You, sir, are a poet in pirate's garb!

[theseasbemine]

PRIVATEER, not pirate. Get it right, why don't you? Is it so hard to use the proper term? 'Tis not. You're just lazy and infuriating.

And I'm no poet. T'would be a disgrace to my great bards to call me such when they're so much better than I.

Stop dilly dallying and go hie yourself off to bed. It's late and your friend isn't going to be responding soon. Accept it and don't use it as an excuse. You've got a lot to do tomorrow, aye? Lots of "nasty chores and errands," I believe you called them. It would do you good to be more productive with your time and to get enough rest for what's to come.

I've no use for one who doesn't see the value of a good night's rest.

I'm also no hypocrite. It just happens that I've got not much to do unlike you.

Off to bed with you.

Comments

Speaking of hypocrites...

[potatomasher]

Your mundane will eventually understand your point, I hope. Getting the right amount of rest is important, indeed. Unless one wants to risk the reduction of one's personal abilities to fully and adequately take care of the work waiting ahead. Which would be irresponsible.

Haha

[theseasbemine]

Very irresponsible. Surprisingly, she followed my advice and went to bed early, though she tossed and turned for an hour before finally surrendering to sleep.

[potatomasher]

At least she listened. Maybe illustrating the importance of a well regulated sleep pattern to her might help.

[theseasbemine]

Maybe. She'll need one as she has work on the morrow.

[He looks over the blond stranger with narrowed eyes.] And who may you be?

[potatomasher]

[A nod. Then, a brief frown. Well. This must be what being Canada must feel like.]

Germany.

[Complete with lineface.]

[theseasbemine]

Germany...

[There is hardly any recognition. Well, in fairness to him, Germany didn't exactly exist as a Nation during his time.]

Of the Holy Roman Empire? [From what little he's seen of the Holy Roman Empire, he does look like this one here.]

[potatomasher]

Ah...

[He's not blaming him. Even Germany notices that this isn't quite the England he knows.]

We are related, yes. [Beat.] ...somehow. [He doesn't really know much about that. But he's read about the existence of HRE.]

So... What do you go by, if I may ask? [You're obviously England, yes. But using that name bluntly just may come across as... Odd.]

[theseasbemine]

I go by England. 'Have done so for a while now. [He smirks a little.] Though I'd acknowledge "British Empire" as well if you try it.

[potatomasher]

England then, fine.

Do you and your mun often have disputes like this current one?

[theseasbemine]

No' often, no. She has other muses who take up her time and energies. S'quite crowded in 'ere.

[potatomasher]

Sounds pretty unlike to this headspace. From what I gathered my mun seems to... Take a while.

[theseasbemine]

Take a while? [With what?]

[potatomasher]

Hn. An average of two years lie between each resident of this headspace. So... Ja. This mun takes her time with picking up new muses.

[theseasbemine]

Here, it often takes just a few months before someone new appears. At times even less than that.

It's a madhouse, that it is.

[clavel]

Corsario, pirata.

If it looks like a dog, smells like a dog, and acts like a dog then it must be that, don't you agree, señor?

[theseasbemine]

[That foul, accursed language.]

Much like one can't help but be unfortunately born a Spaniard, Miss.

[statusquorebel]

She would have replied were she not distracted and feeling less than perfect. I'm sorry we indirectly wasted so much of your... precious time.

[theseasbemine]

[He looks at Rev for a long time.]

Don't apologize. There is time yet for such things when she's feeling better.

[statusquorebel]

[ The staring is awkward for so, so, so many reasons. ]

Do you have to look at me like... like that?

[theseasbemine]

[At that, he looks away.]

Then I won't...

[statusquorebel]

[ 'Still upset with him then, ah? Well, he's not surprised. ]

[theseasbemine]

[One can't really recover over something like that so easily. He just found out you'll be leaving him. That's something huge.]

[statusquorebel]

[ He wasn't expecting a complete 180-degree change again, but he was hoping for less... coldness, he supposes, would be the term.

Revolutionary America sighs and looks away too, also at a loss for further words, it seems. ]

[theseasbemine]

[Awkward and awkwarder. He shifts a little. It seems they're stuck here together for a while yet. Small talk, go.]

...

[But what can they talk about?]

[statusquorebel]

[ The longer the silence between them stretches on, the worse America feels. He sighs and stares at the floor rather dejectedly before he catches his vague reflection in the flooring. He looks ashamed of himself, nearly rueful, and the fledgling colony quickly straightens up, throws back his shoulders, and lifts his chin. No, he must never be ashamed. It is within his God-given rights to declare independence from the kingdom that rules over him with a boot down on his neck, and even though his feelings for Arthur Kirkland are contradictory to that, he mustn't let them get the better of him. It's not just his future he is fighting for back at home. ]

I don't want to be enemies. That's never what I wanted.

[theseasbemine]

[He looks swiftly towards Rev at that. He is rebelling against him. The Pirate can't think of what else he meant to do. Perhaps he's too invested in his own interests to bother with Rev's perspective and the hurt causes him blindness. Still, he's fond of America enough to stay and listen, though he may prove to be a less than adequate audience.]

What did you want, then?

[statusquorebel]

[ America hesitates for just a moment, before he boldly decides he must refuse to back down, especially in the face of such a simple, albeit loaded, question. ]

I just wanted to be able to decide my own fate.

[theseasbemine]

[That's something England understands well. Had he not felt the same many times over in his own very long existence? After all that he's been through, where he is now is what he's always dreamed of. He decides his own fate and damned all who try and take that away from him. He can understand and yet as he looks at Rev, he can't help thinking,]

You grew up far too fast...

[statusquorebel]

As if I had a choice... I had to. If I didn't, I would have died. You know that.

[ He feels a small flare of anger. Is he being condemned for this? It's not fair for anyone to pass judgement on him like that— 'least of all for England to. America shakes his head and frowns. There's no real wrath in his tone, but he makes it clear that a part of his soul blames England for that. ]

...It's what you told me to do. It's what you left me to do.

[theseasbemine]

[The words sting and while he's not directly responsible for Rev's rage, he can't help but feel ashamed. He had left America so many times. Should he be surprised that America leaves him as well? He supposes he shouldn't be, though he also has his own reasons for leaving.]

It was for your own protection.

[He had to fight, to go to war to protect what was his.]

[statusquorebel]

[ America lets his gaze slide away from the pirate and he frowns, frustrated by the circle this conversation's gone in. He dislikes repeating himself, but he doesn't know what else to say. He knows— he knows England didn't have much of a choice, but still... ]

...it's why I had to grow up quickly, I mean. I did what I had to.

[theseasbemine]

[Yes, their conversation has gone in a circle and perhaps there is nothing more to talk about. With that, the Pirate doesn't say more. In truth, what else is there to say? He's found out what will happen in the future, he's said what he needs to say and now he needs some time to come to terms with everything. The time of talk has passed for him.]