Chance Encounters! The Navy & The Naïve!

[Fox]

Vaun saw Mari’s resolve falter and weaken as whispers from passersby drifted through the air. The dad in him wanted to fuss at the lot of them, but if Mari couldn’t handle this much, then she probably wasn’t cut out to be a Marine. As she sank to her knees, he stifled a sigh. He wasn’t disappointed in her. No, it was something akin to relief and a worry that he had been too hard on her. It was a dangerous job, but it wasn’t like she’d be alone.

About to move to offer the young lady a hand up, Vaun paused when he noticed a change in her demeanor. It was slight, but years of experience had sharpened his instincts. She stood up again, backing away, which vaguely confused Vaun until Mahogani and Mari both snapped to attention with a proud looking salute. Vaun’s more stern features melted into a soft smile as he looked at the two of them. He could almost see Wolfric in Mari’s place. It did occur to him that he needed to respond to them in kind, and so he stood up just a bit straighter.

“Then, I guess I’ll just have to welcome you aboard. At ease, new recruit Anette!”

As soon as he uttered those words, an enormous crash erupted from behind him, accompanied by screams. Vaun turned in place to see a man flying straight at them. He just lifted up a hand, producing a huge white pillowy cloud that the man sunk into and bounced off harmlessly. Leaning out from behind the cloudy shield, Vaun saw Ensign Lovelace in hybrid form atop a giant man with her fist firmly planted in his lower back. Ouch.

“Ah! Ensign Lovelace! Good timing,” Vaun said with a little wave, the cloud dissipating.

Rosie looked up from the back of the man that she'd been pursuing and cast a sidelong glance at her Captain. How could someone have such terrible timing? He always seemed to appear when the danger was over. Her armored tail flicked in irritation, but she didn’t vocalize her irritation. She hopped down and sighed. The Captain looked like he wanted something as he trotted up to her with all the enthusiasm of a puppy.

“Would you please handle getting Miss Anette signed up for the World Navy? It seems she wants to join us!”

Vaun bounced on his heels like an excited kid. It took all Rosie had not to sigh long and hard at his antics. Behind them, several Marines were seizing the men that Rosie had been chasing down. But neither Vaun or Rosie were paying that much mind. They both looked to Mari and extended a hand out to her, Rosie shrinking down to her human form and pushing her glasses back up onto the bridge of her nose.

“Very well, Captain.”

“Let’s go, Miss Anette!”

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Rosalyn | Pale Pink (#fad7f6) | Post Count: 8
Vaun Hertz | Deep Sky Blue (#00bfff)

[Vio]

^{Mari #9}

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A silence lingered for a moment, maiden and marionette still standing firmly at attention — a salute that perhaps needed some work but very much embodied the nobility of her intentions. Soon enough, Captain Hertz gave her the word of welcome, as well as the order to lose the stance. Somewhat meekly, she made to do just that, but instead nearly jumped a mile when a thunderous crashing sound broke the diminished ambience of the street. Frantic, panicked motions were barely mimed by Mahogani, whose own movements instead shifted to a defensive poise with a hand primed upon her blade’s hilt.

^{“Ah!” Vaun commented:
“Good timing!”}

Is that… a cloud…? A mix of shock and confusion present within her mind, Miss Anette could not help but question the dissipating wall of white fluff that her wide eyes did spy, but a myriad other sights seemed to take precedence. From a multitude of men and women in navy and white, to a collection of rather beaten individuals, to the familiar yet bizarre sight of something that was readily identified as the Ensign from before; as if an incident had occurred and been dealt with so promptly that Vaun had not known.

^{“Very well, Captain…”
“Let’s go, Miss Anette!”
“Mhm…!”}

^{—— SOMEWHERE… ON A DISTANT STRETCH OF SEA ——}

The wayward rocking of a vessel sailing choppy waters was accompanied by groaning timbers, howling winds, and the otherworldly sounds of the ocean itself as it curdled and crashed against the hull. And one more sound. That of boots upon the lower decks as a figure walked its way, slowly and methodically, down the hallway. In near total darkness they marched, path illuminated only by a small candle burning away within the glass confines of a lantern. Every now and then, knees raised higher, stepping over limp and lifeless shapes, until they reached their destination.

Hinges creaked.

^{“I thought I told you,” a low voice hummed:
“To knock before you enter…”}

“Like you’d have heard if I did,” said the intruder, easing the weary hinges closed again and leaning against the door, hanging the lantern from a wrought iron hook. The room was dark mostly, save for that and another such source of light — a slightly more intense lantern hung above a desk. Despite that, shadows still enveloped the two of them; as did a silence so stifling that it took some time for either to break it.

^{“You stopped… Why?”}

^{“Do I need a reason?” they asked:
“Or… Do you need one…?”}

“Not particularly, but I am curious.” Silence lingered again, external rumblings the only sounds that dared to pierce the air between them. No answer was given. Thunder rattled the ship as it rolled on the crest of a particularly vicious wave, though neither silhouette moved much until the mannerless one spoke.

^{“How long has it been?”
“That’s a very vague question…”
“Would you rather I—?”}

^{“Fifteen years,” the low voice raised:
“Or do you mean something else…?”}

“Hmmm,” the figure shifted, retrieving the lantern and placing a hand upon the door handle, but pausing. “I thought you should know before any of the others, given your less than wonderful history regarding it,” they continued, again listening to the ambience for a moment. “A few months ago, Anette Gepetto passed. I’m sure I don’t have to explain to you of all people what that means…?”

^“…”

^{“It means,” the figure sighed, door opening:
“We have nothing left to fear…~!”}

^{Crick— Snap— Clack…!}

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SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>Mari is momentarily startled by Rosalyn’s entrance, but steels herself and follows Vaun to get signed up!

Meanwhile, shady characters discuss recent events!</sub>

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Anette Mari | #ffb7c5
Rosalyn Lovelace | #f1d7f6
Vaun Hertz [NPC] | #00bfff
Unknown #1 [NPC] | #d0f0c0
Unknown #2 [NPC] | #d8bfd8
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #555555 | #888888 | #bbbbbb | #eeeeee