Bon Voyage's 14th Anniversary

[Fox]

Happy 14th Anniversary, Bon Voyage!

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Welcome to Bon Voyage’s 14th Anniversary celebration - and our first official event in a long, long while! While the actual day of the anniversary is February 26th, we're giving you all a bit of lead time for this event. To celebrate the occasion, we’re opening up the floor for each of you to write and share a little portion of your character’s history: Make a post below by replying to this thread, and show us how a character of yours celebrates a special anniversary, such as a birthday, wedding, or other significant event in their life. Everyone who participates will receive 100 Account Rebate at the end of the event!

This event will run until February 26th, 11:59 PM CST. After that point, this thread will be locked and new submissions will not be able to be entered. Let’s make this a special occasion!

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[Jade]

The seedy bar was quite unlike her friend's usual haunts when they stopped on an island - quiet and dark, with maybe four other patrons in the establishment who gave the newcomer looking for her friend strange looks. She supposed she was pretty out of place in comparison to this dingy establishment, what with her generally well-kept appearance, but she also had enough confidence not to care too much what some sad locals thought of her.

"Hey Lilin."

She didn't so much as move as Ophelia took a seat beside her, still sitting unusually quietly with a glass of something dark and surprisingly not too foul-smelling sitting on the counter in front of her. Ophelia waited for a few moments to see if her friend would respond - and when it seemed obvious that she wouldn't, she instead turned to the bartender... Or lack thereof. "What's it take to get a drink here...?"

"Tha need something?" Lilin finally asked, finally sitting up proper on her stool though still not looking over to her friend. "Can't say I've seen the poor sod, s'been 'bout... Half hour or so?"

Ophelia folded her hands together. Lilin sipped her drink.

"Hey, um- Happy birthday." Lilin's answer came in the form of draining the still mostly-full glass in one go. "I did tell Sawyer that its, you know... Your birthday. I think they're making a cake. Might be a bit livelier than, uh, here."

Two puffs of smoke shot out of Lilin's nose as she snorted in acknowledgement. "Oh, aye. Probably. 'A lively and entertaining evening atmosphere' ain't exactly this dump's appeal, though." She stood up on her stool and reached an arm across the bar - her arm was clearly too short to reach any of the bottles on display back there, at least until it faded into a silhouette of itself and unnaturally split and extended. When it retracted, it brought along with it a fresh bottle of booze and a fresh glass, which Lilin took with her other hand while the first took on a flesh tone once more. The cork was pulled out with her teeth and spat back onto the floor behind the bar, and then both glasses were filled nearly to the brim, a little bit splashing onto the counter from Lilin's careless pouring. "Here. A drink, on the house."

Ophelia regarded the dark drink cautiously, then took a sip - and resolved not to drink much more of it, even as Lilin nearly chugged her entire glass in one go. "So..."

"So...?"

"Oh, come on Lilin. As if you'd let anyone else spend their birthday like," Ophelia gestured broadly around the bar, "this. No offense." The old, droopy-looking gentleman she had accidentally gestured to raised a hand and made a face that conveyed that he really couldn't argue with what she was saying. "And if you won't let anyone else stop you from doing it, then it's a good thing you've got me. C'mon, let's celebrate!"

Lilin grabbed for the bottle again, only to have Ophelia's hand wrap around her own much thinner one. She glanced up and met the thief's eyes, the only thing separating them aside from the empty air being her own orange-tinted bug-eye shades. Her own eyes narrowed.

"We'll need drinks if we're going to be partying," Ophelia said, with a glance over at the unprotected bar conveying the rest of her suggestion. Lilin's eyes drifted over to the bottles, and then back to her friend's smiling face. A few moments passed before Lilin cracked a sharp-toothed grin of her own.

"Fine, fine - twist my arm, why don't tha..." The imp jumped up onto the bar, her heavy boots thudding on the counter as she landed. "Oi! Old timer! Pick a bottle, any bottle!"

That droopy old man didn't answer - he just sat there, looking confused as Ophelia stepped up onto the counter and then down behind the bar herself. "Uh... That green one, with the dark cork, I guess. Why?"

"'Cause..." The imp's form suddenly shifted, elongating and filling out - she plucked the bottle off the shelf and tossed it over to the man, who fumbled to catch it but just barely managed to keep it from smashing against the floor. "We're clearin' out the rest! If we're celebrating me, then we're doing it right - and this ain't nearly enough booze for the kind of party I'm lookin' for!"

"I did spot a few other bars and restaurants on my way here," Ophelia offered casually, like one might comment on dining options rather than the suggestion to rob even more places blind as she actually was.

The suggestion put a bigger grin on Lilin's face. "Perfect! We'll smash and grab on our way, then! Kashashashasha!"

[Aromancer]

"It's been one year since I left Myriad Island."

Viper Lee sat in the cabin of the ship he'd chartered, arms folded behind his back as he looked up at the swinging lantern on the ceiling.

"Already... I've seen so much. Faced so many powerful opponents. Made so many friends."

He smirked to himself, then grabbed the bag at his side, the one that held all his worldly possessions. He pulled out the little wooden carving that had inspired his current path in life. Most of the paint had worn off, washed away by time and the sea, but the huge cross-sword on it's back made it clear even now who the figurine was meant to be.

"I wonder what Mihawk left behind, to become the world's greatest swordsman..."

Hm.

A sudden thought occurred to the boy. "I guess my birthday happened at some point, huh? Means I'm nineteen now. Crazy how time just kinda seems to stop on the open sea."

The constant changing of the seasons of the islands made it hard to keep track of the passage of time. Lee only knew it had been a year because he'd seen a newspaper a few days ago.

"I should mark the occasion somehow. Not every day you ditch your deadbeat dad for a life on the open seas."

He checked his bag again; aside from Mihawk and his corresponding Marine figure, there wasn't much in it. Unfortunately, the Reznikovs hadn't been worth much bounty at all, and his funds were looking pretty bare right about now.

"It's settled, then. Next time I find a big bounty, I'm getting a cake!"

Lee chuckled and tucked away his things back into his bag. He could see it now: a towering cake, with little fondant fishmen in fond recollection of the first villain he'd ever slain!

"Psst! Hey kid, they tell me you're a bounty hunter?"

Lee was jolted out of his fantasy by a man approaching him quietly.

"Yeah, I do some hunting whenever cash runs dry," Lee replied, cocking an eyebrow at the man.

"Great, well, I might have a job for ya. I got this bigshot pirate after me, you see, and I can't really turn to the marines on account of some... not-strictly-legal dealings on my end."

Lee chuckled. "Well, you're in luck, my good man," he said, standing to face the man. "It just so happens we're having an anniversary special this very day! Any one bad guy of your choice, for the low, low price of a custom cake at the next port! Just point me in the direction of your target!"

What a way to celebrate!

[Bobbie]

As sunlight flooded in through the thin curtains, Shinsei woke up. The sun was only just beginning to rise, its rays entering the bedroom and reaching his eyes at the right angle to make him wince and turn over to have his back to the window instead.

With a frown, he felt the absence of his wife, his hand laying on the mattress beside him, unoccupied where she should be.

Today was the day. That special one day a year that everybody should get to celebrate. Today was his birthday. Shinsei had taken a day off work today precisely for this reason, planning to spend it from morn till dusk with his beloved family. Rising from the bed, the sweet smell of pancakes reached his nostrils and he smiled in anticipation of a delicious homemade breakfast by his wife. Kes must have got up pretty early if she's already started on breakfast, he thought to himself, little pangs of guilt nagging at him for not waking up with her.

Upon getting dressed, the man made his way to the kitchen and embraced his other half, his arms wrapping around her in a surprise hug from behind. She let out the most graceful sound that Shinsei fell in love with, a soft, absolutely entrancing giggle.

“Good morning sleepy head,” as she turned in his arms, Shinsei’s brown eyes met hers and he greeted her with a loving morning kiss.

“Smells amazing! Can’t wait to dig in.” Reaching over to the counter behind her, his hand was intercepted as Keserine playfully smacked his hand with a spatula.

“No! You don’t get to cheat and have first bite. Not until the birthday boy gets here!”

With a little sulk, Shinsei rubbed his hand and moved away from her. “Shall I go wake him?”

“Are you that impatient for pancakes?” The woman teased with a cheeky snicker.

Shinsei paused, giving his wife a provocative smile. “Only for yours, love.”

As if sensing his father’s impatience, a young boy, no older than five, hobbled into the kitchen, screaming at the top of his lungs. “PANCAAAAKES!”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, all you two can think about is eating!” Keserine quipped, seeing to the flipping of their pancakes that were almost done.

With a hearty laugh, Shinsei swooped up young Shoten and raised him up into the air. “That’s because we are growing men! Tell the world how big you've grown, you need to eat your pancakes to be big and strong, don’t you?” After a playful shake, he held Shoten on his hip, facing Keserine who just stacked the last pancake.

"I'm FIVE!" his arm extended in Keserine's direction with all five digits stretched out as far as they could be, the little boy held onto his father's arm with the other hand. "I need PANCAKES to grow big and strong like Daddy!"

“Honey, I don’t think pancakes will be what makes you big and strong,” with a sigh, she turned to her family and pinched her son’s cheek, “but you get some today because you’re the special birthday boy.”

“And Daddy gets Mummy’s special dessert.” The insinuation in that was clear to the two adults who gazed at each other, one with a proud grin and the other with a scolding frown.

“DESSERT?” The innocent child in the room, overwhelmed with excitement, could only think of delicious sugary treats.

“Uh…” Shinsei paused, looking at his wife, who now bore a smirk as she crossed her arms and waited to hear the man’s explanation to a young five-year-old. Seeing the spatula still in her hand, he decided now was not the time to tempt fate. “Never mind, no dessert - but…” pausing, he looked around the kitchen for anything that could grasp the boy’s attention more than his foolish mention of dessert and would allow him to crawl out of the hole he’d just dug for himself.

Laughing at his squirming, Keserine stepped closer to kiss Shoten’s cheek. “Of course you get dessert, honey. Daddy doesn’t, because it’s not his birthday…” offering only a passing glance to her husband, her lips curled into a victorious smirk. One that Shinsei could only smile at in full resignation as she came to his rescue in such elegant fashion. 

Watching her as she passed by him to fetch the pancakes and lay the table, a sense of gratitude and awe washed over him. He had the most beautiful wife and son, both of whom he would never cease to adore.

Putting Shoten down, he helped lay the table while the young boy hopped up into his seat, identified by the stickers on its back, and impatiently started to swing his legs. “Pancakes~, pancakes~” he sang, doing his own little dance in his chair as he swayed from side to side.

The family sat down to eat their breakfast pancakes together, a single cupcake left on the countertop with colourful homemade frosting piped on top of it in a swirly pattern, and five candles standing upright in the frosting, one for each year. It wasn't much of a birthday cake, but the family could only afford so much and they decided it would be enough sugar for the young child anyway. 

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Jolting out of that memory, a soft smile lingered on Shinsei’s face, absent mindedly flicking his nail on his ring to cause a spark, and his eyes, now burning red, locked onto it. It was a long time ago; yet it was clear in his mind as if it all just happened yesterday. A yesterday that he longed to return to.

“Alright, you ready?” the cyborg rose to his feet as his companion entered the room, looking absolutely stunning for the occasion. Today marked the day. 20th February.

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Shinsei: #ba0303

Keserine: #064898

Shoten: #b177ff

[Kami-Gaz]

“I do.” A voice softly spoke, the owner being a man on the shorter side but that didn’t bother him because he was staring up to a pair of vibrant electric blue eyes. Eyes that held a perpetual spark of invention and joy for the world, it was kind and loving. The man let his smile grow as the words he spoke seemed to make the owner of those vibrant eyes giggle into a broad grin herself. He felt a small jolt of static nip at his fingers as he held her hands, a sign that his wife to be was barely containing her excitement.

“And do you, Veera Falcone. Take this man, Bryan Teslasmith as your lawfully wedded husband. In sickness and in health, until death do you part?” The officiate of the wedding, an elderly man dressed in ornate robes, his face barely containing the smile that was just so contagious.

There was a crackling sound as the strange mermaid, mute from trauma made the box that was attached to the white choker on her neck speak for her. Her Electric Eel tail was strapped into a brass contraption that made her look like a centaur. The energy that was running through her made it jitter and step as if she were a horse excited to see a sugar cube. “I DO!” The tinny robotic words replied, her beautiful full lips coated red moved to mouth the words but no sound came from there.

“Then, I now pronounce you man and wife!” The priest said stepping back and spreading his arms. “You may kiss-” He was cut off as Veera leaned down and wrapped her arms around Bryan and pulled him in to a close passionate embrace as they kissed.

The crowd cheered and all stood up to clap the finality of the ceremony, there were many people there for the couple, friends and family of Bryan had filled most of the church… Veera however had a few strange individuals invited but only one had shown up. The rest of her section was bare but out of respect their seats were left untaken and their name tags there. She knew this was going to be the case. Most of them had either been killed, lost or were too far away to make it.

The next few hours were a blur as documents were signed, pictures were taken and speeches were had over a meal. It was so much it was overwhelming but Veera stayed strong as she had her Bryan there to share the burden with her. The music had started playing towards the end of the wedding feast… this was it. The time for her first dance…

With a jolt of movement, she undid claps and straps that held her tail in place and slithered out of her brass contraption. The shift in height was explosive as now she was a head shorter than her husband, but his adoring smile stayed perfectly the same as he helped her to the dance floor as the music shifted into what they had selected for their first dance. The day had been perfect, and the night was shaping up to be even better, there was so much love going around. It was enough to make her just cry as she moved slowly intime with Bryan, his steps shifting her as they needed to for their performance to look spectacular.

                                                        ~~~

Those tears kept rolling as Veera bolted up right, her one eye leaking away so much pain had been bottled up. She could hear Tia snoring away nearby and Shinsei was passed out as well beside her. The mermaid pulled her tail up to her chest and hugged her legs as she silently cried the memories away… She knew this day was coming, it was the same time every year. Today was her wedding anniversary and the anniversary that it was all taken away, Bryan killed, and Bella stolen.

“I’ll get her back… I promise.” She whispered through the tears as she hugged her tail and squeezed her eye shut.

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Veera Falcone: 1979e6
Bryan Teslasmith: e2e619
Priest:818181

[Fennec]

It had been how long? Almost a year perhaps since he’d joined the Division. It didn’t feel that way… it felt like just a few months ago he was working as a farm hand on his family’s farm. Every fight. Every training session. Every friend he made. Shaped him into who he was at that very moment. It made him stronger and perhaps one of the strongest marines his age. As much as he denied himself throughout the passing months. He had accomplishments under his belt. He was full of potential and he felt that for the first time in forever he was on the path to achieving his dream. But it wasn’t all by his own merit alone. Reynard dusted some of the flour off of his white apron with the words ‘Don’t Feed the Cook’ with the ‘Don’t’ crossed off.

Now that he was a Warrant Officer he had a goal. He wanted to return the favor to those that helped him. Reynard was determined to help his fellow crewmates achieve their dreams just as they were helping him achieve his own. He could further his leadership skills now. This was his moment. His vulpine eyes locked in on the oven before him looking at the heat solidified the pastry. Time was like heat and people were like pastries. Seperate parts mixed into a whole. More than the sum of their parts molded by heat into who they were.

Putting on oven mitts and crouching down Reynard pulled out the cake. Gently placing it on the table to cool off he prepared the frosting and creme. When the time was right he gently began to apply the white frosting and creme making the cake seem like a small cloud in its edges. Reaching from a bowl he gently decorated the top with various kinds of berries until he was done. Turning a match on he lit up a candle with the number #1 on it and lifted the large cake on a platter in one hand. He exited the kitchen into the dining room where Rosalyn, Rakka, Mari, Vaun, Kurt, and Nora awaited him at a table. A smile spread across his face seeing them all as their faces came to meet his presence. He felt a certain pride he couldn’t quite express. There wasn’t a place in the world he would rather be…

“Happy first year everyone!!! I… hope there are more to come.”

[CowpokeRobin]

The bar was nearly empty seeing as how it was still hours before it would open properly to the public. Brie Emmental wasn’t one to frequent such establishments, at least without a purpose such as tracking down a target. Today was no different, but her reason for being in this particular bar on this particular day was clear. The bartender gave a half smile to the young lady and quickly accepted her coin. Producing a bottle with a translucent, brown hued liquid inside. Brie thanked the man politely, an air of routine to their actions despite this being the first time she had done this alone. Brie hummed a little as she carried her purchase back to the small inn she was staying at. This was as close as she got to cheeriness, and her day had only just begun.

Returning to the humble room she quickly removed her coat, hanging it on the wall as she placed her bottle down on the nearby table. She turned back to her discarded apparel and gathered up all the small armaments that sat inside it. She placed them at the table and smiled a little. On a normal day she wouldn't be caught dead without her weapons. Of course she still had a derringer tucked into one sock, and a knife in the other, but she couldn’t be expected to travel completely defenseless. Not that she’d need it where she was. The small town that she found herself laying her head in last night was none other than the one she had basically grown up in. Well, in a house about an hour hike from the town, but the townsfolk could hardly forget the only girl they’d ever seen with mouse ears. She was regarded with a sense of reverence given how much her mentor spent in the town. Be it on alcohol or supplies, his absence had taken a toll.

Brie moved over to the outfit hanging from a hook that she had purchased yesterday. A simple, yellow sundress and a wide brimmed hat. Something she’d never usually wear, but today was different. It was her mentor’s birthday, and by extension hers. They decided early on that sharing a birthday only made sense, and it was the one time a year that they didn’t train. Can’t stop training two days out of the year for birthdays now, could they? Brie quickly got dressed and headed out the town proper. There was a clear discomfort in her step. Being out in public in such a showy article was not something she was used to, but it was something she wanted to do. Let her guard down and just be a somewhat normal girl for a day. She carried the bottle of whiskey in a small sack slung over her shoulder as she stopped and tried her best to make friendly with the locals.

Most of them immediately realized who the girl in front of them was, but were taken aback by the apparel and, having not seen her in a while, the young woman she had grown into. Lots of “You’ve grown so much!” and “We knew you’d visit eventually.” Brie was overwhelmed by the attention, but she was delighted to see not only was she remembered, but remembered fondly. She made her way down the main street stopping to say hellos or admire some trinket in a shop window. As she finally made it out of town she sighed in relief, and debated plopping down under the nearest tree to nap off the drowsiness from all the interaction. She decided she’d rather not dirty her clothes and continued down the trail which tilted up a slope adjacent to the village.

Finally making it to the top she sat at the edge, beside a medium sized rock that seemed almost untouched by time. It wasn’t where Gramps was buried, but Brie had carried it all the way from their house to here shortly after his passing. It was his favorite spot, and some sort of marker seemed appropriate if not overly sentimental in their line of work. She pulled the whiskey from her rucksack and popped the cork out. She stared out at the ocean for a while, her smile not leaving her face. Despite Gramps not being able to share the view with her she wasn’t sad.

“So I’ve been doing really well,” she spoke to the empty expanse in front of her. The only one able to hear her being the rock sat beside her. “Well, mostly. Couple hungry nights, but I’ve gotten so much better at tracking, and OH! I have to tell you! I sniped a coin out of some guy's hand. He was a bounty I was after and got all smug while he was talking to me about how I could never take him in and…” Brie continued about as excited as she’d ever been. Weaving a tale of one of her hunts that proved she’d continued to practice her marksmanship in his absence.

“BAM!” she concluded with a finger gun the recoiled up into the air as she giggled just a bit. It was a rare moment of levity in the otherwise straight-laced and quiet mouse girl's life. “You’d have said something like ‘atta girl’. I know it.” Brie sat there, missing Gramps a little, but mostly just happy that she knew he’d be proud. She took the bottle and turned it upside down onto the stone beside her draining all but a small swig. She did a cheers motion to the rock and took the bottle to her lips downing what was left.

She immediately began to cough as she tasted the drink. The burning in her throat was accompanied by her eyes watering. She alternated between laughing and coughing as she tried to compose herself. Gramps was almost certainly wrong. Brie still couldn’t stand the taste.

“Still terrible Gramps. Maybe next year I’ll like it.”

[winsome widowbird]

The flickering of candlelights in a dimly lit room, the silver shine of the moon all but beaming into the small room with the open window, curtains fluttering in the gentle and cool night breeze, and the subtle smell of the sea indicating her approximate location on the island. It was a cool night, the only thing breaking the silence being the waves gently breaking upon the shore.

There sat a woman on her knees, two glasses of plum wine set before her as looked forward, dressed in traditional cultural garments – red and white complementing one another. She was expressionless, but her every movement bore a weight to it, as if melancholy weighed on her very form.

A sigh.

Today was the anniversary of her marriage to her husband. Typically, she would have a nice, quiet evening with him, drinking plum wine and reminiscing on their time together. It was never an extravagant affair, but then again, Momo never truly enjoyed extravagance. Her greatest joy was spending time with her love.

But that wasn’t a choice she had this time. Her husband was out of her reach, and her world had been rocked in such a way as to leave her away from everything she had known and grown to love. She was like a woman shipwrecked and stuck on a deserted island, the only reminder of what she once had being a picture of her and her husband, hugging one another and smiling brightly.

“Don’t worry.” She said, the stable front hiding an undertone of a thousand conflicting emotions, almost as if she were saying it more to herself than anyone else, “I will avenge us, and exact revenge on those who ripped our lives away from us. That was what I promised, what I swore to you.”

Her brow tightened, rancour threatening to boil over for just a moment… before it subsided. Sighing once more, she would move to take a sip from her glass… before realising it was empty. Pausing for a moment, she would look to the other one. It was meant for her husband, but…

“Well, I’m sure he’ll forgive me for this.” She said with a sad smile, before nabbing it and drinking from it as well.

This was going to be a long night.

[Jess]

Teeheehee, this looks like fun~?

Mimi Monroe

Wow… It's already been ten years huh? A little wrinkle running across her brow as she caught the sight of a date which was special to a great many and her included, Mimi Monroe couldn't help but shake her head as she realized just how long it had been since she had eaten the strangeness she found in the woods, and couldn't help but chuckle as she recalled just how rash and reckless she had been.
I can remember it like it was yesterday? Taking a step back as she lifted her hand in front of her face and began to conjure a few dancing sparks from it, she sighed as she offered a little celebration of the anniversary of her acquiring the powers she now demonstrated, and smiled as she let herself drift off into memory as a result of this realisation…

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It's… SO weird huh? Holding the object in her hand up to the sunlight in an attempt to understand it, the girl now found herself as a little lady who seemed to hum as she looked over something which she could barely describe, but had intrigued her all the same. Gripping a lump of something which appeared to be coloured in multicoloured strands like that of grass or the needles of a pine tree, it was as if a rainbow had somehow merged together with a clump of lawn and created something entirely different as a result, and all the more interesting for that fact.

I don't think it's a flower after all…? The clothes of the girl with the green gaze a little grubbier and her knees scraped thanks to the effort she had gone to in order to acquire it, the fair femme had clambered up into a tree after spotting what she thought was a bloom the likes of which she had never seen before, and come down with something that she could not define but did not feel disappointed for that fact.
There's this strange bulb in the middle of it? Happy to look it over and grope at it as she strolled into her home by the back door, Mimi shook the peculiar peony about next to her ear in the hopes of hearing something rattling or sloshing around within the rather rotund centre portion of her oddity, but heard nothing that she could recognise.

I wonder what's inside it? Water or something? Frowning because of this fact as she laid it out on the small table they had in their kitchen, Miss Monroe pouted her lips and wrinkled her nose as she guessed that it had to be some manner of fruit given the fact it was growing from a tree, and prodded it as she tried to discover just what kind of thing it was.
No… Feels too hard? Poking at the thing and seeming to meet with a noticeable resistance as she did so, the bemused brunette gave it a little squeeze and then another one which was firmer as she realized it would not pop like a grape or something, and then found her eyeline skirting toward the space around her in search of greater answers.

Only one way to find out, huh? Spying the knife rack as she did so and struck by a desire to perform a little autopsy on her discovery to get to the bottom of what it was, once more the lass was found humming as she trotted over and picked up something large and sharp and likely rather oversized for the task which she had at hand, but she already was home so why not go big, eh?
Let's seeeeee… Gently does it… For that reason poking her tongue out the corner of her mouth and getting busy with her tool as she returned to the table, in spite of the enormity of the weapon she grasped the girl showed a surprising sense of delicacy with her deed since she didn't want to cut her fingers, or worse do more harm than good to the strangeness she had retrieved from the woods.

Ohhhhh… It's kind of like peeling an orange, a little bit? Oh no, more like a kiwi! Cutting into the skin with the focus and steady hand one might have associated with a surgeon and finding success for doing so, Mimi carved a steady line into her discovery and then, after placing her knife down, began to tease at the rind with a tender but persistent touch to reveal something a little less disordered within.
Is it edible? Pulling back the outer layer and finding flesh within which was smooth and just a little bit slick, the centre of her rainbow oddity would have looked almost like a freshly boiled egg if not for the pattern of swirls which danced across it, the emerald eyes of the lass widened as she took in something that looked tender and inviting, and couldn't help but want to try it.

A little piece won't hurt, right? Certain to have been warned against eating berries and drupes that she did not recognise but seeming to be seized more by curiosity than anything else, once more the girl picked up her knife and licked her lips as she cleaved a segment from it, and then held it up in front of her.
I bet dad would eat it if HE found it! Sniffing it soon after as she tried to decide whether or not it was toxic but finding nothing about the aroma that seemed particularly off-putting, she wrinkled her nose once more as she weighed her options yet again, but found herself nudged toward discovery by the influence of her patriarch. After all, she expected he would be proud to hear what she had done, right?

For that reason seeming to find the corners of her lips curling upward as she imagined the pat on the head she would get, that would be worth any kind of tummy ache she would garner from such a reckless deed, right? And that was probably the worst that would happen as well? I mean, she was only eating a little bit, wasn't she? What else could it do…? If only she knew now what she would when looking back, eh~?

### words

Chibi

@tag

[Genbu]

The smell of smoke, gunpowder, and things he wished not remember filled the air. His vision protected by limited by the helmet he was given, a hand-me-down from a soldier who didn't make it. Bent down next to a pile of rubble, his fingers worked to reload the rifle, his focus shifting from the intricate work to his surroundings as gunshots and blades crossing repeatedly filled his ears.

Occasionally he'd hear the scream of some poor soul or the shout of command to move forward, and he'd check to see if he was safe for the moment. A shot hit the rubble he was hiding behind, raining pebbles down upon him. With a few more movements his rifle was ready to go and he rose from his hiding spot swinging the rifle toward the battlefield just as one of the opposition came over the rubble.

Blades flashed and pain shook through him and...

Lukas shot up from slumber, both hands clutching onto the handles of his shield, their dark green color turning a little lighter with how tight his grip was. He could feel his body shaking as he struggled to calm down, his body not responding to him as he tried to relax his handle on the shield, the feeling of his nails digging into his palm barely registering.

This happened so often when he traveled on public charter ships for too long. The countless people talking and moving, the feeling and sounds of the ship being rocked by the waves, the cramped chambers. It was just like back then, back when he was a soldier, and it was suffocating.

Each breath was shallow. Sharp. He couldn't focus.

A hand caressed his cheek, wiping the tears he didn't notice from his eyes. The voice that followed was soft and familiar.

"Take a slow deep breath Lukas. Take it slow." The voice hummed softly, and Lukas did just that with a shakey, slow, deep breath. "Now let it out just as slowly." The voice commanded gently, and Lukas did just that. He felt his grip loosen and his body start to relax, as he turned to look at the source of the voice.

Sitting on her coils next to him, almost seemingly glowing in the low light of the room, Lisa placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "Do you feel my hand?" She asked quietly, and he gave her a slight nod. "Good, do you hear my voice?" Again he responded with a nod, and Lisa smiled at him. "And you know me." This wasn't a question this time, yet Lukas still nodded, and his hands released the shield, letting it fall forward onto the carpeted floor of the small room.

Lukas continued to breathe slow, long breaths as he took in the room. He was sitting with his back against the corner on the floor, a blanket half crumpled next to him and a pillow supporting his back against the corner. He often felt safer like this in civilian ships like this, sleeping in a spot where he couldn't be snuck upon, back to the wall.

Lisa gave his shoulder another soft squeeze and Lukas turned back to face her and he placed his hand upon hers and returned the squeeze and gave her a weak smile, before letting out a deep sigh. "Do you know what time it is?" He'd ask, voice a bit shakey, and she'd shake her head.

"It's still dark out, but if I was to guess, maybe early morning?" Lisa responded, pulling her hand back while taking his and examining his palm. "You've cut your palm again, give them here." She whispered, and Lukas could hear the worry in her voice, following her command as he turned to face her with both palms outstretched.

"Thank you, Lisa. Again." His voice was quiet, and she just smiled at him and pulled out a small cloth from her bag. "Its hard to believe isn't it.. even a year later and I keep having these dreams..." Lukas said, the disappointment in his voice only beaten by the almost defeated tone he said it in.

Lisa stopped for a moment, and gave his hands a soft squeeze and pulled on them a little, causing him to look up at her, a puzzled look on his face while hers had a wide, gleeful smile. "A year?! It's already been a year? That's something amazing Lukas!"

The sudden energy and excitement she said this with caught him even more off guard, and she practically sprang at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a strong embrace. "Thank you Lukas, thank you for everything!" She said with such joy, burying her head against his shoulder.

"O-oh! Oh uh... yeah.. uh... thank you too..." He responded, caught off guard once again by her actions. It was a little dizzying, to be honest, and Lukas shook his head a little, causing Lisa to pull back and look at Lukas carefully, before putting her hands on his face, her palms cool, not quite cold, on his skin and she shook her head.

"Sorry, sorry, you're still calming down... I just didn't realize it's been a year and... I mean... it's been a year Lukas, a whole year." She said, trying to calm her own voice down as the excitement still pushed through.

Lukas reached up and placed his hands against hers, keeping them on his cheeks as he closed his eyes and let out another soft sigh. "We've made it this far, and we'll manage to keep going together... Thanks to you." He said, her cool skin helping clear his head. He, of course, missed the soft pink rising to Lisa's pale skin, but she didn't pull away and simply nodded.

"And thanks to you. Happy Year One, Lukas."

[pepsi]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Context - click for more}Deman was born into slavery. After years of abuse, four slaves including Deman's father decided to rise up against it. Deman took his father's place when he could not fight any longer, and received training from the other three slaves.
The revolution was a success, but it costed a lot of lives including those of the three. One year later, Deman goes to the graveyard to pay respects.

This is a very experimental type of post that tries to mimic the style of a visual novel game.

"You all know... I'm not a talker. But with me being the only one here... well."

[...]

"I'm sorry I waited one whole year to pay respects. After we won the Revolution there was... I had a lot to administer. You left me quite the workload, you know?"

[...]

"Master Seneca. You were right. You told me that when we'd get rid of the shackles, that's when our people would really thrive. And look, we have land of our own now. We built better houses for the next generations. We built a fort and dismantled the Golden Palace. All of it, just like you predicted. Just like you told us to. I wish you'd still be here with us, to assist us. I know you would love seeing your work bear fruit. I will drink this sake in your honor."

"Yamato, my friend, do you remember? This used to be the slaver's private garden. Now we honor the dead here, especially all those that gave their life to set our brothers and sisters free.
You are the hero of our people. But you shouldn't be here. You should be at the dojo, the one we built just two months ago. We should be there. We should be training right now. Oh, how I miss training with you. If it wasn't for you, I would've never picked up a sword in my life. And you were a master. A master at everything you did. It's a shame you're not here to teach me more. It's a shame I have ears and only silence to listen to. I will drink this sake in your honor."

"There's something I never had the courage to tell you, Sienna. I saw you perform at the Golden Palace once, many years ago. The fire dancing was mesmerizing, and you were the first among your peers. I was just a kid but... in my heart I wished to watch you dance forever. And then, I saw the spark of fire in your eyes fade away, a year ago. And a part of me faded with it. I don't know if I will ever find the strength to love again. And... this is such a stupid, backwards thing to say. I'm sorry. I just think we could've been more, forever.
I will drink this sake in your honor."

[...]

"I can't help but think that this was not at all my war. I was thrown in the middle of things, taking my father's place... but I grew into the role. Now that everything is over, I don't know where I fit anymore. I am not as smart as you, Master Seneca. Nor am I as brave and kind as you, Yamato. Nor do I carry a will of fire in my heart, like you, Sienna."

"Gods, I... I do not think I should be the only one left. I should've died by your side, on the battlefield. People keep calling me Commander, but I am least deserving of this title!..."

[Crash!]

[...]

[Quiet sobbing.]

"Sorry. I'll pick the shards up.

Hah...

... hahaha! And all that is left for me is to wallow in sadness."

"But I can't do that. Yamato, you would never let miserabilism take a hold of me. So I will not. For you."

"Do you remember, friend? When you told me that if you were to die, I would have to make sure our people emerge victorious. I remember. And I did as you said. What now? The battle is over, and my life has no meaning. In your country, Yamato, I would slit my stomach and die a meaningless death right this moment."

"But you wouldn't let me. You wouldn't let me die like that. Not until I'd choose what to do with my life, and die for a cause I felt mine."

"Is this it? Was I left alive so that I would choose my own path? But how can I? I don't know where I stand. I don't know where I excel. I'm nothing more than a cub, let alone a White Tiger. Answer me, please, I beg of you..."

[...]

"Master Seneca... Yamato... Sienna. I feel my path is to live as you three did. I carry your memory in my heart, and I want your wishes to walk with my own legs. You desired to free the world from the shackles of slavery, not just our own people, so that is what I will do. If I have to be excellent, I wish to excel at realizing the dreams of the people I love."

[Quiet chuckling.]

"Ironic, isn't it? I'm choosing to walk a path I have always been walking against my will. But those two things are not the same, are they? I must have been so blind not to have this resolution before; maybe you would still be here if I did. Or perhaps it was always within me, and the sake is opening my eyes."

[...]

"I marked this day. In a year, I will come back to Elysium and pay respects once more. You will be ecstatic to hear what I've done. I'm sure."

[Fox]

It was the witching hour of the night, which was to say, really hecking late. Maple sat at a bar long after the other patrons had cleared out with a bartender, who was equal parts exasperated and wary, staring at her. She was slumped over across the countertop, not quite drunk thanks to her incredible tolerance. She huffed airily, clinging onto her tankard like it was a raft in the storm. She rattled it around, and when she didn’t hear the slosh of alcohol in it, banged it weakly against the countertop.

“More…”

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?”

It was enough to get Maple to orient her head in the right position to look up at the bartender. She was pretty sure that he didn’t know if she was some kind of Devil Fruit user or just a wild talking animal. She did have money though, so that was really all that mattered in this case. Maple pouted at the bartender, flicking her tail in frustration.

“But I’m not drunk yet…” she whined.

The bartender gave her a look like he didn’t quite believe her, but after she gave him a pitiful stare with glistening wet eyes, he sighed and grabbed her tankard. Maple beamed with gratitude and watched him go over to fill it up. Her beaming gratitude didn’t go unnoticed by the bartender, though it only seemed to serve to make him further uncomfortable with the whole situation.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

The question caught Maple off guard. Her ears perked up, and her head tilted, much like a confused puppy. Talk about it? Why was she drinking? Mm. Maple pushed herself off the counter and sat up a little straighter, propping her heavy head up on her paws. She swayed from side to side slowly, thinking about it.

“It’s the anniversary of… um,” Maple stopped, trying to think of what to call it. She didn’t want to say what it really was. The day she royally messed up and doomed her hometown, friends, and family to an unimaginably cruel fate. No, she didn’t want to think about how it was all her fault. “It’s the day I lost my family.”

“Oh, my condolences.”

The bartender brought the drink over instead of sliding it and gently pushed it into Maple’s paws. She stared down at it, watching the foam bubble. She bit her lip and took a hearty swing, tilting her head back and slamming the tankard down suddenly. It caused the bartender to jolt in surprise.

“Thanks…” Maple sniffled, dabbing away tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes. She’d never really talked about it with anyone before.

“Was it recent?”

Maple shook her head.

“No, not really… Hic!” She put a paw to her chest, patting it to try and calm down the hiccups. It didn’t really work. She didn’t even know what happened to all of them. She didn’t know if they were alive or suffering. The not knowing was genuinely eating her up from the inside. Before she knew it, tears were welling up from within her and streaming down her cheeks. In retaliation, Maple attacked her drink with renewed vigor, trying to put it from her mind. When it was emptied, Maple slammed it down onto the counter and leapt onto the counter.

“GAAAAAAAAR!!! I’M NOT GONNA THINK ABOUT IT ANYMORE!!!”

Tearing out of the bar, Maple disappeared into the night, leaving the bartender alone. He blinked, staring after her before shaking his head and turning away.

“That girl’s got problems.”

---

[The Prettiest Squish]

"Happy Birthday to you!!"

The sound of popping corks resonated through the room much to the delight of all the rowdy party guests. At the center of the venue stood an enormous ice sculpture depicting the lady of the hour in quite the exquisite pose, with her arms raised above her head holding a chalice now overflowing in gallons of champagne. The sparkling wine flowed down the sculpture's forearms past its bare shoulders and cascaded down the bust in a bubbly waterfall until it pooled up at its toes where the denizens of the occasion gathered to dip their glasses to partake of the forbidden nectar.

"My, my! You sure know how to throw a party don't you?"

"Mmm, why do you you think I tag along to their shows? Everywhere they go, it's nothing but sin, booze and rock 'n' roll!"

Seated atop a golden couch and surrounded by an company of beautiful men and women, she chugged the last gulp of her drink before sitting upright and belching a thunderous boom. "Wahahaha!! This is just an appetizer for the real show!" The woman tossed her mug aside and used her free arm to wrap around the buxom lady leaning against her to bring her closer. "Tonight's my birthday after all, these things don't happen everyday, yknow? You gotta dazzle the crowd, rile them up and give 'em a treat they'll never forget!" 

"Ladies, gents and nonbinary friends! ~"

Her golden eyes peered to the center stage where a topless man piled high with rippling muscles and adorned with a bowtie stood to deliver the final speech of the evening. "Hohoho, it's about to start! I gotta get ready for the big reveal. Hey, which one of you snatched my clothes?!" As she stood up from her seat, a dozen bodies all equally dressed fell into the gap left behind - their skin decorated in lipstick stains. A half hearted attempt rummaging through the floor yielded no articles of clothing - well none that belonged to her anyways. "Eh, maybe it's more fun this way. After all, why call it a birthday suit if you're not wearing it for the occasion? Wahaha!" 

As the nude gentleman continued his exciting announcement, a stage hand ran over to the birthday girl, who looked upon her captive audience, and handed her a microphone stand along with the woman's signature guitar. "Good, good. Now all we do is wait.." She plugged a cord in and the humming of her idle strings slowly crept through the venue. The crowd's random clamor focused into one buzz of anticipation as the final show was about to begin. 

"...And now. The moment you've all been waiting for!!"

Behind her, a figure of metal emerged and stood by her side with his own guitar in hand. "You're late," she growled under her breath. "I'm only here for the music, bitch. Now shut the fuck up and play." She turned her head to begin chewing him out when the call to action came blaring through the speakers, 

"EVERYONE! GIVE IT UP!! FOR SAPPHO THALIA AND JAMES GILDER 'THE METAL'!!!"

A roar of applause exploded through the hall as spotlights blasted rays into Thalia's golden glare beaming into the crowd. Her trademark grin, baring both teeth with one cheek slightly higher up never failed to disappoint the eager crowd. Her hand grasped around the microphone and brought it to her open mouth. "Are you ready to rock!?" Screams were all that could fill the cacophony. She cackled. "I can't FUCKIN' hear you!!!" The stage shook with the force of an earthquake. Beside her, a mechanical pair of eyes visibly rolled with disdain. "This is for all the hot pieces of ass in the house tonight, and that includes mine!" She looked to James who nodded in accord and the two stamped their feet in perfect sync, "One! Two! One! Two! Three! Four!!"

---

"Hey."

Thalia stopped mid-smoke to see that miserable bastard standing outside her doorway. She sighed a puff of gray haze and scoffed. "The hell do you want, bum?" She lied flat against a soiled bed with ragged blankets and crickets nibbling at her toes. Her dull mustard eyes barely reflected whatever light came from the dimly lit hallway. "Well? 'Hey' what? You just gonna stand there ogling me all night?" The two faced off for another few seconds in silence until finally the man in steel tossed a small box near her head and began to turn away. 

"Happy birthday, Peaches."

Thalia sat back up in a rage, throwing the cigarette toward the door with all her strength. Her eyes were wide as saucers as she shot daggers through the wall, tracing the bastard by the sound of his footsteps. "You don't ever use that name again!! You hear me?!" She waited until the echo of his mechanical march subsided before haphazardly grabbing his present with minimal care. "Piece of shit...absolute asshole...garbage player," she whispered under her breath as she carelessly ripped the wrapping off. A plain white box, that's all it was. She took off the lid then looked inside before dropping it into her lap. 

A letter - no - a picture of three people resided in that box with eight words that crushed her heart every time she looked at it. 

"Happy birthday, Peaches! Hope you finally made it~"

She reached for the bottle of beer, took it up to her lips before throwing it at the dirt stained wall shattering the glass into a million pieces. The cockroaches retreated, the musty air became that much dirtier and the soiled sheets grew ever wetter with each tear that dropped from her cheeks.

[Zaz]

The night was nearly silent as Chester climbed the highest hill on the island he found himself on. It still wasn't very large, but it was enough for it to feel at least a bit more important than the area surrounding it. Similarly, the island that hill sat on wasn't terribly noticeable, having a few villages and farms but little else of note. It did feel a bit like the middle of nowhere for someone used to a bit more excitement and spectacle, but it'd just have to do, and Chester ultimately didn't mind. There were taller locations available, but Chester wasn't about to climb a mountain just for this, however important the occasion happened to be.

What precisely was the occasion at hand? Chester supposed it was the day of his birth in a way, a year, to the day, since he'd woken up for the first time. The anniversary of the day he became something more than just a machine, than a tool for the Iron Circus, than a performance. Said establishment had its own flamboyant way of celebrating its anniversary, and Chester intended to copy it pretty much exactly. Finally arriving at the highest point of the hill he had chosen, Chester would grab the object strapped to his back and release it.

What was then set on the ground in front of him, at the very apex of that hill, was a firework by loose definition. If you asked someone who actually cared about such things, however, it could have been classified as a weapon of war. Chester was proud of it, having made it himself, though it definitely had less finesse than the celebratory fireworks the Iron Circus made. One was made for each year it existed, and remade every year after, gradually increasing the amount used for each anniversary. Every last one was a marvel beyond any normal firework, and Chester supposed his single creation was no different.

It had a simple launching system, being fueled by pressure like Chester's own weapons system, so it sailed upward fairly silently after a solid thump as it left the ground upon ignition. Some distance in the air, another distant thump would sound off, sending the three-foot explosive projectile even higher into the night sky. The only reason Chester could still barely see it was its striking coloration, purple and smattered with white stars. What he did not have trouble seeing, nor would anyone else on the island, was the result of it finally triggering at the apex of its flight, when in an instant the dead of night became the middle of day.

The sound that followed could be accurately likened to the overlapping sound of five simultaneous thunderclaps, if the storm that caused them was massive. The light from the payload didn't so much form a star as it violently exploded outward in five different directions on the same plane, forming the vague shape of a two-dimensional star. It was most certainly heard, even felt by the entire island, as Chester saw lights in the distance flicking on. Chester paid little attention to that, however. As the light began to dim, he only chuckled as he stared upward.

"To freedom, and making the whole world known my name."