they docked, he can guess who the young man is.]

Why, hello there. You must be the friend Piers wanted to pick up.

[jadethenecromancer]

[Jade didn't feel particularly guilty over their adventure on Manila. The crew hadn't been in serious danger, and they had all made it out unscathed.

Still, he knew the others didn't have much reason to trust him yet, and they did need to be able to work together. It was probably best to give a straight answer for now.]

Honestly? It's hard to say.

[He closed the book, looking rather thoughtful.]

The content is mainly lists of names, titles and other notes on people who were most likely aristocrats of the past kingdom. The information may become valuable once we discover more about this world, but as of right now...

[lost_sailor]

No, no. A kingdom is a good start.

[It almost reminded him of various legends from his home, about great civilizations that had fallen over time. Even without more information, and even if Jade had acted on his own to get it (and earned them the ire of an entire island), the shred of information still had value.]

It almost makes you wonder about what happened to it...and the 'heart of the sea.'

The kingdom has fallen. The gem is in pieces. Do you think they're connected?

[lost_sailor]

She is.

[And he was glad for it. She understood things that he didn't in some ways, but in others...]

She's been keeping herself busy by learning how to help with the ship. [A small laugh.] It's hard thinking like someone who isn't an Adept. In some ways we're probably spoiled.

[jadethenecromancer]

If the gem truly is powerful, it must have been coveted by every group and individual imaginable. A treasure like that wouldn't have been broken for no reason.

That it's been shattered and hidden, and the record of a lost kingdom ends with 'the Heart of the Sea'...

[He pushed up his glasses.]

Well, we can't prove there is a connection yet, but we shouldn't ignore the possibility.

[lost_sailor]

No, we shouldn't...

[He trailed, lost in memory as he recalled the many places he's visited in his travels and what he left behind.]

It makes me wonder if there isn't an island that's hidden away, one where we can find the answers to these questions.

[jadethenecromancer]

Perhaps. If we can find someone who knows more about the kingdom, it might give us a lead. Although...

[His mind wandered back to the cool, yet surprisingly tolerant welcome they had received upon arriving in this world. No one had seemed surprised by the sudden visitors appearing out of nowhere.]

I wonder just how much the people here on Isla Empieza know, and how much they are intentionally withholding.

[lost_sailor]

I wouldn't rely on them to tell us anything. They either fear us or what we bring, knowingly or not. [Their welcome had been cool, but their departure was anything but kind.]

...We'll need to actually search for the 'heart of the sea' if we want answers, won't we?

[sparkplasma]

[Ivan nods with a smile, and comes over to offer Jade a handshake across the table.]

That's right. My name's Ivan, and you?

[OPEN; FIGHT ME!]

[curries]

[It's been a crazy three days to say the least. Asbel almost misses his parents and the nice comfy beds back in Lhant, even in light of the brave new world which has conveniently fallen into his lap. But with rumors of pirates and even more adventures waiting on the horizon, well, it's not all bad! At least his friends are safe, and Hubert's here with him.]

[Getting around is a problem, though. Which is why the two boys have taken a hike down to the harbor. Asbel stands back, hands on his hips, looking up at all the different boats. Big, small, fancy, plain, damaged and taking on water... He's never picked out a boat before. He doesn't know the first thing about it, all truth be told.]

[He scratches his head finally and points to a ship with a gleaming new paint job and questionable seaworthiness.]

...Uh. How about that one? That one looks good! Don't you think so?

/FIGHTS YOU

[bitty_blue_brother]

[And since Hubert is the ship expert of the two (relatively speaking), he goes to take a closer look at the ship Asbel pointed out. Well, technically he doesn't need to, because...]

Don't you think that's too big for us?

[How are two kids like them supposed to sail a behemoth like that?]

[curries]

[Asbel turns to look at him, seemingly unconcerned with this technicality. At least he dreams big.]

No. Why? Wouldn't you rather have some room to move around?

[With friendship. That's how.]

[jadethenecromancer]

Jade Curtiss. It's a pleasure. [He accepts the handshake.]

The locals haven't given you any trouble, I hope?

[jadethenecromancer]

Fear... Perhaps. [Sometimes he wondered whether they were all in on some nasty plan, but that might be paranoia talking.]

We certainly won't get anywhere just thinking about it.

[bitty_blue_brother]

[FRIENDSHIP IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, DAMMIT]

Yeah, but...it'd be hard to keep all that clean. And I don't think we could work those sails without help.

[Look at those things. If the wind blew while the both of them were trying to fix 'em, they'd be sent flying into the air and flapping around like a banner.]