video / action

[scrubscrub]

Who: Koala and you!
Broadcast: From the Marsiva
Action: SS Huntress later on.
When: January 9th.

A.) VIDEO BROADCAST

Ah -- I was asleep! I don't remember being tired; maybe I slept badly the night before.

[The higher pitch of a child's voice — one that looks about eight or nine by the size of her, though she's a bit older than that — pops up on the broadcast; Koala herself is clearly a bit confused, a little troubled by her sudden lack of recollection over the last few hours. Last she remembers, she had... been on the deck of... Yes, she had been sailing with the Sun Pirates as usual, and Hatchan was teasing her by having her guess where something was in one of his many hands.

.... What is this, though?

She stares at the room around her, polished and not at all a pirate ship.

Her heart skips a beat. Her cheeks hurt a little, the corners of her mouth twisting.]

... Hello?

Did — Did we dock?

[Did they leave her behind? Did Fisher Tiger grow tired of her? Perhaps he had realized he did not like her cry, the way she wailed what felt like so long ago. Maybe he resented it more than she realized. She's thankful for her life if that's the case, glad that she was not cut down for being a nuisance, but... but now... how will she get to her mother now?]

Where... is the crew...?

[The silence is very scary, but not the scariest she's faced. She plants her bare feet on the floor, curling her hands in her yellow dress. It's the only one she owns, and she's not sure she likes it even now, but they gave it to her and she expects to honor that. Her slave clothes were a bit torn anyway. She regrets not waking with shoes, but it's a nice floor. It's very clean, very much the place of richer families.

Is... Could she be... back in...

She shakes faintly at the thought, mortified for a moment until she sees the strange device. For some reason, she thinks maybe she knows how to use it? But where would such a thought exist from? She's used to far different ways to talk...

If this is — in fact a new... owner. Then she needs to be prepared to do whatever she must. Hopefully she's allowed to speak. She gives a creepily wide smile, eyes round and full of faked anticipation and contentedness. When she speaks, it's high and eager, ready to work. And that smile does not waver for even a moment.]

Hello! I'm sorry — Where will I be stationed?

I'll get to it right away!

[Telling them you're good at your job is not smart. They may think you're gloating about your skills. That could earn unwanted attention. Best to stick with simply explaining your compliance and moving along to do the next task. Don't panic! Everything will be okay! Yes! You will survive! Just keep smiling.]

B.) ACTION — SS HUNTRESS

[Later on when the shuffle is processed, Koala boards her ship good and proper — she's nervous, so nervous, but she has to remind herself that it will all be alright as long as she does whatever it is that's needed of her. She can clean, she can make things look proper! How nice is this ship, anyway? She'll get right to it! Because of this, one can find her scrubbing the chairs and counter tops down, or carefully mopping the halls. Be careful not to slip! That would be tragic. It's not like we have any caution: wet floor signs. Also, we promise she's not from Children of the Corn, but sometimes when you turn around where you're at? She's right there, beaming up at you with that wide-set smile. She's got prune-y hands wringing a cleaned rag and a little dust on her yellow dress.]

I've polished the kitchen counters! Does anything need to be cleaned?

Comments

[scrubscrub]

[it's easy to get along with kids when they're worried you'll throttle or eat them

lessons to learn]

Yes, ma'am! I'm going to keep this ship very orderly. They said I'm —

I'm maintenance.

[notkittenaround]

I see. I am lab support, and a Scholar besides that - If ever you are harmed, or sick, you must come to me and I shall physick you.

[ A beat, as she recalls that though she looks the same as one, this Koala might not be close to the Hyur race she resembles. She might already be sickly. ]

Are you well now?

[scrubscrub]

[Oh, wow. That's impressive...! And such a kind offer, from the owners of the ship.]

I'm very well; I can work and do whatever you'd need from me.

[notkittenaround]

[ This is going great. Children from other cultures are beginning to get easier - perhaps she needs only practise. ]

It seems to me that you have done all that needs to be done. I can think of no other place that needs cleaning, unless there is something heavy you have failed to move?

[scrubscrub]

[Ah.]

I can clean our rooms! And do any laundry. I just need to know where it is supposed to go...


B-but I'm sure I can figure it out. I can learn how to cook. I can sew a little!

[notkittenaround]

We do have a cook, and clothes besides - I am certain Undyne will have much food for you once it is time to feast. But if you hunger now, I can manage a little tea and meat.

[ She's a better hunter than a cook, but 'meat goes in fire-machine, meat comes out cooked, boiling water is applied to leaves' is not beyond her talents. ]

[scrubscrub]

[She considers the proposition anxiously, lips twitching despite the continual smile. It seems it hasn't faded since they've began speaking, and it's a wonder her cheeks don't hurt (it's practice).]

Only... Only if you believe I've done enough work for lunch!

[Is it lunch time? She's not even sure.]

[notkittenaround]

[ It doesn't shake her a beat. Marhi's being a hunter, and hunted enough, to know when you must dig deep and work hard before you have anything to eat... But that is not the case here. ]

That has naught to do with whether you are hungry. There is food enough, so I do not ask you to hunt for more before we have enough to eat. All I wish to ask of you beforehand is to clean the plates so that we might use them, and that is a task already done.

[scrubscrub]

[She beams at Marhi — yes, such a simple task!]

I can clean however many dishes you'd like. That would be wonderful, miss!

I can help you prepare good, too. But I'm not very good at cooking yet. I can learn.

[notkittenaround]

I am afraid I cannot teach you a better art than I know, for I imagine we are much the same in cooking. I would leave that instead to our cook.

[ But she can handle the basics: Grabbing those cleaned teacups, and plates, so she can shove raw meat in the microwave and so she can make tea. ]

If you are interested in learning, I could teach you to read, or how best to throw a punch, or how to wield a spear.

[scrubscrub]

[WHOA WHOA WHOA, NO WEAPONS

Are you trying to get her killed? Slaves can't go wielding weapons!]

N-no, that's alright!

I know reading is not proper for someone like me. You don't need to waste your time! Ma'am!

[notkittenaround]

... "Someone like you?"

[ Her ears swivel back. Her tail ceases its friendly flicking.

An eyebrow arches. ]

What do you mean by that?

[scrubscrub]

[... gulp.

She tries to conceal her shivering, hands at her sides.]

A — a slave, miss! Eh — uhm, ma'am! I shouldn't be dabbling in things like education.

[The Sun Pirates never bothered with that sort of thing.

Surely, people who've brought her here for labor would disapprove.]

[notkittenaround]

[ Her rage is a majestic thing. The black pupils of her eyes, already inhumanly big, widen further. Her hair bristles and puffs out, her ears flatten, and her tail goes stiff with emotion.

She is having an excess amount of issues with this sudden declaration. But she keeps her voice, though terse, as calm and collected as she can. ]

You are no slave. If any here declare that of you, I will kill them.

[scrubscrub]

[She... isn't sure what to say to that.]

But I... I was brought here. To be assigned to a crew...

What else would I do?

[notkittenaround]

[ She kneels down again, to make their height closer, and so she isn't glaring down at the child. ]

You have been used most poorly, and cruelly, by monsters who do not understand the sanctity of life.

We are victims here of the same kidnapping, as everyone here is, so I cannot claim our freedom is absolute - But we are not slaves, not in heart nor mind. You deserve all that should be given to anyone - You will be fed, you will have clothing, and safety as much as I can offer.

[scrubscrub]

[She looks down at her bare feet, feeling awed by the woman's way of speaking. She seems like a warrior for sure, very stern and confident. But she isn't sure what to believe, not when lies are so common in the world of slaves.

They toy with you, they play games, especially when they're bored.

And the punish when they feel obligated.]

I... Um... I...

[It appears she's hit a roadblock with words.]

[notkittenaround]

[ She runs her hand through her own hair, to settle the outraged puff, and to buy her a moment to speak. ]

I am... not well at speaking to those far younger than myself.

[ A moment, and then she admits, with a slightly embarrassed glance away. ]

I have been called abysmal. ... Likened to a ravenous bear... Ahem. I do not mean to scare you. Would you rather we have some meat and tea, and I will tell you why I rage at slavers?

[scrubscrub]

[She rebounds quickly from her speechlessness, at least!]

Yes...! I can make you some tea!

But — you should be careful. Um. Slavers don't like when people talk about them like that.

[Assuming you're not a slaver. She imagines you're... something. Neither a slaver nor a slave, just a warrior aboard the ship. There were a lot of fishmen who were like that! Aladdin was a slave once, but everyone else...]

[notkittenaround]

I assure you, to be anything slavers dislike is a great joy of mine.

[ She, herself, picks some of the remaining slabs of meat and salt from the planet to shove into the microwave. A master of the culinary delights is Marhi's companions, not herself. ]

I was taught skills that I cherish, and that have saved my life many times, by a brave woman named K'ylhia. She was once the prisoner of the dread and exiled pirate Doesmaga.

[scrubscrub]

[jeez, you might as well have said a curse word just now.

But she won't lecture you, because that's not her place.

She wouldn't even know where to begin or how to, anyway.]

He was a bad pirate?

[There are lots of bad pirates out there... but... there are good ones, too.]

[notkittenaround]

A slave-trader, a murderer, a kidnapper, cruel to children, and women, and anyone weaker than himself. One who delighted in atrocity.

[ Marhi watches the minutes count down on the pile of meat. ]

But after she escaped, she learned, and she mastered the way of the Arcanist. On her own strength and learning, she was elected the foreseer of the guild. And she became the one who helped teach me the arcanima.

[scrubscrub]

[Well, wow. He sounds bad for sure.

Koala hesitates for a moment, and then decides not to reveal she's escaped herself. There could be... consequences. She doesn't want to think about them. While the other is turned away, her smile fades into a troubled expression.]

How'd she escape? Slaves... aren't supposed to do that.

They can get into bad, bad trouble.

[notkittenaround]

They can. She was very brave.

[ Despite the fact that she's talking, she keeps her gaze on the microwave as if it requires that. Or as if the spinning meat is particularly hypnotising to her. ]

I met the pirate myself, alongside her. We were inspecting the imported cargo of ships when we hazarded onto his, though he was meant to be exiled. She panicked greatly to be faced with the man who had hurt her so, and we scarcely made out with our lives - and her over our shoulders.

But she grew stronger from it, and it was her that created the plan by which he was imprisoned. She snuck on board his ship disguised as a -

[ A beat, while Marhi edits slightly lascivious details out for the child.
'
As a slave, and myself as a merchant.

[scrubscrub]

[She looks down, thoughtful.]

How scary...

[She couldn't imagine having to face hers. That darkness...

That horrible place, she doesn't want to ever go back. Even if she were to become a slave again, she would hope it'd be somewhere like here. She hasn't been hit or yelled at or anything of the sort here.]

... I —

I'd like to go. I'd like to see my mom again.

That's why I decided to work my hardest! And be brave around pirates, so they could take me home to my island.