Sticks, Stones, and Castles of Glass!

[Vio]

^{Scarlette #1 — Callisto #1}

---

Something about the atmosphere had taken a significant shift in the last hour or so as the Mercy Bouquet sailed along calm waves, running solely off of the power of the wind this time. Cujo’s orders. As helpful as the vessel’s paddlewheels were—a rather ingenious design—the doctor of the Big Sis Pirates had made it perfectly clear to their Captain not to sporadically push herself to limits for the sake of something as mundane as travel. For speed and emergencies it was the closest thing they had to an ideal means of propulsion, but otherwise? Well, cleaning up the mess after a Homunculus inevitably tripped over itself and became a claret smear across the walls and floor of the engine room was far from a nice task.

“Sun’s vanished completely behind the clouds,” Kramer grumbled, donning a worn donkey jacket over his shoulders as he stood upon the deck and observed the landmass before them. A rocky, hilly formation of dull granite and limestone inclines shrouded in thin, cool mist, and illuminated by ephemeral and nigh omnipresent cascades of sunlight filtered through cloud and veil. “…You alright, Myers?” asked the inventor, noticing the silent goliath’s solemn aura.

“…Mhm,” he replied, mostly motionless and still as a statue as dark eyes gazed at the isle before them. His stillness remained, even as the small hands and feet of Ray clambered up his leg and back, onto his shoulder, where the diminutive delinquent with a shock of red hair looked quite tentatively through the sunlit haze.

^{“It’s just,” Ray revealed:
“…A bit like that place…”}

^{“Care to elaborate?”}

“Hey! Look on the bright side, you two,” Sweeney piped up, approaching and offering neatly folded coats—one of immense size and the other appropriately small—to the two sombre souls. The hairdresser herself was similarly shielded from the elements by a simple anorak over her usual dress, this time with thick cotton stockings to keep her legs warmed. “We don’t have to be here for long! Once the Log Pose sets we can sail off again,” she chirped merrily. A dull reminiscence lingered in her mind, too, but she seemed to dilute the past feelings of grim oppression amidst hopeful glimpses of a brighter future.

“Atchoo!” An almost half-hearted sneeze catching the attention of the crew as she walked, Grimm-Rosa Scarlette seemed more awake than was typically witnessed between moments of intrigue—something which the others likely contributed to Cujo’s established rules on the use of her abilities. Her pallid complexion seemed to possess a fair bit more rosiness to it, though that might have been a matter of contrast due to the black halterneck and red scarf that covered her neck and shoulders. Some sewing work had been done to return a preferred outfit to a suitable state, though it wasn’t quite the same.

She sniffled.

“You caught a cold?” Bateman asked, emerging from below deck dressed in a presentable suit and armed with a briefcase that gave him the look of a man on a mission. “Please, don’t give it to me,” he grimaced, “Stain-Glass is dull enough without any of us feeling under the weather.” By now, the vessel was approaching an inlet—a breach in the somewhat croissant-shaped landmass where the waves turned calmer and somehow both clearer and darker, as if plunging deep into an unseen abyss betwixt the country’s natural walls.

^{“No, I’m fine… Just,” Scarlette answered:
“I’ve got a strange feeling about this place…”}

^{—— MEANWHILE ——}

The cool yet strangely dry autumnal air of the land seemed stagnant as it rolled through the streets of Port Clair—a bustling hub of tourism for the most part and often a first stop for many visitors and travellers passing through this portion of Paradise. Yet for the dull climes in which it was built, it was a vibrant town decorated with all manner of intricate glass décor, not least of which were the impressive stained glass windows that adorned the stone arch windows of the settlement’s church and town hall. Restaurants and cafés presented customers’ orders with finely glazed dishes and pristine silverware, and to find a store that didn’t sell at least something glass-related was such a rarity that it became an attraction by proxy.

But she had seen it all, already. Port Clair was a wonderful town, full of wonderful people, all provided you didn’t stand out. Something she had been trying not to do, ever. A shorter woman of nineteen years, no taller than five and five, though the way she walked and bundled herself in a tacky brown cloak certainly made her seem a fair few inches shorter than she was. She roamed side streets, keeping to herself and avoiding any sort of contact with passersby as she sought out necessities—cheap groceries and other utilities to keep her going with what little she still had to her name.

^{“Well, well,” a man’s voice said:
“This is the freak, huh…?”}

^“…”

^{“Yeah! Look at her,” a woman answered:
“Her face is all messed up! Creepy…”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>As the Mercy Bouquet enters the inlet of the island, Scarlette mentions she has a strange feeling about the place. Meanwhile, a strange girl finds herself targeted by some bullies.

Notes:
• Jade Fox

Crew Page: Big Sis Pirates</sub>

---

Grimm-Rosa Scarlette | #960018
Blood Callisto | #3aa8c1
Quinn Bathory | #7fffd4
Lilith Lilin | #f0b333
Tally | #3656b0
Ophelia [NPC] | #ff72d7
Gobbie Bathory [NPC] | #afeeee
Hannibal Lecter [NPC] | #87a96b
John Kramer [NPC] | #80461b
Jack Torrance [NPC] | #87d3f8
Yamamura Sadako [NPC] | #9370db
Todd Sweeney [NPC] | #c54b8c
Michael Myers [NPC] | #1b1b1b
Jason Voorhees [NPC] | #0070bb
Billy Loomis [NPC] | #696969
Freddy Krueger [NPC] | #b8860b
Charles Ray [NPC] | #43b3ae
Patrick Bateman [NPC] | #dc143c
Bubba Sawyer [NPC] | #fffacd
Cujo [NPC] | #d2691e

[Jade]

Lilin Post #1 / Tally Post #1

"Rather moody place, isn't it?"

Tally's tea shade-obscured eyes never left the waters as she continued to guide the ship closer to the island. The octopod woman had opted for some slightly warmer clothes than her usual, same as the rest of the crew, in the form of a heavy dark grey poncho, clasped at a single point up by her neck. It wasn't that she was ever terribly concerned with hiding her fishman heritage or anything - though that was certainly an additional benefit, given what little she'd heard of the island - but, rather... Well. A more fitting jacket that wouldn't restrict her mobility if need be was not exactly readily available, and the poncho could be cast off at a moments notice to reveal her usual sleeveless shirt underneath. Below the hem of the poncho, she wore long, dark denim pants and a pair of indigo flip-flops for footwear.

The woman who had been attempting to distract her walked into her peripheral vision. Ophelia's sundresses had been switched out for a rather fashionable off-white and pink plaid jacket with what Tally assumed was a fake belt around the middle and equally fake overly large buttons, a pair of form-fitting white pants, and a pair of light brown boots with just a bit of heel to them. The "Phantom Thief" stopped a few paces short of the railing and turned back to look at her - quite clearly about to open her mouth to take a second stab at small talk.

"Mm," Tally responded. "I suppose."

Ophelia turned back to the railing with a sigh. "You know, the least you could do is at least engage a little. We both know you're good enough at this that it doesn't require your full attention - it's not like we're navigating through treacherous waters right this second."

"If you want idle chitchat, why don't you go talk with Lilin, or any other member of this crew?" The thief practically collapsed on top of the railing, sighing dramatically as she draped herself over it. "If you're looking for a deep dialogue about the state of this island's weather and ambient lighting, you've come to the wrong woman."

"No, I know, it's just-"

"Atchoo!"

"- Gesundheit," Ophelia called out, seemingly reflexively, at the sound of the ship's captain sneezing. She sighed dramatically once more before picking herself up a bit, staring off at the island ahead. "Look, it's just... We've been sailing together for a little bit, and I know you and I didn't exactly have the friendliest introduction, so I-"

Heavy and fast footfalls interrupted her thought - and then Lilin was on top of Tally, arm thrown over the normally taller woman's shoulders. The not-so-petite woman made a big show of looking out at the island ahead, complete with an ooh~ and her hand on her brow to block out the nearly non-existent sun. Lilin's hand dropped, letting her orange bug-eye shades to fall back into place as she grinned and glanced between the two women.

Her typical haori and hakama look had been swapped out for something at least marginally warmer as well: A black covert coat, worn open to show at least some of the stretched letters of the "BAD GIRL" graphic tee shirt-turned-crop top by her hybrid form, a pair of black leather pants tucked into and matching the heavy combat boots that laced up to about mid-thigh. A decorative scarf was tossed on over it all, burnt-orange in coloration and bearing a repeating pattern of blue-green skulls and swirls across its length, left to hang over her shoulders rather than being worn in a more intended manner.

"Ain't it lovely? An entire new land, ripe for us to mess with," Lilin said, gesturing toward Stain-Glass with the hand not currently holding onto Tally's shoulder. The helmsman shrugged her off, getting Lilin to step away as if it had been her own idea. The devil planted her hands on her hips, screwed her eyes shut, and inhaled sharply through her nose. "Aye, I'm telling tha now, this is exactly the sort of dreary s**thole that needs our attention - kashashashasha!"

[Fox]

Quinn’s breath plumed out in front of him. It was a chilly day. In the last hour, the call had gone out that they were close to land. A miracle, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that they’d only come across a Log Pose by the grace of Ophelia. Quinn had by and large kept to his own quarters after the disaster of a game from the other day. Today, finally, he’d be truly setting off on his own. The thought terrified him in some respects. And he’d had that annoying devil woman’s words rattling around in his head the entire time.

Rubbing his temples, Quinn slid to the edge of his bed. It was downright covered in mushrooms and spores - a byproduct of Quinn’s own anxiety - that he’d sort of given up cleaning given his state lately. He was dressed in a long sleeved black turtleneck that was fitted, a sleeveless vest for additional warmth, and large pants that allowed him to hide his additional legs. It was simple to slip on a pair of boots to hide the two legs that were shown.

He walked over to the mirror and looked at his green skin. It was probably a better idea to go with something less dramatic this time. His skin color morphed a few times before Quinn settled on a pale look with some cherry red blush and a few freckles. His hair morphed into a deep black with his usual gray streak. He held the gray lock of hair between two fingers, wondering if he shouldn’t add some more color, but decided to leave it.

Aside from clothes, Quinn didn’t have much to his name. A bag, some clothes, and some money. It wasn’t hard to pack up. He threw the bag over his shoulder, checked his new look one last time in the mirror, toned up the red around his violet eyes so it looked a bit more like eyeliner, and headed out. Quinn ended up stepping out onto the deck right behind Bateman. He could hear the conversation between Ophelia and presumably Tally up above, which was interrupted by Lilin.

It made Quinn bristle reflexively to hear her voice again, and his eyes instinctively sought out the comfort of Gobbie who was standing on the deck. She was dressed in the clothes that he’d picked out for her, blue, baggy clothes lined with white fur and patterns that somehow slimmed down the massive hulking form underneath. Quinn tore his eyes away when he felt a pang of hurt at the sight of her. He turned away, leaning on the opposing rail in a quiet corner. Once they made landfall, he’d say his goodbyes, and that’d be it.

---

Quinn | #7fffd4 | Post Count: 1

[Vio]

^{Scarlette #2 — Callisto #2}

---

The masts of ships made themselves soon known to the crew of the Mercy Bouquet as the winds and currents helped steer them towards the visible port of a moderately sized town nestled within the oversized inlet. Hulking galleons to much smaller vessels lined the docks and jetties, perhaps carrying a few pirate crews of their own amongst them, but few seemed to be openly hostile in that sense. All the same, it added a splash of liveliness to the dull atmosphere, though it didn’t exactly alter Scarlette’s initial perceptions.

“…Eh, don’t worry,” the Red Terror added, patting Myers’ arm, “we’re stronger now! And I’m sure Carter’s got the place handled!” Such words were accompanied by a reminiscent smile—reciprocated by the goliath and the dwarf upon his shoulder in kind. Brown eyes focused upon the settlement as they drew close, Tally no doubt steering them into a suitable position despite the fact she had been hounded by Lilin, whose own form seemed to be partially dissolved into the ambient mist of the cove.

“There’s a story there,” Torrance chirped, emerging from below deck and somehow not breaking through the door in the process—tendrils of black held it open for him as Sadako followed in his wake. The former’s usual shirt and trousers look now included a plain green V-neck sweater, while the latter was mostly hidden beneath a light purple anorak and matching rain hat and boots. It took a moment to process that most of her hair was also hidden beneath the coat, with the black tendrils vanishing back under her sleeve.

“You might be a little overdressed, Sadako,” Bateman commented, sweeping his gaze over those that had emerged after he had, taking particular note of the amount of literal baggage that Quinn was carrying. He couldn’t exactly see emotional baggage.

^{“Are you kidding? This place looks damp,” Sweeney chided:
“It’ll be murder trying to brush her hair if it frizzes!”}

^{“Don’t snap at me for not knowing that…!”}

“…Are you going somewhere?” Miss Yamamura asked Quinn, quietly enough that none could really hear or notice the exchange over the current bickering of the barber and the briefcase. “Log Poses usually take a few days to settle; maybe checking in at a hotel would be good for you,” she added, taking particular care to keep her already quiet words quieter as the rabble’s rather one-sided conversation over the difficulty of hairdressing was steered in a more practical direction by Lecter.

“…Speaking of time and supplies,” the quartermaster quipped, “we’ve got a few days at least before the Log Pose sets—please do correct me if I’m wrong,” he added with a gesture to their resident Log Pose-bearer. “We’ll obviously have to restock supplies properly this time, so let’s try not to destroy the entire waterfront before then: Scarlette, Lilin.” He paused for a moment. “I’ve taken a stock check for necessities, so we can deal with those quickly, and have the rest of our time here to ourselves! Apparently, despite its dreary initial look, Stain-Glass is quite the tourist trap…!”

^{—— MEANWHILE ——}

“Owch,” she exhaled as a stray pebble bounced off her elbow. “Please, leave me alone,” the girl voiced, softly nursing the point of impact beneath her sleeve. No actual damage, though it stung. A small gaggle of human residents of Stain-Glass—local youths barely older than she was—seemed to have taken an interest in harassing her for what she was, where others seemed content to give her dirty glares before going on about their business and maybe talking behind her back.

^{“Sure! But first,” the pack leader prodded:
“Show us your face! We wanna see!”}

^{“Yeah, freak! Let’s see!”}

“…I– I don’t want to,” the young woman replied in earnest, shielding herself a little more with her shawl as she made to turn and leave the way she came. Shadows loomed. They had no intention of letting her go without further harassment, her shoulder grabbed and yanked with enough force to topple her to the floor, only to feel the boot of one of her assailants upon her stomach as they mocked and laughed…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>As the bullies continue to harass Callisto, Lecter suggests a course of action as the ship comes into dock.

Notes:
• Feel free to dock and disembark!

Crew Page: Big Sis Pirates</sub>

---

Grimm-Rosa Scarlette | #960018
Blood Callisto | #3aa8c1
Quinn Bathory | #7fffd4
Lilith Lilin | #f0b333
Tally | #3656b0
Ophelia [NPC] | #ff72d7
Gobbie Bathory [NPC] | #afeeee
Hannibal Lecter [NPC] | #87a96b
John Kramer [NPC] | #80461b
Jack Torrance [NPC] | #87d3f8
Yamamura Sadako [NPC] | #9370db
Todd Sweeney [NPC] | #c54b8c
Michael Myers [NPC] | #1b1b1b
Jason Voorhees [NPC] | #0070bb
Billy Loomis [NPC] | #696969
Freddy Krueger [NPC] | #b8860b
Charles Ray [NPC] | #43b3ae
Patrick Bateman [NPC] | #dc143c
Bubba Sawyer [NPC] | #fffacd
Cujo [NPC] | #d2691e

[Jade]

Lilin Post #2 / Tally Post #2

Tally and Ophelia both just let Lilin's declaration hang in the air - but it didn't seem to dampen the devil's spirits one bit as she stepped up to the railing and planted one of her boots on its top. "Where's the poor sod off to?"

"Who?" Ophelia joined Lilin at the railing, following her friend's sneer down to where Quinn had arrived on the deck. "Oh. I guess he is leaving after all."

Lilin didn't answer so much as she bristled - and quite literally, too. Her free-floating void hair bristled, shooting up into points that gave her the strange appearance of a porcupine having attached itself to her head. After a minute, though, she cooled down, and her hair returned to its more natural, though still decidedly unnatural appearance of floating through nonexistent water. "Well. Hope the little sad sack enjoys himself, livin' it up. But he better not come cryin' when he finds out he's stuck on some two-bit hunk of rock in a sea he can't even cross of his own."

Her form dissipated into black smoke that set across the deck, pointedly giving everyone but Quinn a wide berth - and wrapped the cephalopod merman in void black for about a second as her smoke consumed him before she was already gone, reformed in her smaller original form close to the ship's bow. There, she perched herself precariously on the railing, looking for all the world like she'd tip over and tumble into the dark waters below at the slightest challenge to her balance. When Lecter called out to her and the ship's captain not to destroy things, she gave him a dismissive hand gesture that turned into flipping him off with her middle finger partway through accompanied by a backwards glance and cocky grin.

Back up at the wheel, Tally simply continued to stare ahead, quietly running through calculations as they made their steady approach. Ophelia was still standing there, looking out over the deck. "So, what, you're trying to make amends for something?"

The little thief nearly jumped off the deck when she realized Tally was talking to her. Once she'd processed what the helmsman had said, though, she clasped her hands in front of her and looked anywhere other than at Tally. "Ah. Well. I mean, I... Suppose?"

"Then that's easy. You did nothing wrong, at least to me," Tally responded nearly immediately. "And if you think otherwise, and that isn't enough to convince you - I forgive you."

"I- That's-" Ophelia stammered for a moment, and then exhaled everything at once. "No, that's- That's not what I meant. Tally, I-"

"Hold that thought," she answered, putting one hand up to ask the professional thief to stop. After that, she inhaled through her nose, puffing up a bit - when she started, her voice came out in a bellow. "Landfall in a few minutes! Any extra hands to help get us safely docked, get ready!" She cleared her throat, and then turned her head to where Ophelia was standing. "So, what was..." Or, where she had been standing.

Tally glanced out over the deck - Ophelia had somehow slipped away, as she did, and had joined Lilin up by the bow, where the troublesome duo were stashing Lilin's oversized blade into a small glass bottle. She raised a brow, but did not dwell on it. If Ophelia had something important to say, surely she'd come knocking with whatever it was again before long.

[Fox]

“Oh, Sadako, I…” Quinn ran a hand through his raven black hair. He hadn’t thought that he needed to explain it to people. He hadn’t even really considered saying goodbye. What a piece of work, he was, huh? Rather than dwelling on his own faults for once, he managed a smile at her when she brought up checking in at a hotel. Maybe she did know? Or, maybe she just thought that he could use some time away to sort things out. Either way, it gave him an excuse.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll do that. Thanks,” he said, nodding to her with a soft smile. Sadako was one of the siblings that Quinn did have a certain fondness for, though part of him suspected it was due to the sheer terror they’d experienced fighting Tally together. Weird how things worked out. He still felt bad for accidentally touching her back then. Mm.

Quinn almost thought to give her an apology then and there when Lilin, as a cloud of smoke, barreled through him. Specifically him. The sensation made him jolt and his hair stand on end. Neptune, he’d been hoping that his change of look would have prevented her from recognizing him. No such luck. In fact, she seemed angry for some reason. Quinn coughed and waved her away as she darted toward the front of the ship without a word to him.

“What was that about…?” He murmured aloud to Sadako, glancing at her quizzically.

He didn’t understand why that she devil was upset with him. Their previous conversation had left him similarly confused. From what he could tell, she had tagged along because Scarlette amused her to some degree. Quinn couldn’t help but wonder what had also given him such a dubious honor. She ignored most everyone else it seemed. Quinn dusted remaining smoke and soot from his hair and looked up eagerly at the fog, trying to peer through it to see the shoreline.

---

Quinn | #7fffd4 | Post Count: 2

[Vio]

^{Scarlette #3}

---

“I don’t know,” Sadako responded, having witnessed Lilin’s peculiar passing and thankfully not being buffeted by the smoke. “I don’t really understand her, but Scarlette seems to trust her presence,” the long-haired lady recited with a certain monotony. Trust was a rare commodity. Even if she wasn’t exactly enthused by Lilith Lilin’s rambunctious behaviour and force of character, Miss Yamamura did trust in her Captain’s judgement in regards to these things, even if the logic and reasoning wasn’t always clear.

Those last few minutes passed swiftly, the call of fast approaching landfall drawing out the last of the siblings who had so far remained below decks. Individuals such as the striped sweater-wearing Krueger, who casually strolled forth from the mess in the company of the much more blubbery Sawyer. The latter had taken to wearing a thick jacket over his shirt and slacks, while the former basically hadn’t changed from his usual preference of attire, and looked just as tired as ever.

With the Mercy Bouquet settled, moored, and the gangplank deployed, it left very little else for the crew to do. The town itself seemed quite busy, brimming with activity and a passive yet quickly waning interest in the individuals who had just arrived. Perhaps the greatest blessing was the lack of interest in Miss Grimm-Rosa, who half-shambled half-walked her way along the docks and stretched, somewhat glad to be back on dry land but made at least a little more alert by… something. She couldn’t explain it to herself, let alone to anyone else, but it almost seemed to draw a dull ire from within, pulled from deeper memories.

^{“Alright, let’s get to business,” Lecter exhaled:
“Bateman, do you mind dealing with the provisions?”}

“W– W– W– We’ll go, too,” Sawyer sputtered, joining up with the familiar form of their canine caretaker, Cujo, as they moved from ship to dock. With both the cook and doctor raring to go—and likely needing to just to make sure the aforementioned financial filter didn’t end up rationing funds too strictly—the group gathered up and were about to set off when another spoke up.

^{“I’ll go, too,” Kramer announced gruffly:
“We’re running low on lumber and nails…”}

^{“Seems I have no choice.”}

“Here’s a snail if you need to check in,” Mister Hannibal added with a smile, passing a checklist and Baby Den Den Mushi to Bateman, who palmed and pocketed them with professional grace as he unceremoniously muttered under his breath about dwindling capital—and something about door expenses. “With that sorted, I suppose that leaves the rest of us time to properly stretch our limbs and take in the sights! Ah– Oi, Ophelia, if you’re planning on going anywhere keep a hold of this,” the quartermaster called, tossing another small Transponder Snail in the Phantom Thief’s direction.

^{“Ah, I suppose I should ask,” he continued:
“Does anyone mind watching the ship…?”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>With the Mercy Bouquet docked, the crew starts to divide and conquer as Lecter delegates and dishes out some snails!

Notes:
• At Callisto #2.

Crew Page: Big Sis Pirates</sub>

---

Grimm-Rosa Scarlette | #960018
Blood Callisto | #3aa8c1
Quinn Bathory | #7fffd4
Lilith Lilin | #f0b333
Tally | #3656b0
Ophelia [NPC] | #ff72d7
Gobbie Bathory [NPC] | #afeeee
Hannibal Lecter [NPC] | #87a96b
John Kramer [NPC] | #80461b
Jack Torrance [NPC] | #87d3f8
Yamamura Sadako [NPC] | #9370db
Todd Sweeney [NPC] | #c54b8c
Michael Myers [NPC] | #1b1b1b
Jason Voorhees [NPC] | #0070bb
Billy Loomis [NPC] | #696969
Freddy Krueger [NPC] | #b8860b
Charles Ray [NPC] | #43b3ae
Patrick Bateman [NPC] | #dc143c
Bubba Sawyer [NPC] | #fffacd
Cujo [NPC] | #d2691e

[Jade]

Lilin Post #3 / Tally Post #3

Lilin and Ophelia hadn't moved from their spot up by the ship's bow in the time it took for the Mercy Bouquet to settle into position in port, chatting somewhat quietly about something that was clearly not for the others' ears... To mixed success, given the little imp's tendencies to be loud. The occasional bit of grating laughter or slightly more subdued snicker from Lilin would certainly give anyone who had any idea what she was like reason for concern about what that duo were plotting, at any rate.

When Lecter addressed Ophelia, the professional thief snapped to attention just in time to catch the Baby Den Den Mushi. The tiny snail trilled once before settling back to rest as she stashed it away. "Oh, sure. Thank you, Lecter," she said with a bright smile. "But don't call us unless it's an emergency! Lilin and I are going to be doing some more... Covert operations."

"Aye," Lilin helpfully added, then paused to take a drag from her pipe. "S'been too long since the two of us pulled a right and proper heist. Stealing ships on Jaya? Bah, like taking candy from babes. Slipping into a place priding itself on tight security and humbling them? Now that's the kind of fun we ain't had in an age and a half, kashashasha!"

"I mean, one could argue that is what we attempted back on Kenzan..." Ophelia said, a half-hearted attempt at a correction that trailed into nothing. "Don't worry though, we won't get into any trouble we can't get ourselves out of, and we won't do anything that traces our actions back to the crew. Lady's honor~"

"Does anyone mind watching the ship...?"

"I'll stay," Tally announced. Her arms were totally obscured by her poncho as she descended from the helm to the main deck. "I can pull us out of port in a hurry if someone," she paused briefly, gaze boring into Lilin through her tea shades, "causes a scene and we need to relocate."

The octopod woman shifted her weight from one foot to the other, then back again as she looked off toward the city they'd just arrived at. A bustling port town, that was for sure, especially given the boats docked around them, and one that was completely unfamiliar to her beyond the few things she'd heard and fewer she remembered. Not the sort of place she would be eager to go running into if there was an alternative option.

"Worst comes to worst, I think I'd be most effective here near the water anyway," she added. She looked about at those members of the crew gathered on deck, waiting to see who else, if anyone, would volunteer to stay behind on glorified guard duty.

[Fox]

“Oh! I’ll stay!” Gobbie volunteered almost immediately after Tally spoke up. In truth, Quinn saw that as soon as the call went up, she’d volunteer. Not that Gobbie didn’t like going out into the town. Though, she sometimes did get her feelings hurt when people avoided her on the street. Quinn sighed softly, wishing the world wasn’t so cruel. Her dream of becoming an idol was just so far-fetched given her appearance. And he didn’t have it in him to tell her that it was a pipe dream. Not again, anyway. He still regretted the first time those words slipped out of his mouth. Gobbie was grinning at Tally so excitedly too.

“An’ maybe you can teach us da fundamentals like ya’ said b’fore?”

Ah. That was her game. Quinn figured she was up to something when she got more excited when she heard Tally was staying. If Gobbie was staying on the ship then… this might be one of the last times that he got to see her. Since she was going off with her new found family after all was said and done. Quinn’s brow furrowed a little at the thought. He didn’t doubt that Scarlette cared for her siblings deeply. She wouldn’t let anything happen to them. And now, Gobbie was one of them. Even if Lilin was a wackadoo planning a heist, apparently, Quinn felt like he could count on Scarlette to keep her safe.

But… he wasn’t one of those siblings. So those same protections didn’t extend to him. Despite himself, Quinn found himself willing to trust Scarlette for that much, at least. She was a monster through and through, but she cared and would do anything for them. He had seen as much back on Rondure. Shifting his bags onto his shoulder, Quinn looked over at the crew, unsure how to say goodbye. It would probably be easier if he didn’t. For right now, he wanted to put it off. Not bring it up in front of literally everyone. In the end, he just looked over to Sadako, and offered her a small smile.

“Well, I’m off. I’m gonna see about finding a library in town, so that’s probably where I’ll be if you need to find me.”

Hopefully, there would be something in there to lift this curse of his, so he could go home and… Well. He’d figure that part out later. Without much more ado, Quinn pushed off the rail and made his way over to the gangplank, heading down and toward the city. Hopefully, to find a cure.

---

Quinn | #7fffd4 | Post Count: 3

[Vio]

^{Scarlette #4 — Callisto #3}

---

The look that Lecter gave to Ophelia and Lilin was rather self-explanatory. His approval was lacking, but knowing full well that he could do nothing to impede their mischief, he merely shook his head and focused upon the other question he had asked. Rightfully so, not many were keen on the idea of staying aboard the Mercy Bouquet this time around, save for Tally. The octopod Fishwoman seemed almost cautious of the island itself, voicing a personal investment in being capable of making a quick getaway should an almost inevitable chaos stir.

^{“Oh! I’ll stay!”}

^{“Entirely fair,” Lecter nodded:
“Thank you, Tally, Gobbie…?”}

Eyes caught an interesting sight. The image of a roundly built man waving at him like an excited school kid trying to grab the quartermaster’s attention. Jason Voorhees’ sturdy structure stood proudly on the ship’s deck, hands moving to rest on his sides as he gave a firm nod—a sign of willingness to stay. Miss Grimm-Rosa saw it with her own eyes as she shuffled away from the ship, smiling softly. The man’s conviction was unparalleled, though she understood why. He liked the sea. Nay. He loved it like it was a part of him, a Gyojin trapped in a human form. And to be given a chance at learning the signature martial art of the denizens of the deep was a solid step towards finding comfort in himself.

“You too, Voorhees,” Lecter smiled and waved.

“Well, I’m off,” Quinn said. “That’s probably where I’ll be if you need to find me.” Sadako said nothing. She had nothing more to say. Nothing she felt she needed to say. Rather, she simply met the merperson’s eyes and nodded slightly. Quinn’s departure was his choice and his alone. What good were more words? She simply watched passively as he made his way towards the city and allowed herself to assimilate with a group of the crew, banding together with Sweeney and Scarlette.

^{“…? Hey,” Scarlette asked:
“Where’s Quinn going…?”}

^{“He’s looking for a library.”}

…Is he alright? The question wasn’t spoken aloud, but it was one that Scarlette found herself asking without expecting a response. A grasp of empathy was one thing, but being able to perceive it was another. Chocolate eyes followed him for a bit, but soon turned elsewhere. He’s stronger than he thinks: He’ll be fine~! With that, the siblings split up and spread out. All except for one, Loomis, who cautiously decided to see what it was that Lilin and Ophelia were getting into…

^{—— MEANWHILE ——}

“Gross! Filthy beasts like you shouldn’t be here,” chided one of the young women amongst the rabble, speaking with a feigned authority that only served to sharpen the edge of such stinging words. As if a currently floored Miss Blood wasn’t an easy enough target. “Hit every branch of the ugly tree on the way down?” Callisto turned her head to avoid eye contact, though no matter where she looked, there was at least one pair of eyes drilling into hers to mock her lopsided physiognomy. She even shifted her skin from its muddy brown hue to an earthy grey, as if trying to blend into the street.

Just ignore them…! They’ll get bored, Callie reasoned, eventually feeling the weight of the boot upon her stomach shift as they youths turned their focus from her facial features to her physiology. Alas, the typical persecution that Gyojin found in every corner of the world was only escapable thanks to her visage being all the more disturbing. …! What followed was a kick. Foul words continued, trying to get a rise out of her, though all they seemed to manage was coaxing a few tears as the girl rolled onto her stomach and held herself.

^{“Even your own kind abandoned you!”}

^{“Yeah! You’re so ugly,” another rattled:
“Even the fishpeople don’t want you…!”}

^{“Pl– Please… Somebody…”}

“Tch! Nobody’s gonna help a monster like you. C’mon,” the leader laughed, “let’s leave this freak in the dirt where she belongs!” With that, the troupe continued on, though not before one of the others gave her another swift kick to the side, keeping her down…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>As the bullies cease harassing Callisto, the rest of the crew split off.

Notes:
• Group A (Provisions) — Bateman, Sawyer, Cujo, and Kramer.
• Group B (The Boys) — Lecter, Torrance, Krueger, Myers, and Chucky.
• Group C (The Girls) — Scarlette, Sweeney, and Sadako.
• Group D (“Acquisitions”) — Lilin, Ophelia, and Loomis (by proxy).
• Group E (Mercy Bouquet) — Tally, Gobbie, and Voorhees.
• Group F (Quinn) — Quinn!

Crew Page: Big Sis Pirates</sub>

---

Grimm-Rosa Scarlette | #960018
Blood Callisto | #3aa8c1
Quinn Bathory | #7fffd4
Lilith Lilin | #f0b333
Tally | #3656b0
Ophelia [NPC] | #ff72d7
Gobbie Bathory [NPC] | #afeeee
Hannibal Lecter [NPC] | #87a96b
John Kramer [NPC] | #80461b
Jack Torrance [NPC] | #87d3f8
Yamamura Sadako [NPC] | #9370db
Todd Sweeney [NPC] | #c54b8c
Michael Myers [NPC] | #1b1b1b
Jason Voorhees [NPC] | #0070bb
Billy Loomis [NPC] | #696969
Freddy Krueger [NPC] | #b8860b
Charles Ray [NPC] | #43b3ae
Patrick Bateman [NPC] | #dc143c
Bubba Sawyer [NPC] | #fffacd
Cujo [NPC] | #d2691e

[Jade]

Lilin Post #4 / Tally Post #4

"An' maybe you can teach us da fundamentals like ya said b'fore?"

Tally shifted where she stood, looking from Gobbie to Voorhees as the man gave his own enthusiastic word that he, too, would be staying behind on the ship. The idea of serving as a teacher was still intimidating, to be entirely honest - she had only just started shaking off the rust of six years of disuse. They would be better served by someone actually qualified as an instructor, not her.

And yet...

"..." One of Tally's arms poked out from under her poncho, pushing her shades up away from her eyes in order to pinch the bridge of her nose. She held that pose for a moment as her thoughts raced to a finely-honed singular point, then let out a long sigh. "Yes. We'll start ten minutes after the others leave the ship. Get yourselves ready, and meet me here on the deck then."

---

For two women out on the town with the self-declared intent of staging a heist, the two certainly seemed to be more like two women out on the town just for the sake of it. After setting off from the Mercy Bouquet, Ophelia and Lilin had slipped into town - and though the little devil's appearance certainly drew stares, something about her bearing kept peoples' mouths shut.

Some beri and words had been exchanged at a small corner cafe while Lilin herself sat at one of the glass tables outside of the establishment, heavy boots kicked up to rest on the table's surface while her chair leaned dangerously backwards, resting on only on of its four legs. When Ophelia returned, it was with a paper bag held precariously between ring and pinky finger and two drinks that steamed in the chilly air - one was set down in front of Lilin, who sniffed the brown liquid, took a sip of it, and pulled out a silver flask from the inside of her jacket. As she poured a foul-smelling concoction into the drink she'd been brought, she eyed her companion. "So. Anything got a grip on tha?"

"Oh yes," Ophelia answered. Any further response was postponed as she pulled a fancy-looking pastry from the bag, which she enjoyed a bite of as she settled back into her own chair. "Mm. There's one in there for you too, Lilin."

Lilin eyed the bag, but didn't reach for it or its contents as she instead cautiously sipped her punched-up drink.

"There are a number of positively delightful-sounding tourist destinations on the island," Ophelia continued after a minute. "There are a few historic glass-blowing facilities, the Hill of Sorrows... Apparently there's a fairly famous cathedral up in Pane City." She looked up from her drink to see that Lilin had definitely taken an interest in that last one, and smiled. "Sounds like we have a winner, then. You just like the idea of being your usual devilish self in a religious setting, don't you?"

"It's thematic," Lilin shot back, then grinned. "But aye. Guilty as charged."

---

It took a few minutes longer than she'd said for Tally to arrive on the deck. As she strode out from the inside of the ship, she pulled the poncho up and over her head, revealing her typical sleeveless top, though her long denim pants had been replaced with a pair of looser shorts. "Alright," she started as she tossed the poncho off to lay on the deck, then kicked her flip-flops off - and finally looked at her two students. "We're going over fundamentals. So..."

Her bare feet slid against the wooden deck and six arms rose about her as the fishman karate practitioner dropped into a battle-ready position. "We'll start with an assessment of where you're both at right now. You can both come at me at the same time, if you want - when you're ready."

[Fox]

Gobbie had run off back to her room immediately, changing into the work out clothes that Quinn had picked out for her. She tied back her stringy blonde hair into a bun and slapped on a headband with a fabric flower off to one side. She wore leggings with a vertical stripe down the sides to slim down her bulky figure as well as a short skirt. For the top, Gobbie wore a simple tank top and jacket with a high collar. The colors were all pink, black, and white, which contrasted nicely with her light blue skin - or so Quinn had said. She pulled on two sweatbands around her wrists and nodded. She couldn’t wait to show Aniki when he came back!

It didn’t take long for Gobbie to reappear on the deck now that it was mostly empty. Everyone had gone off into town. To prepare for the training session, Gobbie started doing some warm up exercising and stretches. When Tally did reappear on the deck, Gobbie straightened up, bouncing from foot to foot excitedly. It didn’t take Tally long to get ready as she asked them to… come at her. Already?

Gobbie exchanged looks with Voorhees. She hadn’t gotten into many scraps in her day. Sure, maybe she broke up the odd brawl, using her huge size, but actually fighting? Well, Gobbie didn’t want to hurt anyone. Still, Tally had asked her to attack, so Gobbie trotted forward and threw perhaps the most awkward and delicate punch at the other woman despite her hulking form.

–MEANWHILE–

As soon as he left the ship and all of its prying eyes, Quinn felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He still felt a bit of guilt, but it was a relief to have a moment away from being crammed on a ship with everyone. He heaved a sigh of relief, burying the future anxiety of having to actually say proper goodbyes for later. Maybe they’d just leave and he wouldn’t have to worry about it! Well, that partly gave him some anxiety too. Trying to shove it away, Quinn focused on his surroundings.

The city was filled with misty coils of fog. The cobbled streets were damp from a recent storm. All of the architecture was vastly different from what he was accustomed to, different from Rondure and Fishman Island. If he had to say, it had a dark almost gothic quality to it. Hm. Well, the first thing to do would be to find a hotel. Preferably somewhere affordable so that his meager funds didn’t evaporate instantly.

As he walked down the streets, Quinn heard a sound that he really couldn’t ignore. The sounds of cruel jeers and a soft voice begging. He shouldn’t get involved. He knew that. But… Quinn sighed and clicked his tongue, turning and heading over in that direction. What he saw were a bunch of stupid humans bothering one of his own. They seemed like they’d had their fun already, but this sort of thing irked him to his core.

With a wave of his hand, white spores floated off Quinn like the misty fog shrouding the city streets and coated basically everyone in the vicinity except for the prone Fishwoman. It was simple from there to snap his fingers and have chaos ensue. Mushrooms and other types of fungus sprouted all over their bodies, taking root on their skin. Mold covered their faces like hair, turning the lot of them into the ugly monsters they were. The bystanders weren’t safe either. They were just as guilty for standing by idly and letting this happen.

While shouts and screams erupted from startled and horrified people, Quinn walked over to the prone girl and kneeled down, offering a hand out to her. He didn’t want to linger too long in this mess. While the chaos helped to distract from the two of them, Quinn didn’t want to be here when things calmed down again.

“You’re going to be okay,” he offered softly, genuinely trying to reassure her before urging her, “Come on. Get up. Let’s get out of here.”

---

Quinn | #7fffd4 | Post Count: 4

[Vio]

^{Scarlette #5 — Callisto #4}

---

As she cowered and curled, passing seconds seeming like an eternity, Miss Blood could not even bring herself to recognise the sudden wave of confusion and panic spreading about the vicinity. Her ears rang with the words and laughter of the youths that had preyed upon her, ignorant of the hysteria until a nearby voice snapped her from self-conscious self-confinement to a curious reality. A hand offered, decidedly humanlike, but distinctly foreign compared to all those shown.

^{“Come on,” they said:
“Let’s get out of here…”}

I… Who is this? Why is he helping… Actual words did not escape Callisto’s lips. Almost as if on autopilot, the young woman took the offered hand and hauled her dirtied and muddied self up from the ground, following what she had definitely noted to be a Merman—a rarity of its own in this region—away from a scene that she fortunately had not cared to lay her eyes upon. Perhaps for the best. The faces of bullies and abusers already did their utmost to remain ingrained in her memories, so a refresher—no matter how vindicating—was out of the question.

“I– …Thank you…?” Such words came out as more of a whimper after a short while as the Fishwoman withdrew her hand and halted in the safe confines of a quieter street. Even though the figure before her had come to her aid, the woman’s own experiences kept her emotions and acceptance stymied. “Who are you? Why did you help me?” Callie asked, bundling herself up a little more tightly as she put perhaps half a step of additional distance between herself and her apparent rescuer…

^{—— THE MERCY BOUQUET ——}

Ten minutes. Plenty of time to prepare for what Mister Jason Voorhees could only feel was a dream come true. Ever since he and the others had set off from that accursed island in the Calm Belt, he had been hopeful, but his inability to properly convey his words had proven an obstacle. Excitement shone through that barrier. Even before the established waiting period was up, he had returned to the ship’s main deck, having exchanged his simpler attire with a very basic, sleeveless martial arts gi that he had acquired for just such a situation, though the garment itself didn’t quite fit his rounded body.

^{“Alright,” Tally began:
“When you’re ready…”}

Gobbie looked at Voorhees. He looked back and smiled, adopting a martial stance of his own. It all seemed to prompt the colossus of a Fishwoman into taking the first move. A punch. Voorhees grunted slightly as he watched the woman’s movements, from advance to assault, every motion made by Miss Bathory seemed to be reserved and gentle. It was surprisingly soft for her gargantuan frame, though whether she was holding back out of concern or because she didn’t fully grasp the basics was an unknown factor.

“Hurmm!” Voorhees wasted no more time. Equal parts excited by this opportunity and determined to get a proper grasp of it, he bounded forwards and threw a fist of his own. One foot leading pressed firmly against the deck of the ship, acting as fulcrum for the rest of his blubbery body as he followed the motions of a rather standard style of punch found in Gyojin Karate—all the makings and rotations of the various Maigawara Seiken techniques and with power to boot, but lacking the exact refinement that made splitting tiles with naught but a punch possible…

^{—— OUT AND ABOUT ——}

Shambling along with an ever so slightly uneven gait, Grimm-Rosa Scarlette advanced down the streets of the town with company beside her in the form of Todd Sweeney and Yamamura Sadako. The former having a chipper spring in her step as was expected and the latter gliding along with gentle footfalls hidden by the veil of jet that cascaded over her shoulders, it all made for an uncanny contrast. Even then, the hairdresser’s happy attitude helped to persuade conversation and destination.

“You know what we should do?” Sweeney asked, leaning forwards a bit as they walked and balling her hands into fists of excitement as she did so. “Some clothes shopping! We only have a few outfits,” she continued, eyeing Scarlette’s attire for a moment to almost emphasise a point as she opened a hand in the one-armed woman’s direction, “and most of what you wear doesn’t last, Big Sis.” Chocolate eyes met deep purple as a confused expression appeared on Scarlette’s face.

^“Eh…?”

^{“…It’s an idea,” Sadako uttered:
“But Bateman won’t like it…”}

^{“What do you mean, Sadako…?”}

“Anything we buy for Big Sis will end up shredded after a couple of fights,” Miss Yamamura elaborated, “and it’s not like we have somebody on the crew who can do dedicated sewing work.” As the trio continued, their curious conversation continued, swaying between positives and negatives as they seemed to find reason in what was a decidedly unreasonable fate for any garment they could possibly get a hold of. But no matter what, Sweeney and Sadako just couldn’t seem to figure out a conclusion, at least up until they were interrupted.

^{“…A coat,” Miss Grimm-Rosa said:
“I think that would be a good start…”}

^{—— IN THE SHADOWS ——}

How and when he had left the crow’s nest of the Mercy Bouquet was a mystery. Not a single soul had seen Billy Loomis climb down and disembark. Exactly as he liked it. Not a soul had seen him stalk through the streets of the town in a distant pursuit of his quarry. Nobody knew he was currently hiding behind a barrel outside a storefront a few doors down from the very same café that Lilin and Ophelia were occupying, his lean and slender frame and hooded coat somehow concealed away from prying eyes of even the most observant passersby.

There was no malice here.

Dammit, Loomis! What’re you doing? This is such a stupid idea! Paranoia, however, was present in spades. The gaunt fellow with ashen hair dressed in suitably dull grey attire for such gothic and dismal architecture was perhaps committing the most ridiculous of acts he could possibly have chosen, abandoning the relative safety of his preferred perch atop the ship in favour of lurking in the shadows as he observed and contemplated. Call it healthy curiosity coupled with absolute insanity, but the man was intent on finding out what the two women were up to, perhaps if only to uphold some sort of moral stance or understanding between himself and them…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>A cowering Callisto confronts her rescuer. Voorhees excitedly demonstrates his understanding of Fishman Karate. Sweeney tries to convince the girls to go clothes shopping. And Loomis cautiously observes the chaotic duo!

Notes:
• Group A (Provisions) — Bateman, Sawyer, Cujo, and Kramer.
• Group B (The Boys) — Lecter, Torrance, Krueger, Myers, and Chucky.
• Group C (The Girls) — Scarlette, Sweeney, and Sadako.
• Group D (“Acquisitions”) — Lilin, Ophelia, and Loomis (by proxy).
• Group E (Mercy Bouquet) — Tally, Gobbie, and Voorhees.
• Group F (Quinn) — Quinn!

Crew Page: Big Sis Pirates</sub>

---

Grimm-Rosa Scarlette | #960018
Blood Callisto | #3aa8c1
Quinn Bathory | #7fffd4
Lilith Lilin | #f0b333
Tally | #3656b0
Ophelia [NPC] | #ff72d7
Gobbie Bathory [NPC] | #afeeee
Hannibal Lecter [NPC] | #87a96b
John Kramer [NPC] | #80461b
Jack Torrance [NPC] | #87d3f8
Yamamura Sadako [NPC] | #9370db
Todd Sweeney [NPC] | #c54b8c
Michael Myers [NPC] | #1b1b1b
Jason Voorhees [NPC] | #0070bb
Billy Loomis [NPC] | #696969
Freddy Krueger [NPC] | #b8860b
Charles Ray [NPC] | #43b3ae
Patrick Bateman [NPC] | #dc143c
Bubba Sawyer [NPC] | #fffacd
Cujo [NPC] | #d2691e

[Jade]

Lilin Post #5 / Tally Post #5

Tally held her stance as her students made their respective approaches - Gobbie came first. Even if it was only their very first bit of practice, she took a measured breath through her nose the way she would in an actual fight, analyzing both approached as the world seemed to slow.

Nothing about Gobbie's approach spoke of intent to harm, though it reminded her of a younger child she'd learned alongside back when she'd been a student. The punch came like a drizzle, and it was swatted out of the air with ease before coming close to its target. Tally's open palm slapped at Gobbie's wrist, knocking the punch aside with the intent that Gobbie's approach had lacked - though not enough force to do more than sting.

The ship rocked a bit as her other student rushed her, and Tally found herself paying more attention. The ideas where there, at least in the way someone who loved something and might practice it on their own could replicate it - but someone with the proper training and a critical eye could see the missing puzzle pieces like a lighthouse on a dark but calm night. Voorhees certainly didn't want for force or intent, though, that was certain. One of Tally's hands came forward and caught the fist thrown at her with enough force to match it, like two waves crashing into one another.

"Well..." she started, standing back up to her full height and relaxing her arms. "You two could not be more different if you tried - but I think that works to our advantage, as you'll be able to help teach each other, too. Fishman Karate is about more than knowing how to throw a punch or the using the proper form for a particular kick. It's about more than power or speed."

She was not a teacher, but there was a philosophy behind the iconic fishman combat art, both as she'd learned it as a child and that she had developed for herself over the years since. It couldn't hurt to share it with her own students now, right?

"Fishman Karate is as water - and water cannot be controlled. You can offer it direction and work alongside its existing direction, but any attempts to be its master are, ultimately, futile. Water, and Fishman Karate, are about flow," Tally continued as she turned her back on the pair on the deck with her. She took a few steps away, slipping her sandals back on her feet. "Gobbie - you are gentle, but you lack the intent to affect change on the flow. Voorhees - you have intent, but you lack the gentleness to work alongside the flow. You each have what the other lacks, for now, but both will need to be refined into technique."

She bent down to pick her poncho back up, draped it over her shoulder, and then turned back around - suddenly aware of just how long she'd been rambling on and on. "Er, that is- Well. Do you have any questions before we move on?"

---

Their pastries devoured, but still nursing their drinks, the two women moved on from the café. They chatted away, playing the part of tourists so convincingly (even if Lilin did draw more attention than the average one might) that anyone following them could, perhaps, be convinced that they truly were just taking in the sights.

They steadily made their way toward the edge of the port town, however, away from any of the things a tourist might want to see. Lilin drained the last dregs of her drink - by then, more her own concoction from the silver flask than whatever sweet drink had been poured by the café - and then crushed the cup in her hand, tossing it over her shoulder as she approached a building that seemed to be more of a small shack connected to a covered stable.

Ophelia waited outside. Without Lilin, she looked for all the world like a truly ordinary young woman, holding her still-warm drink with both hands to keep her hands warm on a chilly day as she glanced about at the unfamiliar vistas around her. And then Lilin returned from the building, ducking through the doorway as she was back in her towering hybrid form, with an older, portly man quaking in his boots. The well-to-do Ophelia turned and smiled at him as if nothing were wrong, pleasantries were exchanged (with the man occasionally glancing back up at the Smoking Devil, who in turn was content to sneer down at him as she relit her pipe), and some sort of deal was struck. A small cart was hitched to one of the horses, a thin young man was called over as the two women loaded up in the back of the cart, and then they were on their way out of the port town...

[Fox]

Thankfully, the Fishwoman didn’t put up a fuss as Quinn pulled her away to a quieter street. Quinn paused and glanced back to ensure that they hadn’t been followed, but it seemed like, for once, things were going his way. He sighed softly with relief, running a hand through his black hair. As he did, it shifted color from silver to white and back to black once he took his hand away. Good. No, this was good.

A small voice brought his attention back to the Fishwoman. She pulled her hand away. She still seemed terrified. Quinn could empathize with the feeling all too well. Hm. She seemed a little dubious of him, not that he could really blame her. What he did was almost totally out of character for him, but… he didn’t care. He didn’t regret it either. Quinn considered her briefly, pressing his fingers to his lips before very slowly lifting his hands up.

“I’m Quinn. I… was just passing by, but…I…” he shrugged, rolling his shoulders, “There’s no reason really. Those humans just… annoyed me. There’s no reason for such nastiness, you know? And, we fish folk have to stick together and all.”

Good enough. Quinn couldn’t help but feel like he was being a little too honest or maybe it was him being too sentimental. He couldn’t tell. Ack. Rubbing the back of his head, he turned his gaze to the wall. Urgh. He really didn’t want to think about it too much. It was nothing. His eyes slid back over to the Fishwoman, glancing down at her arms as she bundled herself up tightly. His awkward expression softened a little.

“Are… Are you alright, darling? Are you hurt anywhere? We should get you cleaned up…” Quinn patted himself down, picking out a small handkerchief from his vest pocket and offering out to the girl. He was willing to dab the dirt from her face himself, but he didn’t want to knife straight past the girl’s comfort zone. “Here. What’s your name, dear?”

-MEANWHILE-

Gobbie’s fist was swatted aside as easily as one might swat away a kitten begging for scraps. She bounced back, retracting her hands and giving her boo boo a kiss. Voorhees, meanwhile, went in with much more force, clashing with their teacher in a vicious display. Gobbie frowned, feeling like she hadn’t done well at all. But she didn’t linger on that too long, refocusing on Tally as she spoke up. According to Tally, it was just a matter of… lacking something. They both did.

She thought about it for a minute. In truth, Gobbie didn’t want to hurt anyone. She realized it was sort of antithetical of her because she was the one who had insisted that Tally teach them how to defend themselves. She needed to give this a try! Maybe she could turn it into something that could help people. But she needed… intent.

“Can you explain intent? Like… examples, please?”

---

Quinn | #7fffd4 | Post Count: 5
Gobbie | #afeeee