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

[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?

[scrubscrub]

[She actually... isn't sure. That much is obvious.]

I... don't know! I mostly worry about failing when I play...

But sometimes I play for a very long time and don't even realize it!

[this madness must cease]

[mikangirl]

Hmm, well. Did Greed tell you when you had to get this high score? Because if he didn't, I'm pretty sure he just wants you to get good at it in your own time.

[She hopes that's what he meant, anyway.]

[scrubscrub]

He said I must get in the top 10 scores.

[She makes determined fists.]

I haven't even gotten close, but... I've gotten better! I just need to dedicate more hours to getting better at it, and then I can show Mr. Greed that I've done as he's asked, before it's too late!!

[mikangirl]

It won't ever be too late. [Gently.] If he didn't give you a deadline, it means you take as much time as you need. As long as he sees you're trying, he won't mind how long it takes you.

[If he tries to say otherwise she is yanking you off this ship, kid.]

[scrubscrub]

Oh.

[Well... She's not sure if she believes that without Greed saying otherwise, but...

Ah! Wait!]

I'm sorry! You were here to visit the crew and I've been taking up your time with such silly things you don't have to worry about!

[mikangirl]

I don't have to. I want to. [She leans forward, resting her arms on her knees.]

I told you Jinbe was a friend of mine, right? If it weren't for his-- [Tread lightly--] --loyalty to the Sun Pirates, we'd probably be sailing together.

He cared about you. I do too.

[scrubscrub]

[She blinks, and then looks away, smile fading a bit.]

Mr. Jinbe said that?

But... you barely know me! I don't think... that you should have to do such things.

[You know. Care.]

[mikangirl]

I don't have to. I choose to.

[....]

C'mere for a second.

[She's shrugging off her jacket.]

[scrubscrub]

[Ahm. Well. Nami seems nice. It's not a trick.

Everyone's been very nice, he reminds herself for the millionth time.

She steps forward, holding out her hands quickly.]

Oh! Do you want me to hang it up for you?

[mikangirl]

No, that's okay. I'll put it back on in a second and-- [Her eyebrows quirk up] I know you don't believe me, but it's not your job, okay?

I just want to show you something. Maybe that will help you understand why I want to look out for you.

[Off comes her shirt as well, shucked off her shoulders to rest on top of the jacket. Don't worry, she still has her pink tanktop on underneath. She rounds her shoulder forward so Koala can see the pinwheel tattoo.]

I got this to remind of my family at home. See this? This is a mikan fruit. [She taps the tattoo at the point in question, then runs her finger along the swirl of it.] And this represents a pinwheel. They're both important to me, and so every time I see it I'm reminded I have a family who loves me very much.

[Not exactly what she's going to show you, Koala, but let's start with the nicer thing.]

[scrubscrub]

[She stares in surprise for a moment.]

Oh... Wow...! That's really very pretty... I like it.

[Family. Something to remind you of what's waiting for you, out there...

It's really nice to think about.]

[mikangirl]

I like it too.

Now. Something else.

[And she turns away, so Koala can get a clear look at the scarring behind that tattoo, thick and old and white.

]

This is where I had my other tattoo.

[scrubscrub]

[She stares in surprise for a moment, glancing up to Nami.]

A tattoo of what?

[mikangirl]

[Arlong's crew mark. Arlong who, as far as Koala is concerned, is part of the Sun Pirates, and Nami isn't going to talk about him directly just yet. It's kind of bemusing to think about; if Fisher Tiger hadn't taken Koala home, Arlong might never have come to Cocoyashi. Which is neither here nor there, and certainly no fault of anyone's. Just... interesting, that chain of events.

We're kind of connected more than you realise.]

It was the mark of a monster who thought he owned me.

[scrubscrub]

[She stares for a long moment, and then carefully buttons her jumpsuit, turning just slightly to reveal her own — the thick rounded burn on her back, the brand of the Sun Pirates.]

I had something like that, too.

[She looks down, away.]

I-it hurt a lot... but there was a bad mark under mine. That meant I was owned, too.

[mikangirl]

[Oh, Koala, she knows. But was owned is a better thing to hear, because it's past tense, so maybe that less broken part of you isn't quite so far buried as she fears.]

It looks like it hurt a lot. [And it's so fresh too, healed but still a little raw-looking, and while she doesn't think it hurts anymore, Nami's gentle as she tugs the jumpsuit back up onto Koala's shoulders, tucking some errant hair behind her ear.]

I had to remove mine because it was too different to stamp over, and that hurt a lot, too. [Not quite how it happened, but some gory details can be spared small chidren, okay.] But it was a while ago. I don't think about it very much at all, and I like the tattoo I have now. It's a way of moving on.

[scrubscrub]

[She nods, looking away. But she's smiling a little, at least.]

It's good... that you moved on...

You grew up very pretty and strong! I can tell.

[mikangirl]

I did, didn't I? [She grins cheerfully.]

But we all do that, we move on. You will, too. I bet you're gonna grow up just as pretty and strong as me. We've got a lot in common.

[scrubscrub]

[She blushes, looking away.

She doesn't really believe Nami, but...]

That would be... nice.

I hope mom'll be proud of me, i-if I do.

[mikangirl]

My mom would be proud of me. [She's pretty sure. Got to meet a version of her anyway, not that long ago. Nami smiles, wistfully.]

Your mom loves you, right? I bet she'll be proud of you just for coming home.

[scrubscrub]

She does! I... think she does! I remember her loving me. I'm sure I do.

[Things are so fuzzy sometimes. It frightens her.

... Some things, however, she can't ever forget; not even a detail of it.

She looks down, kneading her palm with the other hand.]

I hope she'll think I was brave. I — I tried to be brave. When Mariejois burned, it was very scary. And everyone was trying so hard to run. And when I saw the doors open... I just... I thought maybe if I ran hard enough, I'd run right into my mom.

[She laughs awkwardly.]

It's a really silly thought, isn't it? I don't know why I thought such a thing!

[mikangirl]

[...Koala. :c You make a navigator sad.

She swallows against the sudden lump in her throat.]

You were very brave. Some slaves would be too scared to take the chance, you know? And I don't think... I don't think that's a silly thought at all. If you look at it a certain way, it means your mother gave you the courage to run.

You should tell her that when you get home.

[Mariejois should have burned to the ground.]

[scrubscrub]

[She nods.]

I will. I promise! I promise I'll tell her, because it's true.

S-some slaves... they, um. They couldn't... They didn't know how to not be slaves, either. They didn't know how to be free. Maybe they gave up because they didn't have someone like I did. I'm very, very lucky, Miss Nami. I'm extremely lucky! Because I'm not like the older people. I'm not like the ones that couldn't remember how to survive anymore.

[She's smiling, but she rubs stubbornly at her eyes, as if trying to stop herself from crying too openly. She had told herself she wouldn't. The Sun Pirates changed that; they had changed a lot. She sniffs.]