July Goldstone Mingle (with a short sad broadcast shucks)

[throwsdown]

Who: Goldstone crew and visitors!
Broadcast: A short locked to and for the crew. :'|
Action: SS Goldstone Mingle
When: July 9th - 31st!

Takeshi will address the crew promptly when they return to the ship — it's up to him as captain to make sure everyone knows what's going on, right? So with a subdued tone, he says over the loudspeakers: "Captain, um, Takeshi here. Miss Opal and Miss Maggie have gone home... I know we're gonna miss them a lot, but let's hope they've got really nice people to go home to... Friends and families and things they had to do. Umm... Take care of each other, and remember that some of us don't seem t'stay still for long, so be nice and remind them how much you care 'bout them, just in case, okay...?"

A pause.

"They wouldn't want us to stay too sad, so... keep your chins up and let's do good things moving forward, so they'll be real proud of us."

Comments

[noprophecies]

Mm . . . I understand.

[she's used to it too, after all. She reaches out to gently ruffle his hair]

[throwsdown]

[He smiles up at her, from behind her hand.]

I guess I'm like them, though. I've left before, too...

Not here, but on the last ship.

[noprophecies]

I have not left here either, but I left my team, a few times. Once permanently.

So I suppose we are both like them.

[throwsdown]

[Takeshi smiles, relieved; it's nice to know people understand.]

I guess so...! I think that's why it's important to take care of each other and be with each other, too!

As much as we can. Because we won't always be here.

[noprophecies]

That is a very good way to look at it.

[it's agreeing, albeit a bit reluctant. She's never been good about caring and then letting go]

[throwsdown]

[She gives a nod.]

That's true anywhere, isn't it? I think... that's what I've been learning, anyways.

... People go away no matter where you are. Even if you're at home. So you should hold on real tight to 'em. I guess that's kinda sad to think about, but sometimes it's okay to be sad.

[noprophecies]

. . . I suppose it is. [she wants to disagree, but this is not a conversation she wants to turn into an argument, and even less so with a child, no matter how mature he is] But holding on too tightly can be dangerous, too.

[throwsdown]

[He looks thoughtful.]

You think so? Like... people who are sad for a long time when someone dies, right?

[noprophecies]

Ah. I - that is one example of it, I guess. [what a question to ask her, when it took her years and years to get over her parents' deaths]

[throwsdown]

[He nods before moving to collect the fractured remains of Tempest's gift basket.

It's important to keep the halls clean! As captain, he'll make sure of it.]

I guess that's true. I was sad for a real long time when my friend died on the other ship.

She was really nice to me, and she didn't deserve to die like she did...

[noprophecies]

[dammit Takeshi don't pick up the remnants of her temper tantrum. She kneels down to help]

I am sorry that your friend died.

. . . I too had a friend who died unfairly. I still mourn him on bad days.

[throwsdown]

[He frowns sadly.]

Sorry about your friend.

Mine's name was Chase... She was just a little girl. The — the ship were were on had a lot of dangerous things on it. She was strong, real strong, but she couldn't fight it by herself.

[He scoops up a little glass; the black gloves of his suit protect his hands easily.]

She saw the future a lot... Before she left, she said I'd live for a long, long time.

[noprophecies]

. . . I am sorry to hear that.

[death was normal to her, but when it's a child, it's a different feeling. She frowns, as though she's considering what to say, and how to say it to a child far wiser than he should be]

Mine was Hadrian. He was old - at least, as old as my father would have been. And he would use magic he shouldn't have - to save people. He used it too many times, and the last time he did, it was to save us. He died so that we would live. [a quiet huff, as she picks up that had fallen out of the basket] He left his tavern to me.

[throwsdown]

[A thin-lipped smile draws on his features, much too old for him.]

It's okay.

...

Hadrian was very brave and strong, huh? He sounds real cool.

[noprophecies]

He was. [flat, quiet] He gave me a place to stay, when we first met. I never got the chance to pay him back for that.

[throwsdown]

[Takeshi smiles up at her.]

That's what my dad did. My adopted dad at home. His name's Kaze, and he took care of me after I got stuck working for Gantz.

[noprophecies]

[why are there these parallels, ugh]

That was very nice of him. [...] I got into a fight with some rowdy patrons and chased them out, and Hadrian was impressed. So he told me I could have a room for free if I would do that whenever I was in town and there was a problem.

[throwsdown]

[He gives pause in his clean-up, looking pleased and perhaps a smidge fond.]

He saw good things in you.

[noprophecies]

[she, on the other hand, is looking anywhere but at him. She shakes her head]

He saw someone he thought he could save. I was young and . . . very, very angry. Offering me something like that was offering me . . . something steady. Safe. A home, if I ever wanted it.

[throwsdown]

[Yeah, well, you're not gonna stop him from looking so pleased.

Because you're good, you're totally good.]

Homes are important. Feeling safe's important.

[noprophecies]

[NO SHE'S NOT oh my god she's never looking at him again]

It is, but it means nothing to someone who doesn't want that. And I didn't - I don't know if I want that even now.

[throwsdown]

... I guess that's okay. To not want a home. Some people travel a lot, like my adopted dad.

[He perks up a bit, though.]

You like having friends, though, right? Or family?

[Like me, right?]

[noprophecies]

[why would you even ask her that, Takeshi, god dammit]

I - yes? At times I do.

[throwsdown]

[He beams, patting both hands on his chest.]

Friends like me, right?

[noprophecies]

[DON'T PUT HER ON THE SPOT LIKE THIS]

Er. Yes - of course.