high_seas | Preparing for War

[Ikki's busy, which is nothing new, ever since he arrived to this world he has always made sure to be occupied with something. Lately, though, it has gotten worse. Before one could find him in the galley eating at lunch time or in his room at night, but now he's always doing something around the ship. Cleaning, checking that everything is the way it should be, helping to prepare the ship in case it got attacked, collecting black coral as continuously as possible... In a rare chance, he will be meditating in a corner of the deck, out of necessity rather than anything else.

Patience wasn't something he had in huge amounts, but he had always thought that he had enough of it to deal with anything. However, lately he has come to realize that having patience when your entire being is raging is harder than he thought. Probably because the last time he felt such anger and hate consuming him, he had been able to act right away. It hadn't taken long to destroy almost all the Black Saints and travel to Japan to fight his brothers and thus his patience hadn't been challenged. Right now, though, it's a real challenge to keep himself from exploding and just moving on his own. Even knowing that he wouldn't be able to make it so far on his own just by flying, or that once there he wouldn't be able to do much except wait for the barrier to crumble... Does nothing to calm him down. So he meditates, to try to keep himself from doing something stupid and useless.

Other than that... He really doesn't stop much. Anyone who pays mild attention would notice that it has been days since he ate -ever since Selphie's snap- or since he slept. Fortunately, his anger and hate keep his energy levels up, and it's not the first time he goes through so long without resting. It's far easier now that he doesn't have a baby that depends on him.]

[Having just returned from Himmelen with a sack full of supplies, Aya tightens his grip on the bag. All that was rolling through his mind was being struck from behind by...some force and everything going black.]

[Readying himself to assimilate back into the crew, Aya walks across the deck, spotting Ikki meditating. It didn't look like a pleasant meditation, in his opinion. Isn't it supposed to be restful?]

[He doesn't want to disturb him, so he continues to cross in front of him on his way down below.

[Ikki never meditates and drops his guard at the same time, it would be stupid and dangerous, specially in those times when he can't be sure of what the witch is going to do. He senses Aya's arrival but doesn't react to it initially, he knows who killed him but not how it happened. And though he hasn't made an advertisement of his relation with Selphie, part of him just doesn't want to talk to the other, doesn't feel he has the right to.

Then again, there are very little things he feels he has the right to have. He speaks as Aya crosses in front of him, his voice somewhat distant as he keeps part of his being meditating.]

Welcome back.

[Aya pauses and turns to the other, giving a nod. Truthfully, he didn't expect Ikki to not be aware of him being there. Aya was just being polite in leaving him be.]

Thanks. [He wasn't aware of their relationship, but at this point, he'd rather not even know.] Besides the repairs and coral collecting, did I miss much else?

It was a busy week, but there was nothing you would be disappointed in missing out.

[No one would have liked to experience those things after all.]

Besides the obvious, how are you?

[The obvious being that he's alive and not willing to trust anyone, because only someone like Roxas would be able to return to the crew without being a little uncomfortable at least.]

Good to know.

[The question is a difficult one to answer. He's far from fine, but Aya was never the type to state his feelings so easily. He shrugs after a moment of silent contemplation.]

I'm alive, which seems to be better than the alternative. [His skills could be put to better use alive, anyway, despite fully knowing his life isn't worth more than those he's slain or saved.] Yourself?

Someone will wish I wasn't alive soon.

[That someone being the witch. And probably someone else if she proves to be unable to quell his anger, which is possible with the amount of people who want a piece of her.]

For now, though, it's okay.

[There's a pause before he decides to just be blunt, which suits him much better.]

What made you return here?

[Aya chuckles at the statement.] It sounds like my life.

[He adjusts the bag he held over his shoulder.] The line may be long, but I don't plan on letting that witch get away with what she's done. I'll be more useful here than back in Himmelen.

That doesn't answer the question.

[He finally opens his eyes, pulling himself away from the meditation completely. Eyes piercing Aya.]

What made you return here? I can understand the others, but I had the impression you were different.

[If Ikki had been the one who was killed like that... Would he have returned? Eventually, maybe. But not at first, not even with a thousand of reassurances that it was safe. Not until he was sure himself that nothing would be a threat.]

You should have been more specific. [He sets down the bag, seeing as this conversation will be longer than he thought.] Why would you think that I wouldn't come back? Because I can't trust anyone anymore? Or because I died here?

[His grip tightened on his sword in his right hand. Yes, he died on this ship, but staying away just because he was afraid isn't his style. Paranoid, yes. Afraid, no. His life was in danger everyday since he was sixteen. Since he vowed revenge on the Takatori family. Why be afraid now?]

I'm not that kind of coward. It wouldn't matter if I never returned, because the same could happen again with some stranger. So I chose the devil I know over the devil I don't.

Does that answer your question?

"Coward", you say. Do you really think that not returning here so soon would have made you a coward?

[Ikki hums lightly before he shakes his head a little. He wouldn't have used terms like "coward" with any of the options, if anything he would have used the term "stupid" and only in his head. But Aya did and now it's hard to not use it.]

Wouldn't returning here because you know this "devil" make you a coward who can't face an unknown "devil"?

[A pause as he studies the other for another moment.]

You could have gone alone, you know. Prepared for battle on your own, used a Nav to get there once we arrived and participated in the battle either way. You didn't have to go with anyone, stranger or not, until you were sure the problem was solved.

Now you're just repeating the question I answered. [It sounded more like he should be looking out for his own neck than work with a crew.]

I'm not that suicidal. We know more about what we're facing than before. I wasn't talking about the sea witch earlier, in any case. [Just because he didn't value his own life much, didn't mean he was going to go up against an actual witch who could decimate him without much effort. He knew better than to try to take on the Takatori family on his own, with their vast connections and his sister still in a coma.]

The point of our battle is to take down the sea witch, not play the hero. If you want to be a hero, then you're more than welcome to. [He never liked heroes.] It would be more productive to work cohesively.

[Ikki maintains the look. Has Aya missed the part of "participated in the battle either way" or just ignored it? "Coward", "hero", maybe it's Ikki's own bad mood or the situation, but those terms have never sounded so stupid to him before. And it makes it hard to take what the other says seriously and not as nonsense coming out from some story.

After another moment he closes his eyes again, returning to his meditation.]

So be it.

[There's a momentary pause before he opens his mouth to speak once more.]

But...

[No. It's not worth it, and he doesn't really care. If Aya is going to come to him talking about "cowards" and "heroes" and assuming that taking the safest route for his own neck equals playing the hero... Ikki's definitively not in the mood.]

Nevermind. Good to see you back.

[He leaves it at that, though his tone still indicates that he isn't impressed or convinced by Aya's words.]

(no subject)

formerabyssinian - 2014-01-22 08:15 (UTC) - Expand

[It isn't that Natsuno's been watching Ikki, but it's hard not to notice everyone on the ship when they're comparatively so few. He's never seen Ikki eat since he came back and really he should do that.

He keeps a stash of properly packaged food and he turns up at Ikki's side with a sealed bag of trail mix, holding it out to him.]

You should eat something.

[He tenses slightly as he notices what the other is doing, it's easy to refuse food when no one offers it to him directly. Not so much when someone offers it to him.]

Thanks, but I'm not hungry.

[He tilts his head a little.]

Not to be creepy or anything, but you haven't been eating.

How would that be creepy?

[Deflecting the accusation? Deflecting the accusation.]

I don't want you to think I'm stalking you, because I'm not.

[Natsuno isn't easily distracted and he waves the bag subtly.]

You need to eat something. If you're weakened it's not going to end well for any of us.

I know you aren't stalking me, you think I haven't eaten after all.

[Except that Natsuno is right, he hasn't been eating. But it's also right that he's not hungry. He's too angry and raging on the inside to have a stomach to hold anything.]

Even if that was true, don't go thinking that I would be weakened by such a thing. Back when I started training there were months I was unable to eat anything because I was too beat up to do so, and survived well without losing my energy.

[He snorts a little. He doesn't believe you, Ikki.]

Maybe this isn't your thing. We could go sit in the galley and have a meal or something. Doesn't have to be much. Even if I am wrong.

[His tone suggests he does not think he is.]

You haven't eaten today.

Stalking may not be what you're doing, but it sure sounds now as if you plan to babysit me.

[The sentiment isn't really appreciated at the moment, unfortunately.]

I told you that I'm not hungry.

[If the other keeps pressing he will have to be openly honest, though. There are times when being a jerk really sounds like the best option.]

[Natsuno crosses his arms and glares at him, maybe Riku is rubbing off on him, a lot.]

I'm not doing it to babysit you exactly, but I can't ignore this when we're going into a really terrible situation and you need to be at full strength.

Full strength?

[That actually makes him laugh, openly. But it's not a happy laugh, it's just an amused one, for all the wrong things. It rings heavy and edgy in the air, devoid of any real emotion.]

What do you know about my full strength? If that's what has you so worried, would you feel better if I showed you exactly how strong I am right now?

It's not a slight against you and we really shouldn't be fighting with each other considering what lies ahead.

[He scratches the back of his head, shuffling a bit awkwardly.]

I'm concerned about you.

You should be concerned about the witch. She took Ace, Selphie and got Roxas, and you killed among other things.

[A smile forms on his face, but it is one that just looks wrong. Full of hate and cruelty, the smile of a predator that is about to toy with their prey.]

I'm going to make sure that her last memory of this visit of hers to this world is one of endless pain.

Jan 18-22nd

Jan 18, before noon

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Jan 20th

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject