Koukotsu II
Ryūjin Atoll
Although the two large suns of the daytime had long since set, the bright stars above Koukotsu's beaches and nightlife could be seen peeking between one of the nine planetary rings high up in the sky. With the absence of the suns came a nighttime warmth that hugged at those from the Kaiyō comfortably as they came back together on the sandy atoll beach of the five bedroom estate their CO, Ketsurui Aiko, had rented out for the much needed downtime after a busy Kikyo no Sekku holiday.
Wobbling against its newfound berthing once in awhile, the wooden staysail schooner that had taken most of them to Mazu's resort beaches and back again made idle noises. Some small insects in the rubbery plants near the dock rubbed their legs together like a string section while a distant whooping of a lone bird's call came from even further in the lush tropical forest that surrounded the estate. The captain pierced the nighttime with an electric greeting.
"Konbaaanwaa!" Hoshi said as she waved to those walking from the dock. Taiyou Hoshi had been apart from her crew most of the day and missed out on them working as a team to sail the schooner and then becoming rivals as four of them played chicken on eachother's shoulders in the surf of the beach. After that game, which had ended in a scant stalemate, some had gone off to do their own thing on Mazu's resort town while some had stuck as a group.
"What have you been up to?" Hoshi asked, looking to get in on even an iota of the action of the day as the crew approached her spot on the beach. There was a smattering of made and still sheathed fold out chairs alongside cushioned resort-provided chaise loungers, a few closed up coolers, and a collapsible grill with a section for a large fire with a stack of chopped wood and fire tools next to it. Hoshi herself sat back down in a chair with a towel slung over its back, dressed in a navy and yellow color blocked one piece swimsuit that had no doubt served her well during the full day of swimming behind her. Even her long strings of blue to white hair were clumped together in wet clumps, speaking to the most recent dip she had taken in the tropical waters.
"Boss-sama taught us a game called chicken, and it was her and Aiko-sama against Molli-sama against myself. It was a tie," Sif would recall with a grin. "Then after that, we got some food." She had hoped to run into a friend there, and perhaps the others would have noticed her looking through the crowds, but she knew the chances of it working out as Sif had hoped was too low.
What she did find however were three brand new books which she was clutching close to her chest, two of which were still shrink-wrapped with the one at the front bearing the title, in Abwheran, "Geschrieben in den Wellen," which translated to "Written in the Waves". She had excused herself from the rest of the crew to wander around after overhearing that there was a book stall somewhere in the resort, and this was her haul, along with a pair of red-rimmed reading glasses that were currently resting on her head.
Hearing Sif's recollection of events gave the captain a smile of her own as she listened, inspecting Sif's book haul as she did. Something about the interaction reminded Hoshi of a mother listening to a child after school talk about their day and the similarity made her raise a hand to stifle a laugh despite there being nothing exactly funny said.
"I feel like I truly missed out, but I guess there's room enough for more in the day, despite the late hour," Hoshi said. "The staff brought quite a few cuts of meat as well as kebabs and hot dogs to grill, but someone needs to make the fire for that to happen!"
"Ah'm on it," trilled Molli in her coarse accent as she strode from the dock until she felt the familiar, soothing sand beneath her soles. The soldier started assembling a fire pit by arranging hefty stones in a large circle, then stacking the wood and kindling inside it. The firemaking tools were decidedly rustic -- no aether or any other fuel source to produce the flame, "Why're they makin' me work fer this?" Molli grumbled, though her metal arm worked with pinpoint precison, enough to spark the kindling and ignite a gentle flame. With coaxing breaths, the crew had a raging fire that illuminated the beach, filled the air with the smell of burning wood, and offered an aura of warmth.
Molli set the grill over the fire she'd made with a self-satisfied grin, despite the triviality of her accomplish. It seemed she enjoyed the 'work' after all. "Di'n't haveta worry 'bout m'arm at all," she said to Hoshi, whom she'd confided to about her fear of the seawater ruining her cybernetics. "Anti-gravity jus...makes it go 'way," she said, with the air of someone who'd learned something that was common knowledge to everyone else.
"Good to know I was worried about it for naught," Hoshi said as she looked from the glint of fire reflecting off of Molli's cybernetic arm to the fire itself, smile still steadfast. "Nice when there's not a lot to worry about on a resort planet. Almost like they designed them to help you take a load off, huh?"
"Ent used t'relaxin'," was Molli's blunt reply as she started to skewer meat on a metal stick, forgoing fruit or vegetables entirely, and set a full length kebab on the grill to cook. When Molli stepped away from the grill to grab a chair, her cybernetic arm detached and floated in the air, occasionally turning her kebab. Molli sat her chair next to Hoshi and promptly fell into it with a long, satisfied sigh. "Ah just stuck wiv Aiko-sama, did what she wanted."
"I've certainly done that on more than one occasion," Hoshi said with a nod, tucking in to the same meat Molli had skewered, but added pineapple between each marinated chunk of steak. "Never steered me wrong. Now that you've visited a Yamataian paradise planet like this and the more reserved forest world of Tami, I do wonder which you find more suited to you, Miss Momo?" Hoshi used the crew's pet name for Molli with an added formal title to it as she found a nice flame-licked spot for her skewer.
"Y'kin use'n honorific, Taisho. Aiko-sama does," Molli scratched the back of her ear, "...Doesn't call me Momo, though." Her indignance was non-serious, of course; she had grown to accept the nickname over the months after it'd replaced the one she wanted. It was a sign that the crew had accepted her, and Molli would've traded an impressive nickname for that any day of the week. "Uh...Ah'm not sure. Tami? Ah like how, uh, temp'rit it was? Feels good t'warm up when yer chilly. Beaches're nice too, always wanted t'surf."
Back on the dock, a small flame could be seen. Soon after, the strong smell of cigar smoke wafted up the beach. William walked up, cigar held between his lips as he waved back at Hoshi. "Hey, cap." He replied, smoke escaping his mouth as he spoke before he blew the rest of it away. "Been waiting for this for awhile." He replied, taking another drag of the cigar. "I explored a little, took a nap on the boat. The usual." He added.
Puckering in the center, Hoshi's mouth barely folded upwards at the corners as William puffed away. She made some soft tut sounds at him, knowing all too well that the Yamataian-born man didn't care too much for Yamataian laws' stance on tobacco and smoking.
William smirked. "Come on, Hoshi. We're on vacation. Plus I haven't smoked on the Kaiyo... besides that one time. But I've been good... sort of." The ID-SOL remarked, puffing on the cigar again.
"There's a lot of uncertainty in those words," Hoshi murmured, ready to pinch her nose. "Don't get any of that smoke on our kebabs. Molli, have you smoked? Perhaps all Nepleslians just get into it or some such. He never had this habit before going there, anyway."
"Nay, ent got th'stomach fer it--'cause of m'Pop. He's a smoker, 'n th'smell got on all m'clothes," Molli's face wrinkled at the memory, "Ah kept some t'look cool on th'streets, though."
William's smirk only grew stronger. "Hoshi, am I ever well behaved nowadays?" Turning to Molli, he made sure blow his smoke in the opposite direction. "Let me know if the smell is too strong, I can finish this on the dock." He said tapping the cigar, making the ash fall for emphasis.
"Ent botherin' me."
"We aren't going to be in trouble for this, right?" Sif asked as she sat down right next to Molli, which was at this point already become a habit for her. "This is rented property after all."
The marine held a finger to his lips. "Nobody needs to know." William replied to Sif.
"W-well... I won't be the one to rock the boat." Sif was at first taken aback by the response, but assumed that such conspiracies was normal with the crew, with how Hoshi was acting in the situation. Well, it did not bother her anyways. While cigar smoke was strong, it wasn't so offensive to her that it hurt her nose. It had an interesting and distinct scent, easily identifiable if someone were to look into it. "Actually... I wanted to ask. How does smoking feel? Does it feel uncomfortable at all with all that smoke in your lungs?"
William rubbed his chin for a moment. "Well it depends from person to person. Many feel ill when they try to smoke. Some can stand the taste or the smell. And their are plenty of people who don't like the feeling that nicotine gives them."
"And what feeling does that give you?" Sif asked. The only reference points she had were from the books, but now was good time to learn and see if those reference points hit the nail on the head.
"Well, I mostly do it because I enjoy the taste. But I sometimes get a head rush when I haven't smoked in awhile." He replied.
"Head rush?" The neko repeated. "From... the dependency?"
William shook his head. "No. That's just the reaction to the nicotine if I haven't had it in awhile." He explained. "It's hard to describe to someone who hasn't had it before."
"Mhm..." Sif gave it a moment of thought before shrugging. "I suppose it is just one of those things that you just have to experience for yourself. The works I've read never really went in-depth with describing it, only so far as to say it calmed the mind and gets rid of the 'shakes', but that one was aimed at a chainsmoker."
"Do go having my crewmen commit Yamataian crimes," Hoshi's eyes narrowed and her smile had fallen. "You may be misbehaving ever since you went to Nepleslia, but I won't have my crew doing so. I know you didn't offer, but, you know." Her deep blue eyes slid away from William to her kebab. The pineapple juices had released over the heat and drizzled onto the skewered steaks, making them hard on the exterior with the sweet candy-like coating. She bit into one heartily and her smile returned.
"Make yourself some food, unless you all just ate while out. There's other stuff in the coolers, too. Beers and the like for anyone that wants to pop one. Just no sneaking off when you're drunk and stealing cigars out of William's luggage!" Hoshi said, emphatically pointing at William with her skewer.
By now, the meat on Molli's kebab had turned dark, and her metal eyes briefly shined bright. Her metal arm floated towards her in a shaky, unsteady path, and Molli's face scrunched up from the concentration of guiding it back without hitting anyone. As it floated above her, Molli reached out and prised her meal from her own fingers, then let the arm fall onto the sand beside her.
"Don't smoke," Molli said to Sif, "M'not sure nekos kin get hooked on sticks, but y'don't need ta test it." She spoke in a way that sounded almost doting, despite her blithe tone and refusal to look at the woman she was concerned for. Molli blew on her kebab, then took a measured bite into the tough meat. It wasn't too bad--with a little seasoning, it would've been more delicious.
William raised his hands defensively. "I wasn't gonna share these anyway. They shouldn't start and these are expensive." He replied, slowly backing away from Hoshi's skewer. "Nobody else will have one." He added placatingly to Hoshi, before turning to the look around the group. "Now where is the sake?" He said moving quickly to the coolers.
"I wasn't going to try it!" Sif said with her hand raised to wave away the idea. "I was just looking for some insight, that's all." Besides, she was way more curious of people who take body modding to extremes for looks, like getting their tongues split, or people that put themselves in dangerous situations just for the fun of it, but that was probably best left unsaid. She grabbed a skewer for herself and poked it through some meat to be roasted on the fire.
"I didn't mean to make everyone so defensive!" Hoshi said with a jovial jab of her stick, looking between William and Sif before leaning her chair towards Molli before tilting further to lift open the lid of one of the coolers. "Besides you, of course, Momo. Sake's right here, William! Have at it. Sif, it's definitely normal to be curious, but it's also normal for jaded people like me to go around warning others to be careful. Especially when it comes to Nepleslian sticks. WhenI came aboard I certainly thought William would be more danger than some gross cigar smoke. I'll take that over my worst fears."
William grabbed a bottle, then thought for a second before running back to his bag. He had also brought some alcohol. He figured he should at least shared that. Pulling the bottle free, he set it next to the sake. The amber liquid distinct from the clear liquor.
"Here, this is some Nepleslian bourbon." He said pouring himself a glass of sake to sip on as he puffed the cigar once more.
At Hoshi's comment, he smirked. "Good, I'll keep my gross cigars then." He added.
"You keep your cigars and I'll try your bourbon," Hoshi said after pulling loose a piece of steak brusquely. She pulled out a few glasses and poured enough to sip from each, passing them around. "Finally, you brought something that can be shared!"
Molli's cyber-arm rose from the sand to take the proffered glass, and its liquid contents swirled precariously in its shaky grasp. Again, Molli concentrated on guiding her floating limb, this time to tip the glass to her lips. Twice, she paused to correct her movements when the glass nearly tipped the bourbon over her nose, but the third time was the charm, and Molli grimaced from her drink's kick.
"G-Guh- Been a while..." she said with a vigorous shake of the head.
Sif let a chuckle slip her lips as she leaned forward to watch her kebab as she slowly turned it in the fire. "I suppose it would be a bad time to bring up that I had been looking to find an ornate smoking pipe? I was going to use it for a costume I was thinking of putting together, but I suppose that would raise a lot more questions and could get me in trouble. I guess I'll go with my second idea..." The neko took one of the glasses with her free hand and inspected the liquid within with a sniff. "Hm... I don't know why, but I feel I've encountered this scent before."
"A costume?" Molli tilted her head, eyebrow raised, "What kinna costume?"
"Whatever it is, we can trust you enough to get a costume prop without going full method acting on us and using it," Hoshi offered before a sip of her own glass and a squinting of her eyes as her brows bunched together. To William she croaked to William, "Really good stuff."
"I was thinking of doing an old detective look," Sif said as she pulled the kebab from the fire and blowing on it a little before taking a small bite. "The rest of the costume should be easier to find, but without the pipe, it just won't tie together."
"Got a magnifying glass yet?" Hoshi asked abs she thought of the costume and its other props in her mind. "Is this a Candy Festival costume? Honestly, I'd join in with you if it's not, if you'd have me. I kind of have a theme for my Hallow's Eve 'fits. But I don't think I've ever gotten together a costume save for that every year."
"Kin ah come too?" Molli asked between bites of the kebab, "Couldja help me wiva costume?" There were a few disorganized ideas floating around in her head, nothing concrete. Her eyes wandered with her thoughts, only snapping into focus once she'd settled on something. "Whataboutacat?" she asked excitedly--and near-incomprehensibly.
William raised his glass in Hoshi's direction. "You're welcome." Turning to Molli's reaction at the drink, he smirked. "Is it as bad as the time you tried my flask? Or worse?" The ID-SOL teased.
"Ah enta drinker!" Molli protested, "Jus'...do it rec-re-lation'ly," she left out that before enlisting in the Star Army, she didn't have anyone to drink with. "...'sbout th'same."
"Sounds like William's volunteering to dress up with us!" Hoshi interjected jovially. "Sweet of you, my man!"
Sif's eyes lit up upon hearing that Hoshi and Molli were interested in joining in with the whole costume thing. "Really?! You guys would?! I'd be happy to have you both with me! And William-sama too if he wants! Though the costume wasn't meant for the Candy Festival, it'd be a great time to see how it actually looks!"
William was caught off guard by Hoshi's remark cause him to spit the mouth full of sake directly into the fire, causing a small eruption. "I volunteered for what? I was just..." He looked back at Hoshi, then Sif. That excited look on Sif's face caused the ID-SOLs exasperation to die in his throat so he let out a sigh and threw a glance back at Hoshi to say 'You're gonna pay for this.'
"Thanksa mil, Will!" Molli chirped excitably as she eagerly bit into her kebab with the voracity of a dog. "Ah wanna dress like ah sam-oo-rai!" The way she was acting, one could forget she was a woman in her twenties and not an overenthusiastic child.
"It's a plan, then!" Hoshi said, throwing the wooden stick from her finished kebab into the fire as she did. Her eyes slid over to William's and shared a more friendly look with him than he her as she continued in a secretive tone, "I bet Aiko and Boss would be happy to join in, wouldn't you say?"
The ID-SOL sighed once more then returned Hoshi's friendly smile. "Yeah I guess they would, wouldn't they?" He replied. Turning to Molli he added. "I already have the Samurai garb. I was trained by the Danko Clan after all. I have the kusarigama to prove it."
Molli blinked, "Um...Ah dunnae know if ah should wear that," she said sheepishly, "Feels...dis-ruh-spec'ful. Prob'ly wouldn't fit me, neither."
"Okay, so cat samurai for Molli! What are you two going as?" Sif asked, turning to William and Hoshi, the glimmer in her eyes still apparent.
William shrugged. "I'm not sure. What do you think I should go as?" He asked, turning to Sif. Then to Molli, he let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I doubt it would fit. I was still taller than you when I was a Nepleslian." He replied.
"For you..." Sif closed her eyes and quietly hummed to herself, thinking what would be a good costume for William. Being an ID-SOL, he had considerable bulk that could be a good characterization to lean into. "Ah!" Sif's eyes opened, an idea having sprung to her mind. "Wrestler! Maybe one of those masked ones with the bright patterns! Wait, no! A knight! Clad in armor with sword and shield at hand!"
"Here I was thinking we'd all be detectives, but that would get pretty redundant," Hoshi mused as she swirled the slim remains of her drink in her hand then set it down in the sand. She stood up suddenly to say, "I know just the thing to help us all decide what to dress up as! A nighttime swim! Who's joining me!?"
William nodded. "A knight sounds like a fun idea. Sure." At Hoshi's suggestion, the ID-SOL took one last puff of his cigar before pinching the end to extinguish it. "I'm in, let's go." He said making his way down to the water.
Hoshi was already skipping on the sand further ahead of William, but she threw a hand in the air and pulled it towards the water, calling out, "Come on!! Molli, Sif! Get in here!!"
"Yeah, the water's great." William replied as he fell backwards into a wave. Going underwater, he swam further out before surfacing again.
The kebab in Molli's hands was only half-finished when the Kaiyo's captain pulled William away, then bade her and Sif to join them. "But...my kuhbob...!" Molli protested, before looking to Sif. "D'you wanna go?" She had a good idea what the answer would be, which was why she started to scarf down the remainder of the kebab quickly.
"Thought I was smelling some nice food, and familiar voices!" spoke up the cheery voice of the pink-haired Lorrfolk. "Seems I should've decided to come by earlier in the day instead of... other things."
Isuke casually approached the group, a bottle in one hand and her other raised in greeting. Compared to her outfit from her last mission, she probably appeared fairly modest. A simple over-sized t-shirt that reached down to her thighs and some sandals were all that was visible. Well, and her trademark eyepatch, of course. Her unruly hair was still kept in its usual ponytail as well.
"Perfect timing, Isuke. I've got bourbon on the ice chest. Get a drink and come swim." He greeted, as he began to float in the water.
"Oh ho, some bourbon? Not sure if I've ever had some before, so I'm pretty curious to give it a try! And a swim sounds quite relaxing, I have to say. It's not as nice as a hot spring, but well, you know..."
In a somewhat uncharacteristically girlish moment, Isuke gleefully skipped over to the ice chest to sample a taste of this bourbon...
"Who could refuse a swim?" would be Sif's reply to Molli's question. Once she's finished her own kebab, she put the stick into the fire and down her shot of bourbon. She waved at Isuke as arrived, calling out with a happy "Hi Isuke!" Turning to Molli as she picked up the books she brought with her, she said, "Got to make sure these books don't get wet," and carried her small collection to a table farther away from the water and set her reading glasses on top of them before heading towards the water to dive in.
William smirked "Come on Molli, food will be there when you get back." He called, then to Isuke he added. "Bring me some bourbon too!"
The Lorrfolk made sure to return Sif's wave, before fishing about in the ice chest for the promised bourbon. She paused to look over her shoulder towards William.
"Want like, an entire bottle, or should I find some glasses?"
"Eh, just bring the whole bottle! Then we won't need to worry about refills." William replied with a laugh.
"Pass it here!" Hoshi called before dunking underneath a wave. Contrasted with the warmth of the summery night, the water was refreshingly cold. When she came back up she was a little closer to William and pushed her wet bangs out of her eyes. They stuck to the top of her head as she tread water below. "When's the next time we'll get to go for a swim together like this!? Get in, Momo!! Leave the arm, though!"
"Wuh- What?" Molli was just about to re-attach it, "Why? Ah can't swim wiv jus' one!"
As Isuke made her way to the group, she casually pulled the long t-shirt off and tossed it aside, left now in just a two piece bikini-style swimsuit. It featured an interesting mix of black and red coloring. She gently waved the bourbon bottle as she slipped into the water, keeping it out of the water at least.
"Bourbon delivery then!" Isuke said.
"What are you doing with your free time if you're not challenging your body, a bit, Molli!?" Hoshi guffawed, swimming over to Isuke. "You're too sweet, thanks for this."
"It will be fine Molli, we got you." William added, encouragingly. After Hoshi grabbed the bourbon bottle and took a swig, William also swam up to Isuke. "Pass that here." He said to Hoshi, then to Isuke he asked, "What did you think?"
"Not bad, I'd say." replied the Lorrfolk, after taking a sip from a glass she poured herself. "You know, unrelated to the bourbon, I'm kind of envious of the things Molli can get away with."
She tapped a finger to her eyepatch. "I know it's a requirement and all, but I still wish this wasn't decorative by this point. I mean, who really needs both their eyes to see well! I managed fine for years!"
Walking towards the docks, Sif looked for a safe spot to just dive in, making sure she wasn't dive bombing someone else. There was a lack of grace as, instead of doing a dive, she just cannonballed into the water. Surfacing a short while later, she slicked back the few strands of hair that had slipped out of her braid, waving over to Molli. "Can't hurt to try swimming with one hand, right?"
"Mmmrrrgh..." Molli grumbled and grunted under her breath as she approached the water's edge tepidly. She stood where the waves washed over her feet for a few seconds, then gradually walked deeper and deeper until the tide carried her off her feet. Kicking to keep herself afloat, Molli found that it wasn't too difficult to keep herself afloat, thanks in large part to her swimming training back in basic. Leaning onto the side with her flesh arm, Molli focused on a simple stroke to move. "Ent too bad..." she said, with a little more confidence.
Leaving William with his history of cybernatic enhancements to talk to Isuke, Hoshi said to Molli, "It's shallow enough that if you dive under, you can grip with your one hand or kick off of the bottom, too. It's not too bad at all. Nice to share the experience. I've been swimming alone all day!"
"Ent ever swimmed before ah signed up," Molli replied, muscle memory returning with each stroke. "Ah got singled out'n basic by th'instructor, she made me do all m'swimmin' with one arm, said ah couldn't rely on m'chrome." At the time, Molli found the idea of parting with her cybernetics ludicrous, but it only took one mission--her first--to make the soldier realize how wise that instructor had been. "...Kinna glad she put me through that."
"Ah, now I'm no better than a basic instructor! It is worth the challenge, though," Hoshi said, floating to her back after a wave had passed under her. Looking up at the stars, she admitted, "I'm happy she put you through it, too. You've been through a lot since boarding my ship. I'm happy you were well-prepared for it all, Miss Momo."
The more she swam, the more the dull ache in Molli's shoulder gave her pause. It was better than the night after the mission, but relying on it alone was starting to push things. "Well-prepared? Ahunno 'bout that; hard to prepare fer th'stuff we seen. Only reason ah'm here is cause've everyone else," Molli said as she leaned back to float and give her arm some rest.
"Everyone can say the same about you," Hoshi replied as she looked over to look at Molli. The Nepleslian was lit by the moon but only filled half of Hoshi's vision as the other half was underwater. She looked back to the stars and recalled how on Urtullan, Molli had gotten hurt and, though she was healed enough for training, it still gave Hoshi a twinge of concern in her stomach to worry about her.
Hoshi finally said, "It's not easy to prepare for what Kaiyō will face. I was staggeringly out of my depths when I came aboard. Part of me thought it was some kind of promotional prank; going to the Kuvexian front as a sole starship while transporting Ketsurui Yui's youngest daughter? Captaining such, no less?
"It didn't feel like something feasible, but it's now the only posting I think would fully satisfy me." Hoshi continued to diatribe, "Whatever I was capable of before, that had to grow ten sizes bigger and then some. But sometimes when you expand what you can do like that, there are growing pains. I'm sorry you've been hit by them harder than most, but I do hope they're doing the same for you that they did for me."
"Just to tack on a little bit, I don't think I've felt well-prepared anytime. I mean, I'm basically a fresh graduate, and I get posted on the Kaiyō right away! I feel way out of my depth." the Lorrfolk laughed. "Luckily, we've got a solid crew."
William looked over to Isuke. "You know, if you do ever want to get a replacement for your eye, I have a doctor in mind. She does all mine." He said, tapping the side of his head and causing his eyes to glow gold for a moment. "And you aren't the only ones to feel like that. Everyone does their first few times out. I was literally a civilian when I came aboard, and still managed to get roped into combat deployments. Though I kinda forced Eden and Hoshi into letting me." He added with a soft chuckle. Turning to Hoshi he asked "I was a pain in the ass wasn't I?"
"Come to think of it, I was basically a runaway and a street urchin from a certain point of view growing up... never would've thought I'd actually end up where I am now based on that. Life can certainly lead you to some interesting places, huh?"
The ID-SOL let out a another laugh. "You're telling me. I was an orphan who was adopted by a samurai, then said samurai becomes the bodyguard to a princess, who got posted to the Kaiyo. And this guys got to tag along for the ride." William summarized. "Then it comes out that I'm the current Sky Marshal's long lost son. Life definitely likes to throw in curveballs."
"Now imagine captaining while a guy like that is on board," Hoshi laughed and kicked water towards William. "And you can see where half my headaches came from. You did help me learn how to lift a little red tape, William. An undeniably useful lesson for our role, so in the end it worked out."
William covered the bottle as Hoshi kicked water at him. "Yes, yes, I was and still am a pain. But you love me so it's fine." He replied, smiling like a mischievous sibling. "I'm glad you were able to learn something from me." He added, cheekily.
"Hard not to," Hoshi said, smiling up at the stars still. "To both learning and loving. Guess that's just how it is."
Listening to the veterans speaking, Sif understood just how deep their histories were, so it was no wonder they worked so well together. And she couldn't help but liken William's story to a romance fantasy. All that was left was to learn that he's developed a lovey-dovey relationship that secures some long-term alliance. Though she'd never voice it out, it was enough to root for that outcome, even if its just a flight of fancy.
William's extensive series of happy accidents and surprising revelations made Molli quirk an eyebrow in disbelief, "Y'got more drama than a soap," was her single, snipped response.
"It kind of does feel like something that would fit in a soap, huh?" Isuke paused and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Don't think I could compete with that... come to think of it, have I ever talked a lot about my past? Although, it may reflect poorly on me."
"Ent sure. Y'won't offend me a whit, though," Molli had seen too much to feel like the judgmental sort, "...Prolly." There were still opportunities to be surprised, if course.
"I'd certainly wager you haven't shared enough," Hoshi said before quickly dunking underwater for a spare moment. She surfaced rewettened and with a big smile that caught the light of the pale moonlight.
"Well, I can at least give the short version for now. So, let's see... ran away from Hell and I ended up getting picked up by some On'nin Ikemen after that. Spent a lot of time working with them - a pretty unique bunch, that's for sure. Probably what got me interested in the Star Army though." Isuke laughed as she recalled some memories. "Of course, I ended up having to leave them as a result. Then I did bodyguard work, and ended up working for a Senator, if you can believe it."
"...Hell's real?" Molli was prepared for Isuke to smile and admit she was joking, or that she lived in a place so awful that calling it hell was apt. But that moment hadn't come yet.
"I doesn't look nearly as impressive as it sounds. Since it's underground and all..."
"Don't know which I'd rather avoid, Heaven or Hell," Hoshi said amusedly. "There are some underground portions of Yamatai rarely talked about, Momo. Maybe we'll take you exploring sometime. Isuke can be our tour guide. That is, if she feels like it. Somewhere has to be pretty bad to choose the Ikemen over it."
The Lorrfolk chuckled. "I'm probably biased, but I don't find the Ikemen all that bad. Strangest bunch of Star Army fans you'll ever see, that's for sure.", she craned her neck to look up at the sky. "And hm, I suppose I could. They probably won't bother me a lot. Hell is kind of... traditional. In the bad sort of way? Perhaps old-fashion is more appropriate..."
"I can catch where you're going," Hoshi mused as she looked over to Molli, recalling their conversation with Ketsurui Yui. "Coming across that a bit more lately everywhere."
"Ikemen?" Molli's eyebrows rose, "Wuzzat? Aliens? They unnergroun'? Ah wouldn' mind explorin' more'a Yam-oh-tai wot's unnergroun'!"
"Yeah," Hoshi nodded. "It's the latter. They're a grey area because they're very pro-Yamatai, but they'd also sell my body on the black market or in Nepleslia to be ST'd into by the highest bidder if they got the chance. I don't know how we'd explore the underground. Well, I don't know how I would. Isuke could certainly show you around, but I had my face plastered on enough news shows during the Kuvexian war that I'm too well known to run in Ikemen crowds without being noticed. It's the type of excursion I'd want to chaperone but just couldn't, nor could Aiko. You'd have to find your own way with that, though I'm sure Isuke wouldn't mind spotting you."
"Ah'm not sure ah wanna be around people like that," Molli shivered from Hoshi's description of who the Ikemen were, and what they'd do to them. "They sound like peelers..."
Isuke couldn't help but grimace slightly, but she was understandably, a bit biased in her viewpoint.
"I can't entirely say she's wrong. I'm sure some others would want to hear all about your exploits! But, well...", she sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "They do a lot of good on the local level as well. They have perfectly non-grey, legal things as well! If you're into like, pachinko, for example...?"
"Ent a gambler. Knew a fella wot lost 'is kidneys t'loaners, lost m'stomach fer it afta that."
"I bet, as someone that worked for the Ikemen, that Isuke could tell you that they even pass along information to other organizations. If there's ever an opportunity to work more closely..." Hoshi struggled to find the right words. "To work among them, I won't pass on it. Not with Isuke's experience or your curiosity, Momo."
"I don't mean to treat your tenure in the Star Army as an enrichment experience, but learning of every facet of Yamatai interests me as much as it does you. Nor yours, Isu, as some convenient resource to rub elbows with powerful people. If that's how it happens, shikata ga nai." Hoshi finished with a Yamataigo phrase about how it couldn't be helped.
Sif had very minimal knowledge outside of what was put in her brain at the moment she was made, and while there were opportunities to perhaps learn more, the lack of guidance and the abundance of what some may call distractions, had put her attention elsewhere. But now she had absorbed some more information from her fellow crewmembers, neatly stored away, linked and likened to various literary tropes that perhaps only made sense to her, and perhaps other avid readers.
As the most junior that was currently present, she found everything enthralling. As she was lazily floating on her back, body bobbing with the waves, Sif's ears left nothing unheard even as her mind wandered, trying to create an image for the Ikemen. "Would you describe Ikemen more like gangsters, or rogues?" she asked as her form drifted towards Isuke. "While gangsters are usually seen in a negative light as nothing but troublemakers, its not necessarily accurate either since they could easily just be some kind of shadow government. And with rogues... hm... they're kind of the same now that I think about it, only I suppose they're usually written like a looser grouping and don't really have as much negativity attributed to them."
Sif's brow furrowed as a stream of consciousness attempted to differentiate and liken the two, making her begin to speak more in mumbles as she started to drift past Isuke. "Gangsters also have businesses that act like fronts... but then rogues do tend to hang around businesses too... though I suppose that's more of a gathering spot than a front..."
"It probably really depends on who you ask, and the situation. I don't think it's a very clear-cut thing, really. I might know how they are, after a fashion, but ultimately, I wasn't all that important in the grand scheme. Just without them, well... who knows how a young Lorrfolk running around on her own could've turned out, eh?"
"Who's to say," Sif said, partially still wandering in her own mind. "The butterfly effect is chaotic. Maybe you'd be worse off, or you marry into high-society after a chance meeting with an estranged offspring of a dying baron who inherits the whole estate," the neko chuckled. "Whatever the case, I can say I'm glad I got to meet you in this world line."
"That seems a little idealized," Hoshi laughed. "But then again, I wouldn't expect anything less than a romanticized ideal from you, Siffy. But I am glad with the path Isuke's wild ride took. Led her to us. A lot of you came to be on this ship by way of the road less traveled. It means you've got the different perspectives that lend to a more holistic view of how the whole sector operates, not just the insular one of the Star Army or the Nekovalkryja perspective."
"Ah wouldn' mind marryin' some rich berk 'n sittin' on a beach fer th'rest of m'life," was all Molli had to contribute to the ruminations. "All of ya could live in m'mansion!" she added with a toothy grin.
"Until then," Hoshi said as she lifted her hand and made a wide spreading motion to encompass all around them. As she floated below the stars in the warm, tropical waters she felt a joy continue to swell in her heart knowing that the new crew had found a place amongst the old but also amongst themselves. Whether it be on the beaches of Koukotsu, forests of Tami, or Molli's future mansion, they had always been able to find ways to enjoy a little R&R as a crew. And for that, the Kaiyo captain was thankful.
Ryūjin Atoll
Although the two large suns of the daytime had long since set, the bright stars above Koukotsu's beaches and nightlife could be seen peeking between one of the nine planetary rings high up in the sky. With the absence of the suns came a nighttime warmth that hugged at those from the Kaiyō comfortably as they came back together on the sandy atoll beach of the five bedroom estate their CO, Ketsurui Aiko, had rented out for the much needed downtime after a busy Kikyo no Sekku holiday.
Wobbling against its newfound berthing once in awhile, the wooden staysail schooner that had taken most of them to Mazu's resort beaches and back again made idle noises. Some small insects in the rubbery plants near the dock rubbed their legs together like a string section while a distant whooping of a lone bird's call came from even further in the lush tropical forest that surrounded the estate. The captain pierced the nighttime with an electric greeting.
"Konbaaanwaa!" Hoshi said as she waved to those walking from the dock. Taiyou Hoshi had been apart from her crew most of the day and missed out on them working as a team to sail the schooner and then becoming rivals as four of them played chicken on eachother's shoulders in the surf of the beach. After that game, which had ended in a scant stalemate, some had gone off to do their own thing on Mazu's resort town while some had stuck as a group.
"What have you been up to?" Hoshi asked, looking to get in on even an iota of the action of the day as the crew approached her spot on the beach. There was a smattering of made and still sheathed fold out chairs alongside cushioned resort-provided chaise loungers, a few closed up coolers, and a collapsible grill with a section for a large fire with a stack of chopped wood and fire tools next to it. Hoshi herself sat back down in a chair with a towel slung over its back, dressed in a navy and yellow color blocked one piece swimsuit that had no doubt served her well during the full day of swimming behind her. Even her long strings of blue to white hair were clumped together in wet clumps, speaking to the most recent dip she had taken in the tropical waters.
"Boss-sama taught us a game called chicken, and it was her and Aiko-sama against Molli-sama against myself. It was a tie," Sif would recall with a grin. "Then after that, we got some food." She had hoped to run into a friend there, and perhaps the others would have noticed her looking through the crowds, but she knew the chances of it working out as Sif had hoped was too low.
What she did find however were three brand new books which she was clutching close to her chest, two of which were still shrink-wrapped with the one at the front bearing the title, in Abwheran, "Geschrieben in den Wellen," which translated to "Written in the Waves". She had excused herself from the rest of the crew to wander around after overhearing that there was a book stall somewhere in the resort, and this was her haul, along with a pair of red-rimmed reading glasses that were currently resting on her head.
Hearing Sif's recollection of events gave the captain a smile of her own as she listened, inspecting Sif's book haul as she did. Something about the interaction reminded Hoshi of a mother listening to a child after school talk about their day and the similarity made her raise a hand to stifle a laugh despite there being nothing exactly funny said.
"I feel like I truly missed out, but I guess there's room enough for more in the day, despite the late hour," Hoshi said. "The staff brought quite a few cuts of meat as well as kebabs and hot dogs to grill, but someone needs to make the fire for that to happen!"
"Ah'm on it," trilled Molli in her coarse accent as she strode from the dock until she felt the familiar, soothing sand beneath her soles. The soldier started assembling a fire pit by arranging hefty stones in a large circle, then stacking the wood and kindling inside it. The firemaking tools were decidedly rustic -- no aether or any other fuel source to produce the flame, "Why're they makin' me work fer this?" Molli grumbled, though her metal arm worked with pinpoint precison, enough to spark the kindling and ignite a gentle flame. With coaxing breaths, the crew had a raging fire that illuminated the beach, filled the air with the smell of burning wood, and offered an aura of warmth.
Molli set the grill over the fire she'd made with a self-satisfied grin, despite the triviality of her accomplish. It seemed she enjoyed the 'work' after all. "Di'n't haveta worry 'bout m'arm at all," she said to Hoshi, whom she'd confided to about her fear of the seawater ruining her cybernetics. "Anti-gravity jus...makes it go 'way," she said, with the air of someone who'd learned something that was common knowledge to everyone else.
"Good to know I was worried about it for naught," Hoshi said as she looked from the glint of fire reflecting off of Molli's cybernetic arm to the fire itself, smile still steadfast. "Nice when there's not a lot to worry about on a resort planet. Almost like they designed them to help you take a load off, huh?"
"Ent used t'relaxin'," was Molli's blunt reply as she started to skewer meat on a metal stick, forgoing fruit or vegetables entirely, and set a full length kebab on the grill to cook. When Molli stepped away from the grill to grab a chair, her cybernetic arm detached and floated in the air, occasionally turning her kebab. Molli sat her chair next to Hoshi and promptly fell into it with a long, satisfied sigh. "Ah just stuck wiv Aiko-sama, did what she wanted."
"I've certainly done that on more than one occasion," Hoshi said with a nod, tucking in to the same meat Molli had skewered, but added pineapple between each marinated chunk of steak. "Never steered me wrong. Now that you've visited a Yamataian paradise planet like this and the more reserved forest world of Tami, I do wonder which you find more suited to you, Miss Momo?" Hoshi used the crew's pet name for Molli with an added formal title to it as she found a nice flame-licked spot for her skewer.
"Y'kin use'n honorific, Taisho. Aiko-sama does," Molli scratched the back of her ear, "...Doesn't call me Momo, though." Her indignance was non-serious, of course; she had grown to accept the nickname over the months after it'd replaced the one she wanted. It was a sign that the crew had accepted her, and Molli would've traded an impressive nickname for that any day of the week. "Uh...Ah'm not sure. Tami? Ah like how, uh, temp'rit it was? Feels good t'warm up when yer chilly. Beaches're nice too, always wanted t'surf."
Back on the dock, a small flame could be seen. Soon after, the strong smell of cigar smoke wafted up the beach. William walked up, cigar held between his lips as he waved back at Hoshi. "Hey, cap." He replied, smoke escaping his mouth as he spoke before he blew the rest of it away. "Been waiting for this for awhile." He replied, taking another drag of the cigar. "I explored a little, took a nap on the boat. The usual." He added.
Puckering in the center, Hoshi's mouth barely folded upwards at the corners as William puffed away. She made some soft tut sounds at him, knowing all too well that the Yamataian-born man didn't care too much for Yamataian laws' stance on tobacco and smoking.
William smirked. "Come on, Hoshi. We're on vacation. Plus I haven't smoked on the Kaiyo... besides that one time. But I've been good... sort of." The ID-SOL remarked, puffing on the cigar again.
"There's a lot of uncertainty in those words," Hoshi murmured, ready to pinch her nose. "Don't get any of that smoke on our kebabs. Molli, have you smoked? Perhaps all Nepleslians just get into it or some such. He never had this habit before going there, anyway."
"Nay, ent got th'stomach fer it--'cause of m'Pop. He's a smoker, 'n th'smell got on all m'clothes," Molli's face wrinkled at the memory, "Ah kept some t'look cool on th'streets, though."
William's smirk only grew stronger. "Hoshi, am I ever well behaved nowadays?" Turning to Molli, he made sure blow his smoke in the opposite direction. "Let me know if the smell is too strong, I can finish this on the dock." He said tapping the cigar, making the ash fall for emphasis.
"Ent botherin' me."
"We aren't going to be in trouble for this, right?" Sif asked as she sat down right next to Molli, which was at this point already become a habit for her. "This is rented property after all."
The marine held a finger to his lips. "Nobody needs to know." William replied to Sif.
"W-well... I won't be the one to rock the boat." Sif was at first taken aback by the response, but assumed that such conspiracies was normal with the crew, with how Hoshi was acting in the situation. Well, it did not bother her anyways. While cigar smoke was strong, it wasn't so offensive to her that it hurt her nose. It had an interesting and distinct scent, easily identifiable if someone were to look into it. "Actually... I wanted to ask. How does smoking feel? Does it feel uncomfortable at all with all that smoke in your lungs?"
William rubbed his chin for a moment. "Well it depends from person to person. Many feel ill when they try to smoke. Some can stand the taste or the smell. And their are plenty of people who don't like the feeling that nicotine gives them."
"And what feeling does that give you?" Sif asked. The only reference points she had were from the books, but now was good time to learn and see if those reference points hit the nail on the head.
"Well, I mostly do it because I enjoy the taste. But I sometimes get a head rush when I haven't smoked in awhile." He replied.
"Head rush?" The neko repeated. "From... the dependency?"
William shook his head. "No. That's just the reaction to the nicotine if I haven't had it in awhile." He explained. "It's hard to describe to someone who hasn't had it before."
"Mhm..." Sif gave it a moment of thought before shrugging. "I suppose it is just one of those things that you just have to experience for yourself. The works I've read never really went in-depth with describing it, only so far as to say it calmed the mind and gets rid of the 'shakes', but that one was aimed at a chainsmoker."
"Do go having my crewmen commit Yamataian crimes," Hoshi's eyes narrowed and her smile had fallen. "You may be misbehaving ever since you went to Nepleslia, but I won't have my crew doing so. I know you didn't offer, but, you know." Her deep blue eyes slid away from William to her kebab. The pineapple juices had released over the heat and drizzled onto the skewered steaks, making them hard on the exterior with the sweet candy-like coating. She bit into one heartily and her smile returned.
"Make yourself some food, unless you all just ate while out. There's other stuff in the coolers, too. Beers and the like for anyone that wants to pop one. Just no sneaking off when you're drunk and stealing cigars out of William's luggage!" Hoshi said, emphatically pointing at William with her skewer.
By now, the meat on Molli's kebab had turned dark, and her metal eyes briefly shined bright. Her metal arm floated towards her in a shaky, unsteady path, and Molli's face scrunched up from the concentration of guiding it back without hitting anyone. As it floated above her, Molli reached out and prised her meal from her own fingers, then let the arm fall onto the sand beside her.
"Don't smoke," Molli said to Sif, "M'not sure nekos kin get hooked on sticks, but y'don't need ta test it." She spoke in a way that sounded almost doting, despite her blithe tone and refusal to look at the woman she was concerned for. Molli blew on her kebab, then took a measured bite into the tough meat. It wasn't too bad--with a little seasoning, it would've been more delicious.
William raised his hands defensively. "I wasn't gonna share these anyway. They shouldn't start and these are expensive." He replied, slowly backing away from Hoshi's skewer. "Nobody else will have one." He added placatingly to Hoshi, before turning to the look around the group. "Now where is the sake?" He said moving quickly to the coolers.
"I wasn't going to try it!" Sif said with her hand raised to wave away the idea. "I was just looking for some insight, that's all." Besides, she was way more curious of people who take body modding to extremes for looks, like getting their tongues split, or people that put themselves in dangerous situations just for the fun of it, but that was probably best left unsaid. She grabbed a skewer for herself and poked it through some meat to be roasted on the fire.
"I didn't mean to make everyone so defensive!" Hoshi said with a jovial jab of her stick, looking between William and Sif before leaning her chair towards Molli before tilting further to lift open the lid of one of the coolers. "Besides you, of course, Momo. Sake's right here, William! Have at it. Sif, it's definitely normal to be curious, but it's also normal for jaded people like me to go around warning others to be careful. Especially when it comes to Nepleslian sticks. WhenI came aboard I certainly thought William would be more danger than some gross cigar smoke. I'll take that over my worst fears."
William grabbed a bottle, then thought for a second before running back to his bag. He had also brought some alcohol. He figured he should at least shared that. Pulling the bottle free, he set it next to the sake. The amber liquid distinct from the clear liquor.
"Here, this is some Nepleslian bourbon." He said pouring himself a glass of sake to sip on as he puffed the cigar once more.
At Hoshi's comment, he smirked. "Good, I'll keep my gross cigars then." He added.
"You keep your cigars and I'll try your bourbon," Hoshi said after pulling loose a piece of steak brusquely. She pulled out a few glasses and poured enough to sip from each, passing them around. "Finally, you brought something that can be shared!"
Molli's cyber-arm rose from the sand to take the proffered glass, and its liquid contents swirled precariously in its shaky grasp. Again, Molli concentrated on guiding her floating limb, this time to tip the glass to her lips. Twice, she paused to correct her movements when the glass nearly tipped the bourbon over her nose, but the third time was the charm, and Molli grimaced from her drink's kick.
"G-Guh- Been a while..." she said with a vigorous shake of the head.
Sif let a chuckle slip her lips as she leaned forward to watch her kebab as she slowly turned it in the fire. "I suppose it would be a bad time to bring up that I had been looking to find an ornate smoking pipe? I was going to use it for a costume I was thinking of putting together, but I suppose that would raise a lot more questions and could get me in trouble. I guess I'll go with my second idea..." The neko took one of the glasses with her free hand and inspected the liquid within with a sniff. "Hm... I don't know why, but I feel I've encountered this scent before."
"A costume?" Molli tilted her head, eyebrow raised, "What kinna costume?"
"Whatever it is, we can trust you enough to get a costume prop without going full method acting on us and using it," Hoshi offered before a sip of her own glass and a squinting of her eyes as her brows bunched together. To William she croaked to William, "Really good stuff."
"I was thinking of doing an old detective look," Sif said as she pulled the kebab from the fire and blowing on it a little before taking a small bite. "The rest of the costume should be easier to find, but without the pipe, it just won't tie together."
"Got a magnifying glass yet?" Hoshi asked abs she thought of the costume and its other props in her mind. "Is this a Candy Festival costume? Honestly, I'd join in with you if it's not, if you'd have me. I kind of have a theme for my Hallow's Eve 'fits. But I don't think I've ever gotten together a costume save for that every year."
"Kin ah come too?" Molli asked between bites of the kebab, "Couldja help me wiva costume?" There were a few disorganized ideas floating around in her head, nothing concrete. Her eyes wandered with her thoughts, only snapping into focus once she'd settled on something. "Whataboutacat?" she asked excitedly--and near-incomprehensibly.
William raised his glass in Hoshi's direction. "You're welcome." Turning to Molli's reaction at the drink, he smirked. "Is it as bad as the time you tried my flask? Or worse?" The ID-SOL teased.
"Ah enta drinker!" Molli protested, "Jus'...do it rec-re-lation'ly," she left out that before enlisting in the Star Army, she didn't have anyone to drink with. "...'sbout th'same."
"Sounds like William's volunteering to dress up with us!" Hoshi interjected jovially. "Sweet of you, my man!"
Sif's eyes lit up upon hearing that Hoshi and Molli were interested in joining in with the whole costume thing. "Really?! You guys would?! I'd be happy to have you both with me! And William-sama too if he wants! Though the costume wasn't meant for the Candy Festival, it'd be a great time to see how it actually looks!"
William was caught off guard by Hoshi's remark cause him to spit the mouth full of sake directly into the fire, causing a small eruption. "I volunteered for what? I was just..." He looked back at Hoshi, then Sif. That excited look on Sif's face caused the ID-SOLs exasperation to die in his throat so he let out a sigh and threw a glance back at Hoshi to say 'You're gonna pay for this.'
"Thanksa mil, Will!" Molli chirped excitably as she eagerly bit into her kebab with the voracity of a dog. "Ah wanna dress like ah sam-oo-rai!" The way she was acting, one could forget she was a woman in her twenties and not an overenthusiastic child.
"It's a plan, then!" Hoshi said, throwing the wooden stick from her finished kebab into the fire as she did. Her eyes slid over to William's and shared a more friendly look with him than he her as she continued in a secretive tone, "I bet Aiko and Boss would be happy to join in, wouldn't you say?"
The ID-SOL sighed once more then returned Hoshi's friendly smile. "Yeah I guess they would, wouldn't they?" He replied. Turning to Molli he added. "I already have the Samurai garb. I was trained by the Danko Clan after all. I have the kusarigama to prove it."
Molli blinked, "Um...Ah dunnae know if ah should wear that," she said sheepishly, "Feels...dis-ruh-spec'ful. Prob'ly wouldn't fit me, neither."
"Okay, so cat samurai for Molli! What are you two going as?" Sif asked, turning to William and Hoshi, the glimmer in her eyes still apparent.
William shrugged. "I'm not sure. What do you think I should go as?" He asked, turning to Sif. Then to Molli, he let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I doubt it would fit. I was still taller than you when I was a Nepleslian." He replied.
"For you..." Sif closed her eyes and quietly hummed to herself, thinking what would be a good costume for William. Being an ID-SOL, he had considerable bulk that could be a good characterization to lean into. "Ah!" Sif's eyes opened, an idea having sprung to her mind. "Wrestler! Maybe one of those masked ones with the bright patterns! Wait, no! A knight! Clad in armor with sword and shield at hand!"
"Here I was thinking we'd all be detectives, but that would get pretty redundant," Hoshi mused as she swirled the slim remains of her drink in her hand then set it down in the sand. She stood up suddenly to say, "I know just the thing to help us all decide what to dress up as! A nighttime swim! Who's joining me!?"
William nodded. "A knight sounds like a fun idea. Sure." At Hoshi's suggestion, the ID-SOL took one last puff of his cigar before pinching the end to extinguish it. "I'm in, let's go." He said making his way down to the water.
Hoshi was already skipping on the sand further ahead of William, but she threw a hand in the air and pulled it towards the water, calling out, "Come on!! Molli, Sif! Get in here!!"
"Yeah, the water's great." William replied as he fell backwards into a wave. Going underwater, he swam further out before surfacing again.
The kebab in Molli's hands was only half-finished when the Kaiyo's captain pulled William away, then bade her and Sif to join them. "But...my kuhbob...!" Molli protested, before looking to Sif. "D'you wanna go?" She had a good idea what the answer would be, which was why she started to scarf down the remainder of the kebab quickly.
"Thought I was smelling some nice food, and familiar voices!" spoke up the cheery voice of the pink-haired Lorrfolk. "Seems I should've decided to come by earlier in the day instead of... other things."
Isuke casually approached the group, a bottle in one hand and her other raised in greeting. Compared to her outfit from her last mission, she probably appeared fairly modest. A simple over-sized t-shirt that reached down to her thighs and some sandals were all that was visible. Well, and her trademark eyepatch, of course. Her unruly hair was still kept in its usual ponytail as well.
"Perfect timing, Isuke. I've got bourbon on the ice chest. Get a drink and come swim." He greeted, as he began to float in the water.
"Oh ho, some bourbon? Not sure if I've ever had some before, so I'm pretty curious to give it a try! And a swim sounds quite relaxing, I have to say. It's not as nice as a hot spring, but well, you know..."
In a somewhat uncharacteristically girlish moment, Isuke gleefully skipped over to the ice chest to sample a taste of this bourbon...
"Who could refuse a swim?" would be Sif's reply to Molli's question. Once she's finished her own kebab, she put the stick into the fire and down her shot of bourbon. She waved at Isuke as arrived, calling out with a happy "Hi Isuke!" Turning to Molli as she picked up the books she brought with her, she said, "Got to make sure these books don't get wet," and carried her small collection to a table farther away from the water and set her reading glasses on top of them before heading towards the water to dive in.
William smirked "Come on Molli, food will be there when you get back." He called, then to Isuke he added. "Bring me some bourbon too!"
The Lorrfolk made sure to return Sif's wave, before fishing about in the ice chest for the promised bourbon. She paused to look over her shoulder towards William.
"Want like, an entire bottle, or should I find some glasses?"
"Eh, just bring the whole bottle! Then we won't need to worry about refills." William replied with a laugh.
"Pass it here!" Hoshi called before dunking underneath a wave. Contrasted with the warmth of the summery night, the water was refreshingly cold. When she came back up she was a little closer to William and pushed her wet bangs out of her eyes. They stuck to the top of her head as she tread water below. "When's the next time we'll get to go for a swim together like this!? Get in, Momo!! Leave the arm, though!"
"Wuh- What?" Molli was just about to re-attach it, "Why? Ah can't swim wiv jus' one!"
As Isuke made her way to the group, she casually pulled the long t-shirt off and tossed it aside, left now in just a two piece bikini-style swimsuit. It featured an interesting mix of black and red coloring. She gently waved the bourbon bottle as she slipped into the water, keeping it out of the water at least.
"Bourbon delivery then!" Isuke said.
"What are you doing with your free time if you're not challenging your body, a bit, Molli!?" Hoshi guffawed, swimming over to Isuke. "You're too sweet, thanks for this."
"It will be fine Molli, we got you." William added, encouragingly. After Hoshi grabbed the bourbon bottle and took a swig, William also swam up to Isuke. "Pass that here." He said to Hoshi, then to Isuke he asked, "What did you think?"
"Not bad, I'd say." replied the Lorrfolk, after taking a sip from a glass she poured herself. "You know, unrelated to the bourbon, I'm kind of envious of the things Molli can get away with."
She tapped a finger to her eyepatch. "I know it's a requirement and all, but I still wish this wasn't decorative by this point. I mean, who really needs both their eyes to see well! I managed fine for years!"
Walking towards the docks, Sif looked for a safe spot to just dive in, making sure she wasn't dive bombing someone else. There was a lack of grace as, instead of doing a dive, she just cannonballed into the water. Surfacing a short while later, she slicked back the few strands of hair that had slipped out of her braid, waving over to Molli. "Can't hurt to try swimming with one hand, right?"
"Mmmrrrgh..." Molli grumbled and grunted under her breath as she approached the water's edge tepidly. She stood where the waves washed over her feet for a few seconds, then gradually walked deeper and deeper until the tide carried her off her feet. Kicking to keep herself afloat, Molli found that it wasn't too difficult to keep herself afloat, thanks in large part to her swimming training back in basic. Leaning onto the side with her flesh arm, Molli focused on a simple stroke to move. "Ent too bad..." she said, with a little more confidence.
Leaving William with his history of cybernatic enhancements to talk to Isuke, Hoshi said to Molli, "It's shallow enough that if you dive under, you can grip with your one hand or kick off of the bottom, too. It's not too bad at all. Nice to share the experience. I've been swimming alone all day!"
"Ent ever swimmed before ah signed up," Molli replied, muscle memory returning with each stroke. "Ah got singled out'n basic by th'instructor, she made me do all m'swimmin' with one arm, said ah couldn't rely on m'chrome." At the time, Molli found the idea of parting with her cybernetics ludicrous, but it only took one mission--her first--to make the soldier realize how wise that instructor had been. "...Kinna glad she put me through that."
"Ah, now I'm no better than a basic instructor! It is worth the challenge, though," Hoshi said, floating to her back after a wave had passed under her. Looking up at the stars, she admitted, "I'm happy she put you through it, too. You've been through a lot since boarding my ship. I'm happy you were well-prepared for it all, Miss Momo."
The more she swam, the more the dull ache in Molli's shoulder gave her pause. It was better than the night after the mission, but relying on it alone was starting to push things. "Well-prepared? Ahunno 'bout that; hard to prepare fer th'stuff we seen. Only reason ah'm here is cause've everyone else," Molli said as she leaned back to float and give her arm some rest.
"Everyone can say the same about you," Hoshi replied as she looked over to look at Molli. The Nepleslian was lit by the moon but only filled half of Hoshi's vision as the other half was underwater. She looked back to the stars and recalled how on Urtullan, Molli had gotten hurt and, though she was healed enough for training, it still gave Hoshi a twinge of concern in her stomach to worry about her.
Hoshi finally said, "It's not easy to prepare for what Kaiyō will face. I was staggeringly out of my depths when I came aboard. Part of me thought it was some kind of promotional prank; going to the Kuvexian front as a sole starship while transporting Ketsurui Yui's youngest daughter? Captaining such, no less?
"It didn't feel like something feasible, but it's now the only posting I think would fully satisfy me." Hoshi continued to diatribe, "Whatever I was capable of before, that had to grow ten sizes bigger and then some. But sometimes when you expand what you can do like that, there are growing pains. I'm sorry you've been hit by them harder than most, but I do hope they're doing the same for you that they did for me."
"Just to tack on a little bit, I don't think I've felt well-prepared anytime. I mean, I'm basically a fresh graduate, and I get posted on the Kaiyō right away! I feel way out of my depth." the Lorrfolk laughed. "Luckily, we've got a solid crew."
William looked over to Isuke. "You know, if you do ever want to get a replacement for your eye, I have a doctor in mind. She does all mine." He said, tapping the side of his head and causing his eyes to glow gold for a moment. "And you aren't the only ones to feel like that. Everyone does their first few times out. I was literally a civilian when I came aboard, and still managed to get roped into combat deployments. Though I kinda forced Eden and Hoshi into letting me." He added with a soft chuckle. Turning to Hoshi he asked "I was a pain in the ass wasn't I?"
"Come to think of it, I was basically a runaway and a street urchin from a certain point of view growing up... never would've thought I'd actually end up where I am now based on that. Life can certainly lead you to some interesting places, huh?"
The ID-SOL let out a another laugh. "You're telling me. I was an orphan who was adopted by a samurai, then said samurai becomes the bodyguard to a princess, who got posted to the Kaiyo. And this guys got to tag along for the ride." William summarized. "Then it comes out that I'm the current Sky Marshal's long lost son. Life definitely likes to throw in curveballs."
"Now imagine captaining while a guy like that is on board," Hoshi laughed and kicked water towards William. "And you can see where half my headaches came from. You did help me learn how to lift a little red tape, William. An undeniably useful lesson for our role, so in the end it worked out."
William covered the bottle as Hoshi kicked water at him. "Yes, yes, I was and still am a pain. But you love me so it's fine." He replied, smiling like a mischievous sibling. "I'm glad you were able to learn something from me." He added, cheekily.
"Hard not to," Hoshi said, smiling up at the stars still. "To both learning and loving. Guess that's just how it is."
Listening to the veterans speaking, Sif understood just how deep their histories were, so it was no wonder they worked so well together. And she couldn't help but liken William's story to a romance fantasy. All that was left was to learn that he's developed a lovey-dovey relationship that secures some long-term alliance. Though she'd never voice it out, it was enough to root for that outcome, even if its just a flight of fancy.
William's extensive series of happy accidents and surprising revelations made Molli quirk an eyebrow in disbelief, "Y'got more drama than a soap," was her single, snipped response.
"It kind of does feel like something that would fit in a soap, huh?" Isuke paused and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Don't think I could compete with that... come to think of it, have I ever talked a lot about my past? Although, it may reflect poorly on me."
"Ent sure. Y'won't offend me a whit, though," Molli had seen too much to feel like the judgmental sort, "...Prolly." There were still opportunities to be surprised, if course.
"I'd certainly wager you haven't shared enough," Hoshi said before quickly dunking underwater for a spare moment. She surfaced rewettened and with a big smile that caught the light of the pale moonlight.
"Well, I can at least give the short version for now. So, let's see... ran away from Hell and I ended up getting picked up by some On'nin Ikemen after that. Spent a lot of time working with them - a pretty unique bunch, that's for sure. Probably what got me interested in the Star Army though." Isuke laughed as she recalled some memories. "Of course, I ended up having to leave them as a result. Then I did bodyguard work, and ended up working for a Senator, if you can believe it."
"...Hell's real?" Molli was prepared for Isuke to smile and admit she was joking, or that she lived in a place so awful that calling it hell was apt. But that moment hadn't come yet.
"I doesn't look nearly as impressive as it sounds. Since it's underground and all..."
"Don't know which I'd rather avoid, Heaven or Hell," Hoshi said amusedly. "There are some underground portions of Yamatai rarely talked about, Momo. Maybe we'll take you exploring sometime. Isuke can be our tour guide. That is, if she feels like it. Somewhere has to be pretty bad to choose the Ikemen over it."
The Lorrfolk chuckled. "I'm probably biased, but I don't find the Ikemen all that bad. Strangest bunch of Star Army fans you'll ever see, that's for sure.", she craned her neck to look up at the sky. "And hm, I suppose I could. They probably won't bother me a lot. Hell is kind of... traditional. In the bad sort of way? Perhaps old-fashion is more appropriate..."
"I can catch where you're going," Hoshi mused as she looked over to Molli, recalling their conversation with Ketsurui Yui. "Coming across that a bit more lately everywhere."
"Ikemen?" Molli's eyebrows rose, "Wuzzat? Aliens? They unnergroun'? Ah wouldn' mind explorin' more'a Yam-oh-tai wot's unnergroun'!"
"Yeah," Hoshi nodded. "It's the latter. They're a grey area because they're very pro-Yamatai, but they'd also sell my body on the black market or in Nepleslia to be ST'd into by the highest bidder if they got the chance. I don't know how we'd explore the underground. Well, I don't know how I would. Isuke could certainly show you around, but I had my face plastered on enough news shows during the Kuvexian war that I'm too well known to run in Ikemen crowds without being noticed. It's the type of excursion I'd want to chaperone but just couldn't, nor could Aiko. You'd have to find your own way with that, though I'm sure Isuke wouldn't mind spotting you."
"Ah'm not sure ah wanna be around people like that," Molli shivered from Hoshi's description of who the Ikemen were, and what they'd do to them. "They sound like peelers..."
Isuke couldn't help but grimace slightly, but she was understandably, a bit biased in her viewpoint.
"I can't entirely say she's wrong. I'm sure some others would want to hear all about your exploits! But, well...", she sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "They do a lot of good on the local level as well. They have perfectly non-grey, legal things as well! If you're into like, pachinko, for example...?"
"Ent a gambler. Knew a fella wot lost 'is kidneys t'loaners, lost m'stomach fer it afta that."
"I bet, as someone that worked for the Ikemen, that Isuke could tell you that they even pass along information to other organizations. If there's ever an opportunity to work more closely..." Hoshi struggled to find the right words. "To work among them, I won't pass on it. Not with Isuke's experience or your curiosity, Momo."
"I don't mean to treat your tenure in the Star Army as an enrichment experience, but learning of every facet of Yamatai interests me as much as it does you. Nor yours, Isu, as some convenient resource to rub elbows with powerful people. If that's how it happens, shikata ga nai." Hoshi finished with a Yamataigo phrase about how it couldn't be helped.
Sif had very minimal knowledge outside of what was put in her brain at the moment she was made, and while there were opportunities to perhaps learn more, the lack of guidance and the abundance of what some may call distractions, had put her attention elsewhere. But now she had absorbed some more information from her fellow crewmembers, neatly stored away, linked and likened to various literary tropes that perhaps only made sense to her, and perhaps other avid readers.
As the most junior that was currently present, she found everything enthralling. As she was lazily floating on her back, body bobbing with the waves, Sif's ears left nothing unheard even as her mind wandered, trying to create an image for the Ikemen. "Would you describe Ikemen more like gangsters, or rogues?" she asked as her form drifted towards Isuke. "While gangsters are usually seen in a negative light as nothing but troublemakers, its not necessarily accurate either since they could easily just be some kind of shadow government. And with rogues... hm... they're kind of the same now that I think about it, only I suppose they're usually written like a looser grouping and don't really have as much negativity attributed to them."
Sif's brow furrowed as a stream of consciousness attempted to differentiate and liken the two, making her begin to speak more in mumbles as she started to drift past Isuke. "Gangsters also have businesses that act like fronts... but then rogues do tend to hang around businesses too... though I suppose that's more of a gathering spot than a front..."
"It probably really depends on who you ask, and the situation. I don't think it's a very clear-cut thing, really. I might know how they are, after a fashion, but ultimately, I wasn't all that important in the grand scheme. Just without them, well... who knows how a young Lorrfolk running around on her own could've turned out, eh?"
"Who's to say," Sif said, partially still wandering in her own mind. "The butterfly effect is chaotic. Maybe you'd be worse off, or you marry into high-society after a chance meeting with an estranged offspring of a dying baron who inherits the whole estate," the neko chuckled. "Whatever the case, I can say I'm glad I got to meet you in this world line."
"That seems a little idealized," Hoshi laughed. "But then again, I wouldn't expect anything less than a romanticized ideal from you, Siffy. But I am glad with the path Isuke's wild ride took. Led her to us. A lot of you came to be on this ship by way of the road less traveled. It means you've got the different perspectives that lend to a more holistic view of how the whole sector operates, not just the insular one of the Star Army or the Nekovalkryja perspective."
"Ah wouldn' mind marryin' some rich berk 'n sittin' on a beach fer th'rest of m'life," was all Molli had to contribute to the ruminations. "All of ya could live in m'mansion!" she added with a toothy grin.
"Until then," Hoshi said as she lifted her hand and made a wide spreading motion to encompass all around them. As she floated below the stars in the warm, tropical waters she felt a joy continue to swell in her heart knowing that the new crew had found a place amongst the old but also amongst themselves. Whether it be on the beaches of Koukotsu, forests of Tami, or Molli's future mansion, they had always been able to find ways to enjoy a little R&R as a crew. And for that, the Kaiyo captain was thankful.
- OOC Notes
- JP by Krisslanza, Nameless, Gles, and Gunhand
