driftfleet | Just Keeping Swimming

[He blinks and looks up at the newest co-captain of the Goldstone. While he's heard some about her from Nightingale, they haven't had much of a chance to talk together yet.

As soon as he looks away, Saizou starts nibbling on the seaweed.]

Hm? I found Saizou in one of the temples, much like Nightingale-san's Rhea.

[Okita shifts the piglet in his hands and holds him out toward Opal with a smile. Seaweed is hanging from the piglet's mouth and he looks alarmed to suddenly be hanging midair.]

Isn't he cute?

How big is he going to be? Don't pigs get, like, pretty huge?

[She makes a face.]

I'm allergic to admitting anything is cute, sorry.

[Saizou snorts and shakes his head, causing the seaweed to drop to the floor. He cranes his neck to look down at it forlornly as Okita pulls him back and kneels down to pick it up.]

He might, but he's still very young. You have at least a year before you need to worry about him growing to any considerable size.

[Except that here he'll never age, yaaaaay.

Also, while he's down here...]

But you won't even admit Nightingale-san is cute? She must be so sad.

[She's about to respond to the part about the pig, but then pauses as soon as she hears what he says next.]

Oh, that is low.

I know.

[He smiles and stands up, handing the seaweed back to Saizou who is now voraciously eating it since he almost lost his chance.]

But it's alright if you don't think Saizou is cute as long as you tell Nightingale-san she is. She seems very happy whenever she mentions you.

That is totally and completely none of your business, but thanks.

[Is she going red, though? She might just be.]

[Oh my gods, this is so cute♥]

Well, as a security officer on the newly formed Goldstone, I feel as if part of my duty is to not only secure the physical safety of my crew, especially my captains, but also their emotional well-being.

[He smiles like the little turd he's being right now.]

But also, I think it's nice that you can find someone who makes you happy.

Edited 2017-03-13 01:42 (UTC)

[She tilts her head slightly, frowning.]

Have I talked to you, like, even one time before this? Why are you suddenly concerned with whether or not I'm happy?

[His smile doesn't waver, but something in it seems to grow hollow.]

Because not everyone can be.

[He pats Saizou's head and the piglet grunts, looking up at him for more food. Okita turns his attention to the pig and the hollowness drops away, or rather hides back where it came from.]

But I should introduce myself. My name is Soujirou.

[She definitely notices his change in demeanor, though she doesn't say anything about it.]

That was a little vague for me, you want to be more specific?

[Before returning her eyes to him, she looks down at the piglet for a moment.]

Got it. I'm Opal. You're from the Golden half of our ship, right?

No.

[His expression brightens as he shakes his head. He doesn't care to elaborate, thank you for asking.]

But yes, I'm from the Golden. I'm still trying to acquaint myself with everyone on both sides as I arrived back when we were at that large hotel in space.

...Well, at least you're honest, I guess.

[And she won't push when it's clear he doesn't want to talk about it.]

Man, not too long ago, then. Well, the good news is that stuff as big as the whole ship fusion thing doesn't happen often here.

[He laughs.]

I just couldn't elaborate if I wanted to. It isn't my story to tell.

[Which is a nice little deflection and a lie, but she won't know that. Hopefully.]

It's good to know that large scale....disruptions don't happen often though. So far it's only been twice and after that the ships haven't tried to suddenly smash into one another again. How long have you been here?

[She shrugs.]

No justification necessary. I believe you.

[And then she has to pause to decide for certain.]

A year and a month now, I think?

[He smiles apologetically and then tries to hide the strain behind the expression at her count. A year and a month for her, two years for Nightingale, longer for some others. How long did it take to "win" this game of Atroma's? He wasn't even sure of his standing, let alone how often the winners were chosen or if they ever even went home.

The idea of spending a year here while the Joui are circling ever closer to the capitol is terrifying.]

Goodness, then you must have seen a lot while here! Do you have any interesting stories to tell?

Probably, but all the most interesting stories come from the place I was before here.

[Not 'home'.]

I guess it would depend on what kind of story you wanted to hear, besides.

[So she was somewhere else before this as well. That seems to be a running theme with some of the people he's met.]

How about something fun... How did you and Nightingale-san meet?

In the aforementioned last place I was. Somehow we managed to both end up here together afterwards.

[The power of love, or something.]

[Oh, now that is interesting.]

She doesn't talk much about that last place. Was it much like this? The space and strangers coming from different worlds?

[She pauses for a moment, before shaking her head.]

No. It was basically the polar opposite of this place.

[And from her tone, it might be obvious that she's not too fond of it.]

[That seems to be the same though - everyone hates these places. He tries to think of the polar opposite of this place and comes up with something pretty dark.]

I see.

But at least the two of you have been able to find something good out of all of that.

Yeah. Just hope we don't end up there again.

[A shrug, and a shake of her head as if it to clear it.]

Anyways, you were asking how we met? It was on the first day I got there. She came to meet all the people who had just arrived, I think.

Is that a possibility? I thought we were meant to be returned to our homes?

[Because he won't survive going from this place to another. He barely has a year or two left if he's lucky.]

Was she an ambassador of that place? Or just making sure newcomers were safe?

I mean, if we could come here from there, I don't really see why we couldn't do the opposite.

[A shrug.]

Nah, I think she was just curious. It was a little unusual when I came... Most of the time, people showed up one at a time, but I was in a group of, like, ten people who just appeared at once.

[That is the exact opposite of what he wanted to hear. He already had heard/read on that guide floating about the network that winners may or may not really "go home," but the idea of going from here to a secondary world was just more than he could take. He smiles in return though because why show any of his anxiety and fear to his captain? He has to be trusted so he can continue to be useful.]

Fortunate then, otherwise you might not have met when you did. Have you two been together long?

goldstone

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject