piratejournal | [Audio + Action on Isla Empieza]

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[Audio + Action on Isla Empieza]

Excuse me? Hello? Can anyone understand what I'm saying through this book? I've seen people speaking into these strange books and other people seem to speak back. I'm...really rather confused by this entire place.

Tarouza? Kurokagi? Anyone? What happened after the battle? Did we win? Is that why I can understand all of these people?

[There's a bit of shuffling as he moves through underbrush, emerging near the market area. Screaming immediately starts from everyone who catches sight of him.]

...Well, that was a bit rude. They all ran away. Anyway, back to business. I've been wondering about some other things that seem to be important, here. Perhaps one of the people listening can tell me.

First of all, what is "currency" and how does it work? I've been given little shiny bits of this "currency", but I'm not sure what to do with it.

Second, how does "writing" and "reading" work? It's something you humans do for these book things, correct? I'm...really a bit new to all of this.

Why are you all so large? The humans I know are much smaller. Or have I somehow gotten smaller?

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Are you a spirit? Where are you at right now?

Spirit? I've never heard of that, either. It seems I've rather a lot to catch up on.

I'm at...Hm. I'm not sure what you'd call it, but I can smell many delicious things.

You're not a spirit but you're not human either. What kind of person are you if you're not one of those? I've never met a person that wasn't one or the other.

Can you find the docks? The place with all the boats. That's where I am. I'm a human. My name is Wan.

Oh, yes! Of course. I am called Dougen, and I'm a tiger. Do you know what that is? Ti-ger?

Nice to speak with you, Wan. Boat? What's that?

Do you mean a tiger-monkey? I didn't know they could talk! Oh. A boat is one of those things that float on water. There's a lot of them at the docks, where the ocean meets the land.

No, no. Say it with me. Ti-ger. Simple, no? Monkeys are something else, entirely. I assure you, we're very different.

Ah, you mean like ducks! I've seen them float!

So... not a tiger-seal, either?

[He has no idea what a tiger would look like.]

Tiger. I don't think I've ever met a seal, before.

Just... tiger. I've never seen one of those before. Well, if you come find me at the docks, we can meet.

Well, the smell of fish is certainly easy enough to track.

[It doesn't take him long to follow his nose enough to find the man. The running dockworkers certainly precede his arrival.]

Excuse me? I'm looking for someone I'm supposed to meet.

Wan hurried over from where he'd been in the tree to meet the Tiger. The only human not running scared. He was actually really curious.

"Wow," he said softly as he started to circle the ...animal? A person certainly, but he looked a lot more like an animal.. or a spirit. Like Aye-Aye. "You're so big! I'm Wan. I think we were speaking through the books."

"Ah, perfect! Good to meet you, then," he said, leaning over to sniff the air around him, "I am Dougen, as I said. So these things are 'boats', yes?"

The air around Wan would smell odd, like earth and water and even the faint smell of fire having been burned recently. Yet, Wan was clean and dry and there was no sign of anything having been set on fire.

"Yeah, the boats let people float on the water and fish for food. And travel. It's not as fast as a lionturtle or using the element, but it'll work," he replied, still staring in fascination. "Why is everyone running from you? You didn't do anything to hurt them did you?"

"I'm used to scaring smaller animals. I used to be quite the fearsome predator, back in the day," he said, looking off into the horizon, "I suppose I won't have the fruit I love here. I'll have to subsist on fish, then. Unfortunate."

Wan titled his head, watching the other humans as a sad frown took over his face. They were all so scared and Dougen hadn't done anything.

"I'm sorry," he said, then started walking. "Why don't we go back to where I was earlier. It's a tree and it's out of the way."

"Oh, that does sound rather nice," he said, smiling as he looked around, "Where would that be?"

Wan pointed at the far end of the docks, "Over there. It's secluded. The other humans here shouldn't be able to see you easily. So they won't run and yell. Sorry again. You shouldn't have to hide away just to keep them from acting like this."

"Well, let's have a look, then."

Sorry, I'm not familiar with those names, but aye, usually we read and write in books.

As for currency, it's pieces of metal or sometimes paper used as a numerical marker for trade. Since all objects have different values to different people, it makes it a bit easier to haggle. Hold onto it for now, and if you get passage on a ship, you can give it to whoever takes charge of such things so that they can help get supplies, like food or clothes.

As for size, that depends, how tall are you? By my understanding, most people of this world are smaller than I'm used to, but there's bound to be a world where everyone is even smaller than this, eh?

...Ah, I see. Awfully complicated system, that.

Well, back home I only knew a handful of humans, but they could all fit in my palm. Now they're about half my size, or least the ones I've seen here so far.

By the way, have you ever heard of eternity fruit? Looks like a gourd, tastes delicious? Good for meat eaters and plant eaters alike? Anything like that here?

In your palm, really?

That sounds like gnomes or fairies. [Thinks to compare, now they're about half his size so...] Or children? You sound big even by my world's standards, however.

And sorry, I can't say I have heard of such a food.

I know I was much larger than many trees. Even amongst my own kind, I was quite big. Only the strongest animals reach such a size. It's...more a curse than a blessing, really.

I see...Then if I'm to make it home, I suppose I'll have to sustain myself on fish in the meantime. It's a shame.

Whoa.

Aye, I know a thing or two about that. I'm not so large myself, but my Pops is five times my size, and my brothers are quite a bit bigger than I am.

You're not fond of fish I take it?

I...try not to eat meat, if I can avoid it. Unfortunately, vegetables and fruits don't provide what my body needs. I was built to eat meat. Back home, Tarouza had a special fruit that all of us could live comfortably off with no trouble.

There's a fruit that carnivore can eat? And it makes you not want to eat meat?

Oh yes. A human designed it long ago, back when they still existed. Tarouza rediscovered it. It's part of his dream of uniting all the animals.

Is that possible?

Apparently. It involves a lot of "technology", he says. I don't know much about that sort of thing. That's what's so interesting about humans. You're not very strong in body, but you create the most wondrous things.

Don't count me as human, mate. I'm a lot stronger in body than inventing anything, yoi.

Oh? Were you born something else?

I'm part bird.

I don't know if I'd be willing to give up meat entirely, but in a world where all animals could get along, I think I would.

My baby sister can't eat meat at all, and my baby brother seems to have a preference for eating bears and tigers.

What are you then?

I'm on the fence about fish. I think I should be able to get by on those without feeling too bad about it.

I'm a tiger.

If it helps, I get murderous from meat so I have to be careful, but I can usually handle fish without too much trouble. I never know how to feel about it either. Fishmen are usually fine with eating fish, but merfolk talk to the fish so they won't eat them at all, which makes sense I suppose.

Are you a transforming tiger or just a very big tiger?

That's how it is. It's hard to eat something that you know thinks on the same level as yourself. That's part of what Tarouza is trying to do. What I promised to help him achieve. A common language for all animals, and a food we can all enjoy.

I was much larger. I previously thought all the humans were just immense, but I see now that I've merely gotten smaller. Very strange.

Eh, really?

[Head tilt.] I wonder if that means Davy Jones would have to shrink some of my brothers to bring them here.

I don't know. I suppose you'd have to ask him. I used to be taller than most trees.

Maybe the trees are bigger here too.

[Sure Marco, troll the tiger.]

Everything is bigger? I'm not a fool, friend.

[A small laugh.] Sorry mate.

So did you find a crew looking for a great big tiger yet? I'd invite you to mine, but my Captain would try to eat you. And I wish I was making that up.

That is your pack, right? This "crew"?

Aye my flock. I mean -- pack. My family is part of my crew, and sometimes becomes so vice versa.

Ah, I see. Thank you for the information, then.

My pleasure.

Do me a favor and if a sweet heron lass comes your way, tell her about that fruit, aye?

My captain wanted to make a wish that she could eat meat, but that fruit sounds a lot better.

I'll be sure to pass it along, then.

Not everyone here is a human.

So it would seem! I'm learning so many new things, already. This is all quite exciting.

You sound like me when I first made it to the surface world. Get used to it, there's going to be a lot for you to learn.

Surface world? I don't quite follow, I'm afraid.

The sea is my home, and I've spent most of my life in the ocean.

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