high_seas | Supply Stop at Serenes

[Roxas flops down on the sand.]

This is my first time at a beach. It's pretty cool, right? What am I supposed to do though? Swimming is good, but you don't want to. Why not?

[He reaches up to scratch his head, but since Marco is there, he scratches him instead.]

[Chirps and shifts around, leaning into the scritches and then moving to Roxas's chest.]

[How to explain...]

[He takes a deep breath, and FWOOSHES up all big, fiery spiky looking, and rains sparkles down on Roxas.]

You try getting fire feathers wet in salt water. It's very hard to dry, yoi.

[But he's in a much better mood, enough that some of his deadpan is back and he snuggles the top of his head to Roxas' chin.]

[He flops onto his back easily when Marco puffs up. He kind of looks like fire, just like his namesake really.]

Doing that makes you look like fire, Xifer. I guess fire and water don't go well together.

[He giggles a bit when his chin is nuzzled.]

That kind of tickles. Even if you look like fire, you don't feel like it.

[He can't help but slide his fingers through the feathers lightly.]

I pet the black bird too, but I don't think he likes it much. He feels a little different from you.

[He nods a couple of times about the fire thing, and laughs at the idea of Naesala being pet. Yeah, the crow king probably would find it more uncomfortable than not.]

[But that's okay, fire feathers love pets.]

[He rolls over, enjoying the pets and sprawls out in the sand next to Roxas on his back with his tattoo facing up and chirps a little.]

That's okay, if he didn't claw your eyes out, it's a pretty good sign. Naesala's been through a lot you know.

[The sun is warm and relaxing and he couldn't help but stretch out, pulling his arms up behind his head instead.]

It's really nice, isn't it? I like the beach, a lot. Lea was right about it.

Kwee!

[Wriggles in the sand and flails his feet in joy for a bit.]

[Roxas grins, looking at him before he went up on an elbow instead to scratch at Marco's stomach instead.]

I guess you like the beach too. I know Sora used to race at the beach, but I don't think I can race you....umm...

[What else could they do?]

[He melts completely at the touch, closing his eyes for a bit, but he forces himself out of the lazy pose with a quick flip and a flap of wings.]

[He scratches at the sound bracing himself and looks up expectantly at Roxas.]

[He'll totally race you man.]

[Just don't be surprised if he cheats.]

[Pirate and all that.]

Kwrreeee!

[Let's do this.]

You want to race Xifer?

[He grins.]

Okay, but you have to run, you can't fly.

[....]

[DOH!]

[All right, all right.]

[He'll only cheat a little, making his legs extra springy. It's to make up for the size he currently picked.]

[OKAY!]

CHEEP!

[FIRM NOD.]

[Say when.]

[And to where.]

[It's only fair and in return, Roxas won't fly either. He seems to think about that, it's true they need a place to run to. Finally he points to a tree.]

Over there okay?

[Roxas grins and stands up. He dusts off some sand from his bare legs. He didn't have shoes on either so it should be an interesting race.]

Ready?

Set?

Go!

[With that, he pushes off and begins to run.]

[A nod, and Marco's off like a shot at the word 'Go!' running like a spazzy little sandpiper of turkey-size.]

[Better keep up kiddo!]

[Admittedly, Marco is a lot faster than he would have thought with his little legs there.]

Ah!

[Roxas picks it up, running as fast as he can. It's going to be embarrassing if he's beat by a bird.]

[Halfway to the tree, Marco starts faltering. He forgot to make sure his lungs had greater capacity too and breathing is already troublesome as a bird. It's extra troublesome as a phoenix since he consumes oxygen almost as much as if his flames were burning it up.]

[Hoo boy.]

[Okay, well he probably has enough of a lead to slow down, right?]

[Not that he can check, but he'll have to do it anyway!]

[JUST A LITTLE CLOSER!]

[Also he could probably breathe better if he stopped making jet sound effects.]

[And trailing sparkles.]

[But you don't know man.]

[They're just so awesome.]

[Marco is faster then he expected, but Roxas tries to close the gap the best he can. He's not used to running too much, but he is relatively athletic.

He buckled down and pushed. All he had to do was pass Marco. It can't be that hard!]

[Alllllmost.]

[He reaches out a wing to tap the tree, but that actually buffets him back a little.]

[Think you can snag that spot in the last second Roxas?]

[He's close, but not quite that close. The race over he flops on the sand, breathing hard.]

Wow. You're way faster then I thought!

[Laughs, nods, and flomps on top of Roxas.]

[AW YES.]

[Cheaters always win.]

[He grins and scratches Marco.]

I guess you win. That's okay. I didn't think I'd lose but, you never know I guess.

Hmm, I wonder where you came from. Do you have lots of bird friends?

[Chirps and quietly preens Roxas right back.]

[Because Marco is Marco and frankly, he sees little if anything wrong with this picture.]

[Also because this island is driving him nuts so it's a good time for it.]

[As for the question he cocks his head to the side as though listening and thinking.]

[He points a wing carefully to the tattoo on his chest, but shakes his head no.]

[While he comes from the same place as the rest of the Whitebeard family, they're his family, no birds until he came here.]

[Still, hopefully Roxas has gotten a chance to see the tattoo on Ace's back, or Thatch's at least once to try to make the comparison.]

[Roxas looks at the tattoo thoughtfully. It does look familiar. He's seen it before. He isn't entirely sure what it means because asking Thatch would get him nowhere, except talking in circles.]

Like mine, right?

[He has to sit up and lean his head forward to illustrate his point, showing Marco the back of his neck.]

I got this tattoo from the big guy...

[The one who doesn't like the questions...]

Thatch! That's it. He did it for me. He said that this crew is kind of like having a family. Even if it's just for a little bit, it's kind of nice to think of it like that.

I never had anything like it before. He asked me if I trusted him, that time.

[He's thinking, gone quiet for a moment. There's something about being here at the beach that seems a little off. Something seems missing. Something important.]

[Marco chirps and nods enthusiastically.]

[And folds his left wing carefully to show off his own spade tattoo, dark red with an "A" in the middle.]

[He got his from Thatch too, of course, before inking down the bastard himself since Thatch is too much of a wuss to let anyone else do it.]

[Marco nudges Roxas affectionately under the chin.]

Family.

Nakama are family. Even if none of you knew Pops, it's still Ace's family and that makes you family all the same. The bonds forged by days like this aren't something anyone can erase or dent, yoi.

I don't know if this is really like a family or not. But I'd like to think when I disappear, people will remember me.

[He smiles a little at the nudging and goes back to petting Marco.]

Maybe even Sora! Wouldn't that be something? We never knew each other before. Do you think he will?

Or maybe it doesn't work like that...

I don't know. I guess the only way to find out is to go and do it.

I wonder if this too is a dream.

[Marco leans into the pets, pauses to think about Sora before nodding slowly, and then shakes his head no about the dream.]

[If it was a dream, he'd be able to sleep, and other people could wake up.]

[No, it's real, just really weird too.]

[It's anyone's best guess really, what it is they're experiencing.]

Alright, what else can we do at the beach? Ice cream would be really good here, but we don't have any.

I bet if Axel and I went to the beach we would have had sea salt ice cream.

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