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Anna had reached the deck; obviously she was used to clamboring up the rope ladder alot. "Yeah, old people are a pain. Well, the ones who look down on you are, anyway... Alot of people in my crew are older than I am, if not all of them. Anyway..."
She headed over to where Laharl was. "Nah, we don't. I hate to say it but I'm friends with every single person on my crew. If we do much fighting, it's training." As soon as the bucket was within reach, she grabbed the rope, pulling it up, and untied the strange knot that was around the bucket handle. "Okay, then, now..." Lugging the bucket up into her hands, Anna turned, heading off towards the door that lead into the inside of the ship. "You coming? Busty's just as good at climbing a ladder as I am, if not better... since, well, I'm shorter." "Hey!" Abel jumped a little; it seemed Martha, better known as Busty, had walked back up, lugging the large hammer over her shoulder. "Geez, I must have scared the crap outta the blue haired kid. Good enough for him..." She paused for a minute, staring down at Abel, who had backed away a little. "Man... that is a weird looking penguin. So, either of you know where the Captain went off to? I got her something... I think she'll like it." Martha lifted up what seemed to be a Captain's tricorn hat. "She has everything else but we never got her a hat. Er... well, I say got, I stole this off of some drunk guys head..." Etna, feeling no urge to well, not tell, immediatly pointed a finger at the ship, where Laharl was. "Oh, she's over there. She just went inside, I guess the Prince is following." Martha glared over at the ship. "Urgh. I can't stand that blue haired kid! I don't know why it is, because he's alot like the Captain... I guess... it's his hair." She nodded a little. "Urgh, I'll wait, then. There's no way I'm goin' near that annoying kid. If he annoys the Captain too much, though..." Her knuckles whitened as she gripped onto the handle of the hammer. Etna was seen giggling, almost evilly. "Aha, make sure you whack him really, really hard..." |
Laharl listened, strangly silent, he had begun to connect some dots and he found that he and Anna were almost twins..well, personality wise anyway. She knew what it was like to be the young and in a position of power and to have those around you sneer while you clawed your way up. He smiled thinking that he was starting to like this Human who had dragged him all the way from home to avenge her crew. He let out a small 'eep' and raced to catch up as Anna walked away.
Flonne tipped her head confused....again. "I don't see why you would have scared Laharl...he usually likes to fight people." She smiled as the larger lady went on, the crew really did care for their captain, and Flonne supposed she really couldn't blame Anna for being so curt with her before...she really cared for her crew in return. "I'm sure she'll appreciate the gift." |
Anna walked into her ship; she truly always loved the inside of it, even though it was pretty simple. Mostly halls leading into rooms, and a slightly large room, consisting mostly of a table, which was covered in cards, dice and the whatnot.
"Alright, then, Prince, listen up. None of my other crew members know where this is... so don't tell any of 'em." She walked over to an old rug, kicking it aside with her boot; underneath that was a trap door. When she leaned over to open it, it was already obvious as to what was in there, as soon as the door opened. Piles of gold coins and odd treasures of sorts. She simply dumped her armful of coins into the dark cellar. "This has come from years of collecting it. I love my money, and my treasures. Sure, the spending's nice, but... I like being able to see it and remember all I've done to get it. But, that's no use... I'll be paying every cent of it to you after Asylum's good and dead, that witch." She furrowed her brows. "Atleast she'll be gone, after this... and I'll get back to work filling back up this room." "Flonne, geez, it's obvious! She's... well..." Etna stopped, but Martha spoke up for her, grinning. "Busty? Yeah, I've always gotten picked on loads for it. So it scares the kid, huh? I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, blonde girl... thanks. You're a nice kid. And thanks to both of you for the help with this whole Asylum thing... I'm hoping the Captain'll finally calm down a little after that woman's dead." "Yeah, besides, we can't have her coming and messing up our Netherworld.", responded Etna. "... Buuut, I guess you're welcome, anyway." Martha gave a chuckle, before turning and heading off. Etna watched. "Wow, she's pretty nice. So, anyway, Flonne, and... er, whatever your name was. Mind filling me in on this pirate lingo thing?" Abel looked enthusiastic, as he always enjoyed being asked this. He had been the same way long before this. "Of course! You might want to know it, anyway..." |
Laharl hung back by the door as Anna went to her stash. He leaned against the frame and crossed his arms.
"I'm not doing it for the money." He said quietly. "That's what Etna's here for...I won't refuse it...but I'm more interested in keeping that Asylum's hands off my throne. Like you said, old people who look down on you are a pain...I'm not giving Asylum that chance." He grinned. "And really....revenge is something I can get behind." Flonne jerked. "Oh right!!! Laharl has that 'thing' about....what was it...'sexy' women!!" She smiled in that spacy manner, and flapped her little wings. "I'm Flonne." She said simply, she thought since she was going to be on the ship with this woman she might as well know her name. When she left Flonne waved and turned back, she nodded when Etna asked to learn the 'lingo' and Flonne took hold of her wrist. "That's great Etna, we can learn it together!!" |
Anna blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected to hear that, especially coming from him. But she would'nt turn it down. She instead smiled a bit, closing the door and pulling the old rug back over it. "Alright, then... yeah, I figured as much."
She wanted to say 'thanks', but, she thought better of it. "Heh, I should'nt act like I'll get to keep it! I'm sure Etna'll just take the money, anyway." She nodded, as if absolutely sure of it. She would'nt be surprised, anyway; Etna seemed like that type. There again, so had Laharl. She guessed she wasn't too good at judging people. "Well, either way... hopefully Asylum will show her face, soon. When we kill her, both of us will have atleast some of our problems out of the way, eh?" Etna stared at Flonne, as if she were completely crazy. "Geez, don't get all worked up, Flonne! Yeah, either way I guess so. So, Prinny, you ready? You've got alot to tell us." Abel looked almost disturbed. Anything Etna said sounded like a death threat, to him. "Oh... yes, of course. I guess I'll start over..." Etna swayed her tail around a little, before grinning. "I just wanna know the stuff like, you know, threats and insults." "Oh, I know plenty of those...", Abel said. "Not that I used them much... Anna did, which is where I learned them from." |
Laharl snickered.
"If I were you I wouldn't let Etna know anything about it. She's more likely to try and hunt it down as soon as she heard about it." He glanced around the room and took in it's layout. "You gotta key for this place? If you do I'd suggest locking the door when we get outta here." Flonne sat back down next to Abel like she had before and smiled. She'd only learned the names of the places that her group had been but she was always willing to learn more. |
"Oh, trust me... she won't be finding out a thing about this. To be honest, you're the only other person who knows a thing about it being here.", she responded, grinning. "I was gonna tell my best friend about it but he was one of my crew members who got killed."
She scratched the back of her head. "I still have something of him, though. My flag on my ship, he made it for me, I was like... seven or something, but I've been using it for ages now." Stopping herself, Anna sighed. "Sorry, I'm babbling. Geez, I must be tired or something. Anyway, Laharl, honestly, I don't see how you stand Etna. She's kinda... erm, annoying, no offense. The love freak's annoying too but not as annoying as Etna." Abel went into an extensive list of pirate terms, as if he were some sort of insane professor who absolutely loved the subject. In a way, he was. Etna seemed a bit fascinated. It was pretty cool. "Wow, you know a ton." "Thanks?", he said. "Unless you're... calling me a nerd." "Yep." "Ah, well, thanks either way." |
"Keeping something he gave you for that long? Was it to remember him by?" He paused, and in the back of his mind the melody started...and he couldn't help but remember.
Akai Tsuki Akai Tsuki Tsubi o okashita Mono da mono Keke re o Hioneru, Akai Tsuki. Ko yoii wa dare gau mare kawa ru Ko yoii wa dare ga Ubare kawaru "I suppose that makes sense. Never pegged you for the sentimental type though." He started out. "Don't worry, I won't tell Etna....you're right though...she can be a real pain at times..but she's one of my best...Flonne....just kinda hangs around." Flonne smiled. "Well he's smart either way. In order to do our part we're going to need to know what the parts of the ship are...that way I...I mean 'we' don't get lost." |
Anna looked a little embarassed. "Well, yeah... I guess I did keep it so that I'd have something to remember him by. I try to keep people from thinking I have absolutely anything sentimental about me. Something like that tends to be a sign of weakness to other pirates... which is the last thing I want."
She looked startled, as if some sort of thought had hit her, and very suddenly. "Eesh, maybe I should go ahead and get the others. If they get too drunk... well, that's also something I don't want." As soon as she turned to head off, she noticed something in the upper corner of the room that would probably prevent her from wanting to come back in, for a while. A spider, and a large one, at that. The Captain looked extremely... well, mortified. There was no better word for it, as she mutterered some sort of obscenity, and stared as if wondering what to do. "C-crap... I... hate spiders... How did one get in here!?" She stumbled back a little, before turning and heading out of the room, deciding someone else would probably get it later... as long as it wasn't her. Etna shook her head. "No way! You could get lost, most definetly... I, on the other hand..." She looked proud there for a minute, until Abel glared. "Could also get lost. You think alot of yourself, I see." "Hey, there is NO WAY I could get lost! I'm way too good for that.", she practically hissed, hands on her nearly nonexistant hips. "Geez, it's not my fault Anna went and got some massive ship." |
Laharl had made it out onto the deck and was hanging over the edge of the rail his legs dangling childishly below him, when Anna came out of her cabin. She was pale and he looked back at the door wondering what had made her freak out like she had. He poked his head back inside the small room and looked around. He finally settled on the cobweb in the corner and sighed.
"Geeze...spiders? She'd never make it in the Castle...these things are everywhere.....bigger too." He sighed and used the tip of his sword to cut it down easily sliding it into his pocket. He smirked. If he ever needed it, that would be one way to persuade Anna. "But Etna..." Flonne started. "You were just as lost as I was on the first day." |
Anna twitched, noticing he'd went back inside; God knows what he ended up doing with the spider.
Anna stretched her arms boredly, looking around as she walked towards the ladder again. She figured she'd go stir up some mess in the bar to get the attention of her crew members. She sighed, deciding to wait for Laharl. She stood near the ladder, soon spotting the two demons and the angel chattering back and forth with eachother. She did'nt mind the penguin as much as she did the other two, honestly... "Hey, be quiet, Flonne!", spouted Etna, practically fuming as she glared at Flonne. "I learned my way around quicker than you did, so... feh!" Abel looked nervous, before speaking up. "How about we learn this later? We should enjoy Tortuga while we can. I can teach this to you two after we're back on the ship and have nothing else to do. Is that okay?" |
He stepped back out onto the deck and found Anna there waiting.
"What are you doing?" Laharl asked putting his sword back in place. "I thought you were going to go round up all your minions." Flonne had easily manuvered behind Abel when Etna started spouting steam from her ears and giggled nervously. "I think that might be a good Idea....oh look there's Dagger and Mint...I'll....I'll just go see what they're up to." She shot off towards the two as they came back, smiling and dirty, as though they had just been in a fight. In truth..they had been, the poker game had turned sour and they were caught in the middle. |
Anna blinked. "Oh, right. Yeah. First..."
She walked around for a minute, before grinning, as if she'd just found something amazing. She pulled up a plank on the deck, and under that was a hollow compartment... containing a very, very large axe. Anna slapped herself on the forehead, grinning still. "Well, would you look at that!?! So THAT'S where I put it..." She picked it up, lugging it over her shoulder with no problems whatsoever. Now armed to apparently scare the crap out of her crew members... She scrambled down the ladder; it seemed to take her near to no time to get up and down it. Years of practice? Abel could'nt figure out if the sight of Anna with that axe or the ticked off Etna was worse. He decided to just scuttle off in some random direction, tripping on occasion. He obviously still wasn't used to walking with the Prinny Peg-Legs. Much less running. That and he knew of Anna's methods of getting her crew members together. They scared him greatly. He used to always make sure he was back at the ship early. |
Laharl leaned against the railing to watch Anna slide easily down the rope and land on the dock.
"Geeze...she can be one scary girl when she wants." He was grinning from ear to ear as the thought about the large axe that she'd pulled from the compartment. He was going to have to remember to do something like that in the Castle...Dratti was getting even more annoying in her old age....more senile too, more than once, Laharl had caught her mentioning something about burying him under the castle. Flonne had joined with Dagger and Mint fretting over their wounds as they called the mages back. They could watch over them now that they wern't preoccupied with other things. Innes had found his way back wide-eyed and covered in red lipstick kisses. His bow was slung haphazardly over one shoulder and he only begged to go back to the ship before 'they' found him again. |
Anna practically ran to the bar, and in one strangely swift movement of the foot, she kicked the door open and stood at the entrance, axe swung over her shoulder and the other hand on her hip. "HEY, MORONS!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?! QUIT THE DRINKING, I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING, MY CREW HAD BETTER BE GETTING BACK ON MY SHIP!"
A long line of insults began, and all that could be heard outside for a bit were a bunch of loud crashing noises and yelling. Soon Anna's crew members had practically ran out of the bar and back for the ship, her not far behind them with the axe. She had'nt gotten any strange looks, it was a pretty usual routine. The bars were loud, so for her to get their attention, she had to be... louder. "YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT! ALL OF YOU RUN! GO!" Abel had, as usual, perched near Flonne, until he spotted Innes. He shuddered, remembering how often that used to happen to him. He hated it, and Martha always picked on him for it. He put back on his Prinny voice, sighing. "Well, Dood, if the Captain's getting her crew together already, we'll probably have to leave soon, too, Dood." |
Flonne just stared as the whole crew ran out of the bar like their tails were on fire, she tilted her head to the side wondering if this was a 'normal' routine.
She turned to Abel and smiled. "Then we better hurry up before Anna leaves us right?" She scooped the little prinny up and ran after the rest of the crew, Laharl's vassals close behind..well, Innes was close behind, the rest had fallen back from laughing so hard. |
Abel seemed a bit startled by being picked up but did'nt mind nonetheless. He would'nt had been able to keep up with his legs. "Thank you, Flonne. You're a nice girl."
Anna looked up at the top of her ship, as she was running, waving, as if she saw someone. Apparently none of her other crew members did, and if they did see somebody they weren't greeting them. Anna did, though; a young man with shoulder, messy black hair, pale skin, dark eyes, and large, black, feathery wings. He waved, grinning enthusiastically, perching atop the cabin roof like some sort of bird. He wore a relatively plain outfit, a white shirt with fur on the collar and sleeves, and a pair of old jeans... and no shoes. Oh, and that doofy grin, if that counts. He looked over at Flonne, stopping. He hadn't really paid any attention to her. She looked like she was from Celestia. Abel blinked, apparently he had noticed him. He reached over, nudging Flonne in the arm slightly. "Can you see that man up there? Not alot of the new crew members can see him, I think Martha can, and this little red head kid around here, but... if you can see him, you should go talk to him, later. He's usually around Anna's bedroom." Embarassed, Abel sighed. "If you can't see him, forget I said anything. I must sound crazy." |
Flonne smiled down.
"I just didn't want you to get stepped on, or trip and fall as we ran." She looked up when Abel nudged her shoulder. "That really...odd looking demon perched on the ship?" She slowed her pace and looked up. "If you say so..." She smiled as she saw Laharl still hanging off the railing and she ran to catch up to the rest. |
Etna had made good use of her wings, for once, and managed to fly up to the deck, landing on her feet, and looking around. Everyone was desperately clambering up the ladder and heading inside, like sheep being herded into a pen.
Anna stood at the bottom of the ladder, deciding to wait for everyone else before she got on. The man shrugged, and seemingly disappeared through the roof, deciding that as long as Anna got back alright he did'nt have much business out here. Abel watched, looking disturbed. "To be honest, Flonne, Anna called him her imaginary friend when I asked her about him. But considering she's not the only one that sees him, he's definetly not imaginary. If you figure out what he is, I'd like it if you told me?" He sighed. "I can't ask him myself. I see him but that'd only bring up questions as to how I can. And if he found me out, I'm sure he'd tell Anna." |
Flonne nodded as she came to the ladder. She rolled the Prinny onto her back and grasped the rope and made her way up. She waited until she was out of Anna's hearing range before she answered with words.
"If it worries you that much I'll tell you whatever I find out, okay? Oh look there's Laharl!" She giggled and walked off to greet the Prince. "We missed you heading back here Laharl...what happened?" He groaned and looked over at Flonne. "Don't ask." The Demon muttered. "It's bad enough that I had to follow Anna back here. I don't need to relive it." |
Anna climbed up the ladder, somehow managing to get up there with the axe. Which was a talent in it's own, in the end.
She looked around, as if trying to figure out where the black haired man went. She sighed, pouting a little, looking pretty irritated. "Geez, he just could'nt hang around long enough to say hi or something..." Abel spotted Anna. He clambered down off Flonne's back, approaching the pirate and looking up at her. "Did the Prince annoy you any, Dood?" Anna looked startled, before looking down at him. She could'nt help but grin. "He is kinda annoying but, nah, this particular time, I don't guess I want to impale him." Abel nodded, happy to be talking to her. "I see, Dood. He does get kinda annoying, Dood!" Anna laughed, as if finding this hilariously true. She crouched down to where she could look him in the eyes. "Geez, I did'nt know you guys could talk. Anyway... I'll let you know if shorty ticks me off too bad." "Of course.", Abel answered. "... Um, Dood." Anna raised her eyebrows. "You must be new at this or somethin', the other two have gotten the Dood thing figured out already." "I guess I am new, Dood.", Abel said, sitting down. "Um... anyway, Captain, is there anything I can do to help, Dood?" A short pause. Anna looked as if she was thinking hard, before shaking her head. "Nope. Good to go, I think, atleast for now." "Alright. Good... Dood." |
"Well anyway, I hope you had a good time while you were there Laharl. I did." Flonne smiled a flapped a little.
"I even learned a little about the ship while I was there, and Pirate Lingo. See....how did those sailors put it....uhh.." She lowered her voice to a gravelly depth and growled out: "Arr Mateys...Trim the sails or I'll Keel Haul ya!" Her face relaxed to her normal state and she nodded. "Yep, that's how they said it." Laharl groaned. "Flonne...did you pick up anything that was actually useful in there, or just trival information?" "Anything about Asylum...no...no one knew about her." He groaned...great just great. |
Etna walked up to Laharl and Flonne, grinning. "Nope, nothin' about Asylum... that'll help, anyway. So, anyway, Prince. I'm amazed, you managed to talk to a girl and not irritate the crap out of her. That's new!"
She laughed obnoxiously, stretching her arms. Anna sighed, standing up. "Alrighty, then. I think what I'll do..." She walked up to Flonne, Laharl and Etna, hands on her hips. "I'm gonna sail the ship out some ways from here. Then we'll anchor it down there. It'll be gettin' late soon and I'm feeling it..." The teenager yawned a bit. "So if ya'll don't sleep or something... well, you'll just have to wait. Unless Asylum pops up, which is why I'm making sure the ship isn't docked here. She'll wreck all kinds of stuff... and if she wrecks my ship..." Anna twitched, as if the reality had just hit her. She loved her ship more than her money, or for that matter, anyone else on the whole ship. "Holy crap. I hadn't thought of that..." Wide eyed, she stood there blankly. "If my ship gets wrecked... augh, what am I gonna do!?! I... won't be able to get anywhere!" Etna stared at the horrified looking Anna, before throwing on another grin. "You should move to the Netherworld or something! You know, you'd make a good demon, anyway. Not that you could be a demon but you'd fit in." A few moments. Anna reached forward, whacking Etna over the head, who stumbled back a little, not expecting it. Anna shook, clenching onto her head. "If my ship sinks, so will my money. And without my ship, I can't go from island to island to pillage anymore. And if I joined another crew, then I would'nt be able to get enough money to buy a new ship in my lifetime. And I could'nt steal one, either, because I could'nt get to anywhere where they'll be any worth stealin'..." She pushed past them, babbling on as she went towards the ships helm. Etna sighed, watching and rubbing her head. "I think she's kinda wrong in the head. Oh well, if she marries the ship or something I'm sure they'll have a great life together!" Nothing seemed to phase Etna's... completely fake happy mood. "That is unless, you know, her ship gets 'killed'. In which case she'll either drown or go whacko and start killing stuff." "You have an amazing outlook on life, Dood.", Abel sighed. |
"Shut it Etna, I'm not annoying, not like you anyway."
"Relax." Laharl said waving his hand. "She won't wreck much of it...not if I can help it, I don't wanna be stranded out here any more than you do." Flonne looked after Anna, tilting her head to one side. "She's sure worried about her ship." She started to move off hoping to catch sight of that other Demon around the ship. "You got that right." Laharl said moving beside the Prinny. "You should hear her plottng to off me." |
Abel peered up at Laharl; not that there was much to peer up at, he was pretty short. "Oh, my... Dood."
Etna rubbed her hands together. "Me!? Naaaw! No such thing. No such THING!" She punched Laharl in the shoulder quite hard, grinning. Abel looked between the two. He sighed. Everytime he saw them he could'nt help but look forward to the next Red Moon even more. Anna gripped onto the wheel, shuddering a little. Obviously completely freaked out over the idea, she yelled for someone to raise the anchor... louder than she meant to, still twitching on occasion. The black haired man was now in Anna's room, perched on Anna's bed and messing around with the fur on the end of his sleeve. He was an odd one, seemingly entertained by the smallest thing and looking like he was sickly and sleep depraved, what with those large bags underneath his eyes. Atleast he wasn't plundering through Anna's belongings. After days of spending time with her, he knew better. "Hey, Demitri." He blinked, looking up from his sleeve. Martha peeked in the door at him. "Just wanted to let you know, apparently we're getting ready to leave. You did'nt want anything to eat in particular, right?" The man, apparently Demitri, shook his head. "No." Martha nodded, before pulling her head out and closing the door. She shuddered a little, sighing. Boy, that was one creepy guy. She had no idea how old he was, or if he even had an age, or how long he was around during the day. |
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