The PIRATES and the SOUTHSIDE WATERS

[Sal]

The familiar clang of dishes resonated throughout the Jolly Roger, and the healing aroma of food and drink filled the entire building. This place...it had such a warm, welcoming feel to it, and that wasn't just because of the rum. It had really grown from the day it first opened its doors until now. The clientele had increased significantly, and the business had taken off surprisingly well. Maybe it was the appeal of the authentic furniture and decorations, or maybe it was the name - nobody knew for sure. One thing was certain, however; This place had earned a spot in the hearts of not only the Pirate crew, but the customers as well. The lunch rush had finally ended and most of the customers had returned to their places of employment, leaving the place rather deserted - perfect for what was about to take place.

Captain Sal was sitting at one of the larger, more luxurious booths that the Jolly Roger Cafe held, drinking his hot apple cider. After all, he was only 12 and shouldn't be consuming anything alcoholic. That, and he loved apple juice enough for the love to transfer over to cider. Coupled with the cold temperatures of the North, it was the perfect drink for a time like this. Pulling a paper out of his pocket, he unfolded it and slowly read over it again. The letter itself had been read many times, and it showed in the crumpled appearance of the paper. It read:

Dear Captain Salazar,

I have been given your contact informaton by a mutal acquantaince, Mr. Stuka. He has given me your information and reccommended you to me for your services, and I would like to speak with you about an employment opportunity at South City. He spoke highly of you, and it seems that you and your company would make an excellent fit for what I am in need of for the city. I can compensate you quite well, and would love to speak with you in person on the matter. I've attached a private number to reach me at, and hope to hear from you soon.

~S. Brighton, Brigadier General of South City, Amestris

Every time he read that first line, it gave him butterflies. Captain Salazar. The small Ishvallan loved that title to death, and it felt even better when others used it to address him. It was as though he had been elevated to a more desirable status among others. Sal made a mental note to find Stuka later and thank him for the contact. That would be the proper thing to do. His time as Captain caused him to grow mentally, helping him to learn which habits and behaviors were or were not acceptable among other highly important things. This formal, proper relationship building was part of his newly acquired skills (even if it did need a bit of practicing). After receiving the letter, he'd called her to set up a meeting date, but he had been unable to reach her, so he had left her a friendly message. She returned his call to notify him of her presence in the North, and this appointment date had been agreed upon.

"Now to wait for Miss Shula," he chimed happily. This would be the first official business meeting he'd ever attended, as others had just been simple requests for assistance with some task simple enough to be carried out without too much trouble. The offer presented by the Brigadier General caught the homunculus' attention well enough, and he was eager to learn more about this "job opportunity". The rest of the crew had been notified of this meeting, and were told that they must attend if possible in order to make the best out of things. Hopefully the message sunk in, because the small captain waited not only for the arrival of Shula Brighton, but of his crew members as well.

[Marcelina H. de León]

By Blackbeard, it was cold! Then again, it was always cold in North City. Sometimes she wondered why she had ever come up to this place. Oh, yes. The large pirate ship outside the city would be why. Marcelina shivered as she swung open the door to the Jolly Roger. Stepping inside, she absentmindedly adjusted the white cravat she wore tied at her neck. She waved a hand to the bar, grinning. “Hot tea with spiced rum, if you please!” Receiving a smile and a wave in return, she turned to see Captain Sal reading over a piece of paper. Likely the message that had come from the new general of South City. From what Sal had mentioned, this woman had a job for them. A great opportunity. Marcelina sincerely hoped it would turn out to be so. She kept her hand gently on Parley's hilt at her side, a reassuring presence as she moved with the cafe towards Sal. Standing at the table she tilted her hat back at a roguish angle and gave Sal a quick salute. “Cap'n!” She smiled, removing Parley from her belt (but leaving him in the scabbard, of course), and slid into the booth, resting the blade against the wall. As she sat her hot tea arrived and she reached for it and took a sip gratefully. Ahhh... yes. Everything was always better with rum in it.

“So Cap'n, how do you feel about this new opportunity?” She leaned back in the booth, holding her tea in both hands to warm them. As she did, she let her mind wander just a little bit. South City... it had been destroyed, if she remembered right. And the massive area where the city had once stood had been turned into... a lake. Marcelina's eyes sparkled brightly at the thought. A body of water. Rolling against a beach of sand, she hoped. She was well aware that a lake was no ocean but... a large body of water that was similar to an ocean was better than no water at all. She nodded to herself, muttering. “I need to visit home soon. Those two must be getting so big.”

[Sec Invidia]

Ah, what a wonderful occurence to have occured! Sec was at peace, and you know why? He had made a recent purchase at the local Men's Warehouse! Sporting a white fedora, he walked to his car with an air of dignity and pleasure. "Ah, there is nothing like a hat to accompany my favorite suit... I really should treat myself more often to such luxuries as new clothes... You know what, I'm going to purchase a new suit soon! Or a new tie, burgundy really is drab when solid. Maybe I'll get a burgundy tie with black bands, or that hexagon pattern I like. Yes, yes, I'll do that!" He was almost beaming now. Starting up the Mercedes, he turned on his Mozart CD and began driving to the Jolly Roger, where Sal had instructed him to meet him at.

And what a meeting itr would be! The pirates finally had a business offering, from a Ms. Shula Brighton. And with a business offering came a reputation. And with a reputation came respect, and such a very underestimated group as the pirates needed respect. SO MUCH respect, in fact, that could finally be percieved for the awesome group they are! A worthy offer this may be, indeed. He could only wonder what it was... Approaching the eatery, he turned Requiem down, and as Funeral March began, he flicked off the CD player and took the key out of the ignition. Stepping out of the car, he adjusted his hat and entered the building. Nodding briefly to the ever poresent pirate in the doorway he moved towards Sal. Odd thing about the greeting pirate; Ever since Sal tackled Sec's face, his 'Ahoy Maties!' was much quieter, and less overdosed on shock value. Anyways, Sec disregarded that observation and sat beside his captain, smiling, as he placedb his fedora on the table.

"Ah, Marcie, lovely seeing you! Hello captain, how is everything today? So, what do you think this meeting shall entail? I do wonder whether this General Brighton wants of our services..." A waiter moved over to him, and he ordered a steak, rare, and on the impulse of his good day, a mug of rum. Normally Sec would drink a glass pof water, if anything, so this was most obviously a special occasion for him! Then, on another impulse, he called the waiter over to order a slice of rum cake for dessert. Not only did he normally not drink rum, he ALSO almost never ate cake. Smiling, he began his lunch as the rest of the crew arrived...

[Guest]

A man sat in the corner of the room, observing with wise, sky blue eyes. He saw everything and nothing, but most of all nothing, nothing at all. His water was more entertaining than the faces of people he didn't know milling about. Yes, it was water and nothing more. Nothing. Ripples formed in it from the weak floorboards groaning under the steps of the people sporting the faces he didn't know. He watched those ripples closely--closely as if his life depended on it. He couldn't look away even if he wanted to; it was a staring contest--a staring contest with the silvery reflection. He touched the wetness with his metal hand, transfixed at the miniature lightning bolts that danced off the tip of his finger where a small transmutation circle formed in the air. A frown tumbled on his face.

“So Cap'n, how do you feel about this new opportunity?”

Hm? Celes looked away, his eyes unfocused. So there was a reason why they were being assembled? He stood up, kicking away the wooden chair, and approaching Sal where everyone seemed to be hovering. There, he shoved his disheveled, blond head with a geeky smile. "Ne, ne what's this 'new opportunity'? Hm? Hm? Something about General Brighton?" He flopped into a chair near them and yawned, still feeling tired after working late last night in designing an effective security system for a corporate fat pig that managed to convince the Captain that his life was worth building a security system for. Celes didn't see what Sal saw in him, but went with it into the wee hours of the morning and hadn't slept since. That was probably why he was so out of it, but... There was something else.

The feeling of impending doom.

[Guest]

Morning always comes too soon. I can't stand waking up five minutes before the alarm goes off, it's like spoiling a wonderful night sleep. I quickly stumbled out of the bed, rubbing the sleeps away from my eyes as I drifted to the shower. The warm water ran down my face, bringing life to my pores. I used a special kind of soap on my bone cheek, being sure not to cause cracks in it's structure. After a couples of years, I must say, I'm use to it. Part of me hates the constant reminder, but another part of me is happy that I did what I did.

"Well Grimm, today is a new day." I told myself as I try my best to move at a rapid pace to get dress. I grabbed a pair of jeans on the floor, a white v-neck, and my jacket. Today was not a day to dress in my normal attire, I wanted to be lazy. I quickly went down the stairs and headed out for the world. Celes was somewhere, but he hadn't talked to me in a couple of days, so I guess he was busy? Yeah, he was busy. I like to tell myself that so I don't get jealous. Everyone gets jealous, and I hate it. I just don't want to be that pirate that is full of emotions. Aren was good enough for that....

I passed by a local pawnshop and saw something quite interesting. It was a map of the world, well, what's been discovered nonetheless. Last time I checked, the Pirates didn't have a map, so I went in and bought it.

My mind was scanning the pages as I walked to the Jolly Rogers Cafe. Cap'n had called us for a meeting, and I was late. Oh well, not like I've never been late before. It's in my nature.

"Ne, ne what's this 'new opportunity'? Hm? Hm? Something about General Brighton?" I heard his voice just as I entered the cafe. A warm smile braces my face as I stare at the four people hover over a table.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." I grimaced and threw the map down on the table. "I, I figured since we didn't have one. Now was the time to get a map..." A faint chuckle escapes my mouth as I look directly at Celes. It wasn't a long stare, but long enough for butterflies to flutter in my stomach. I teased a wink before looking back at Sal. "Wait, what's that?" I pointed to the letter on the table and tilt my head puzzled.

[Guest]

What a long week it had been.... Eventful enough to last her a life time, but at least so much good had come of it. Hehe... She couldn't help but smirk as she looked up at the Jolly Roger Cafe, thinking of what had happened the last time she had been there. Her crimson eyes slid over to the alleyway next to it and she chuckled softly to herself before walking inside, the bell jingling as she entered the premises to find it as peaceful as ever. Mmm... It was nice being home. And this truly was home all considering, she wasn't honestly sure if her parents would be happy, or outraged to see her in East City again. Hopefully they had forgotten about that time.... Er.. Yeah, she'd put off heading back for another couple of months unless she was required to go for work or something. A spectre had to be ready to go anywhere at the drop of a hat pretty much, and she was no exception. She just might have a bit more warning thanks to Edi always keeping tabs on info for her. Keywords were lovely things really.

Glancing around, she noticed various crew members were already inside the cafe, her lips twitching downwards as she hoped she wasn't the last to arrive. It was entirely possible... She had been working on the new schematics for... Nah, she decided it was best not to dwell on tech. Walking up to the bar, she could hear the voices of Marcelina and Sec in the background as she ordered a glass of Kahlua coffee, that added spike of liquor just what she needed this fine day. “So Cap'n, how do you feel about this new opportunity?” Hm? Opportunity? True, Captain Sal had mentioned a new job which was why they all gathered, but what exactly was this about? Receiving her kahlua in a timely fashion, she thanked and paid Karis for his troubles, taking a sip before walking over to the fancy booth that her Captain and others were occupying. Her boots thudded softly against the floor, long coat giving a resolute flutter as she stood in her full body suit that clung to her skin nicely. And it kept the cold out so very well. Had to be prepared right?

Rebecca was slow to approach however, looking over the members of their crew with a faint smirk. What a bunch of misfits they were eh? But fun misfits. Ooo, seemed that Sec found himself a new hat. It did suit him rather well she thought. "Ah, Marcie, lovely seeing you! Hello captain, how is everything today? So, what do you think this meeting shall entail? I do wonder whether this General Brighton wants of our services..." General Brighton... Brigadier General of South Amestris. Ishvallan alchemist. Name: Shula Brighton. Was in the war against Drachma. Friend to Lieutenant General Spade Aeries of Central Amestris. Blinking twice as she snapped out of her "data stream" (what else could she call it? She practically became a computer for two seconds!), realizing she had paused in her step, now only a little bit away from the group now. Aiya... it probably wasn't healthy that she did that, but oh well. Information was her power. Smirking softly, she remained quiet as the others came over, Celesto as quiet as normal. She really needed to hang out with the crew more, she barely knew these people as well as she should! "Ne, ne what's this 'new opportunity'? Hm? Hm? Something about General Brighton?" "Wait, what's that?" Ahhh Grimm...

It seemed rather pointless to ask the same question as everyone else, instead only leaning against the outside of the booth, finding a small space that she could call her own amongst their huddling. "Afternoon mates! Cap'n." She nodded respectfully to all, sipping at her tasty coffee with happiness. Mmm... so good... "We goin' on a trip? Reckon South City is rather noice 'is toime of year." She mused with a small chuckle, brushing her purple hair out of her face as turned her crimson gaze to Sal. Yes, what was in store for them indeed?

[Shula Brighton]

Perhaps it was the relentless cold; though slightly warmer than Drachma had been, North was still a vast white nothingness that was as frozen as the center ring of Hell and just as cheery. Saying North was warmer was a relative thing, like comparing being inside a meat freezer to the freezer above your fridge; one was warmer than the other, but it was still a freaking freezer. Shula was a desert creature by nature, and the cold was never her friend, even it it wouldn't make her sick now. It could have been the dark. Everyone knows that in the fall the sun sets much faster and in the far north there seem to be so few hours of precious light. The dark made her sleepy, but sleep was something that just wasn't happening right now, not in the cots given at North and especially not at their hospital. Images and pain still far too fresh in her mind were preventing the little general from sleeping, Or perhaps it was just the hospital itself. Ishvalla knew that she'd never liked being in hospitals at all, and going in them to visit and not be sick while everyone around her was suffering in some way just made her more antsy than usual. But whatever the reason, the last two days in North had resulted in a Shula that wasn't sleeping and that had taken to very long walks through the town alone. Paperwork dotted her days, but for the most part Shula was keeping to herself as she tried to put her head back together.

It had dawned on her, during one of her walks later last night, that she actually had business to attend to here in North. While still in South she'd sent a message to Captain Salazar to request a meeting with him to see if he and his pirate crew would like to come work for her in South City. Pirates in the bay could be a boost to security to prevent other criminals, keep her informed and serve as a discreet tourist attraction. Money and prosperity for all. And so without a word as to where she was going or how long she'd be gone, Shula pulled on the heavy wool and fur coat someone at North had lent her and she headed out, contracts written and sealed neatly in a long envelope. She wasn't there to bully or threaten or force the Captain's hand; it merely was an honest offer for work, even if it as mostly under the table.

The day was early still and this meeting was important; it was one of her first big moves in her position and she'd weighed it as much as she could, and it seemed like a good move. So it all really depended on if the Captain and his company wanted to work with her on her little offer. This was serious and important, but... how you carried yourself and presented yourself did say a lot about you. Shula was very serious about her work; her reputation alone outlined that, and anyone who knew her would confirm it. But she wasn't a serious person by nature. In her office she'd always been known for bringing sweets for her coworkers and underlings. A tiny smile hit her as she trudged through the snow. Sweets. Even if they said no, it was still a friendly gesture. Shula detoured from her trek, popping into a bakery long enough to raid them of two dozen mixed donuts and a dozen mixed muffins. Never do business on an empty stomach, right?

Shula walked, bag in hand as her left arm, tucked tightly to her in its sling, held onto the papers to go over. She hummed faintly, trying to ignore the cold and keep herself pleasant as she approached the Jolly Roger cafe. Something inside of her squealed with delight. She was about to meet real live pirates, in a cafe named after one of her favourite pirate ships. The girl could have practically pranced if she'd had it in her. She shrugged the hood off her head as she entered, the immediate change in temperature and sudden warmth tingling against her skin and burning in an awesome way. Part of the cafe seemed to have a small pool of people, and at the center of the booth was someone who was distinctly Ishvallan, but that was just a little boy... That had to be them, though. Her smile brightened though her eyes were tired, trying to show how happy she was to meet them.

”Captain Salazar?” Approaching the booth slowly, Shula looked to Sal and the pirates surrounding him, becoming more certain that the little boy was the one in charge. ”I am Brigadier General Shula Brighton. Thank you for meeting with me today.” Shula lifted her right arm to set the bag on the table, the smell of fresh donuts and muffins wafting upwards from the boxes.

[Guest]

"Fwah..." This had been such an interesting morning, she mused to herself. Walking through the cold and sunlit streets of the City of the North, she hummed quietly to herself, swaying in the air and chuckling internally. Ahhh, she had such a lovely bath at the private pools, followed by a variety of rather relaxing moments within this city, looking around for things to do for the day, up until the moment of now. Yes, this moment of now. She was one of the people who had been asked to attend this meeting with Shula Brighton of South City. As far as she'd been told, there was something going on about moving into South City, and she actually liked that idea. It was nice and warm down there, and apparently they had a lot of water~ Something that was always good, at least it was in her opinion. She enjoyed the prospect of moving somewhere new, making a fresh start... Laughing softly, Aren moved a hand up, flicking some hair away from her head and looking over to the side. A quick giggle, and she suddenly moved to the side, closing her eyes and smirking. A small tune was in the back of her head, and she was beginning to dance to it as well as she could--which wasn't too well.

Despite her own personal paranoia, one could call Aren somewhat cheerful. However, she was simply keeping her spirits high. Dancing towards the Jolly Roger with a quiet hum emanating from her throat, she giggled to herself and continued her little dance, not caring that she was being watched by everybody around her. Instead, all that Aren would do was dance, finally touching the door of the Jolly Roger, pushing through it and hearing the usual sound of the door opening. "--igadier General Shula Brighton. Thank you for meeting with me today.” Hrn? She looked around, and saw that there was a woman of particularly short stature with white hair standing in front of her fellow pirates. That must've been Miss Brighton, right? Alright... she walked closer to the others, and quietly slid herself into the booth; hoping that they didn't notice her. "S-sorry for being late..." She scratched the back of her head and laughed softly.

{Sorry for the length ^^;}

[Sal]

Footsteps approached, followed by a rather cheerful "Cap'n," which could have only come out of the mouth of one person: "Marcie," Sal chimed as the young woman approached the booth, "You made it!~" It seemed that the small pirate captain wouldn't have to wait so long for someone else to arrive after all. The smell of alcohol wafted up from Marcelina's beverage. Wrinkling his nose, Sal chose to ignore it, and instead turned his attention to her question. "I don't really know what this...poppertooney really is, so I don't know what to think about it...but I guess we have to wait and see. Maybe it'll be really cool," the homunculus simply stated, unaware of his own mispronunciation of the word "opportunity". Ah, well. It was all part of the charms of being a small child. Speaking of charms, the suave Secundinasci Invidia made his way through the doors of the Jolly Roger, dressed in his usual white suit with a brand new fedora, which the man gently placed on the table before speaking.

"Hey~" the small Ishvallan chirped, his tail waving around joyfully. He had to resist the urge to pounce on the man, especially since he knew that Sec really loved his white suits...and white suits were so easy to mess up! Inwardly shaking his head, the small captain spoke: "Well....I guess Miss Brighton...I mean...Bri...Brigadier General Brighton is gunna tell us what's up? That's probably what's gunna happen, I guess." Shrugging, Sal had to grimace as more of that wretched alcohol made its way to the table. Of course, it didn't have any sort of effect on him - one of the perks of being Gluttony - but he disliked the taste tremendously. It was similar to a small child hating vegetables, but in this case, his health was in no danger. Not to mention the fact that pirates had a tendency to drink rum, as was customary for people of this....lifestyle. Just then, another familiar voice entered the premises.

"It's my favorite eyepatch guy!~" Sal announced happily as he bounced over to Celes to give him a friendly hug. "General Brighton is gunna come talk to us about some poppertooney she has for everybody!" Sal purred, rubbing against the blonde. He seemed to enjoy the man's company more than usual today, for whatever reason. Perhaps he was just happy that Celes decided to join them by the booth rather than sit in a corner seeming to sulk tiredly. Regardless, it was becoming a very nice meeting here at the Jolly Roger. Three of his crew members had arrived...wait, make that 4.

Grimm dropped a map onto the table as he arrived at the group, casting a short glance at Celes - which Sal failed to notice at all. He wasn't one to notice such things, given that he had no sense of romanticism given his young age and lack of exposure to it. Aren and Celes had their moments in the past that he'd witnessed, but those were nothing more than drops of water in a desert. "That paper is a letter from Miss General Brighton, De-Vo-Rin~," the boy happily stated, "and she is gunna come to talk about a poppertooney she has for us!" Smiling, Sal removed himself from Celes and moved himself to the map on the table just as Rebecca entered the group.

"I hope it's nice where we're going...I wouldn't wanna go somewhere that isn't nice," he said in response to the recently arrived Rebecca. Sal's ears twitched and his attention turned toward the door as the smell of goodies entered the building. Opting to stay in his current location, he watched as the woman holding the source of the smell walked toward the table. It was interesting that she could tell he was the captain, and it made him grin from ear to ear with happiness. When she introduced herself as the Brigadier General that the crew had been anxiously waiting for, it only put the small captain in an even better mood.

"Hi, and welcome to the Jolly Roger, Miss Brigadier General Brighton, I'm Captain Salazar Masu, and this -" he gestured to the rest of the crew, "- is my crew!~ Pleased to meet you," Sal stated confidently, reaching a hand out toward the woman while his eyes traced the contours of the bag she brought in. He could smell them...the doughnuts. "So...what is the poppertooney you wanted to talk about, General? We all want to know!" The look on his face was one of a child trying to focus on something important, but they are unable to do so due to something that is demanding their attention - in this case, doughnuts. He hoped the food was for the crew, but was afraid that asking would be rude...or something. Sal didn't know, he just wanted food...

"Heey~ You made it!" Sal cheered as Aren entered the building. "We didn't really start yet, so it's okay! Just make sure you listen up so you know what General Brighton wants from us!" Tail wagging, he turned his attention back to Shula after another quick glance at the bag of goodies.

[Marcelina H. de León]

Marcelina sipped slowly at her drink as she watched more and more of the crew stroll into the Jolly Roger. Aren was a little late in the sense that the general beat Aren by a few moments. As Brigadier General Brighton moved to meet this dread pirate crew at their booth, Marcelina caught the whiff of freshly baked goods coming from a basket. She eyed the basket as it was set on the table, watching her captain eye it almost mournfully. Clearly it was taking a lot of resolve for Sal to keep himself from devouring the contents of the basket in one bite. She moved her gaze from the basket to the young woman that brought them. Marcelina suspected she was young, possibly as old as she was. Interesting for such a young person to have control of an entire military headquarters, and to have the guts to proposition a pirate crew with... well, something. That part had yet to be revealed. She looked too innocent to be devious, but as quartermaster, Marcelina had a right to be suspicious.

Reaching across the table, she revealed the contents of the basket, letting the smell travel further throughout the booth. She lifted a muffin, which felt slightly warm in her fingers. She looked it over. Blueberry, eh? Smiling faintly, she took a bite, looking at the general as she did so. Her peace offering was quite tasty and acceptable and did not taste foul. She nudged the basket in Sal's direction, glancing around at the crew. She could sense the trepidation in the general and this meeting would go a lot smoother if she believed herself to be safe. And she would be safe, unless she attempted a misstep.

[Sec Invidia]

Sec sat, drinking his rum rather slowly and enjoying his cake, as people began to arrive., He gave a slight nod and wave to most of the arrivals, and as the General entered, he noticed Aren come in shortly after. Seeing everyone was accounted for, he smiled and introduced himself to the General. Noting that she was indeed rather Ishvallan looking, he stood up and smiled a friendly smile. "General Brighton, it is a pleasure having you here. I'm Captain Sal's first mate, Secundinasci Invidia." Feeling that a rather polite gesture was in order, and always one for older traditions and courteous chivalry, Sec leaned down a bit and took Shula's hand by the wrist, kissing the top of her hand. Standing up straight again, he smiled politely. "We are rather excited to hear of what news you bring for us. Thank you for coming, General." Taking his seat again, he glanced at the deliccies she had brought with her, and decided not to sample any, instead deigning to finish his rum and rum cake, enjoying both at a rather slow pace.

[Guest]

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." Celes turned slowly from his place in the chair to see the spiky head of a familiar man. A grin instantly formed on his face and he leaned his lanky form into him, brushing shoulder and hip. "You, Devorin?" He asked monotonously, lacking the usual chime in his voice. There was so many people here... He hardly had time to speak just to the bone-jaw pirate before Sal noticed their presence. "It's my favorite eyepatch guy!~" He was hugged, tightly, nearly surprised by the random display of affection in front of all the other members of whom he had hardly encountered due to always flitting from place to place on a job. "General Brighton is gunna come talk to us about some poppertooney she has for everybody!" A...what? He blinked, sky blue eyes focusing ruefully on the homunculus in his lap that was purring more like a chimera than anything else. His fingertips tapped along Sal's back and then a map was suddenly slapped down onto the table. Ooo a map! Him and Devorin shared a brief look before Sal noticed that the man had joined them. Celes was once again cast into the crowd that the pirate crew had grown into. Surprising actually. A reminisce smile filled his expression, leaving his eyes void of emotion.

"ARRRRGH MATEYS!" Celes shifted his gaze from the map and to the door where a rather short Ishvallan walked through. Her upward gaze seemed hopeful, organized, loving almost. The blond wasn't exactly expecting such a face to belong to any general in the Amestrian military. It was peculiar to say the least... ”I am Brigadier General Shula Brighton. Thank you for meeting with me today.”

"S-sorry for being late..." Aren... He waved.

"Hi, and welcome to the Jolly Roger, Miss Brigadier General Brighton, I'm Captain Salazar Masu, and this is my crew!~ Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Captain Sal's first mate, Secundinasci Invidia. We are rather excited to hear of what news you bring for us. Thank you for coming, General." It seemed the rancid smell of alcohol was coloring many of the crew's tongues a friendly shade. He noticed a girl referred to as Marcie pick up a muffin and take a bite, possibly testing it or possibly being overly trusting. What could the Amestrian military want with a group of Pirates? Pirates were just that: foul people without rules, regulations or the like. Pirates scavenged, were selfish, lived off of hardship, and sang off-key songs until the sun rose. Why did Celes appear to be the only suspicious one, as he normally wasn't suspicious at all! He was just tired. Be this the impending doom or not, be it that the Amestrian government itself destroyed the country, Celesto was not about to let the same thing happen to the only place he could return to. He stood up casually from his spot draped in the chair and effortlessly slammed his hands on the table, leaning across it to stare directly into the red of the General's.

"I don't know what you want with us exactly as I have not read that letter, but don't you dare think for a moment that you can just waltz into our lives and force us to memorize a new dance." To most, this wasn't the Celes they knew. Maybe Aren's paranoia was effecting him or something, but the facade dripped away for just long enough to exhibit these cold, vicious words. His normally sheepish eyes were swirling with mysterious fury for just a second before his hands slid off the table and a jeering smile lathered across his cheeks. "Just kidding~~"

[Guest]

So this was the general huh? I casually leaned back in my seat and looked the fair woman from head to toe. Then it hit me, like a ton of bricks to my face, I knew her! She was the woman who was doing the fire dancing that I ran into. I pulled my hand up to my bone jaw and stroke the fine edges around the indent. Should I say something to her or not? Maybe she didn't remember me and then I could just pretend like we've never met. No, that would be rude and I don't like to be that rude. I chuckled to myself a bit before glancing at Celes. Something was off with him, and I so badly wanted to know what. My hands were aching to touch his as I sat there staring like an idiot.

A light voice came from the entrance, Aren, the beautiful princess in the midst of ugly, stinky, unattractive men. I took a mental note when I saw her once more, 'Get to know Aren.' There was a story behind her pretty exterior and I was bound to figure out what. My eyes travelled back to Celes and watched him battle with himself for a moment before he stood up and slammed his hands down on the table.

"I don't know what you want with us exactly as I have not read that letter, but don't you dare think for a moment that you can just waltz into our lives and force us to memorize a new dance." His voice was cold and discomforting, something completely new and yet so thrilling. The masked crumbled for a second before healing itself back up. I wanted to know more about what was hiding under that mask. "Just kidding~~"

Yeah, right. I couldn't stand seeing him like this, so I blurted out soon after. "Celes!" Next thing I knew I was standing in front of my chair and my hand was gripped tightly around his elbow. Oh, his touch was what I needed for that instant relief, but I craved more. "Excuses us, please, just for one moment." With that I nudged Celes from his spot and dragged him back towards the restroom. I was going to figure out what in the world that was all about. The restroom was small, but we were used to cramped spaces together. My face was stern and my heart was racing against my chest so loudly. "What was that about, Celes?" I turned and put his body directly against the bathroom wall and stared into his eyes with mine. I was so close to his face, that his breath lingered on my lips.

[Guest]

He was just in the middle of a transformation when he felt someone grab his elbow. Shit I've been found out! He winced, almost trying to pull away, before the voice registered in his head. "Celes!" Him! "Excuse us, please, just for one moment." Wait. What? Blindly, he was led away from the group, losing the searing spotlight that had nearly burned him alive. Saved from the crushing weight of questioning eyes. Oh thank goodness he was just saved from inventing answers. It was just an off day. Well, that was at least what he had been telling himself. The thought of leaving Karis here was painful to say the least. His twin...his reason for living. He had to let it go. And, letting it go was much harder than Celes could ever let on. He had nearly just given it away. Aren's paranoia was washing his heart black, Karis' individuality was leaving the fishbowl empty. He was spinning, spinning, and-- His eyes snapped opened and his body was pinned against the bathroom wall. One leg was bent outward to keep his balance, a fist against his chest gathering warmth. Devorin. Celes gave a forced smile and opened his mouth to say something perverted when he was suddenly interrupted by the demanding of answers--answers that the blond man would never give. "What was that about, Celes?" What was this about? When did Devorin start caring about what the lightning alchemist was going through? It had to have been recently. After the train...he hadn't seen much of the bone-jawed man. In fact, he hadn't seen much of anyone. What with the bombs, the cleaning up, the surplus of jobs that he had to venture on. He sighed. How was he going to get out of this one, he wondered. "I want to lead my own life, Celes. Is that okay with you?" Karis... Was it okay? Was it okay to just leave? After everything Celesto had sacrificed for his sake, was that demand still just? It hurt regardless. He just had to turn away--turn away and keep up a smile. Then...then everything would be okay.

"It's--" The gears...the gears creaked. They were creaking--turning--spinning. His mind thrust into chaos. His free hand that wasn't pinned between them flew up and threw off his eye patch, pants coming out from his lips in hyperventilating puffs. It was there. Right behind him. TURN AROUND. The World was staring at them, mouth moving to form words he knew Devorin couldn't hear. A hallucination? Another daymare whose existence was just another price for the life of Karis--Karis who didn't even want his twin brother in his life anymore. GO AWAY. He wanted to screw--to flail and run, but his body had already gone limp against Devorin. The gears...were starting too. Darkness crept at the edges of his vision, creating ripples like rocks thrown at a frozen lake. Celes swayed and covered his blind eye with his hand. MAKE IT STOP. He saw. He saw through his blind eye. It was there. He saw it... But then...then it was gone. He blinked and the gears cracked to a stop, rust falling from the hinges. Then they too had disappeared. "Nothing," he said breathlessly, going limp onto the cold, tiled floor.

[Guest]

"I hope it's nice where we're going...I wouldn't wanna go somewhere that isn't nice." She had to laugh at that, shaking her head as a bright grin rose to her lips. " 'Course i' ell be noicer. 'ell of a lot warmer too. Bloomin cold..." She muttered as the door jingled, turning to see Aren striding in just before another figure. ”Captain Salazar?” A voice. Brigadier [i]-General Shula Brighton. Thank you for meeting with me today.” Head of South. Ishvallan. Known for her kindness, efficiency of work, and possible naivete of the world. Informality and ease with co-workers, not to mention a rather interesting conflict of interest it would seem was brewing. She had to dig deeper to see just how far it went though. Rebecca's mind had gone into full data-mining mode, missing most of what her captain had begun to say in response.

"- is my crew!~ Pleased to meet you." Oh dear, she hadn't missed much, had she? Blinking twice, she bowed her head respectfully to the white haired woman, her arms slowly folding over her chest. Well, well, well.... She did hold a sweetness to her now, didn't she? Quite charming it was. But now to see the behavior of everyone around this new comer. Hehehe, it was cute to see such old customs still in effect these days. Now just how many men still kissed hands eh? Not many by her counting. Her crimson eyes scanned her crew mates as Sec introduced himself yet the rest remained mostly quiet, herself deciding it was best to. If the Brigadier General wanted to know their actual names (if she didn't already), then she could ask. From the sounds of it, they'd be in touch more frequently now in any case.

Now was the matter of the baked goods. To take one, or not to take one... That, was the question! She already had had some munchies before coming over here, though perhaps she should take something for Meno? It was entirely possible he'd want something. But there was movement, and a loud slam. "I don't know what you want with us exactly as I have not read that letter, but don't you dare think for a moment that you can just waltz into our lives and force us to memorize a new dance." Rebecca's gaze immediately went to Celesto at this rather icy outburst, her own crimson eyes watching him with a mild curiosity. Now just where did that come from hm? Concern for the pirates well-being? She wasn't quite sure. "Just kidding~~" Oh well that was a load of bullox. And then Grimm was on the move, taking the boy away with a quick, "Excuses us, please, just for one moment." There really was something between those two... Or maybe one... Heh, perhaps too many yaoi's had made her think she could spot it. Lord knows porn was easy enough to find on the web (not that she generally looked for it mind you). But.... business was business.

"Dun mind 'em much, their really quoite 'armless. Bu' please, do extrapolate upon the ma'er a' hand hm?" She spoke to Shula with a warm smile, her own crimson eyes staring towards the Ishvallan's. Ooo now she was a pretty one, wasn't she? Ishvallan's skin tone was always just so bloody gorgeous. No matter who she was with, they were a lucky man indeed.

[Shula Brighton]

"Hi, and welcome to the Jolly Roger, Miss Brigadier General Brighton, I'm Captain Salazar Masu, and this is my crew!~ Pleased to meet you. So...what is the poppertooney you wanted to talk about, General? We all want to know!" Oh dear sweet Ishvalla. He. Was. ADORABLE!! Shula scolded herself silently, reminding herself that she needed to take Sal seriously as an equal to her and not as the adorable little boy that was sitting in front of her. Glomping wasn't always the best first impression, no matter how hard it was to resist. But still, poppertooney was about the cutest freaking thing she'd ever heard.

If nothing else, they seemed a friendly lot. That or they were just very interested at the prospect of fresh work; jobs weren't always easy to come by, and it couldn't have been easy pirating in a place with nothing but snow and nobody to pirate from. Getting her hand kissed was something she'd never get used to, even though she found it incredibly sweet. Acra kissed your hand and called you princess that first day you met... Shula brushed the wandering thought aside, greeting everyone as they spoke up or acknowledged her. "And it's very nice to meet all of you," Shula said with a soft smile. One of the pirates went to investigate the muffins, and Shula took that as a good cue to open the boxes for everyone. "They say to never do business on an empty stomach. Everyone, please, help yourselves." It seemed rude to her to ask to meet with everyone so early and keep them from whatever other business they had and come empty-handed. That wouldn't do at all. Shula glaced between the crew members, taking good looks at each of their faces, Devorim's striking her as very familiar; how many people had jaw mask things on their cheeks?

Her smile warmed, glad to see a familiar face. "Devon, wasn't it? It's nice to see you again." Her words feel quiet and fell short, her attention suddenly caught by a blonde as his palms smashed down into the table.

"I don't know what you want with us exactly as I have not read that letter, but don't you dare think for a moment that you can just waltz into our lives and force us to memorize a new dance." Well... that was a bit unexpected and out of the blue. Did I offend them already? Damn... That's a new record for me. "Just kidding~~" Shula wasn't quite sure what to make of that, anbd by the odd silence from the other pirates and Devon suddenly tugging Celes away from the table, they werne't sure, either.

"Dun mind 'em much, their really quoite 'armless. Bu' please, do extrapolate upon the ma'er a' hand hm?" The woman's voice brought Shula's immediate attention back to the table and those gathered around, even thouh her Cretan accent was so thick she could barely understand it. She nodded, looking from her to the crew and back to Sal.

"Yes, of course. And your friend does have a valid concern, but let me state up front that I'm not here to force your hand. This is merely an offer for work, and if in the end you all decide that you don't want to take it, that's perfectly fine." Reaching her hand into her coat with a small wince from the movements, Shula pulled out the file that had her notes and offer written down, as well as photos of South's various locations. "My offer is simply this: I'd like to hire you and your crew to move down to South's lake and help me. Your job would be to help prevent criminal elements of a threatening nature from moving into the city, and to report underground affairs to me to keep me informed since I can't be everywhere all at once. You will all help me keep South safe for everyone. And in return, apart from each of you getting regular pay, your whole crew gets this island excusively. It'll be private property, so tourists and other militants won't go bothering you in your home."

Photos were pulled out and laid on the table of the island, all of South Lake and the blossoming civilization being built around it, the gardens that were under construction, and the theme park that was underway. South was growing and would be amazing when it was done. Shula smiled softly. "So... Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? ...Random movie quotes?" She let out a faint chuckle at her own lame attempt before looking around to everyone to see what they thought of the idea she proposed.

[Guest]

There in the bathroom I stood firmly, pinning Celesto against against the cold marble wall. He was battling against something inside of him, and the pain was burning my eyes just watching. His mind was gone, and it was obvious that he wasn’t thinking logically. My hand releases from his body and slowly makes the way up to his face, stroking the edges of his jaw line. His perfect jaw line that didn’t have a giant bone skull like mine. Celes raises his hand that I thought was going to touch mine, instead it threw back his eye patch and the man starts to pant louder than I’ve ever heard. My eyes dart across his face several times, and I never felt more terrified in my life. Something was going on deep down, and I just wanted to see into his soul with my eyes.

“Celes!” I scream as he body becomes limp and almost crashes against the cold, tiled floor. I caught his wilted body and feel down to my knees, pulling his head against my chest. My lips lightly kiss the top of his head several times as my hands hold him securely against myself. “That was nothing....” My voice was low and meek as I begin speaking to the man that I couldn’t do anything for at the moment. “It, it seemed to be something. Babe, what were you thinking about?” After I finish, I slowly begin to rock my body back and forth in the small, narrow bathroom.

[Guest]

"Heey~ You made it!" She blinked, suddenly looking up to see the youth captain of their motley crew greeting her. "Ah, Cap'n Salazar~" She smiled brightly, waving and tilting her head to the side with a soft giggle. Well, here was her good-natured side coming out. Even if she didn't trust anyone for hte world, she could always procure a smile for this youthful kitty-boy. "We didn't really start yet, so it's okay! Just make sure you listen up so you know what General Brighton wants from us!" A hand went up into the air, and Aren saluted Sal with a mocking giggle. "Aye, aye!" Not saying anything else, the girl took her seat and smiled to herself. Without any warning whatsoever, Celesto slammed his hands onto the table and made a completely OUTRAGEOUS statement! "I don't know what you want with us exactly as I have not read that letter, but don't you dare think for a moment that you can just waltz into our lives and force us to memorize a new dance." She blinked. She tilted her head. She tried to get her head around that. "I-Idiot!" (Whispered, as those words were) She bit her lip, sighing and slowly shaking her head. "Just kidding~~" N-no, no he wasn't...

"Celes!" Grimm... no, Aren would not look at him. She would not follow them as the man with cyan hairs dragged her Celesto away. She should be the one to ask him what's wrong, not him! Oooh, if only she had her bat on her, she would walk up to him and SMACK it in that "pretty" face of his! Fuming now, Aren tried her best not to show it, not doing so well on that count. BA-THUMP. And, without any warning, Aren's forehead suddenly forced itself into a cold sweat. Just as Celesto saw the grinning face of The World, as did Aren. In order to save her love from a demise that she couldn't desire, she had to give up her freedom. She was forever going to love him, whether or not he felt the same. If she didn't, then he would die. Her efforts would've simply been in vain, and those who were close to Celesto would hate her forever. But... "Nngh..." "It's--" "Nothing," That's why she had to be there instead of Grimm. He was in danger, and she could feel that resonate throughout. Almost like a fairy fluttering over her head, the signs of his direction came into her inner vision. Gah, get it away...

"Dun mind 'em much, their really quoite 'armless. Bu' please, do extrapolate upon the ma'er a' hand hm?" Ah, Rebecca. The mysterious technophile. "Yes, please. Do continue." A noble choice of words came from her mouth as she slowly regained her composure and looked back up at the Ishvallan with a power in her eyes. "Yes, of course. And your friend does have a valid concern, but let me state up front that I'm not here to force your hand. This is merely an offer for work, and if in the end you all decide that you don't want to take it, that's perfectly fine." Work, huh? She could most certainly get onto that. "My offer is simply this: I'd like to hire you and your crew to move down to South's lake and help me. Your job would be to help prevent criminal elements of a threatening nature from moving into the city, and to report underground affairs to me to keep me informed since I can't be everywhere all at once. You will all help me keep South safe for everyone. And in return, apart from each of you getting regular pay, your whole crew gets this island excusively. It'll be private property, so tourists and other militants won't go bothering you in your home." Ah.

"I see. So, you're basically hiring us to watch over those that would injure your peace? I can certainly see the merit in that. But we're pirates; what makes you believe that we wouldn't stab you in the back and rob you?" She laughed softly, though there was most certainly no seriousness in her words that she spoke to Shula. She was already liking this idea, but she was definitely not liking what was going on in the back of her mind. Sometimes she felt... it would've been easier without making that pact to The World... Since she was no help to Celesto either way.... couldn't even be there... for him...

[Sal]

It seemed that the homunculus wasn't the only individual whose attention was on the baked goods. His red eyes followed the muffin for a moment as it made its way from the basket to Marcie, but then Sal turned his attention to the next person to speak: Sec. It was nice that he always introduced himself to people all polite like he did, and it made Sal happy, because pirates didn't always have to be...well, rude to people. He himself was taught to be polite to people, so that was how he went about things...usually. After all, people were potential sources of money. Money was probably the closest thing they had to treasure, and they certainly had their fair share of it.

In any case, Sal felt comfortable enough to take a doughnut. He did love doughnuts. They were probably his favorite (if not one of his favorites) type of pastry to eat. After smelling it cheerfully, he took a rather large bite out of the glazed pastry just as Celes slammed his hands on the table and said something really strange. Sal had never known Celes to be so abrasive, and it was a little scary. It was really obvious that there was something on the blonde man's mind, and it made Sal a little worried. After all, that was one of his favorite people to be around. He was going to get up and say something, but simply watched as Devon got up and pulled Celes away before there was enough time to react. His attention stayed with the two of them until they vanished from sight, and he looked at his doughnut quizzically before taking another bite. Once Rebecca had said what he had wanted to say (but couldn't find the words to), the woman known as Brigadier General Shula Brighton began to expand on the matter at hand.

"Yes, of course. And your friend does have a valid concern, but let me state up front that I'm not here to force your hand. This is merely an offer for work, and if in the end you all decide that you don't want to take it, that's perfectly fine."

That was definitely good, because Sal wasn't sure how everybody else was going to take the offer, and he didn't want to do anything that not everybody agreed with. Such was the captain's mindset when dealing with these matters, and any matters for that matter, and he hoped it would take the crew far.

"My offer is simply this: I'd like to hire you and your crew to move down to South's lake and help me. Your job would be to help prevent criminal elements of a threatening nature from moving into the city, and to report underground affairs to me to keep me informed since I can't be everywhere all at once. You will all help me keep South safe for everyone. And in return, apart from each of you getting regular pay, your whole crew gets this island excusively. It'll be private property, so tourists and other militants won't go bothering you in your home."

After listening to all of that and looking at the pictures that she put out, the captain grew increasingly excited at the idea. Their own island? THAT would be AWESOME. Sal grinned at the thought, and not even the most negative comments could change the fact that it was almost like a private hideout type island. Not that they would be hidden, necessarily, but it still...that would be AWESOME. He had completely forgotten about Celes and Devon for the time being.

"I see. So, you're basically hiring us to watch over those that would injure your peace? I can certainly see the merit in that. But we're pirates; what makes you believe that we wouldn't stab you in the back and rob you?"

That caught Sal's attention. While he did have the personality and generally the MIND of an 8 year-old, he was still quite intelligent when things got serious. Aren did have a point, but at the same time, it wouldn't really be the best idea to do something like that, given that the entire Amestrian military could possibly become the enemy of their entire crew, which was small in comparison. Not only that, but he was sure that Xan would be mighty disappointed in him if he did something like that, and it wasn't because Xan was in the military, but because Sal considered him his brother and held him in the highest regard. It was good that the woman didn't seem too serious about what she was saying, but it was a mystery to Sal why all of these strange things were happening today. Remembering Celes and Devon, he shrunk a little bit in his seat. Those around him would certainly notice his rapidly changing demeanor as time passed, but he didn't think about that.

"It gets boring here, because nobody ever does anything anymore, so maybe it would be fun! Pacifically the island part, because people can just come and bother us at the ship all the time, when I try to take naps...." He thought for a moment before his comments grew more serious. "I hear about some stuff that goes on because of my brother, so I know that if we go, it will help you guys out a lot," Sal remarked, looking directly at Shula, "and if it helps you, it helps us in the end! But I will not choose until the crew chooses." With that, he slid out of his seat and took a few steps toward the bathroom, but turned around again. "I....you guys can talk, I will come back. But I want to make sure everything is okay first..." Sal pivoted on his heels and continued on his path to the bathroom, shoving the remains of his doughnut into his mouth.

When he got to the bathroom, the door was open, and inside was a horrifying sight, causing Sal's eyes to widen. Celes looked practically dead, as limp as he was laying there! It was good that Grimm was there, because if Celes fell, like it seemed, then he could have been injured in the fall! The scene made his hair stand on end, and he jumped into the already cramped space with a sob. "EYEPATCH!" After casting a quick glance at Devon, he turned his attention back to the blonde, dropping to his knees to look at him as he started to cry. "Wake up, eyepatch! Celes!" His ears had gone flat on his head. What happened? What was wrong? Was he sick? Or what? He was genuinely concerned, as was apparent by the tears running down his face, and wasn't going to pretend everything was fine when it wasn't. Something was wrong, that much was certain, and he wanted to know what. "What happened?" His swollen eyes searched for an answer on Devon's face. "Eyepatch..." Sniffling, he grabbed Celes' hand. He had to be okay! "Please be okay..."

[Guest]

Ghosts of hands stroked again and again over his own jawline, bringing his mind back, coercing the darkness to once again become that of his left eye. “Celes!” He fell, but didn't touch the tile as he had thought, instead met warmth and felt his eyes slide closed. It was better...just to disappear in this warmth...before the questions strangled him half-alive. "It, it seemed to be something. Babe, what were you thinking about?” Thinking...? Celes sighed heavily, wishing that maybe questions would cease to exist in the world. If everyone knew everything like he did...then maybe they would just...stop. This was Devorin, rocking them back and forth as if he were a bullied child crying his eyes out, but... But Celes had seen something beyond this realm ...and he saw it all the time. It was because he had dared let down his guard--had dared feel despair in the separation between himself and Karis. He bit the inside of his cheek until it bled, letting the metallic taste overwhelm him and shut off the racing syndrome his mind drowned in after every hallucination. He felt himself wondering...usually it was Aren that knew something was wrong.

"EYEPATCH!" Oh...shit. He wasn't ready yet. "Wake up, eyepatch! Celes!" He could practically hear the tears in his voice. Sal. He moved his hands under him, shifting some of the weight into his muscles to free his own burden from Devorin. Slowly, he began to pull himself away, taking deep, silent breaths of fresh bathroom air to readjust himself to reality. It seemed he had escaped the questions...for no-- "What happened?" Celes' sky blue eyes widened slightly, his heart beating rapidly in his throat. What had happened? He was...being haunted. He paid a price to bring his twin brother back to life. He gave away everything that he was...and everything that he would ever be in order for Karis to be happy. And now...now he was leaving Karis for that same reason. But unlike The Gate, this one hurt. "Please be okay..." Something smoothed over his hand, warm, oily, and he knew that it was Sal's even before he looked over. Winded look, swarming blue, threatening to spill out just as Sal's was. Celes reached up his free hand, pulling all the way from Devorin to hold himself up just barely.

"Don't cry, Sal," he whispered, voice quivering slightly. He didn't attempt to answer any questions or meet either of the two sets of eyes on him, but his pale hand reached the boy's cheek and wiped the tears away...

[Sec Invidia]

Sec slowly nodded as Celes created DRAMA (As Celes tended to do. -.-;) , Shula spoke, Sal spoke, and so on and so forth. After a bit of contemplation, and another sip of rum, Sec smiled politely to Shula. "I think it's a good idea, Ms. Brighton. Pirates really don't belong so far from water anyways, and you do make a good point about us being security for South. So far, I think the Captain likes the idea, and I likewise think it is a good opportunity, so I thank you for extending such an offer to us. Personally, I can't wait to enjoy sailing on the Ol Miss." Taking another bite of rum cake, he finished off the dessert and sipped at his rum a bit more. Good stuff, when he's in a good enough mood to drink it. And not wanting to seem rude, Sec also took a muffin from the box of baked goods, even though he wasn't particularly hungry. Taking a small bite, he smiled, and took another, nodding to Shula, to acknowledge that they were wonderful muffins, even if his mouth was too full of them to speak.

[Marcelina H. de León]

Well, well, well. THAT sounded quite lovely. Security detail in South City, with their own private island. Not to mention being close to water again. It wasn't quite the sea, but it definitely sounded fantastic. As she munched on her blueberry muffin, she tapped her foot on the ground. It was going to be one hell of a move, taking the Ole Miss from the icy North to the balmy South. But she was definitely interested, that was for sure. Aren's comment caused her to laugh for a moment. She knew that off all the pirate crews that had ever been, they were the least likely to do anything so nefarious, unless hired to do so. She finished off her muffin as Sec showed his own interest in the plan, and the excitement to sail the Ole Miss on the lake. She clicked her tongue, chuckling. “I don't think the Ole Miss is quite up to sailing capabilities, Sec. It'll take a good amount of tuning up before it'll be safe to travel on water.”

She then turned her attention to the general still standing at the head of the table. “A pirate crew is all about democracy. It's fair to say that our first mate has voted in the affirmative. As quartermaster, I will second moving to South. If the rest of the crew agrees, then you and I will draw up a contract, General Brighton.” She adjusted her hat on her head, drinking the rest of her tea. She had said her piece and would know let the rest of the crew decide. If it was positive, then she would have a private chat with Shula, incorporating any demands the crew requested. If it was negative, well... back to the normal life.

[Shula Brighton]

Well, this meeting just got more and more interesting, didn't it? OH, she'd probably get an earful if her grandfather heard his girl had gone and hired pirates of all people to work security; it was not only highly unconventional, but it was unheard of for Amestris! But then again, South had been reborn into something unconventional, by someone who'd fought her whole life to break tradition and accomplish new feats. South was a place of hope, but it was also a place of innovative thinking because it would take the efforts of everyone to make it something whole and something great. Shula knew criminals happened in every city, but who better to keep an eye on criminals than criminals?

"I see. So, you're basically hiring us to watch over those that would injure your peace? I can certainly see the merit in that. But we're pirates; what makes you believe that we wouldn't stab you in the back and rob you?" One would think that having just come back from a war she'd had a hand in losing, she'd have been a bit more twitchy at the thought of someone shanking her in the dark for her goods. Aren's smile was a teasing one, though, as was her tone, and given everythiung else Shula had learned, picking out when people were teasing had been one of them. Shula gave a small laugh, grinning playfully at Aren.

"Well, I guess that wil add a little air of mystery and danger to our working relationship, then, won't it?" Shula's hand moved to rub at her shoulder in the sling, trying to not outwardly wince as she wished that just for a little while the array would stop working so well and let her have some relief from the pain. She inhaled slowly, swallowing it down and looked back to those she was speaking with, smiling lightly. The little Captain seemed very interested in the idea.

"It gets boring here, because nobody ever does anything anymore, so maybe it would be fun! Pacifically the island part, because people can just come and bother us at the ship all the time, when I try to take naps.... I hear about some stuff that goes on because of my brother, so I know that if we go, it will help you guys out a lot, and if it helps you, it helps us in the end! But I will not choose until the crew chooses." Shula smiled warmly at Sal, loving the way the little boy thought, speaking with thought and consideration beyond what most children would think of. It was endearing and very sweet, and showed a depth to the child that Shula could appreciate.

She nodded, her eyes meeting Sal's. "Very considerate of you to your crew, Captain. And again, no pressure to you or anyone to do this if you don't want to, and no hurry; I'll be here another day or two at least, so there's time to deliberate if you have any reservations." She watched as Sal politely excused himself to go check on his missing pirates, standing politely in her place. If nothing else they seemed a friendly lot, and fairly even-tempered. They could be quite good to work with, and if they agreed, would add a lot of atmosphere to South's giant lake. She listened. Sec seemed like quite the gent, and his nature reminded her of the pirate Mr. Starkey of the Jolly Roger; of all the crew, Starkey had been a fine Cretan gentleman with a love of good clothes, nice hats and literature. The Quartermaster spoke up, Shula meeting her eyes and listened carefully, her face determined to not show how fast her heart was beating or how excited she was. "If need be, we have some fine Ishvallan carpenters in South I can refer you to in order to make your ship ready."

“A pirate crew is all about democracy. It's fair to say that our first mate has voted in the affirmative. As quartermaster, I will second moving to South. If the rest of the crew agrees, then you and I will draw up a contract, General Brighton.” Shu couldn't help but grin a bit. This was exactly the response she'd been hoping for! Positive affirmation and signed contracts. She looked around to all the other pirates, and then back to the direction Devon, Sal and Celes had vanished to.

"If everyone votes in agreement, then I'd be happy to go over the terms and contracts, Quartermaster." She didn't catch the woman's name, but she'd addressed herself as such, and been addressing Shula by her rank; seemed appropriate to return the respectful gesture. "Though if you all want to wait for your captain and other crewmaytes to come back to discuss it, that's fine as well. I know they'll want to be filled in so they can have their say as well."

[Guest]

"They say to never do business on an empty stomach. Everyone, please, help yourselves." Well, there it was. Now she could snag one of those muffins and tasties... Reaching her hand into the box as it was opened and offered, Rebecca gave a fresh warm smile before taking a chomp into a banana nut muffin. Ooo nothing really could beat fresh baked goods... Hrm, maybe a fresh processor for her spare computer.. But that certainly wasn't edible. Should she go for-- "Yes, of course. And your friend does have a valid concern, but let me state up front that I'm not here to force your hand. This is merely an offer for work, and if in the end you all decide that you don't want to take it, that's perfectly fine." Oh. Right. Business, not tech.

"My offer is simply this: I'd like to hire you and your crew to move down to South's lake and help me. Your job would be to help prevent criminal elements of a threatening nature from moving into the city, and to report underground affairs to me to keep me informed since I can't be everywhere all at once. You will all help me keep South safe for everyone. And in return, apart from each of you getting regular pay, your whole crew gets this island excusively. It'll be private property, so tourists and other militants won't go bothering you in your home."

It was a good thing that she had good control over her outward expression otherwise her jaw would have dropped and her eyes would have gone as wide as saucers. Move... to South? And get PAID?! To everyone else, all they saw was her eyebrow raise ever so slightly as the corners of her mouth twitched, taking another bite of her muffin. Well, well, well..... Her crimson eyes drifted downwards towards the pictures of the rebuilding of southern Amestris, one side of her mouth twitching ever so slowly upwards into a smirk. All that, was to be theirs upon accepting? Well well! She could practically envision where she might place her new office, and of course what the internet possibilities were like down there. She'd most likely have to make some upgrades of her own, but those were easy enough. Especially since she had Edi to work with. "So... Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? ...Random movie quotes?" Rebecca was about to open her mouth with Aren spoke once more, "I see. So, you're basically hiring us to watch over those that would injure your peace? I can certainly see the merit in that. But we're pirates; what makes you believe that we wouldn't stab you in the back and rob you?"

She couldn't be serious. No, merely raising a point. Likelihood of the pirates actually turning on the Brigadier General was only.... 15%. Likelihood of herself going against the deal (if it was struck) was 2.5%. Could they be squished if they did something as silly as that? 80% was her estimate towards yes. Edi could probably get exact figures. Hell, she could help keep an eye on things for the Spectre program in Creta this way. Two less factors for them to worry about. "It gets boring here, because nobody ever does anything anymore, so maybe it would be fun! Pacifically the island part, because people can just come and bother us at the ship all the time, when I try to take naps...." Now that was the truth. Nodding absentmindedly, she glanced between each of her crew mates to get a feel for their own responses to this new information and prospect. That was the main reason she ended up working off on her own on the side of her usual reports to Sal. For the pirates never really did anything.

So it would seem that it was up to all of them whether or not they took this job. Glancing towards the bathroom as drama was occuring, her brows furrowed as she analyzed the situation as best as she could considering she didn't have all the facts. She should look into Celesto some more if she could.... Ah, but the others were beginning to answer now. She waited until all of them had spoken, part of her mind still distracted with her own plans for south. "I concur upon this poin'. Movin' down to where wa'er is only makes sense! We are bloody pirates after all. As boatswain, I can ge' you any, an' all info you moigh' need on anythin' and I mean, anythin'. Bi' of a techie ye see." Chuckling softly, she gave the pretty Ishvallan a wink, nomming upon the muffin once more. Now that she had put her two cents in, it was time to see just what Devon and Celes would say once they was done being all dramatic. From what she could tell, they were probably all going to agree upon taking this job. It was a damn good job after all!

[Guest]

My mind was spinning around faster than I could keep up. For some reason, I couldn't let go of the man that was in my grasp. Something was stirring his mind and playing the strings on his life, and if had to place money on it, I'd say it was the gate. I'm not completely stupid, I know for a fact that Celes had seen the gate on many occasions. I was no stranger either. At night, I would toss and turn out of fear of waking up in the midst of that dangerous game the gate liked to play.

"EYEPATCH!" I heard a voice break through my zone like trances. It was Sal, our Captain. He looked even more terrified than I did, but that wasn't hard too do. Sal was just a boy after all, he hadn't experienced half of what the world had to offer. "What happened?" The boys eyes shot directly at mine and I could tell that he needed answers. These answers were something I couldn't' give him and I gave a look as if 'I don't know...' Dammit! I'm such an idiot and don't deserve to be here with Celes. I drop my head against his forehead and continue to hum under my breath.

It wasn't long before Celes got enough strength to manage his own balance. "Don't cry, Sal," He spoke softly, completely avoiding any questions. He was good at it, but I know this little game can't last forever. My hands followed his body, prepared to catch him if he slipped again. If he fell, well I'd be the one to hold him up. I felt like it was my job and I needed to do this.

"Pl-please be careful Celes." I blurt out as I grab hold of his hand once more out of instinct. "For now, please take my hand...." My voice trails off out of nerves and bashfulness. I was such a sucker and I don't know why! Gah, oh well. Let's see what Sal had for us next.

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