come_sailaway | SEPTEMBER EVENT: WE'RE ON ISLAND TIME BABY

SEPTEMBER EVENT: WE'RE ON ISLAND TIME BABY

on the 16th, starting at 6AM and continuing until 10PM, Friday herself will be driving the ship’s tender back and forth between the ship and the excursion, making the trip about once every 30 minutes. those who board the tender will find that they are knocked out for the journey, but will wake up still on the tender, wearing whatever it was they’d been wearing before getting on, and with no side effects.

the destination is a tropical island, with white sandy beaches and turquoise water. the island is rather large, with dense tropical foliage inside the barrier of sand, but passengers will find it difficult to get more than a mile inland. not because of the trees or bushes, but because the villagers intervene around that point, and politely but firmly return them to the beach.

yeah, there’s a village. wood and frond huts built in a clearing just past the sands, populated by about twenty beings that appear to be some kind of bipedal salamander. if they have a verbal language, they aren’t telling it to you, and mainly communicate through gesture. there is a sort of vendor nearest to the beach, sitting on a blanket that holds a variety of exotic fruits, trinkets, and cool shells that they will exchange for literally whatever you bring from the ship. they are also trading bottles of a dark-red, citrusy rum; they also either have difficulty judging or don’t care about human drinking ages, and anyone who isn’t clearly a child will have no problem getting some.

the jungle is teeming with a wide variety of tropical flora and fauna. the plant life is whatever would normally be found in a tropical Earth location, while the wildlife is limited to what can be found on this island and in the jungles of Sumeru. why? because I feel like it. my fleeting whims decide every aspect of this game and i ain't stopping now..

the surrounding ocean extends out about five nautical miles before reaching what could most accurately be called The End of the Map: the water ends very suddenly, followed by the sky, and beyond it is an endless black void that makes your brain twitch the more you stare at it. if you try to enter it, you will die, and it will hurt the entire time you are dying.

there doesn’t seem to be any restriction on magic, except for one rather major one: anyone with the ability to fly will find that they are suddenly unable to. whether magical (i.e. Venti), biological (i.e. Phil’s wings), or mechanical (i.e. MB’s drones) in nature, anyone attempting to take flight will find it impossible to get any lift. just barely over the horizon, something gleams as it points to the sky.

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[Nobunaga at least catches the falling... person.]

[And does his best to steady them back on their feet.] First time trying that here, or in general? [Baby birds are so cute and dumb.]

[He kind of misses his hawk Haguro, but this will do. Treating people like his hawk. VERY normal.]

[ well dumb sure applies, ‘cute’ on the other hand might be a little more debatable. he squeaks a little as he’s caught; his wings might actually whap nobunaga right in the face in fluster and momentum, accidentally. whoops?? ] Ah—!

Thank… thank you, mister! [ well, it’s all good as long as one of those spiked halos on his wings doesn’t stab nobunaga, at least. he wriggles a little until he’s set back down, brushing off his shorts and legs. ] I don’t know what’s happening… I can’t seem to fly? No, this hasn’t ever happened before!

[ actually, it’s more disturbing to him than he might let on. he was a creature of the sky more than anywhere else. ]

[That's fine. He's been smacked with wings before. Albeit, never such big ones, but that just makes it even more fun!]

Have you been able to fly on the other islands the Captain brought the ship to?

Does it have to do with the air density? [But it's okay to breathe, and the wild birds seem okay. HM.]

I'm usually able to fly, anywhere and anytime! [ all right, maybe he does sound more worried now. he genuinely doesn't like to be restricted especially in such a manner like this, to the sky. ] All previous excursions and realms included! As for the air, it feels about as it should...

[ the wind twines around the both of them, almost restless in itself, as if mirroring his anxiety though he tries to play it off casually. and then glances at nobunga with more curiosity, that this person sure appears new. ]

This would be your first excursion, right? This... really is odd and not usual, to clip our wings like this.

Edited 2022-09-16 22:35 (UTC)

Yes.

[Hmmmmmm. He thinks about it. There's a tactical reason to it, and what another said rings true enough. It has to be for a reason to be peaceful for a bit.]

Must be something he doesn't want people to see.

From above? Farther out? No, if it was farther out, he could just limit the barrier, surely. [Wait... Did Nobunaga remember to set him down????]

[...........................]

[Yes good, okay.] Maybe his base is here. Or in the sky here. Or previous passengers left clues that aren't obvious until the sky.

[The problem is... Nobunaga can posit theories forever. That's how his brain works. A million ideas, and no way to narrow them down except by logic, likelihood, and evidence.]

Hm, well...

Actually, apparently this realm isn't one created by the Captain. The past excursions are, so I wonder what the difference or purpose of this one might be, but it's possible that if there's some limitation or spell placed on this reality, it might not be his. [ but, nobunaga is not wrong, speculation might just be all they have. especially if interrogating lizard people might not go anywhere. ]

... But I wonder if there's something in the sky that's of import, that might attempt to be barred from us.

Secret base. Something that anchors his powers together.

Or... the air itself doesn't allow for it. Magic isn't real in my world, so if your flight required it, perhaps that's it. Or there's some sort of technology the island has that prevents it.

Secret base. [Has to be.]

Even if it is, I almost hesitate to think of my kind of flight as magic. Is the flight of birds and insects and the wind 'magic'? [ questions for the ages, or philosophers, or idle gods. ] But I'll admit I'm not terribly familiar with technology but for what might be on the cruise.

So now, mister, if hypothetically there's a secret base in the sky and we're all grounded... however should we try to reach it, if we even should?

Edited 2022-09-17 20:40 (UTC)

We should definitely try.

He must have something else blocking it off from us, but won't it be entertaining to see what? [... Yeah Nobunaga's crazy.]

[Also:] Nobunaga Oda, Year 1582 Japan, Earth. [A small bow.]

[ who isn’t at least a little crazy on this ship…? ]

I’m Venti, a wandering bard. [ a little curtsy, with a cutesy little flourish of his brown cape. just because, he’s like this. ] From a world called ‘Teyvat’ that I imagine must be unfamiliar a name to you. Much of what the Captain references appears to be from Earth, though the time period varies or is unknown.

What's a bard-- No wait, I think I actually know that one. Um. Traveling musicians, right? [In Europe.]

[Also that curtsey is adorable. And reminds him of a birdie-version of Ranmaru. Aw.] Teyvat, yes. I'll remember it. But yes, mostly the Captain seems very fond of 20th and 21st century Earth, some country called America, which doesn't even exist in my time.

Do you write your own music to perform?

It's almost flattering to be among everyone else. [Maybe?]

Mhm, that’s right! [ well nobunaga did catch him like a gentleman so he could do a curtsy like a silly princess, or play it up a little. ] Well who can say whether someday we might visit somewhere in the ‘America’ or perhaps we completely have, but one of his making and imagination.

I do indeed write and perform my own music, as well as that of all eras and countries from all over! Why, shall I offer a song to you as thanks for saving me?

[Venti gets another bow, this one more dramatic, to play into the knight in pitch black armor thing.]

I would be most honored by such a compliment, Mr. Venti!

Though first, if I may ask: were you collecting different eras and genres of music even before here?

Edited 2022-09-18 20:21 (UTC)

[ his wings had disappeared a while back but there’s a little whisk of wind around him, from amusement and more content. ] Mhm, I was.

Actually, I’d pride myself on knowing all songs from past to present to future! [ what a claim. an ambition as if from a god. ] That might not quite hold true now since being captured to the cruise. But I love learning of songs and music from all worlds and timelines.

I don’t suppose you have some to offer me, now?

From all the worlds? Wait, it's less true here?

Ah....

[Oh. It's so sudden.]

[So much blushing and he glances off sideways.]

Um. I know... a few. [GAH. Everyone here is so carefree about singing and dancing and --]

[He buries his face in both hands for a few seconds. He's being so un-cool, he has to get himself back to normal!]

[Peeking back through a hand. He's a fearsome devil king, he promises.] D-Do you know the Atsumori?

[.....]

[And then Nobunaga realized that even if Venti DOES know it, rather than simply saving Nobunaga teaching it, he might get the wrong impression about why Nobunaga brought it up, because it's about a samurai and a flute player--]

[Oh no...]

I'm not trying to duel you! [Gah!]

I was thinking of starting a poetry and singing clubs. [So far he has one member in both: Tear. But is it less or more sad if he expands this?] So I know... quite a few of both. And write poetry.

[Oh the embarrassment. He has an inane urge to dramatically cut something to end the cycle.]

[ what’s so embarrassing about liking music and poetry! it’s his livelihood so he’s biased, he’d consider wine and song and art to be among the miracles of the world. ]

That title doesn’t ring a bell unfortunately, but let’s chalk it up to the differences between worlds that we face. Though, it sounds vaguely Inazuman… I might just need to brush up on my songs from that nation.

Not to worry, I’ll readily admit that I’ll be bested in a duel right now if I can offer my surrender! But only if I could read or listen to the Atsumori and your poetry, and offer some of my own to share with you and the club…! [ a poetry club!?! he’s practically levitating a little off his feet from the idea of it, it’s exactly up his alley. this might be all the flight he’ll be allowed. ]

Inazuman. [Nods.]

It's also a song and dance.

I can perform it um. If you're willing to wait until back on the ship. I can't get my footing for it in sand. It's done with a fan though, so I think you'd like it. It's very flowy. Airy. I could do the whole play, but I'd rather not. [Laughs and shakes his head.] I'm not a professional.

You'll have to teach me something as well. And we can go over the karaoke catalog. So far I've started memorizing.... [What's that one singer the bar plays nothing else of.] Billy Joel. [Literally it plays him on repeat, so in "preparation" for karaoke, even if Crichton said the idea is to be bad at it, he can't help trying to learn something extremely new to him and off-the-wall for him to sing. Also because it's funnier.]

Flowy and airy certainly sounds right up my alley! It seems you already have an idea of exactly the aesthetic I prefer. [ the wind again that twines around them kicks up almost playfully, or approvingly, with the hint of white feathers that appear and then are gone. ] No need to be self-conscious, nobody’s a professional here. … Though, since music is my profession I suppose I’d count as such more than anyone else.

I’ve definitely learned to play and sing Billy Joel though! [ classics upon classics! ] Say, what might be your favorite so far? I might just be partial to…

They say that these are not the best of times
But they're the only times I've ever known
And I believe there is a time for meditation
In cathedrals of our own 🎵

[ dare to sing along with? ]

Edited 2022-09-19 22:28 (UTC)

[A small laugh.] I had a head start. I try to associate with the untouchables of my world, so traveling performers is something I understand well enough. And my page-boy Ranmaru -- you remind me a little of him. You'd be best friends I think. But that means you are absolutely a professional. So is he.

[Oh, there's no way Nobunaga could do that yet! He's still WAY too shy about this. For all he has no problem showing off his poetry, or writing it on the fly, it's somehow intimate to him in a way that physical affection isn't. Nobunaga is an absolute disaster of a Demon King.]

[But he lights up.] I like your version a lot better. [Now he really wonders how Ranmaru would sing it too.]

Ehe, thank you~ [ all right, he catches on that nobunaga is shy to sing. that’s fine. someday… someday it’ll happen… maybe… ] So you have your very own page boy…! You may as well have an in-house musician. [ or had, he supposes? ]

Am I really in the presence of some nobleman now? [ hm, he had bowed that classily…! ] Mr Oda… or perhaps, Oda-san? [ potentially inazuman titles apply here. his world’s version of ~fantasy japan~. ]

No I am--

[Oh. OH NO.]

[DOUBLE FACEPALMS. SO MUCH BLUSHING.] I-It would be Oda-sama but... [Pouts his cheek to the side, dropping the hands.]

[You know how you get Nobuanga to sing and dance?]

[Apparently embarrass him to the point that dancing is preferable!]

The Demon King of 6th Heaven title and meaning only confuses those here. So Nobunaga is fine. Really.

[Okay, he still can't get a grip on the sand. But he does have his fan. HOPEFULLY THOUGH NO ONE ELSE IS AROUND TO WATCH BECAUSE aldkjaldskjasdlkj His voice doesn't have the ~~Akira Kurosawa version~~ warble (because he's not singing Enka), instead is just even and bass. ]

Even the 50 years of life for a man
Is short compared to the the length of time of the world
Life is but a dream, a vision, an illusion
Life, once granted, cannot last forever

[ oh my gosh… it’s happening. the singing! the performance he hadn’t reeeally really wanted to hope that the stranger could offer, but hope does spring eternal knowing he’s in the presence of a fellow poet.

and what a voice this is!?! you don’t have to be a professional to perform something with conviction, of course he’d always insist on this much. he falls quiet, wide-eyed to simply take in the song and dance, the motion of the fan. a bard himself could perform, he’d done his fair share of drunken jigs or folk dances on the dias underneath his very own statue in his city, his country, but clearly the show and maneuvers with the fan are much more cultured.

the wind pauses during the performance, then furls again. he claps with enthusiasm when it’s over. ] Nobunaga-san, that was…

That was truly impressive! Why, I didn’t know demons had such culture! [ hm, come to think of it the one demon he had encountered on this cruise was versed in court dance, but probably not song…? ] And those lyrics are poetically bittersweet… you really should have more faith in your own talent! [ he’s a bard so his word is true!! ]

[Just straight up hides his face behind his fan!] I didn't write those, they were commissioned a couple centuries ago.

I'm really not a professional, I mean it. The performers of my country are so dedicated. I wish I could show you. [A soft laugh and he shakes his head.]

My father died young, so I had to become clan leader in his stead. Oichi was only a baby at the time. So as she grew older, she kept begging me to take her to battle. I tried to convince her to learn princess things instead. Arts. Not that the atsumori is princess-ly, nor being a noh actress, but geisha arts, music, poetry, dance, entertaining, and misguiding men who let their guard down for a pretty face -- those things are. She was a total tomboy though. [He mouths the word uncertainly. He said "shounen" so the translation...]

Ranmaru is also an actor. Beautifully finessed. He can easily make me look like a clutz. Ah. And he can get very competitive which suits me just fine. He's a strong warrior only barely behind myself and Hideyoshi, but his favorite things are being doted on, pretending to be innocent when he's not, and bows, frills - women's fashion, that sort of thing. He'd have seen that performance and been like, [Switches his voice higher and demure, a stark contrast!] "Oda-sama, you're getting stiff, to let a little thing like sand slow you down. Do you need me to work you over like machinery?"

And then he'd totally show off with doing it so perfectly, everyone on the island would stop and stare. [NOD!]

But he's ruthless too. Of everyone in my army, he's the scariest. I'd hate to get him mad at me. [hahaha oops! Nobunaga is unaware, but Ranmaru did get mad at Oda, and save Oda's enemy from war, who is now trying to assassinate Oda. It's complicated. ]

Ah— [ well then. he rallies fairly easily enough. ] Even if you didn’t write the lyrics, you sang and performed it admirably! And it’s true, I do love to watch other musicians and artists show their talents so~ if ever there’s the opportunity… [ but, well, who knows if that could ever occur.

he listens to nobunaga’s descriptions of his sister, his friend; he rocks back on his heels a little with a small smile, hands clasped. what he really likes, he leaves unsaid just for now, is… it might be his fascination with art and music came from so long and far away, when he was wind that could but whistle through forest leaves, when he grew to admire people creating song and rhyme and poetry. and then, he thinks he learns, there’s something like warmth and nearly like song to how fond people are of each other… it comes through in nobunaga’s words and reminiscence. ]

You sound like you really admire the both of them. Your sister could be headstrong enough to find her own way, I’m sure. And that Ranmaru sounds like quite the character~ [ whether he’s an assassin or not, or especially so now. wow. ] I’ve actually taught poetry classes myself, during romantic holidays back in my country. But I think I’d tend to be a more encouraging tutor than he, probably!

Mmm, perhaps. But Oichi is better off not being a pawn in the wars for dominion over the world.

[Ranmaru is very definitely an assassin. And then some ayyyy.] Ah really? Okay, I'll write you something.

[He can only do haiku, because Japanese as hell.]

Family missing
Fear not; I keep on dancing
May this wind reach you~

You can come to the club. [He thinks about it. Tear said it almost definitely wasn't anything like the war council meetings though.] I hope I don't have to come up with rules for it. I had to do that for the sumo competition to keep it organized, but I had Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide's help with that.

1.1 / Flying

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