high_seas | Love is a many splendored-- no, it really isn't.

[Motochika is standing on deck holding the rock they found tied to the shard map in Red Charlotte's cabin. He looks less than enthused and more than a little irritated.]

The time has come! You all know what we must do to cross these storms. If anyone [Ragna. Mitsunari.] has an an objection, the Nav is where it always is.

[He raises the rock to his lips and presses a kiss to it. Easy enough for him, being the captain and getting to go first, after all.]

Alright then, there's that done. Who's next?

[He holds the rock out, as if issuing a challenge. Which he more or less is.]

[Since they all have to kiss the rock to set foot on the island, the best plan is to get it done as early as possible in hopes of having an untouched portion of its small surface area. That is why Xun Yu is quick to seize the rock and take her turn.]

It is only seemly that the women go next.

[She suggests pointedly, before she kisses the rock with a delicate touch of her lips, no more contact than is strictly necessary. She cannot prevent someone else snatching the rock from her, of course, but she nonetheless holds it out towards Kodachi once she is done.]

[Kodachi took it without qualm, kissing it daintily. It wasn't one of the craziest things she's done in her life, if she was honest.]

Anyone?

Hand it over.

[He's not happy about this, but damn it, he really wants that shard already. Scowling, Mitsunari swipes the rock from Kodachi and very quickly kisses it. He then shoves it at whoever is closest to him.]

[Which goes to a new member of the crew! Who's immediately confused by what he's supposed to do. But, if it helps out the crew, he places his lips on the rock, handing it aside.]

This isn't common, is it?

[Once past the winds, the crew will no doubt encounter the Kissy-Faced Eyesores, hordes of twisted, unspeakable beasts that seek to suck off their very faces and kiss them to death.]

[The shard map leads to an ancient temple. Within that temple is a fountain and within that fountain is the shard. Be careful, though. Rumors say that whosoever drinks from the fountain will fall in love with the next person they set eyes on.]

[Had she heard the rumours then Xun Yu wouldn't have risked the fountain. As matters stand, however, she is blissfully ignorant of them and therefore she has no reservations about approaching it. The water still flows -- the sound drew her here in the first place -- and the fountain strikes her as rather beautiful, made wistful by the ravages that abandonment and time have wrought on the temple. After checking that the stone is wholly intact, she sits down on the fountain's rim and angles her body inwards to look within. The purity of the water is obvious, undoubtedly due to the temple's location up on one of the island's mountains.

She's a little thirsty, truth be told; with a shard so nearly theirs she's been exerting herself for long hours, searching every nook and cranny along her path through the temple. That is why Xun Yu dips her fingers into the fountain, cupping her palms beneath the surface of the water and scooping up some. She brings her hands to her mouth and drinks, before wiping her damp hands on her thighs.

The search for the shard isn't over yet, but she sees no harm in taking a break to allow the others a chance to catch up.]

Shit. Nothing here...

[Ragna has been putting much more effort into looking for the shard than... anything else he's done in this world so far, to be honest. And who can blame him? With a piece of the ticket back where he belongs almost within his reach after all those months, the Grim Reaper is ~~desperate~~ determined to find the goddamn rock as soon as possible, and if he needs to throw this place upside-down to get it, then so be it.

Though it looks like other people aren't quite as much in a hurry as he is, or at least that's his assumption when he walks into the next room and finds Xun Yu sitting at some old fountain. Almost uncharacteristically, he decides against throwing a fit over it; after all, if she takes her time to relax, he might have a better chance of reaching the shard first. If possible, Ragna would prefer to hold onto it personally, for... reasons. Yeah.

The man walks up to the center of the room where the fountain is, feeling irritated and tired from his fruitless search, though he sounds fairly reasonable when he speaks.]

Well? You found anything yet?

[Xun Yu glances over her shoulder at Ragna and blinks, before she lowers her gaze and shifts to face him. It's strange, she thinks: the warmth blossoming in her chest and the butterflies in her stomach are feelings she hasn't experienced since she was torn from His Majesty's side.

She raises her eyes again, and smiles at him.]

Ragna.

[She greets. It is subtle, but does she sound... pleased to see him? Certainly her tone of voice is softer than she ordinarily uses for him.]

So far, no. [She's not hugely surprised about either of their lack of success yet. It's a big temple.] I haven't examined this room yet... your arrival is timely.

[Ragna's eyes widen at her words, only to narrow as he tries to put his finger on what exactly is wrong with what she said. Not that it's overly difficult─ he fully expected to be told to go back to work and not see her so... happy (?) with his presence. Usually it's the opposite.]

... You seem to be in an awfully good mood for someone who hasn't found that goddamn rock yet.

[The Grim Reaper can't help but think it's a little suspicious. The hell is this woman up to...?]

[Instead of bristling at his attitude, Xun Yu takes it in stride; it's simply part of him, an indication that he could do with a good woman in his life. Yang without yin.]

If my memory of the map serves, we're close. I think that both routes marked out ended near here.

[She gracefully rises to her feet and walks over to him, her hands still neatly folded at her front. When she comes to a stop she dips her head minutely and momentarily slides her eyes shut, her soft smile still present.]

We can search this room together.

["Together"? Ragna can't help but gape at the woman with his mouth hanging open for a moment, unable to form a response. What is wrong with her? Is she really this desperate to find the shard that she'd willingly agree to cooperate with him?]

Yeah, I... guess...

[Being stunned with Xun Yu's unusual, positive response to his abrasive behavior, the Grim Reaper finds himself unable to refuse.]

─Are you sure you wanna do it? With me, that is.

[... That is probably one of the most poorly worded questions ever, Rags.]

[Xun Yu lifts a hand to cover her mouth, laughter dancing in her large, dark eyes. The faintest trace of soft pink graces her cheeks. She doesn't think it was intentional, but his choice of words sounded a little... well. ]

Together implies mutual involvement. [It's not a criticism she returns for once, but rather lightly teasing wit.] I am sure.

[Hopefully that will reassure him.]

That's why I'm asking─ oh, forget it.

[What's so funny to her? He's starting to suspect she's either smoked something funny in the time they were apart... or it's April's Fools 2: Electric Boogaloo. Which Ragna honestly doesn't give a shit about as long as it doesn't affect him. Hell, if that really is the case, Xun Yu might be easier to deal with for the day and she'll enjoy not being a pain in his ass for once. It's a win-win situation, no?]

Start over there. [The Grim Reaper points to one corner of the room while turning away from the woman.] I'll take care of this side.

All right.

[Xun Yu has no reason to refuse, so she merely gets on with it. Used to working highly efficiently she searches at a quick pace, covering ground swiftly. The only time she pauses is to look out at the sensational view: the land is blanketed in vibrantly coloured flowers, and the mountains are just as picturesque. Soon enough she has her side fully scrutinised, and she sighs.]

There's nothing this side.

[Rather than getting in Ragna's way while he works Xun Yu returns to the fountain, sitting down demurely. From there she watches him with a fond gaze. What can she say? Evidently she likes a man with focus.

She speaks after a moment, contemplative.]

It's easy to see why this place was named Lover's Island, before those monsters overran the island. The scenery here lends itself to romance...

[And Ragna pays her no attention whatsoever, all his concentration going into searching every nook and cranny trying to find... what does that shard look like again? Crap, he'd probably have more luck in his search if he knew what exactly he was looking for... Still, after combing his side twice, he has to face the truth that the gem is not there.]

And not here... dammit.

[The Grim Reaper walks back to the fountain as well, raising an eyebrow at Xun Yu. That's definitely not what he'd expect of her, much less in a situation like this. Was she really focusing on the task or hand, or watching the scenery? He'd better check her side again later.]

Romance my ass. Can't see what's so awesome 'bout this shithole.

[Maybe it's because she's a woman that Xun Yu can notice the appeal of the island that Ragna misses. Though to be perfectly honest, he's never suspected her to hold such sensibility...]

Can't you?

[Xun Yu speaks softly, pity touching her expression. That she finds hard to believe. Ragna is stubborn about seeing the whole world as bleak, in her opinion. She doesn't understand why -- it certainly doesn't seem to make him any less miserable. Surely even some part of him longs for happiness and only needs to be reached.]

Every flower is in bloom and the air is sweetly scented. The weather has been nothing but pleasant. There are pictureque waterfalls scattered all over. Even this abandoned temple... just look at this fountain. It still flows without interuption and the water is perfectly clear.

If the monsters were eradicated and the storms preventing access abated, it would be a lovely destination to while away hours with your lover.

[She looks down at her hands. She is fully aware of how poorly her words will be received but she voiced them anyway: her emotional heart has always been her failing.

Her following words are spoken in a more professional tone as she reigns herself in.]

We need to examine the fountain too. If you check the pool and stonework, I'll see what the sculpture hides.

[Considering that she can float and he can't she suspects that he is unlikely to object to that much.]

[Instead of mocking her for the ridiculous day-dreaming, Ragna does take a moment to look through a hole in the wall and check out the island's scenery. Xun Yu is right, actually─ the flowers make a nice image, one that reminds him of the old church in the clearing in the middle of the forest. Whenever spring rolled around, the yard was full of flowers there, too...]

... If you say so.

[The Grim Reaper doesn't know about all that "whiling away hours with your lover" bullshit, but even he can't deny the place is pretty.

But enough with the soft-spoken crap or he'll be in danger of throwing up.]

It's worth a shot, I guess.

[He doesn't sound overly hopeful; if he was to hide a piece of what seems to be an important, powerful gem, it certainly wouldn't be in something that stands out so much. As things are, though, Ragna is ready to search every millimeter of the place if it means finding the damn shard.

Without further ado, the man kneels next to the fountain, carefully examining the stone.]

[A soft, pleasantly surprised sound falls from Xun Yu's lips, before she gets to her feet and floats into the air. As if suspended from above she leans forward to begin her examination.]

That's... not the response I expected, in all honesty.

[She remarks, briefly wondering at the contradiction of feeling so warmly towards a person whilst holding such low expectations of them. She shakes her head -- dismissing the thought -- as she reaches out, searching by touch as well as sight.]

You're a difficult man to understand, Ragna. [She says, not without fondness.] But I would like to.

[The Grim Reaper sees absolutely nothing special about his response: it was curt and dismissive, if maybe slightly less rude than usual. The amount of kindness Xun Yu is treating him with today is finally starting to get on Ragna's nerves. He's spent many years building walls around himself, and hearing someone express the will to get past them now makes him somewhat uncomfortable.]

If you've got time to spew bullshit like that, you'd better pay more attention to searching for that crap.

[The man falls silent after that, moving his fingers across the stonework, though he quickly finds himself unable to focus properly on the task at hand. To think he'd let some shitty comment bother him that much...

An annoyed groan escapes his throat, which hopefully can be interpreted as his irritation with not having found the gem yet.]

... You know how that shard looks, no?

[If he recalls correctly, she had one on her (and failed to bring it back, which is the part he can't let go of) at the time in the witch's fortress, so at least one of them knows what they're looking for.]

[Xun Yu only sighs in response to the former comment, but concedes and doesn't break the silence Ragna wants until he addresses her.

It takes her a moment to reply; she never saw the shard at her throat, but she did see the ones on the Witch's finger and at her fellow bodyguard's neck.]

...Yes, I suppose. It will be red in colour, probably smaller than your fingernail, and -- Ah! That's right!

[Suddenly animated, she drops back down to the ground, and reaches for a portion of her magic. A luminous violet aura begins to flame around just her hands from within. At the same time she speaks.]

You might want to take your hands out of the water and step back from the fountain. It won't harm you, but it may sting.

[Even as she says that she crouches and dips her fingers into the water. As she focuses her spell, her voice resonates with magic, as if she has two voices at differing but harmonious pitches.]

The shards amplify the strength of magic, as I recall. Pay close attention.

[And just like that, with a pale light at her fingertips the water becomes ice cold, on the verge of freezing, and a thin coating of frost rapidly creeps over the stonework -- except in one place, where the hidden shard's innate power reacts with her spell and causes solid ice to form around it.

The flowing water cuts off from one of the statues' open mouths; there is a secret cavity within, above the water's passage, reachable if one crooks one's fingers. Though first Xun Yu's spell will have to be released.]

[Ragna makes a face when he hears about the shard's possible size. How the eff are they supposed to find something so small in a room─ scratch that, on an island this big? Just as he's about to voice his frustrations in a non-quotable manner, Xun Yu's warning causes him to stand up and take a few steps back from a fountain. He's not sure what she's plotting, but he'd rather not stand there if there's a meteor shower coming down.]

Magic, huh...? Right, I forgot you're a witch, too.

[By his definition, anyway. Despite being well-known to exist, magic is a rare ability in Ragna's world and while he's not unfamiliar with it, there's something about it that makes him feel he should be cautious when dealing with it. Fortunately, the woman isn't doing anything too drastic, so he can just stand with his arms folded, watching for anything that would catch his eye.

And surely enough, he doesn't need to wait too long.]

─Wait! That statue... Did you see that?

[Xun Yu's delighted laugh when she sees is answer in itself -- and good enough news that she sets aside how unflattering being called a witch is.]

We've found it!

[She quickly straightens up, shaking her fingers dry, and hurries over to investigate, though no doubt Ragna will get there first. The aura remains around her hands as her spell lingers.]

Can you see ice? It should have formed around the shard!

[Thoeretically the shard has to be within reach, though she won't let it melt until they are ready, incase it gets dislodged by her actions.]

[Ragna reaches the spot within a split of second, already investigating the frozen area with a scowl.]

Seems like it.

[It appears he'll be keeping his enthusiasm at bay until the moment he actually has the damn thing in his hands. How are they supposed to get to it, actually? His initial thought is to rip the stupid fountain to pieces, which honestly wouldn't pose much of a challenge, but after giving it some thought... the Grim Reaper decides it's a terrible idea after all. Instead, he resorts to the good, old sense of touch, trying to find some sort of crack or opening in both the stonework and the statue that could help getting the stupid thing out─ though frankly, he's no archaeologist and has no idea what he's doing. It'd better bring some results, too, because his patience for non-violent methods can only last this long.]

[Never one to waste time, Mitsunari doesn't want to take even a momentary break from searching for the shard, though he finds he's getting awfully thirsty.

He can vaguely remember some occasion or another when Yoshitsugu politely reminded him that death by dehydration has a funny way of throwing a wrench into any and all plans you've made. Who'd have thought, right?

So Mitsunari opts for taking just a second to drink from the nearby fountain. Concern over how safe the water is to ingest doesn't really cross his mind, because it looks clear enough. He's not drinking mud, here. What's the harm?

We'll find out soon enough.]

Edited 2014-05-02 04:20 (UTC)

How goes the search, Mitsunari? Is the shard ours yet?

[Motochika has been in a relentlessly good mood all day, as he usually is when there's a promise of any sort of treasure. As the treasure in question is a shard, he's even more excited than usual. It hasn't lent him any sort of focus, however, and he has a bag slung over his shoulder full of odds and ends he's picked up, pried off, pulled out, and otherwise pilfered from the temple on his way through. This chamber is where the shard is supposed to be, though, so if Mitsunari has made his way there first, certainly his single-minded persistence must have turned the thing up already.]

No. Keep looking and do not distract me.

[Mitsunari addresses him as he draws away from the fountain, affording him what is meant to be just a quick glance in his direction. What actually happens is his gaze locks onto Motochika's as though transfixed by the mere sight of him. Not a bad kind of transfixed, either. What was that about distractions, again? A couple seconds of this and Mitsunari appears to come to his senses by breaking the stare.]

...I will inform you immediately when I've found it.

[Or maybe he hasn't. That sounded kind of deferential; the kind of tone reserved for a very select few people.]

[Motochika blinks in confusion, momentarily dumbfounded. What just happened? That's not a look he's ever seen from Mitsunari. He's not complaining, but it's a little unsettling.]

Eh? Ah, er, yes, see that you do. It should be around here somewhere if I read the map right.

Edited 2014-05-04 04:48 (UTC)

It will not go overlooked, I assure you.

[One minute ago that statement would have had an edge to it, but here it sounds like he's actually trying to reassure Motochika of his attention to detail. He wonders what brought on Motochika's apparent uncertainty, and there's a look of real concern on his face... (maybe he doesn't trust him to find the shard?) but he decides it might be disrespectful behavior to pry. Goodness knows we can't have that.]

Edited 2014-05-04 06:28 (UTC)

[It's strange, but it's nowhere near the nonsense Ragna pulled on Opposite Day, so perhaps it's not anything to worry about. After all, why should he complain about Mitsunari being more agreeable?]

I've never even gotten a good look at one of the things, so hopefully it won't be too much of a needle in a haystack. I --

[Motochika stops when he notices Mitsunari's change in expression (from strange to stranger).]

Is something wrong?

[Motochika wouldn't ask if he didn't expect an answer, so Mitsunari goes ahead and gives it, fixing him with another attentive look.]

You appeared flummoxed, and I am not certain why.

[Bluntness must be incurable even by magical love fountains.]

Forgive me, it is none of my concern.

You just seem a bit unlike yourself, so I was concerned is all. You know how this place tends to mess about with our heads.

[Mitsunari, thankfully, missed out on the time Xun Yu and Gold were possessed by a witch and turned on the crew. Had he been around, no doubt neither of the possessed would have survived long enough to be called to the witch's side.]

Don't worry yourself over it. The only thing we should be worrying about is that shard, eh?

[He claps Mitsunari on the shoulder and grins.]

[He is worried to hear that he's acting unlike himself, but the reassuring grin-and-shoulder-pat combo has a powerful effect. Mitsunari welcomes it, his eyes lighting up with pleasant surprise. As the awestruck moment passes, he nods briskly.]

I understand. I will search for as long as I must until it is retrieved.

[This is certainly an improvement from bruising Motochika's arm like before!]

Edited 2014-05-07 08:39 (UTC)

[It still seems kind of strange, but Mitsunari seems happy, so he's not going to push it. It's a rare sight indeed, so who is he to put a damper on it? Still, happy or not, any excess energy on Mitsunari's part is, as usual, channeled into being overly serious about everything. He'll probably search until he collapses if no one keeps an eye on him.]

Aye, no doubt you will. Care for some help? Three eyes are better than two, after all.

[To put it mildly, Mitsunari is not a fan of being helped, and he has to stop himself from automatically declining the offer. The prospect of doing something together with Motochika is very appealing, and he is loathe to pass it up, but... he doesn't want to accept help!

He'd...

Actually, he'd rather be the one doing the helping.]

I will offer my assistance to you.

[There. That resolves this non-issue.]

[Well, at least Mitsunari's pride is functioning normally.]

Suit yourself.

[Motochika deposits his sack of treasure and his anchor in a corner and begins to poke about in the corners of the room. This temple appears not to have the sort of tricks and traps that had built into the ones on Hidden Island, so it's unlikely that some surprise pitfall is going to swallow up his hard-earned spoils. Pity, though, because you can usually figure out where the good stuff based on how many traps are surrounding it.]

I'm content as long as the thing ends up in my hands.

[First. Or second, providing the person who found it first isn't Ragna.]

[Mitsunari will throttle someone if Ragna finds the shard first. And god forbid Ieyasu so much as glance in its direction. What Mitsunari has been hoping for is sole custody of the shard--regardless of who finds it--so he can know with absolute certainty that nothing will happen to it; like getting stolen or broken or dropped into the ocean by mistake or eaten by an armadillo. His wish is riding on this thing.

However, the fluttery, affectionate feeling in his chest has banished any issue he might have had with just letting Motochika have it once it has been found.]

I am content in knowing that it is yours to keep. There is no doubt in my mind you will safeguard it.

[The second they get off this island he is going to be kicking himself so very hard for saying that. He'll also be hoping Motochika's menagerie doesn't have an eye for shiny gems.]

[Okay, that's definitely a very un-Mitsunari-like thing to say. Motochika pauses in his search to stare at him, utterly baffled.]

Really? I certainly will, but...really?

[It's so strange to hear that it isn't even going straight to his ego like it usually would.]

...?

[Mitsunari shoots him a confused look of his own.]

Yes.

I would never do you the disservice of spouting meaningless flattery.

[Does Motochika think he's acting "unlike himself" again or something? He's still not seeing what about his behavior could possibly be out of the ordinary...]

[That is the absolute truth, which is what makes it so strange. Mitsunari is the most honest person he'll ever know. He's quite sure of that. Therefore, if everything else about the man seems to be functioning normally, perhaps the sentiment is genuine?]

Well then, I'm honored that you've decided to put your faith in me! That's not something easily earned, after all. I know that well.

[Motochika is beaming now.]

[That's why Motochika found his behavior strange. Why, he hadn't already realized how Mitsunari felt!]

I apologize. My faith in you shouldn't have been left in question.

[He wishes it had not come as a surprise, but Motochika's reaction offsets the encroaching dismay. His smile alone would have been enough to lighten the heaviest of hearts and the darkest of Mitsunari's moods, but more than that, Mitsunari knows for himself how good a feeling it is to learn that someone believes in you. Knowing that he's made Motochika happy makes him happy.

With an air of determination, he continues:]

In the future I resolve to make my feelings clear.

I appreciate it.

[What else is there to say, especially in the face of such determination. Flustered, Motochika returns to searching the room. Why do shards have to be so tiny? They're never going to find it at this rate. With their luck, someone else has gotten to it first and they're just making fools of themselves.]

I don't suppose you've seen the thing yet?

[Motochika earns himself a curious look (really, what's there to be flustered about, devotion is supposed to be intense!) but his reaction isn't taken as a bad sign.]

Unfortunately, no.

[But the shard won't evade them forever if he's got anything to say about it. He dutifully resumes his own search, taking great care not to overlook anything.

Seeing it fail to turn up in spite of his diligence is starting to worry him. He said he was going to retrieve it for Motochika and damn it, he intends to follow through on that.]

It cannot have been found already...?

[...No, no, impossible. He'll just search harder.]

It would be just our usual run of foul luck, wouldn't it?

[Motochika kicks the fountain, as if that's going to solve the problem.]

Let us hope it's someone from the crew and we just haven't crossed paths with them yet, if that's the case.

[And let it not be Ragna, please.]

Love is a many splendored-- no, it really isn't.

Safe Passage

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Meet the Natives

Shard Hunting!

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