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

[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.]

[mikangirl]

[Yeah, that's about what she figured. People get too broken down over time. She suspects it might have happened to her if Luffy had never followed her back to Cocoyashi, and her time with Arlong is a paradise compared to the World Nobles. Riding fucking humans down the street, fucking hell.]

You're lucky and you're strong. That's what it is. And that's why I know you're gonna be just fine.

[Also stop sniffling because I may have to hug you, god.]

[scrubscrub]

[She nods, red-cheeked.]

I hope so... I -- I'm worried... if I'm not more like I was before... A long time ago... I-I mean. Do you think my mom will still feel the same way about me? Even if I'm -- different? What if she...

[Quiet fears she hasn't shared with anyone.

Will her mom still love this... different girl? Does she remember someone else, and will she be disappointed when this is the little daughter she gets back?]

[mikangirl]

I think your mom will be sad that she lost you for so long. [She reaches out to take Koala by the shoulders, turning her gently to face Nami.] And she'll be angry that they hurt you. But she won't be sad or angry at you. Do you know the difference?

Your mom won't love you any less than she did before. She probably thinks she's never going to see you again because she can't fight the World Nobles for you. So just imagine how happy she'll be when you prove her wrong.

[scrubscrub]

[She smiles wide, looking more pleased.

More relieved.]

I think I know the difference... I think I do...

I'll go back to her soon! I'll stop her from being sad.

[mikangirl]

Good! [You'll just make her guilty as hell instead. Or at least Nami hopes you do, because that would at least mean she didn't really want to set Fisher Tiger up. :c But given that's all in the past anyway, mostly she hopes Koala has a loving and stable home to get back to.]

I'm on another ship. It's called the Bloodsport. Creepy name, I know. You ever need anything, or just want to talk about home or whatever, you call me. Us ocean girls have to stick together.

[scrubscrub]

[B-BLOODSPORT...

But she nods, looking... more confident. Good job, Nami, she really needed this.]

R-right! Ocean girls, sticking together!