Heading for Lost Realm.

[namigational]

You've gotta be kidding me! There's a billion places out there and you choose one that doesn't even have a sky? Let alone an ocean. What happens to the Going Merry? He's got no one sailing him! I-- I didn't mean for him to get abandoned, okay--

--look, unless it's money I can take with me I'm not sure how that helps.


...well maybe it does a little.

Comments

[touchofrogue]

Not enjoying your mun's plans?

[namigational]

No, but then I'm reliably told muns never have good plans. I guess I'm stuck with it. At least for now.

[But so help her she's leaving the second she can. B|]

[touchofrogue]

Even the plans they think are good? Rarely good. But you'd better get used ta it. It ain't like there's any real exit strategy.

['cause if they let you go, you just disappear, BUT HUSH, ROGUE, THAT'S TOO META.]

[namigational]

She says to just treat it like a vacation. That's all well and good, but she's taking me from the exact point I'm gonna spend all my time panicking, I can just tell.

What's the place you're at like?

[touchofrogue]

[She jerks her thumb over to her back. Notice the slightly glowy itty bitty white wings?]

Peachy. A regular paradise.

[namigational]

...

...wait, they give you wings there? Can you even fly with something that small?

[touchofrogue]

Not really at all.

[She shakes her head.]

An' no, I don't know why.

[namigational]

Talk about a waste of time, then. Maybe they've got some kind of bird fetish.

[...] Yeah, okay. I think I'm luckier not dealing with those. You've got my sympathy.

[touchofrogue]

Yeah, they're a pain. But don't waste your sympathy.

[She's got this, yo.]

Wings could be the least of your concerns.

[namigational]

Could be. There are monsters out there, apparently. But supposedly all the residents are just left alone. They just have to "earn" their way back to their real homes. [There's a sigh, and she blows her bangs out of her face.] It's not like I had important things to do at home or anything.

[touchofrogue]

Monsters that leave you alone. That sounds real reliable.

[Rogue gives the girl a veiled concerned look.]

Time stop for ya there too?

[namigational]

I don't know. [She's worried about that.] I hope so.

[touchofrogue]

[...]

From what I hear, that's usually the way of it. Don't let it get to you.

[namigational]

If that's the way they do things, it won't be so bad...? I'm in no real hurry to go where I'm going at home. [It's more a matter of duty and necessity. A time out sounds like it might be nice.]

[touchofrogue]

[Dryly:] Tell me about it.

[namigational]

Oh you too, huh? I guess there are upsides, then.

[touchofrogue]

That's life - upsides, downsides, ya just gotta make due with the best ya can.

[namigational]

I know.

...keep smiling, and eventually good things will come your way.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue doesn't really go in for mushy stuff.

Okay, that's a lie. She so does. She just doesn't like to show it.]

Sounds like you've got a handle on it.

[namigational]

[Her mama knew everything, Rogue. She's just passing it on.]

Guess so. Good luck with your...uh. The wings. [Seriously, they look like a pain in the ass.]

[touchofrogue]

[Heh. Oh, if only you knew...]

Good luck with the monsters.

[AND SO THEY PART, NEVER TO MEET AGAIN.]

[followthenose]

Merry will be okay. He's built tougher than that.

[namigational]

Usopp...

[She trails off, staring down at her feet. She liked Usopp. Girlfriends forever, okay.]

It's not fair. I was going to look after him until-- later.

[So lame. 'Later' being when, exactly?]

[followthenose]

[He knows what time you're coming from and man, does that seem like forever and a half ago. It's gotta be really tough. He can't even really imagine it...]

Don't worry, that's why we came to look after you. Er...will come. [Time is kind of confusing, okay?] Of course, I lead the charge. Right up to the gates of Arlong Park! [Well he was there anyway.]

[namigational]

[She's heard this, and so the news doesn't pack as much of a punch as it would have a little while ago. She still doesn't quite understand why, but...

...oh did he now. Yeah, this faint smirk is very indulgent.] I just bet you did. Took them all out by yourself, did you?

[followthenose]

Welll I let the others help. I was mostly the strategist. Luffy couldn't strategize his way out of a wet paper bag. So really the whole plan was my idea.

[And he's simmering ideas for a complete retelling of what went on, replete with him fighting a fifty-foot Fishman--but then a more important point springs to mind]

Hey, you're not going there alone, are you?

[namigational]

Mm-mm. [She shakes her head, and gives him a cheerful smile. Or it's sort of meant to be cheerful, but it's kind of worried.] Luffy's coming too. And that's good! But we don't get to remember this place.

[Which means what it will really be is awkward fits and lots of fighting. But she can't say she doesn't feel a little reassured that she won't be completely with strangers there.]

[followthenose]

That's good. [All the relief. And that's really good. If he were stuck anywhere, he'd rather it be with Luffy]

I know it might not seem like it at times but he's really reliable and...he's always got your back. [Or rather, you've got his. Even when you don't necessarily deserve it]

So it doesn't matter what you remember or not because you'll be fine.

[namigational]

...well, I guess we'll see how that goes. [NOT CONVINCED. Well... she believes Luffy is exactly as Usopp says he is, but she lost his ship. She knows already she'll try to avoid him.] I can hope things work out for the best.

[followthenose]

They will. Sometimes it really won't seem that way, admittedly. [Sort of hard to be confident when hip deep in zombies but--] But don't worry too much.

Of course if I was there you wouldn't have to worry at all.

[namigational]

Oh, of course. So you'll be running right over to give me a hand, then?

[followthenose]

Well you know if Luffy can't handle it, I'll definitely take over. You know he depends on me for that sort of thing being that I'm the vice captain and all.

-nod nod-

This one time he was almost eaten by a giant tarantula because he thought its eyes were strawberries. They were red, you know. And of course he needed someone to pull him out since Zoro and Sanji were fighting some man eating snakes that were twenty feet high and covered in spikes. But of course.... [And he'll go on if you let him. And on and on...]

[namigational]

Yes, yes. Well done. [Just cutting you off before you can even tell her what it was the supposedly great Captain Usopp is and all.] Well, maybe I can use your help after all. I mean, I understand the surrounding caves to this place are just full of monsters.