one fish, two fish, red fish, (blue fish)!!

[honorbends]

Who: The passengers of the Blue Fish and visitors!
Action: The Blue Fish!
When: It's a mingle for the month of January, losers!

[ mingle for the month for the blue fish, to meet up with new crew members, hash out stuff. come get free therapy from zuko, who has 100% put up a sign on his door saying 10 credits because allen owes him money. ]

Comments

[summerschild]

[Bran can be found in the cargo hold with his new little pup, affectionately named Beca. There's a small plate in his lap with fish he purchased in town, and the fox paws at his boots, asking for a piece.]

You can't have it until you sit.

[Beca huffs.

This was a lot easier when his legs worked.]

[save_the_souls]

[Allen of course, is all in support of a fox pup being added to the crew. Sure, with Timcanpy and his fish he didn't have anymore room in his small quarters for another animal- but hey if it's on his ship, that means he can still play with the fox from time to time, so that works out in Allen's favor.]

[Though for now he'll be approaching Bran as he takes a break from doing supplies run, smiling at the scene]

How's training going?

[summerschild]

[Bran smiles up at Allen - the two may have gotten out to a somewhat rocky start, but he certainly feels a sort of kinship with the First Mate as of recent months. At the question, however, the smile falls a bit lax. Something is bothering the kid, clearly.]

It was less difficult with Summer. [Ironic, seeing as how she was a wild wolf, and Beca was a stray in a domestic environment.] I can't show Beca what she's supposed to be doing.

[save_the_souls]

Can't show Beca what she's supposed to...? Oh- I see.

[It took a moment to click. He makes a "hmm" sound as he rubs his chin, trying to think.]

Maybe you could use Timcanpy? I bet you could convince him to demonstrate.

[summerschild]

... How so?

[He still doesn't quite understand the strange little flying creature. Is it a robot? A metal bird?]

[save_the_souls]

[No one truly understands Tim, Bran. Just go with it]

Um- hold on.

[He'll call Tim over who had been fluttering around. Tim flies over and lands of Allen's hand.]

Hey Tim. Bran's trying to train Beca but he's having a little trouble demonstrating what he needs to do. Do you think you could help? [Tim seems to tilt his head, like he's mulling this over] There'll be snacks in it for you.

[Oh, well in that case! He perks up his wings and nods in agreement]

Great! Thanks Tim. Alright um, go to the floor next to Beca - and Sit!

[Tim complies, jumping off Allen's hand to fly to the floor. Once he reaches the floor, he makes a show of sitting down on his tiny little feet like a proud little golem that's been bribed.]

[summerschild]

[Bran looks enchanted by the little golem, and smiles.]

Beca, sit!

[But the fox has now noticed Tim, and starts sniffing at his little feet instead.]

Beca.

[He leans down to try to get her attention. Maybe if he could just look in her eyes, and make her understand...]

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[Actually, Robb has been searching the entire ship now. He knows his brother is here somewhere but he is still unable to find him.]

Bran!

[Robb walks through the hallway towards the cargo hold.]

Bran! Are you here!?

[There's a certain desperate tone to his voice.]

[summerschild]

[The calls get the attention of both Bran and Beca, and the little fox dashes away from the chair towards Robb's voice.]

Robb! I'm in here, in the cargo hold!

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[Robb finds himself right there between happiness and sadness. Gods, what must he say to Bran? I could not march for Winterfell, I got caught up in wearing a crown. Right before the cargo hold's entrance he stops, thinking. He had no excuse and he can feel his chest tighten a little.

I should have come for them.

Finally he steps into the doorway. He sees the small fox first but ignores it the second he lays eyes upon his brother.]

Bran...I...

[Normally the king in the north was a bit better with words but speaking is difficult when trying to hold back tears.]

Bran. [A shaking sigh escapes his mouth before he closes the distance in two large steps, lifting his brother up as if he weighs nothing.]

[summerschild]

[Bran is a bit startled to suddenly be lifted out of his chair, but he quickly tightens his arms around Robb's neck. It's a fierce, desperate embrace, filled with so many questions and curses and comforts and apologies.

Why did you leave? Why did you die? Never abandon us again.

A sob chokes him, and he muffles it against his brother's shoulder.]

Robb-

[Everything hurts. Robb is a ghost, and Brain failed him, and he never wants them to leave this place if it means being together.]

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[All Robb feels is a terrible sense of guilt. It is hard to meet up with a brother that died back in Westeros. At the hands of Theon. He knows how much he has been crying into Jeyne's arms back then. How it had torn him apart.

And this tears him apart all over.]

Shh...it is well, Bran. We're...[A sob.] We're back together again... [As a family.]

It is all that matters. [And he sobs again, his shoulders shaking heavily as he does.]

[summerschild]

[Bran holds tightly, wishing he could stop Robb from crying. Robb hasn't cried in front of him before, not like this, and it makes his heart ache. He wants to fix everything, just reach into their world with one hand and stop Robb and Mother from getting killed.]

I lost Winterfell. I'm sorry, I'm-

[His own voice sounds horribly small.]

Maester Luwin said I was a good lord, but I couldn't stop the siege.

Sorry for the late!

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[Oh gods no. If there is something Robb does not want to hear Bran say it is that. His hold only tightens and a new wave of tears follows.]

No. [He has to bite his lip before speaking again.] No, no, no. [Finally he shakes his head and dares to look at his brother, knowing very much that he looks like nothing more than a crying boy instead of the king he wants himself to be.] You have not been at fault. I should...

[It is all his own fault. His and his alone.]

I should have come for you. Now Theon... [He can't even say it. Gods, since when did I turn so craven.]

[summerschild]

[Bran's eyes widen, and he grips his brother's shoulders more tightly. Gods, he had forgotten. At his own distress over Robb's death, and that of their mother, he hadn't remembered the lie that spread after Theon's betrayal. Breathless, he scrambles for the right words.]

It's not true, not all of it. Winterfell burned, and a great many are dead. [A pain he still feels profoundly, every time he thinks of home.] But Rickon and I were not among them.

[bolder]

[Toph's sitting on a nearby crate, picking her toes. They've been at this a while, and they seem to be getting nowhere.]

Did you try asking nicely?

[summerschild]

[Bran doesn't even turn up his nose at her habit anymore - he just frowns in her direction, looking a bit frustrated.]

Of course. She doesn't understand.

[bolder]

Too bad no one speaks fox here.

[She gives some toe gunk a good flick before sliding off the crate, feet landing on the metal floor with a soft tap.]

What do you have? [Toph sniffs a little.] Fish?

[summerschild]

[He nods.]

I got it from one of the markets.

[bolder]

[Her feet pad softly across the floor as she moves to join him.]

Has she done anything you asked yet?

[summerschild]

No, but I think she knows her name.

[admirably]

[ Oh...an animal. How...charming. ]

It looks like these negotiations might go on for awhile. [ It's a gentle tease. He means well, of course. He always means well! ]

[summerschild]

[Bran looks up and gives Hans a polite smile.]

She doesn't listen so easily as I had hoped.

[He understands, of course, that she doesn't know what he's telling her to do. His frustration is with himself, and his inability to show her, the way he could with Summer. But he doesn't want to show any disappointment in front of his crewmate and fellow prince - he wants to be a grownup.]

Have you been well?

[admirably]

I'm sure she just needs time. Just stick with it and I'm sure it will all work out. [ He punctuates these encouraging words with a genial smile. He knows that look - the look of someone eager to prove himself. ]

Much better now that I've recovered from my illness. And yourself?

[summerschild]

[A polite nod.]

The weather here is like home. It's nice.