Listening to Shinra's explanation, Astraea smiled and nodded, a look of recognition crossing her face as he mentioned a woman who couldn't eat a devil fruit because of her body. She'd wait patiently as he began to eat, taking a moment to begin her own meal, both of their faces lighting up in unison at the flavor. "It is!" Her eyes sparkled with delight and she continued chowing down, doing her best to savor the flavor and not eat too fast despite how hungry she was. Tilting her head she admired the small mirror he created for a moment, chuckling at his explanation of a Devil Fruit's taste and brushing some crumbs from her hands. "Aha, I've heard that before! Gal-" The woman's face fell suddenly as she cut herself off, a sour taste in her mouth and a knot in her stomach. Dammit, she didn't want to think about that b*****d right now. Looking away, the young woman sighed and tried to continue as she had been as if nothing was bothering her. "Well, my body won't accept those things either, so I'll take your word for it and just eat this instead." Holding up the second pastry she'd force a smile, movement from the mirror catching her attention. Her reflection was waving at her, and as polite as it was there was something deeply unnerving about it. Something about... Looking at herself? Reflecting..? Astraea looked away, face a little pale. ".. I think I'm going to turn in for the night.. Good work today, Shinra.." Patting the young man on the shoulder, she'd stand and make her way back to the ship.
Hoaknoton Town...
Since their time out on the seas was quite calm, Astraea was taking time to rest, curled up and napping contently while she could. There was no point in working herself to exhaustion when there was not much to do at the moment. Training was important of course, and she had to rebuild her muscles and skills after everything that had happened to her, but pushing herself needlessly would leave her useless when she was actually needed. As she dozed, she seemed to recall an old memory though the images in her mind were fuzzy and the dialogue seemed far away.
"... not a monster, Ran." She sat next to her old friend, their feet dangling over the edge of the docks they sat on, creating ripples in the water every time they shifted. If he had a reply to her words she didn't hear it or simply couldn't remember it. The faint sound of static drowned out details she had perhaps once been able to recall. "Come swim with me! I'll show you how beautiful and calm the world can be." As her body dropped down into the water, the dream was severed with loud banging at her door. Opening her eyes, Astraea blinked away tears to clear her blurry vision, wiping her face and sighing.
"Chore girl! We have another assignment!"
Chore girl?! As the lingering sadness her dream had caused faded, the young woman's eyes gleamed. Did newer Marines not receive history lessons when they joined?! Didn't they know who she was?! "Show some respect!" Flinging open the door, the woman ran and leaped into the air, planting both feet into the poor man's back, dropping him to the ground and standing on top of him triumphantly with her arms crossed over her chest. Just because her body was weakened and she needed to start over didn't mean she would be spoken to in such a manner even if that was her current rank!
Stepping off the confused man she'd huff and then help him up, brushing him off before patting him on the back. "Read a history book sometime! And make sure you put on sunscreen before we dock!" Her poor 'superior' could do nothing but stare, suddenly standing at attention and saluting. 'Y-Yes, ma'am!" And with that he scurried off to do just that. After they docked and everyone was prepared, they would unload, and Astraea moved to stand by Shinra as they walked through. "Stay sharp. This place doesn't have the best reputation, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do a proper job."
[ This one would definitely be a doozy. Shinra’s iris shift over to take in Astraea’s form as she stands by his side, before going back to focus on the stars. After closing his eyes for a few seconds, he sits himself up. His right arm rests over his propped knee while his other hand helps in keep him seated up. “I’ll go ahead and say it now, but nobody go and do anything rash. This place is bad news.” After finishing his warning, he stands up and dusts off the back of his pants. After sliding his hands into his pockets, he heads down the gangplank and up the docks. Before the group can even get onto the island properly however, a faint call for help gruesomely rings high. Everyone looks around for a moment or two before one of the Chore boys finds the source of the voice. I girl, mostly stuck beneath rubble, holds out a hand in desperation.
By just looking you can see the final vestiges of her strength fading, and her eyes fighting to stay open. She doesn’t have much time. Nearly all of the soldiers rush over to try and secure the girl, but Shinra remains stationed. He feels something off about this whole thing, and looks around at the scene of the scenario firmly. A child covered by rubble, from careful observation, adult sized bodies are strewn about carelessly… and there are signs of a brutal confrontation all over the place. Weapons remain spread and littered every which way, and the scent of blood still lingers in the air. More and more his eyes shift, a growing worry building in his chest. His heartbeat speeds up, and his breathing goes ragged. This is bad. Finally, his eyes fall to his feet. He notices blood beneath his shoe, and kneels down. With a single finger, he touches upon it, and instantly his eyes widen. “...It’s fresh.” In a panic, he turns to Astraea and dives at her. “EVERYONE TAKE COVER!” he roars out as a large mirror appears before he and Astraea.
In that exact instance, a rain of bullets tear at the area, taking out numerous other rookies, and even some of the higher ranks. Though most managed to find cover at the last moment. Eventually the firing ceases, and for a moment, there is silence. An eerie silence unlike anything before. It’s a quiet that one dreads on the battlefield; The Phobia Hymn. When it’s too quiet, and you can’t tell where the enemy might be, their numbers, and how geared they are. A dread of not knowing. Shinra gets up from Astraea, assuming she hadn’t already moved up herself, and holds onto his shoulder. A red liquid seeps down where his shirt, and subsequently, flesh was punctured by a bullet. He sits against his mirror, looking over to the side in an attempt to see the enemy’s location. However, before they can properly ascertain their situation, one of the men by the small girl’s side screams out on pain. Shinra’s eyes shoot over to him, and once more widen at the sight before him.
The girl is effortlessly holding the man up by his neck in such an unordinary manner. It’s nearly unnerving, but Shinra manages to calm his nerves with a quick exhale. He looks at the girl once more, noticing something strange. “Are those...strings?”
“Haha! And now, you see?! Not even the mighty Marines can handle this deception! It’s priceless! Now, if you all don’t mind, could you too quickly die?” a voice rings out from the distance, emanating from the confines of the mist further along the docks.
The man walks forward, holding what appears to be a marionette's tool. As he motions it about, several of the fallen Marine, the dead bodies from before, and the child all begin moving around empty and lifeless like puppets. Even their joints appear fake and detachable like a toy. The Mirror covering Shinra, having finally given way from all the bullets it took, crumbles into a dust and blows away with the wind. “What have you done to the people of this island?!” one of the commanders roars out in frustration. She looks over to her fellow Marine being lifted and forced to move like dolls and has to bite her lip in order to fight back the tears formed from frustration. “We came to help you, so what the hell is this?!” she once more screams. The man, clearly confused by her words, lifts a hand to his chest as if offended. After which he holds up a finger, wagging it back and forth.
“Oh, no no, my dear Dove. I have only come to collect the spoils of war. For you see, I have killed no one. I just collect. These ones were simply killed in this island’s meaningless squabbles. And once they die, I collect. That is why…” He holds out both hands, lowering his head just enough to see the sheer madness in his glare. “...I cannot have you people interfering.” ]
[ Restoration x Reimbursement - 2,085 / 1,500 ]
a.renee.w
North Lotus Vice Captain
Versatile Genius
Offline
a.renee.w Crew
Devoted Seeker
Offline
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:40 pm
XXX Wishful hope for this island to have changed in her absence didn't mean Astraea was any less guarded. For years before Galand had turned on them she'd served the Marines, and she knew by now how important it was to trust her gut instinct. That's why as they came down the gangplank and heard the young girl's screaming the young woman didn't immediately react besides an involuntary step forward. She couldn't help but want to rush in, wanting nothing more than to free the child from what would soon be her coffin, but she forced herself to remain steady. She'd certainly earned a few scars of the years that had taught her why it was important to take in the full scope of a situation before acting. She regulated her breathing the best she could, focusing on making her breaths slow and deep as she glanced around, eyes jumping from the fallen bodies, to the girl and the men surrounding her, to the otherwise empty clearing.
Even though it looked as if whatever had caused this was gone, goosebumps rose on the back of Astraea's neck. Something bad was definitely still here, and it seemed as if the entire island was holding its breath, waiting for the impending doom. As Shinra spoke she turned her attention to him and the blood on his finger, slick and shiny in the light of the moon.
A moment later she hit the floor as Shinra tackled her down, the duo only saved as he formed a mirror in front of them to shield them from the bullets. Raea stayed as she was until the fire ceased, hardly daring to breathe as the same horrible silence overtakes the battlefield. Considering how many bullets had been sprayed, her immediate guess was that there would be more than one enemy and as Shinra sat up she did the same. Glancing over at him for a moment the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, an indication that she might have smiled at him were she not so tense. "Thanks. I think --" Before she could continue she noticed the blood seeping between his fingers, eyes widening with a dawning look of horror at first and then anger. "Shinra..." Abruptly, she grabs the fabric of his sleeve, giving it a hard tug and tearing it at the seam. "Forgive me. I'm not a doctor, but I can stop the bleeding. Bear with me.. This will hurt." The young woman's eyes were sharply focused on the exposed wound as she tore what used to be her partner's sleeve into ribbons of fabric, pausing just a moment. She hated having to do this. Breathing out sharply she pressed the pieces of fabric as deep into the bullet hole as possible, stuffing the wound until it was completely packed.
"I promise that the meal I owe you will be the best food you've ever tasted in your life." No matter how he'd reacted to her treatment it was something that had to be done and as soon as she was finished her eyes returned to the battlefield. By now a nearby scream had captured everyone's attention, and Astraea turned to see the girl she had once been so concerned about holding a man up by his neck with ease despite the size difference. Strings? Looking closer it was clear Shinra was correct. The girl had strings around her body and limbs. And now that she was looking for abnormalities, Raea could see that her limbs seemed segmented like.. ".. a puppet?" As a voice echoed throughout the clearing, she scowled and impatiently listened to the man's gloating. It certainly wasn't the first time she'd seen someone lure Marines into a trap by playing against their sense of duty or benevolence, and it rightfully boiled her blood every time. Her own thoughts mirrored that of the Commanders but she stayed silent, watching with disgust as the bodies moved and swayed to his commands, mortified at the very idea that he was able to control the dead in such a way.
It was clear from the position they were in that rushing out to face the man head on wasn't going to work. "Hey.. If I hold his attention would you be able to hit him? Toss a mirror at him or.. come up behind him to get him? I'll make sure your path is clear." She'd look over at him for a confirmation before nodding, reaching behind her to remove what seemed to be a simple baton. She twirled it deftly between her fingers, grinning at Shinra though it was clear no humor reached her eyes. "Mirage Tempo." Slowly as she spun her weapon her form faded and it seemed as if Astraea completely vanished from existence. A moment later she appeared once more, alone in the clearing waving her baton high in the sky back and forth. "Excuse me! I was just wondering if--!" A moment later she staggered back as one of the puppeted Marine's lunged forward and slashed her across her chest. For a couple of seconds it seemed as if she had truly been cut down before her form blurred and faded.
Once more Raea popped up, this time far more to the right of the man and his puppets. "Now that was rude. I'm simply trying to have a conversat-" Again she was attacked, the man simply flicking his wrist to move his puppets to destroy her and again she would pop up in a different location, this time laughing with her legs crossed on a ledge. "What's the matter?! Are you getting mad?! Do you feel angry?!" Her words had a forced playfulness, her own fury seeping through as she toyed with her opponent. Shinra had gotten injured. Her fellow Marines had been killed. Unforgivable. After her words had been spoken a bullet pierced through her skull, dissipating her once more.
"Enough, woman! Stop acting as a coward and face me for real!"
"And who am I to deny such an earnest request?!" It was with this she would materialize again, directly behind her opponent, her Clima-Tact in one hand, a myriad of strings wrapped around the sword she held in the other. As the man spun around, manipulating the marionette's tool to react, Astraea flicked her wrist to slice through the strings she had gathered. Immediately several of the "puppets" dropped to the ground, though she hadn't managed to stop them all as she'd been weaving her way around. She wanted to finish this as quickly as possible considering their location. "SHINRA!" Giving a hard kick to the man's chest, she yelled out the cue for her partner to engage. Hopefully he'd understand her passing on the main threat for the moment while she charged her technique and dealt with the puppets coming her way.
Spinning her baton and thrusting it skyward, a handful of small blue and red orbs shooting from her weapon into the sky above, creating a large black cloud that kept expanding outward. She did her best to dodge the attacks that came her way, but while she waited for the weather condition she needed she wound up with a few cuts and bruises. Right as it seemed she was going to be overwhelmed she whipped the baton down toward the ground, gold eyes glimmering, another grin on her face. "Thunderbolt Tempo!" With the motion and her words bolts of lightning would shoot down from her cloud to shock those around her - excluding her partner of course.
What a girl would give for some decent sleep once in a while!
Evelyn's eyes shot open at the sound of gunshots and she shot upwards from the bed that she had "borrowed." She groaned and clenched her fists, whoever woke her up would pay very dearly. It had been approximately three months since she'd been stranded on the outskirts of Hoaknoton Town. Her boat suffered irreparable damage thanks to the tide and given the state of the town itself, there was no one to help. Not that she bothered to ask anyway. Evelyn had been working nonstop for the last few months and figured that a tiny break couldn't hurt. At the same time, she would much rather be sailing the seas than stuck in the midst of a battlefield.
She slid her legs off the bed, slipping on her shoes and lacing them up. More sounds echoed in the distance as she walked into what could be considered a kitchen in the small house she currently inhabited. Rummaging through the cabinets, her mood was not improving one bit. Food stores were very low and she hadn't been able to cook a magnificent cuisine in a while. Another missing benefit of her job. Sighing, she scratched her head and thought long and hard.
"Mmmm, I have no choice but to go outside now....." The marine grumbled, as she stuffed her bag with what little she had and donned her favorite coat, one that normally wasn't allowed according to Marine laws, but was more comfortable than what they had her wear before. "Those noises mean that there's gotta be people around. Probably the unsavory type, but I haven't got a choice, now do I?" She slung her bag over her shoulder and opened the door, revealing a desolate landscape.
The remains of trees, scattered about the land as any trace of life that may have resided within the area was eradicated and swept away by the wind. A breeze swept past and carried more debris and dust into the air as Evelyn ventured into town. Passing the gate, she looked around at the destruction. A wave of anger surged through her as she trekked through the ravaged town. Piles and piles of bodies littered the streets, not even a single person left to provide them a proper burial. Evelyn slammed her fist against the wall of what might have been a shop and gritted her teeth. Even though this wasn't her first time seeing it, it always pissed her off. To see the sheer cruelty of people at work and to think that they got away with it! It was stuff like this that really pushed her buttons and caused her emotions to bubble over.
Several minutes passed as she reached a small, empty clearing. The gunshots sounds had receded by now and instead, there appeared to be a freak storm gathering above a point in the town. As Evelyn stared up at the strange occurrence, she squinted, "What is going on over there?" Scouting for higher ground, she climbed up a couple of buildings to see below here was a large group of Marines, most of them appeared to be either unconscious or dead. It was hard to tell considering the height difference and all she could make out was that one person was holding a Clima-Tact.
"That explains the freak storm," Evelyn noted as she continued to survey the area. Lightning shot from the sky and latched onto its targets. Multiple targets at that. Each one dropping like flies. Evelyn's eyes widened in surprise, she'd never seen a Clima-Tact in action before like that. She only knew one person who used one. Could it be? The young woman got a little antsy, "Calm down, Eve. You don't know for sure. Just keep cool." Breathing in and out deeply, Evelyn set her bag down and pulled out its contents. She slid on a pair of gloves, fitted her badge onto the arm of her jacket and safely secured her Den Den Mushi. In the case that it wasn't who she hoped it was, she at least could identify herself and maybe find a way out of here. The sound of footsteps entered her hearing range and she quickly tilted her down to notice a sniper posting themselves on top of a building below her. In that quick moment, she did something that many chore girls in her position wouldn't do.
Evelyn took a couple steps back and got a running start as she dived off the top of her building. The wind caressed her skin as she descended gracefully towards her target. She began spinning like a bullet and pulled herself into a comfortable position, lifting her right leg as she spun. Warmth spread about her calf, progressively growing hotter and hotter until flames began to dance wildly off of it. With a large grin painted on her face, Evelyn shouted at the top of her lungs and with all her heart.
"「Diable Jambe: Hawk Shot」!!!"
Her right leg shot out and found its mark right on the back of the sniper before they had a chance to even react to her sudden appearance. Using the body of the sniper as a springboard, Evelyn jumped off backflipping onto the very same building as her target and readied another kick. The sniper was now in the air, having been sent off the edge by Evelyn's initial attack. The flames on her right leg, dispersed and she cartwheeled forward, launching herself above the sniper in a ball. This time, she planted both her feet into the same spot on the snipers back and flames sparked to life on impact.
"「Diable Jambe: Cannon」!!!"
Screams escaped the lips of the marksman as they both crashed into the ground below them, kicking up a cloud of dust. Coughing, Evelyn straightened herself up from the crash, waving away the dust clouds and brushed herself off. Looking down, she winced and stepped off of the sniper, "Sorry pal, I was in a mood. But you had it coming, trust me." In response, he groaned and Evelyn turned to see a blonde haired fish-woman standing with a Clima-Tact in hand.
For the first time in months, Evelyn's mood had changed for the better.
"A-Astrea!" She shouted as tears welled up in her eyes and she embraced the woman.
Word Count: N/A OOC: Three months...oof...that's a lot of time
[ It hurts. A surge of pain rushes up and down Shinra’s left side as he grips it firmly. A warm red liquid seeps down between his fingers, and along the length of his arm. He was shot earlier, but for good reason. Maybe it would have hit, or maybe it wouldn’t have, but even now he doesn’t regret covering for Astraea. Unlike him, she’s still useful in times like this. For example. The man winces as she tends to his wound, clenching his teeth at the sudden jolt of pain shooting through the stuffed bullet hole. “Sorry about...that.” he groans, his words clearly shaken between his light pants. After getting a chance to collect his breath, Shinra watches for the man from behind a broken structure of ruble, turning his gaze over to the child from before after attention is brought to her. He eyes the strangely moving child up and down, noticing the toy-like sectioned of appendages. It’s like she could be dismantled and placed back together just as easily. Did something happen to her, or was she always like this.
With so many questions piling on, Shinra can only focus on the voice resonating from what can be presumed as the main target. In the end, it comes down to Astraea taking lead with a plan. For Shinra, he can only think about how experienced she seems to be--for a rookie and all. But it isn’t out of jealousy. No, rather, he’s proud. He made the right decision, following her. With a huff, he lightly nods to her request. “If it’s following up, I can handle it. Count on me.” he replies. His eyes close, and the sounds of battle start to fade out. All that there is, is his heartbeat. One beat, two, three, four… A small mirror is crafted to his side as he notices what appears to be Astraea approaching the man. He waits for her distraction calmly before seeing her struck down. In that moment, he body winces, as if he wanted to go out there and help. But...the woman’s form all but vanishes?! With widened eyes, it finally hits him. This is the distraction!
With nothing else to stop him, the mirror floats before him and expands, revealing his own reflection. One he never wanted to see again, and the reason he never turns his mirror to himself. But seeing no other chance to reach the target, he holds up and hand, and upon touching the surface of the construct, enters within. It’s as if he entered into a whole other world, and truth be told, he did. The Reflection World, or Mirror World. In this place, Shinra takes on a form he never wanted access to again. A look he, deep within his own heart, sees himself as. Such, is the curse of his fruit. With eight legs, he rushes forward along the ground. For everyone else, it’d seem as though the man had simply vanished, but in his reflected world, he’s upside down to them, rushing forward to the position of the man.
“A-Are you mad, woman?! You’ve broken my hold over them! How dare you! How many days do you think it took to collect these toys! I’ll kill yooooou!” he shouts through anger. Yet his words are silenced as a pillar of lightning strikes down upon he and his puppets. Dust settles, and all that remains of the enemy forces are charred puppets stacked atop one another. On their faces, you can see the agony and tears from the last of their humanity. One by one they drop off the pile, defeated by Astraea’s attack. Finally from the fallen toys groggily stands the man. His attire singed, and his body burnt in various places. He stares at the woman before him lividly. He sacrificed all of those bodies in order to secure his own. “R-Regret...the day you...came to this...MY island…” In pain does his hands raise. He tries to call for his sniper. To have it shoot down the Marine without her having any awareness of it. But, it never answers. And in his confusion, a large mirror opens up.
The man’s body feels a terrible chill run up his spine. At first, he can only look Astraea in the eyes, hoping that there is nothing behind his back, but slowly he begins to turn his head. To look over his shoulder. What he sees makes his body go limp. He arms drop, and his legs give out on him. This creature exposed in the reflection can only be described as a monster. Enough so that the man’s will was stripped of him. “Please...no…Th-They never said...I would have to deal with monsters…” he whispers out, just loud of enough for those around him to hear. He turns to Astraea and holds out a hand in tears, begging. “PLEASE! I DON’T WANT TO DIE! YOU’RE A MARINE, RIGHT?! SAVE ME! I BEG OF YOU!” His voice resounds. The inhuman arms creep outward and around the man, clamping around him in the form of an X. From it, a voice resounds cruelly.
“You do not get to beg for life. What you’ve done...cannot be forgiven.” And with that, he’s snatched into the mirror world, and the mirror ceases to reflect.
After a few moments, Shinra steps out of it, and the man is left lying on the ground in shock. Enough so that foam is seeping from his mouth, but he’s definitely alive. Finally out of the other world, the marine drops to a knee as his wound causes him a bit of pain from all the moving he did. “Well done, Astraea...and, you.” he says, turning his gaze over to the other woman. In the background, some of the other marine are finally bringing themselves to wake. Those that survived the puppets attacks anyways. ]
a.renee.w
CrspyDonut
Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:07 pm
XXX It didn't bring her joy to desecrate the bodies on her fallen comrades and those who had been claimed by the man before her, but it had to be done. At least in this way now, they were free. Spinning her Clima-Tact, Astraea turned her eyes to the only remaining opponent, tensing when she saw him raise his hand, taking a couple of seconds to look around. It was a fairly universal sign, one that she had seen several times on the battlefield, and it usually meant backup was coming. As the seconds ticked by, it became apparent to both of them that whatever he was signaling for was not going to arrive. And in the distance, Raea could have sworn she heard familiar battle cries... Unfortunately, that was something the Marine would have to investigate later. Turning her full attention back to him with a slight smirk, she watched as Shinra's mirror opened behind him. The man's horror was understandable, considering her partner's reflection seemed anything but human; a strange conglomeration of too many legs. Her brow furrowed a little in confusion at the appearance, surprised but unafraid because she trusted Shinra. "The only monster here is you." It was only as the man was being pulled into the mirror that she froze.
“PLEASE! I DON’T WANT TO DIE! YOU’RE A MARINE, RIGHT?! SAVE ME! I BEG OF YOU!”
Why did that seem so... f̡͓̟͎͙̖̩͓a̡̜̤̼̪̰̪̦m̭̝̜̯͓͇͢i҉͉̖̣̠̭̩̣l̞̩̺̩̯̩ͅi͙a̳͡r̙?̧̳̫̻̞̜
And like a broken record attempting to play its song, Astraea vaguely recalled the memory. Some unknown place, some unknown time, the images she recalled bright and hard to look at like an overexposed photograph. Before her stood... A woman? At the very least, she was wearing a dress, but it was as if the face had been cut out, a gaping black hole where her features should have been. She was clutching her shoulder, blood dripping down her arm and onto the ground below. "WHY ARE THE MARINES WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING THE PEOPLE KILLING THEM INSTEAD?!" "W̰̼̫Y̲͙̱͚̻̳͢H̖͎ ̮͓̻̯R҉̳ͅA̠͝E͚͎͎̘̳͟ͅ ̧͚̖̻͇̺͙͖H҉͓̪̺̮̣T̗͔̥̥̲͈E̫͖͚̮͔̹ ҉̱I͘M̶̥̗͎A̗̲̫̼͍͓͡R̞N̩̙͔S̗͚͞E̺̳͟ͅ ͇̦̫͉O̷̰̭̩ͅW҉͈͈H̞ͅ ̦͙́A̻̱͇̥̭̥E̸R̭̲̳̰͚ ̦̜̮̰̀Ṣ̬̮̞̞͓̟O̱͍̻͈U͔̭̞̣̤͖̰P̠E͎͙̼͞P͍̥SD̶̩͉ ̳̪͓͇T̟͓̯͢O͞ ̤̘̥͟E̲̖̦̟̠͚͇B̢̮͍͙͇̯͉̰ ̦͠O͉̝͈ͅE̠̝̣͔̪̬̱P̮̲̪̺̦C͖T̶͔̠̖͇̬R̯͎͚̠T̶̺I̦͙̯̰̟͕̯G̭̰͙̯̘N͓̖̦ ̰̻͇̘̩̼͞E̪͓T͈̺͈̼H̲̭̩̫͚͓̩ ̴̗͍̙̪͎͓P̭͔̭̟͠E͖͝E͙̱̜̺̣LO͏͇͉P ̵̲̠̤̻̗̤I͢L̷̞K͕̯͇̹Ń͉̰̙̣Ḽ̗̘̜̮̺͞I̳̭͔̘̘̪G̬̗̲̟̦ͅ ̞̻E͖͇͙̥̞̻H͓̺͉T̨̯͎̻͔̳̮̲M͎̬ ̧̲͈̝̗̳ͅ ̥E̮͓T̛̘̰̗ͅS̷̝͇̱̰A̖̘̦͚̹̲̟I̬̘N̛D̵̦͈̺?̯̠ͅ!̸̫͎̬̹̞̱"
The imagery blurred further as tears stained her vision, the clanking sound of metal in her ears as the sword fell from her hand. Across from her, the woman took a slow, staggering step toward her, holding out her hand in apparent desperation. "PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO HELP US!" "L̘͖͍͖̯PE͍͚͙͚͉È̩͍̬͔A̶S͈̟̩,̤̻͎͖̪͕ ̴͚͍O̻̼̹U̦̫Y ̜̼̫̯̘̲̦E͚͕̥̞̞̜̤AV̝̺̳͔͙͞H̳̦̲͓͕̤̼ ̟͘Ọ̟T̙ ͍̗ͅP̬̣̜̲͖͓̣L̬̩̲̤͢Ḫ̮̟̥́E ̢͍͎̮S҉U̞͎͖!҉̗̖̺̪̰͖̟"
As Astraea fell to her knees, so did the other woman, reaching her arms out to grip the Marine's shoulders tightly. "I... I..."BANG!
Back in the present, Astraea took a step forward, as if considering complying to the mans begging. "W-Wait.." Her normally sharp golden gaze still seemed glossy and far away, unaware of the tears running down her cheeks. There was something about killing - even killing criminals - that just felt so horribly wrong. But... It was alright to kill pirates and those who broke the law, wasn't it? Sometimes it was necessary in order to maintain the peace of the world? Those who dared to harm others and threaten what the World Government had built needed to be purged, right? Right...?
Only after Shinra stepped out of the mirror and she realized that the man they had been battling was still breathing did Astraea seem to snap back to herself. Breathing a sigh of relief, she swallowed the guilt she felt for having even the smallest amount of pity for someone who had destroyed so many lives, turning away from Shinra for a moment to wipe her face. Although she realized that she should be happy in the situation of their victory, she remained pale, and forced the smile on her face when she looked over at her partner again. As she opened her eyes to say something to him, she was met instead with a familiar call, blinking and turning to look at the woman who had called her name. Immediately her face lit up, her strange mood suddenly vanishing as she recognized just who it was that was addressing her. "Eve?! W-Where have you been?! Are you all alone?! What happened?!" She was sent immediately into excessive worry for Evelyn, checking her over for wounds to make sure she was okay.
"Oh! Shinra! You were amazing! I've never seen anything like that!" One arm still around Eve, Astraea suddenly pulled her partner against her as well, giving them both a tight group hug. "I'm so glad you're both okay!" Tears sprung up in her eyes again, this time due to the overwhelming happiness and relief she felt, but she blinked them back, still crushing the poor duo in her embrace. After a few moments she finally released them, looking back and forth between them with a light smile on her face, allowing them to introduce themselves.
「003 STR | 010 PRW | 005 DEF | 005 SPD | 003 STA | 004 VIT」
"Eve?! W-Where have you been?! Are you all alone?! What happened?!"
Evelyn was taken by surprise at Astraea's sudden state of worry. Astraea examined every inch of her for any wounds, something only a mother would do. Which coincidentally was not strange to Evelyn as Astraea was definitely like a mother to her. As a child, when she was enlisted into the Marines, Astraea had been her mentor for the duration of her training until they parted ways on separate assignments. Evelyn wiped the tears from her eyes and waved Astraea off of her.
"I'm fine! I'm fine!" She said laughing, "For the most part that is. I've been stuck in this place for months!" Her arms spread outwards, gesturing towards the entire scenery before them. Listing off the several things that have happened to her, Evelyn clenched her fists in anger, "And worst of all, there was no food, so I couldn't make a decent meal or anything for that matter! I'm going crazy here!"
"I got stronger though! Given my circumstances, I got better at the stuff you taught me and even came up with my own style!"Evelyn slapped her thighs and smiled, "These babies are the product of hard work!" She slid her gloves off and stuffed them into her inner coat pocket. Additionally, she removed her hair tie, letting her dark, ultramarine hair fall below her elbows. "I'm 19 now, but if I recall, the last time we saw one another, I was.....13?"
Astraea then dragged Eve into a tight hug with another person, whom she did not know. He was injured and bleeding quite a bit, or a lot. Either way, this guy needed immediate medical attention.
“Well done, Astraea...and, you.”
The man spoke as he sunk in Astraea's grip. Evelyn cocked her head, "Ara?" She pointed at him, "Doesn't he need medical attention, like immediately?" To her, he looked like he would keel over at any moment. Forgetting herself, Evelyn extended her hand, "Oh! I'm Evelyn! Evelyn Richards, chef extraordinaire. I'm her daughter."
[ It was finally over. With the man’s capture, separating his threads from him, all of the remaining puppets dropped over silently. Their toy like forms slowly returns to normal, and the emptiness of their eyes sets in dutifully. While the trio did manage to stop the conductor, those whom he forced to play to his tune had already moved on to the other world. A brisk rain sets in from the seashore, making its way up to the group; the remaining survivors. With it, Shinra steps down from his reverse world with a hung head. His chest remains tightened, and his eyes showing no particular sign of emotion. No matter what, he wouldn’t shed a tear. He couldn’t. He remains paused for a few moments, not daring to look up at Astraea’s expression. He could only imagine what kind of face she’d be making after seeing the grotesqueness of his true self. But, look up he must. And as he does, slowly yet, does he see the strained stare of his partner, as her opening eyes met his. Her smile...it was fake.
“s**t.”
In the end, the newcomer turned out to be one of Astraea’s acquaintances. The pair seem to have a rather touching reunion. One that Shinra sympathies with wholly. He would only watch, holding his arms to contain his wound. Somehow or another, he finds himself back in the fold. Getting compliments from Astraea wasn’t all too bad, but this time he felt a little off about it. From he way she spoke, he can’t tell if she is being genuine or if she’s only trying to cover up how she truly feels. In the end, he sighs and returns a small smile. “Yeah, well. I’d rather you just forgot what you saw-” Snatched. Before he can finish his statement, he’s dragged into Astraea’s tight grip, pulling him close to the newcomer--who also wound if in this vicegrip. Rather, when did Astraea get this strong?! He starts to feel woozy from her hug, but he’d just let it happen. In times like this, when you’re standing among the bodies of citizens and allies alike, you have to find a happy place. And one of the best sources is from those whom managed to survive alongside you.
Right on queue to Shinra nearing passing out, the new girl chimes in that maybe he should be getting some medical attention. And soon. If they were to look at him, he’d look a lot more pale than usual, his normal bags have grown in power considerably, and his lips look like they’re more dry than Alabasta’s desert. “N-No… I-It’s fine… I’ll just...be taking a quick nap…” he says, as his head comedically tilts to the side. One could maybe even see his soul slipping from his lips. Off the distance however is the call of a familiar voice. Another ship had arrived from nearby bringing with it reinforcements. And at the shore kneeled down due to wounds, is the captain. She looks to the group with the help of some fellow rookies, and nods warmly. ]
a.renee.w
CrspyDonut
North Lotus Vice Captain
Versatile Genius
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a.renee.w Crew
Devoted Seeker
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:20 pm
XXX"M-Months?!" Evelyn had been in this horrible town for months?! By herself?! "What happened?! Why are you all alone?! I told you to always bring someone with you if you're heading out on a mission!" Whereas the first part of her words had been pure concern, her last exclamation was reinforced by grabbing the girl's ear, yanking on it slightly, a pout on her face. Still, her anxiety filled "anger" was shortlived and she stepped back to examine her fellow Marine, smiling and nodding as Eve enthusiastically explained she had become stronger. "Indeed you have. I'm very proud of you, Evelyn." Although she had only been twenty at the time she'd met the young woman, she'd form an immediate protecting and caring relationship with her, trying to foster her and ensure she could protect herself to the best of her abilities. Playfully, she'd always introduced or spoke of her as "her daughter", but she truly did love the woman like family. "You've grown so much." Placing a hand on her head, she ruffled Eve's hair gently, looking at her with a warm, motherly expression.
Even though she had cut the poor man off with her hug, Astraea had heard what he'd been saying. Forget what? Though she was confused, she figured she would simply ask him about it later. Especially since, as Eve pointed out, Shinra was... not looking good. "Ah?!" As he went pale, the translucent appearance of his soul slipping from his lips, Raea would jolt with a surprised yelp, catching him and kneeling down to the ground so he wouldn't fall. "Sh-Shinra?! Hey, hang in there!" Comedically, she'd attempt to push the soul back into his body. "I need a doctor over here!"
Back on the ship...
Astraea sat by the bedside of the sleeping Shinra who had been patched up by someone thankfully more medically inclined than her. There was a moment of sadness and self directed anger she felt, looking at the bandages on his arm. How pathetic was she that she couldn't have protected him? But this wasn't a time for self pity. With the survivors safely back on board, and the reinforcements helping with tending to the deceased, this was a time for relaxation and respite. Looking to Eve, she'd grin, clapping her hands together as the idea popped into her head. "You know... I promised him that I would treat him to the best meal he's ever tasted when we were done. And I know only one person who could deliver such quality." The chef's cooking skills had always been magnificent, and Raea was sure that her talent had only grown, just as her thigh muscles had! "We still have ingredients in our kitchen from when we resupplied. What do you say, are you up for it?"
Of course, if Eve was tired, she wouldn't force her to do anything. Whether or not she leaped at the opportunity to cook, Astraea would stay where she was until Shinra woke up.
North Lotus
CrspyDonut
Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2018 9:31 pm
「003 STR | 010 PRW | 005 DEF | 005 SPD | 003 STA | 004 VIT」
Having finally boarded a ship and preparing to leave, Eve and Astraea managed to get Shinra medical attention and into a nice, warm bed. She, herself, would love to grab a shower and slip into bed. That is until Astraea turned to her with that sweet smile she always used when she wanted something. Not that it was bad in any way. In fact, she enjoyed it, because she was always asked to do things that were enjoyable.
"You know... I promised him that I would treat him to the best meal he's ever tasted when we were done. And I know only one person who could deliver such quality."
AH! YES! This is what she had been waiting for for months! A chance to cook? It had been so long.
"We still have ingredients in our kitchen from when we resupplied. What do you say, are you up for it?"
Eve clenched her fists and hopped up and down in glee. "YES!!!! I have been dying to cook or bake something! Anything!" She exclaimed as she hugged Astraea and sped out of the room and in the direction of the kitchen. Any feeling of fatigue disappeared as she gained a renewed source of energy for the goal of cooking. Evelyn barreled down the hall and into the kitchen, where all the cooks stopped whatever they were doing and stared at her.
"Uh, umm. Excuse me, miss? What are you-"
Evelyn strolled in and lifted a finger up to signal silence respectfully. She fished into her inner coat pocket and pulled out two things: A chef's hat and a hairpin. Wrapping her hair into a bun, Evelyn slid the pin into it and fit the chef's hat on her head. She rested her hands on her hips and cleared her throat.
"Attention, ladies, and gentlemen. The name's Evelyn Richards. For today, I will be commandeering the kitchen at the request of my wonderful mother, Astraea." She looked around at each cook and smiled, "I would appreciate the help of all of you. Please take care of me!" The other cooks, simply stared at one another and shrugged.
Evelyn bowed and rose, proceeding to a workstation and preparing the ingredients. For the next couple of hours, Evelyn impressed her fellow cooks with her skills. Ranging from cutting to actual cooking, Evelyn displayed a level of expert cooking skills. Thanks to the help of the others, she managed to not only complete the pastries but also cooked up several full course meals for the next few days. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she cleaned up and carried several plates of food and some pastries back towards Astraea and Shinra, who should be up by this time.
She opened the door and pushed the cart of food into the room. "Sorry about that, I would have been done sooner, but I ended up cooking for the next few days. So, yeah..." Evelyn picked up a plate for Astraea and one for Shinra, setting them down and placing silverware alongside them.
"I know you'll love it," Evelyn ensured, "Because my abilities as a cook are just as good as my combat skills."
Word Count: OOC: Shinra finally getting real food.
[ It was over, for now. That strange man was apprehended, and help came from the seas. For now, Hoaknoton Town would see relief from its daily struggles and battles, but only for now. Shinra on the other hand, has officially passed out, going slump in Astraea’s embrace. Though he made light of it before fading out, he truly was in danger. With the help of everyone, he was escorted back onto the vessel, and all survivors were provided medical treatment as best as their ships would allow. Now he remains laid out on a bed, patched up and connected to various medical instruments to preserve his life. He did, after all, lose a lot of blood. In his resting place, he dreams a strange dream. Him sitting against a very thin wall of glass, while an inverted version of himself sits on the other.
While he looks more or less normal, yet nude… his other self looks more gruesome and cruel. Spider appendages coming from its back. In this space-like void, shards of glass hover about them in a dance, circling randomly. Each one showing off his memories, both good and bad. But mostly, the bad. “You realize what you’ve done, right…?” the inversion asks almost sympathetically. Shinra merely wraps his arms around his knees and digs his head further into them.
“Yeah.” he replies, almost in a hollow tone.
“She’ll never trust us again. And, she even found her past friend. We’ll be abandoned soon.” he states, almost sounding sad itself.
“Yeah.” Again, a simple response.
“Should we prepare to “forget” them too?” the inversion asks, faintly turning its head as if wanting to look over its shoulder, but cannot.
“...Yeah.” ...
The memories and time he spent with Astraea and the others begin to grey out, losing their initial color and radiance from the glass. His cross shaped iris pulsate an eerie red as he clenches his teeth, but subsequently stops to sigh. Control. Just gotta keep control. In the end, Astraea was a good partner, and he knows she’ll go further and beyond with her talents. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say she may even have past experience. Even without him, she’ll make it. And Evelynn seems incredibly powerful as well. A duo like that...why would they need a monster like him. His fists clench at this thought. If he had it his way, he’d stay with them. He knows there is so much to explore. So much to see. So much good they could do, but just like with all the others, eventually, once they see his true self…
Shinra’s eyes slowly begin to close. His conscious has had enough for now. But, right before they can completely shut tight, a single piece of mirror floats down before him, and with a flash of light, a small child stands there. Shinra’s head rises. He tries to make out the child’s face, but it seems blurred and unrecognizable. Yet her presence causes his heart pain. He lifts up a hand, as if reaching out for her. “Do you want to leave them?” Shinra’s eyes widen to this question. He can’t hear her voice, but it’s as if her words are being etched into his mind. Like he’s heard it before.
“I...I don’t.”
The only recognizable half of the girl’s face, the bottom, smiles warmly. She nods and puts her hands behind her back. “Then go back to them. Don’t break yourself any further than this... You…” Before she can finishes, the strange world starts to crack and break apart. The girl looks to Shinra as he stands, and begins to shine before fading away. But before she does, as the light shrouds Shinra’s body, his body reflects from the mirror behind him. A massive figure stands where the inverse once was. “They’ll hurt us… You know that.” Shinra slowly rubs the back of his head and exhales. His lazy expression slowly returns, and his body goes completely back into slouch mode. “Well, you’re probably right. But, I wanna give them a chance.” With that, the inversion cracks and breaks away with the rest of the world, and all goes white. Back in reality, Shinra’s eyes slowly begin to open, and the light from the ceiling above forces him to cover his face with his good arm.
He lies there, thinking long and hard about what he should do. If he can even face Astraea right now. If she were to make that face again… He shakes his head to ward off the bad thoughts, and struggles to get himself to the edge of the bed. “Let’s give it a shot.” he says under his breath before removing some of the things connected to himself, and moving towards the hallway. The moment he exits the room, an amazing scent captivates him. Enough so that he immediately heads towards the dining deck with no delay. He’d arrive about right as the tables were being set. His eyes focused on the astounding looking meal set out. “You really know how to keep your promises, huh.” he says, looking over to his partner with his usual expression. He’d raise a hand, signaling his return from the near afterlife, and heads over to take a seat. ]
a.renee.w
CrspyDonut
North Lotus Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2018 10:10 pm
XXX Watching Evelyn jump up and down in glee, Astraea chuckled, hugging the young woman with a pat on her back before she dashed out of the room to go find the kitchen. It was nice to have her back in her life again, and more importantly to see that she was doing well despite all the years that had passed. She truly wished she could say the same of her own life; that things were just as bright as they had seemed when she'd first met the flamboyant chef. Considering the things she went through, Raea wasn't even sure she wanted to tell her. Maybe it was better to keep such things to herself. There were more than enough things to worry about, anyway, and she didn't want to add herself to the list. After Eve left, Astraea sat forward with a sigh, bringing her palm to her face, resting her elbow on her knee. Shinra was stable now, but only because they had been lucky with reinforcements. If they hadn't arrived, even her best attempts at stopping the bleeding from his wound might have been futile and he would have died. She'd been the one who had coerced him into joining her in the first place, so why the hell wasn't she the one with a bullet in her arm?
Looking over to Shinra out of the corners of her eyes she felt her stomach churn and tighten with anxiety and fear. She couldn't say she understood all the medical equipment in the room, but she at least knew enough to know that there more there was the worse someone's condition was, and she was not pleased with the number the counted. "I know I'm not technically your superior... But I hope you know you're not allowed to die.. That's definitely an order..." Her words were quieter than usual, as if she were worn out. Even now as she sat she could feel the exhaustion of the battle creeping up on her, and her weariness angered her. How far had she fallen? How long was she going to drag the memory of Eden's Dove through the mud with her pathetic displays? Once she'd been so strong; she'd taken blow after blow and had swung right back until her opponents fell before her. Now? Now she was passing out, and she hadn't even been injured. As she dozed off, her head still propped up in her hand, she recalled when she had been in a similar place, a long time ago...
"Roma! Roma!" Astraea was covered in blood. Her blood. A̧̓̄̃̿͆́̚bͤ́̚t̷̏͆̈́śͯ̄͊ͧͯ͟aͮ́͞oͩ̓ͤͤͮ̀̒͝r̅͊̈ͥ̊҉͏ḃ͐̋͏ blood. And now as she dropped down to her knees beside her fallen comrade: Roma's blood. The other woman's hands were at her side, trying to stem the blood flow spilling from around the axe lodged in her midsection. "You're okay. You're okayyou'reokayyou'reokay." She definitely wasn't, but Astraea didn't know what else to do or say. "Okay, it's okay. I got you." Sliding her arms underneath the other Marine, she'd ignore Roma's agony filled screams and protests as she was moved, grunting as she lifted her up into her arms so she could carry her. She did her best to be calm even though she was anything but. Her heart hammered in her chest, there was a ringing in her ears, her vision growing brighter and brighter with every step she took as if she were about to pass out. All that she knew was that she had to move Roma, and she had to move fast.
With a skip she was somewhere else, Roma's hand tightly grasping her own. The other woman's eyes were tightly squeeze shut, all around them the bustling sound of people moving, opening packages, preparing equipment. "H-Hey, she's going to be okay, right?" As the Doctors gathered around to assess their new patient, someone touched her shoulder. "Ma'am, you need to move so we can do our job." Move? In her panicking state, the order didn't seem to make any sense. Why the hell would she abandon Roma? Her hand tightened on her teammate's her only response a hard shake of her head. "Astraea, seriously, move it. You're wasting time." A familiar grip around her arm -Leona's - tugged her out of the way, but almost immediately she tried to push her way back to her friend's side. "Cut it out! Galand, could you--?" Before Leona could finish her sentence, he'd wrapped an arm around her shoulders, guiding her further from Roma's bedside. "Come on, Raea. Let's--""I-It should have been me.."
Purupurupuru.....
The noise coming from the Den Den Mushi startled her awake and she bolted up in the chair, blinking and taking a brief moment to wipe at her eyes. Silencing Shinra's so it hopefully wouldn't disturb him,she walked out of the room, standing and looking over the ship's edge as she listened to the message with a sigh. Emergency orders for aiding islands near the Grand Line. Ultimately it would be up to whoever was on board with the most superior rank, but she hoped they could at least drop off the wounded at HQ so they could get some proper rest. The chaos of the world truly never seemed to stop.
Wondering how long she'd been asleep, Astraea made her way toward the kitchen, surprised to see Evelyn setting the tables with a large assortment of food. Seeing the sight brought a smile to her face and helped to shake off the melancholy mood her dream had left her in. "There's no need to apologize. It smells wonderful! And I'm sure everyone will be glad to have meals cooked by a proper chef for the next few days." Her words and confidence made her laugh and she nodded, agreeing with her fully. She'd never tasted anything Eve had made and not loved it. "Thank you very much, my dear. I don't know if Shinra's awake yet, b-" And as if on cue the young man arrived, and the Marine looked at him in sheer horror, rushing over to his side looking as though she was very afraid he was going to keel over at any moment. "Why're you out of bed already?! You shouldn't be up and walking around yet, we could have brought the food to you!"
After a few minutes of fussing over him, Raea finally agreed to let Shinra sit at the table instead of returning to his room, heaving a heavy sigh of defeat. Enka. Shinra. Why was the youth of today so stubborn?! Though to his earlier statement she would smile. "Oh, this is kind of cheating. I didn't know I'd run into Evelyn, but she's definitely the best cook I've ever met. Still, it didn't cost me anything, so I'll make sure to get you something else. Maybe a really nice sleeping mask." Grinning at him she'd take a bite of her food, eyes immediately lighting up in splendor. "It's even better than I remember!" Tears comedically swelled in her eyes, the young woman sniffling as she raised a fist as if cheering. "My daughter, you have truly gotten strong!"
North Lotus
CrspyDonut
Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2018 7:39 pm
「003 STR | 010 PRW | 005 DEF | 005 SPD | 003 STA | 004 VIT」
"My daughter, you have truly gotten strong!"
The words rang in Evelyn's ears as she delicately cleaned her silverware and began to eat her meal. She blushed and waved her hand at Astraea, "Oh stop it! I tell you three months can really make a difference." After a couple of minutes of eating and idle chit-chat, her plate was clean, the desserts were polished off and she patted her stomach in a satisfying manner. She was looking forward to hearing Shinra's response to her cooking, but for now, Evelyn's attention turned towards her boots.
She leaned over and unlaced her boots to let her feet breathe. Slipping her boots off, she revealed a set of ankle weights strapped to her legs, undoing each one and letting them drop onto the ground with a loud thud that could be felt through the floorboards of the dining hall. She stretched her toned legs returned to her original, comfortable position, "You know, it never occurred to me that I could still fight despite being a chef? When I was younger, someone once told me, that if I couldn't use my hands then I could always use my legs. Interesting advice to give a child if I don't say so myself. I just can't remember who's advice it was...." She shrugged and reached into her coat pocket, pulling out her Den Den Mushi and setting it on the table. It's very appearance was like a homage to the original, it's shell sporting a tiny coat similar to her own'. She tickled the underside of its chin and made kissy faces at it. "You get cuter and cuter every time I see you!"
Composing herself, Evelyn ran her hand through her hair and cleared her throat, "Got an alert from the Den Den Mushi. Aid requested in the Grand Line, which means that there were probably pirates." She spoke in a more serious and professional tone, one befitting a member of the Marines. "Considering the current state of the crew, I assume that we're going to drop off the ones in need of more urgent care?"
Turning to Shinra, she directed a question to him, "It would take us a while to get to the Grand Line, but I think you should take the time to rest up until we get there. Because I know I'm going to do the same, but I need a bath first, how about you Astraea?"
[ It was refreshing, having Astraea worry over him like normal. She didn’t come off as afraid or disturbed by his presence. Hell, neither did Evelyn. Good. The whole dinner went by really well. Despite the despair of the recent operation, everyone at the table eat lively as ever. Drinking it up, and laughing together… Maybe they could do this precisely because they had all survived that strange event. Shinra scoops up a healthy amount of the soup before him and places it in his mouth. He’d keep it there for some time before lowers his head. It’s hot. So hot… Like a cozy blanket wrapping around his body in the cold. It reminds him of home. “It’s delicious… The best I’ve ever had.” he says lightly. Despite the usual exhaustion in his eyes, it’s like his whole being is being lit up with happiness and good times. Without delay, he’d finish his meal get up from his seat to head over by Evelyn.
He bows gratefully with his arms straight by his side. “Thank you for the meal. It was delicious.” With that done, he starts heading for the door, holding firm to his injured shoulder. He’d only stop when directly addressed by Evelyn, looking over his shoulder to meet her concerns. “Don’t worry. I fully plan to rest from here on.” he says before turning his head back forward with a sigh. “...Well, not like I have a choice. Doctor’s orders.” he comments before walking out and towards the deck. Once outside, he heads over to his usual spot out of the way of the others, and sits against the siding. His head rests back, and his eyes stare up to the sky. One by one, soldiers pass by either preparing for the trip to the Grand Line, or setting up to leave the ship back on base. In the end, the merry crew would be splitting up soon, and those that remain onboard will be embarking on an incredibly dangerous journey.
His right hand releases his shoulder and slides back down to his side, slipping into his pocket where something metallic touches his hand. He shifts it around between his fingers a few times before pulling it out and revealing a strangely designed cross-like charm. He stares at it for quite a few seconds before smiling faintly. “I’m doing just fine on my end. It’s rough, but it isn’t so bad. So, what about you…? Teacher.” With that, his hand would clench, enclosing the charm in its embrace. ]
