Time for some bonding!

[seadevil]

Who: The crew of the Katabami
Where: At sea -> Port Chance
When: After leaving the fortress and covering the month of February
What: Catch-all log
Warnings: The usual grumpy, dumb, awkward and maybe some spooooooooky ghost stories
Style: Any
Status: Closed to crew and anyone that may be in the Port Chance area

Itinerary
- Welcoming our poor, formerly-possessed pals back on board
- Visiting Port Chance, finding all their booze, and drinking it
- The subsequent drunken crew bonding time
- Traumatizing Ragna forever

Comments

[harbouredheart]

Of course.

[The taste of home is something that she misses; longing momentarily distracts her before she gets back to business. Despite his valid point, the sweets are still suspect.]

Captain, these candies... upon closer inspection, they have words written on one side of them. Will you please read the next one that you choose aloud?

[seadevil]

[Her words manage to stop him before he tosses a handful in his mouth, and he pokes through them instead, holding each up and squinting at them as he reads.]

"Hold Hands," "Sit On Lap," "Charm Me," "Love Slap," "Crazy For You," "Many Nuzzles," "Marry Me"...what the devil are these things? What does yours say?

[Having read the words as requested, he picks one up and is about to pop it in his mouth. A very important connection has yet to be made in his brain.]

[harbouredheart]

[Xun Yu defers answering him. Instead she grasps his forearm with her free hand in a hasty attempt to still his motion and prevent him from eating.]

Wait! Don't they strike you as suspicious? All of them can pass for instructions. Are you certain that you want to risk it?

[seadevil]

Instructions?

[Motochika's brow furrows as he considers the candy. It would certainly explain the strange compulsions if they were somehow being forced to follow the candies' commands, but what would the point of it all be? And for that matter...]

They certainly can be read as such, but some of them are a little absurd. What would happen if I were to eat this?

[He has the "Marry Me" candy. Surely that one must be harmless?]

[harbouredheart]

[She spares the candy a glance, then releases her grip on his arm. A proposal, maybe? There's one way to know for sure, and aside from to his ego, it should be fairly harmless if the candy does prove to be at fault.]

Eat it and see?

[seadevil]

[No need to tell him twice. Motochika crunches on the candy, this time trying to pay a little closer attention to whether or not some sort of compulsion is happening or not. It doesn't really seem to be, but how would he know? The candy can't force him to marry someone, though it's not like Xun Yu would be a bad choice. She manages the ship well enough, doesn't she? If he had a household, she could no doubt manage that quite well, too. It's not as if she's unattractive, either, so there's another point in her favor. Perhaps he should just marry her.]

It's not a bad proposition, is it? Marriage? Certainly there must be somewhere here they perform the proper ceremonies, though I am the captain so I could probably just proclaim it myself.

[Oblivious to the fact that, yes, the candy did have an effect, Motochika grins broadly and waits for the response to this most brilliant of ideas.]

[harbouredheart]

[A proposal after all. Xun Yu considers for a moment -- not the proposition, of course, but the way that it happens. This is practically insidious, compared to the physical compulsions. Motochika sounds and is acting like himself. That self-satisfied grin definitely rings true.

How long will this form of effect last? As she waits to find out, she answers him, fair and firm.]

Marriage shouldn't be entered so hastily, Captain. I am quite sure that today is an inauspicious date besides.

[She is admittedly a little amused. His poor future wife, if this is the calibre of proposal that she's in for.]

[seadevil]

An inauspicious date? That won't do...

[There are none more superstitious than sailors and Motochika is no exception.]

We'll have to look into finding a better one. I suppose you'll have other preparations you'll need to make as well.

[Whatever it is that women do. Something with clothes, maybe.]

I suppose it can't hurt to put it off a bit. The crew will be wanting to buy gifts, after all.

[harbouredheart]

I...

[Well that escalated quickly. Xun Yu is briefly rendered speechless. When he makes his mind up Motochika certainly moves fast.]

Please restrain yourself. [She says succintly, finding her voice again.] There isn't going to be a wedding.

[seadevil]

What?! Why not?

[But it was already decided, wasn't it? If it was a matter of the day, that could certainly be fixed. There shouldn't be any other...ah!]

Oh, I see! Not one for fuss, eh? Of course you aren't. Well, there needn't be any sort of big ceremony. I prefer a bit of excitement, but I'm willing to compromise a bit.

[He pats Xun Yu on the shoulder, the big stupid grin never leaving his face.]

We'll get the details worked out.

[harbouredheart]

[Lips parting, she glances at his hand. Is there a point arguing against the candy's compulsion? Regardless of the answer, she tries again.]

That's not my objection. Captain, the candy you just ate was obviously cursed.

[Surely the effect will wear off soon. All she has to do is keep this contained until he returns to his senses. Perhaps he can be convinced to.]

Since when have you cared for marriage?

[seadevil]

[To his credit, Motochika pauses to think that over. It's true he's never cared for marriage, though that doesn't necessarily mean he's opposed to the concept. He did eat a candy that said "Marry Me, " but...]

You think this is the candy's doing?!

[All of his plans...and they were such good plans!]

But...but...

[Motochika looks from the candy remaining in his hand to Xun Yu and back. It couldn't be!]

[harbouredheart]

The candy casts doubt on proceedings.

[She urges, seizing upon his faltering momentum.]

I think it would be wise to defer plans, in order for us to be certain. Judge how you feel about this tomorrow, Captain.

[She can't imagine that the compulsion will still be around then.]

[seadevil]

Yes...well...suppose it can't hurt...

[One day can't hurt. She did say today was inauspicious, after all.]

We'll keep it under wraps until then. No sense in getting the crew all excited.

[Dejected, Motochika walks to the rail and looks out to sea, once more crunching on a mouthful of candy.]

[harbouredheart]

[Their captain is ridiculous, sometimes. Yet somehow he also has a way of inspiring fondness. Xun Yu drops the candy in her hand and crushes it underfoot.]

Yes, Captain. I promise that it's for the best.

[Those candies... can she in good conscience leave them? Wouldn't it be better to throw them off board or freeze them into an uncomsumable lump? Is it even her responsibility when Motochika is an adult who can make his own (questionable) choices? Half of her is ready to leave, the other ready to wage war on those sinister sweets. She needs to come to a quick decision.]