these are the days, it never rains but it pours...

[falconing]

Who: The crew of the Huntress and all visitors!
Action: On board the Huntress.
When: The month of January!

It's a mingle! For our new crew, resolving various catastrophes, and assuring Han Solo he made the correct decision in becoming a good person. Please send help.

Comments

Visiting!

[mikangirl]

[I DON'T EVEN GO HERE

But Nami's been checking the crew rosters since Koala turned up on the Marsiva, and once she finds a listing for the smol broken bundle of issues, she's paying a visit. Hello Huntress, I am here for your children. And possibly tea. And to explain a thing.

...and possibly to attempt punching Greed in the face, idk. We'll see how this goes.]

[avaricious]

[Speaking of faces... Greed is standing at the docking bay when she comes aboard. Visitors are a little unusual just now and he is the tactical officer. This is probably like literally his only job besides being everyone's boss.]

Alright, lady. What's your purpose on this ship?

[mikangirl]

[Ah. Isn't this the guy who was complaining about people leaving his ship? With such a welcoming expression, she can't imagine why. Nevertheless, she smiles cheerfully at him.]

Visiting! I have friends on board, and one of your new crew members is from my world. You must be the captain, right?

[avaricious]

[He does smile - at least now. But it's the kind of smile from someone who is extremely proud of something they've done - which was probably terrible.]

That's right - Greed. And you are?

[mikangirl]

Nami. Co-pilot of the Bloodsport. [Headtilt.] Your parents call you that or is that a lifestyle choice?

[She can get behind greed, really.]

[avaricious]

My old man's a real piece of work. [No really. Basically pure evil.] Though it's definitely a lifestyle as well.

[mikangirl]

Well, nothing wrong with a little greed. Or even a lot of greed. [Just, you know. There are limits, at least for Nami.]

Anyway. I'm looking for a little girl called Koala, primarily.

[avaricious]

[His eyes narrow.]

Yeah? And what's your business with her? [She better not be taking her away. Not on this day!]

[mikangirl]

[Her smile fades, though her expression is still placid enough.]

No business. We're from the same world. I wanted to see how she's settling in.

[digthefuzz]

[Kurt greets her with a nervous wave when he sees her enter.]

Nami? Hey!

[mikangirl]

[Five minutes ago she might have joked about that nervous wave, but by the time Nami sees Kurt she's already gone past Greed and now she's in not so great a mood.

Though she is trying to not be as seething by the time she runs into Koala, so she stops and takes a breath, lets it through her teeth. Hi, Kurt.]

I see you've got the most charming guy ever as co-captain.

[digthefuzz]

[Welp. His mood deflates as soon as she brings him up. Greed complaints are definitely not unfamiliar ground for Kurt, even after such a short time. He responds flatly.]

...So what did he do this time?

[mikangirl]

He existed. [Because he didn't really say anything terrible, just said it badly, and he struck a nerve and Nami doesn't feel like going into it right now. It's complicated. She's pissy.]

Why are you co-captains anyway? You're not meant to have more than one.

[digthefuzz]

That sounds like something he would do. [He says with a deadpan nod.]

Hey, don't ask me! Apparently we can. Atroma... decided it somehow. I have no idea why or how!

[mikangirl]

Hm. Well, he's protective of his crew, at least.

[Huff. Let it go, Nami. DOn't take your bad mood in with you. So let's discuss Atroma, because that's always good for tempers, right?]

Sounds like they're deliberately trying to cause friction in your crew, then. [Even if Greed was the nicest guy in the world, two captains in one ship is asking for chaos.] Maybe it's a "ratings" thing.

[Yeah, she totally just gave that air quotes.]

[digthefuzz]

I guess I'll give him that much... [Even if he could be vaguely threatening at the same time. An odd ocntrast to the protective possessiveness displayed by his lookalike Ling.]

Dude, that totally makes sense! I keep on hearing all this stuff about drama and ratings, but I haven't really seen much of it myself. [Aside from his troubles with Rogue.] That must be why they set this up. They set us up for the fall!

[And he doubts that explaining that to Greed would help matters. If anything, learning that he could make more money through drama would only inspire him to make more messes!]

[mikangirl]

Well, good luck working that out. [Though that does mean she's...not so sure about leaving Koala on the ship despite the presence of Kurt and Marhi. She trusts them to do good by a kid, but if there is friction Koala will get caught in the middle.

Apparently Nami is playing the part of Child Protective Services today. Go figure.]

Anyway. You got a minute? I wanted to talk to you about the little girl on your crew.

[Talk to all of them, really. Not necessarily about Koala, but see what they're like-- though in Kurt's case, she'll just be plainly honest.]

[scrubscrub]

[Nami will eventually find Koala in her own room (her own room!!); she's dressed up in a Koala-sized space jumper supplied by the ship itself — her clothes are in need of washing, and she's about to get to that and to collect everyone else's laundry, really. She's carefully setting the corners, folding them with the utmost neatness, and almost doesn't notice her new friend(?) enter the area.]

Ah! Miss Nami, hello! What are you doing here?? Visiting the crew? I could go fetch them and let them know you're here, if you'd like. Or make you something to drink...

[Nami's very nice. For some reason, not so scary.

Appearances can be deceiving, but she'll let this one slide just a little.]

[mikangirl]

Visiting the crew is right. [Talking to Kurt means she's back in decent cheer, at least, so she won't accidentally vent her irritation on the smol.] But you're also part of the crew, Koala. So I've come to see how you are.

[...cleaning. Compulsive cleaning; she remembers Jinbe had said as much. Her eyes track over the ultra clean room, but given it's Koala's own, she doesn't say anything.

She crouches down to rest on her heels, back against the wall, and smiles.] So. How are you settling in? Are the crew nice?

[Actually a question of utmost importance.]

[scrubscrub]

[... Huh? To see how she is...? She looks confused for a moment, but it seems to click. Or something does, anyway!]

Oh, I'm settling in just fine, Miss Nami. They've been very kind. I've been properly fed and housed. I can guarantee I will be in wonderful condition to continue my work.

[mikangirl]

[Yeahhh, she was half expecting that answer. She chews over trying again to tell Koala it's not goddamn required of her, but she can't sail in and say all these things and then just leave again. It's not fair to the poor kid. Not unless she takes Koala with her.

Which is really the other reason she's here. Though it is Nami, and she may end up snapping and going for blunt anyway. But let's try the gentler way first, huh?]

Well, I'm glad they've been kind. You all have to look out for each other, being on the same crew. But make sure you look after yourself, too.

Did you talk to them about... working?

[scrubscrub]

Oh, yes! Mr. Greed said that he's the captain! He said that if I continue to work well, he'll give me protection under his gang. So I've been trying to keep everything tidy — b-but I am having some trouble with one of his current orders...!

[She touches the side of her head with a hand, as if exasperated, but she's still beaming fiercely despite what her eyes say.]

I've been tasked with getting in the Top 10 score in pinball, b-b-but I am not that good!

[And she's really super stressing over it.]

[mikangirl]

[.....

Her first kneejerk thought is that she should go back out and bitchslap Greed across the docking bay. If she continues to work well-- what the fuck? After what he dared to say to her out there?

And then Koala continues and Nami shifts to stare at her a little blankly, not quite computing.]

...pinball?

[Potential explosion delayed by confusion. But her fingers have curled into tight fists.]

[scrubscrub]

Yes! It's a — game. You must keep the ball from falling to the bottom, and when you hit things, it makes a dinging noise and you get points, and — it's very strange, and Mr. Greed said that it's on my... 'to-do list' to make it into the top numbers on the score list, so I'm trying to do it!

[As you can imagine, she's motioning with her hands and — sans the eerily stone smile — she's practically sweating from the thought of all of this.]

I haven't gotten anywhere close! But I will keep going until I meet Mr. Greed's request!

[just in case he wants to stONE OR AIRLOCK HER]

[mikangirl]

[Okay. Game. Got it. A moment for Nami to parse the order into what it was: an attempt to be (nice?) or introduce some kind of fun into Koala's day. Explosion averted, but now she's just irritated. With her conversation with Greed outside and this, it's clear he has no goddamned empathy. You can't order a conditioned slave to have fun.

She doesn't know how to untangle this. Ah. After a moment:]

Sounds kind of like fun. Do you like it?