fifth glance from the crow's nest -- sound/action to crew (backdated to the 23rd)

[forthevillage]

As much as this competition has pit us against each other, I would ask that we not all lose sight of the fact that we're still being used by others for another purpose. We are still all better off as allies than as enemies.

[This has been your daily soapbox moment.]


[action on the sea princess]

[Itachi hasn't forgotten what day it is. His brother had honored his birthday, so it's only right that he do the same. A cake is out of the question, as he knows Sasuke doesn't like sweet things. That doesn't mean he can't cook him something else, however. With all the supplies (and still edible vegetables) they have on the ship right now, it shouldn't be a problem.

Shouldn't.

None of the training he'd gone through in becoming the best ninja he could had involved cooking. Putting together a simple meal for the road is one thing. Making something nice for a family member is something else entirely. He believes he should be able to do it - he's gotten a hold of a decent cookbook - so he's going to give it a shot. It can't be too difficult.

Anyone who nears the kitchen this evening might be privy to the smell of burnt vegetables or the disgruntled noises of one young ninja.]

Comments

voice;

[cherrybombpie]

People are going to be fighting for those shards, no matter what. I think it's pretty silly, though.

[Simply because she doubted Davy Jones would give anyone a chance to use them gem once it's been completed. Kidnappers don't cut their victims slack like that.]

voice;

[forthevillage]

I've said it before, but I don't believe there's any reason we should be fighting over them. That's what we'll be expected to do.

[Why can't we all just get along?? Aside from simply desiring peace, his thoughts are along the same line as hers.]

voice;

[cherrybombpie]

Surely you don't expect that people will turn down the opportunity to have their deepest desire granted?

[Gullible people, that is.]

voice;

[forthevillage]

Of course they won't. It's the best possible lure to keep us divided.

[And thus the reward can't be trusted at all.]

voice;

[cherrybombpie]

Indeed.

What do you plan to do instead, then?

[voice]

[rebellions]

[Wow, isn't that cute. Sure. as much as he hates it, Ragna has to agree about all of them being used here. The part about being allies, though? Not so much.]

You can't possibly believe in that soap opera bullshit you're spewing there.

[voice]

[forthevillage]

[He has no idea what a soap opera is, but he can take a guess.]

... I do.

The fighting is counter-productive.

[voice]

[rebellions]

[As someone who has spent a considerable part of his life believing fighting is the only productive method of progress, Ragna cannot help but snort at the statement.]

Look, I dunno what kinda fairy tale you've been living in up until now and I hate to rain on your parade, but it's not that simple. Even if people work together now, in the end each and every of us is after the damn jewel for their own reasons. Sooner or later we'll end up fighting over it, so it's better to spare ourselves the drama and be upfront about it.

We're not allies. The sooner you get it through that thick skull of yours, the better.

[voice]

[forthevillage]

[As someone who ended up murdering his own clan to stop a war due to the lack of their ability to compromise, Itachi would rather do his best to talk things out as soon as possible in the hope that perhaps someone will listen.

His tone has shifted somewhat when he responds.]

There's no guarantee that collecting the shards will actually get us anywhere. If it does, would you rather fight everyone than attempt a wish or resolution that will benefit everyone?

We know very little of this place, of the being or beings or force that brought us. Of our ultimate purpose. To make enemies of each other with such an absence of knowledge is foolish and short-sighted.

[Action]

[breakfastmetaphors]

You're wasting our supplies.

[Standing in the doorway with his arms crossed is L-Elf, ruiner of fun, destroyer of birthdays.]

What are you trying to accomplish here?

[Action]

[forthevillage]

I've hardly wasted anything. [Itachi glares a bit over his shoulder, showing more ire than he usually allows himself.] The vegetables will go bad if they aren't used anyway.

[And then his attention returns to the stove, and the currently sizzling but not yet burnt mess.]

I'm cooking, obviously.

[Action]

[breakfastmetaphors]

[He invites himself in and walks over to the stove to examine what Itachi is making. Admittedly, he's seen worse and it turned out to be perfectly edible, but he doesn't have the same faith in Itachi's cooking that he does in Shoko's.]

Cooking what?

[It's not immediately obvious.]

It looks like it's burning.

[Action]

[forthevillage]

It's not-- [Itachi makes an annoyed grunt and removes the pan from the stove, setting it on the one next to it that isn't hot.]

It's a light fried dish. Eggplants, tomatoes, and zucchini. [Isn't it obvious?] I'll add the breadcrumbs and seasoning later.

[A pause, and he straightens up.] I'm improvising.

[Voice]

[summing_it_up]

Well. Figured that would still be a main purpose, right? Considering the race is motivational for all of us and entertaining for the guy who decided to hold it...

[Voice]

[forthevillage]

We're in agreement, then? You would be for the gathering of our forces rather than the separation of them?

[Voice]

[summing_it_up]

Sure. I mean, if my crew's all for it. But seriously, haven't people ever heard of power in numbers or something?

[Voice]

[forthevillage]

Not everyone interprets that the same way, and many work only for themselves. Trust is not gained easily, and if we end up needing to group together against a common foe, then some measure of trust will be needed.

[voice]

[yatteyanyo]

You'll forgive me if I'm not exactly sympathetic to the idiots that tried to raid our ship.

[voice]

[forthevillage]

They didn't have the best intentions, but do you believe their crew is so much different than ours in the long run?

Re: [voice]

[yatteyanyo]

Sharing a goal does not make someone an ally. Given that is truly all we have in common, I am not inclined to think of them as someone worth placing any amount of trust in.

[voice]

[forthevillage]

No, sharing a goal does not make someone an ally, but it's a start.

I understand where you're coming from. Trusting in others doesn't come easily to me. But if we don't do something, all of this will come to a head sooner or later, and it will be a mess when it does.

[thethundersaid]

[It's only after the third time Sasuke passes the galley and gets a whiff of burnt vegetables that he frowns and decides to investigate. What he finds surprises him: Itachi appears to be trying to put together a meal from their immense stash of vegetables with more limited success than expected.

Then again, if Sasuke thinks back on it, his own cooking at 13 had been utilitarian at the very best, tasteless monstrosities at worst. Not being hungry had kind of taken precedence over flavour, and he assumes it's much the same with most ninja.

Itachi's struggle, though ...]

... do you need help, brother?

[forthevillage]

[Sneaking up on Itachi isn't an easy thing, but if anyone could do it Sasuke could. It helps that the younger ninja is completely distracted by the task at hand, moreso than usual as it's frustrating him.

Hearing his brother's voice causes him to freeze up and jerk his head around with a very deer-in-headlights look.]

No. ...No, I have this under control. Thank you.

[thethundersaid]

[Well, that's an unusual reaction -- unusual enough that Sasuke frowns, stepping fully into the kitchen instead of just leaning in the doorway. A look around doesn't reveal any immediate danger beyond that burning vegetable smell from earlier, which ... shouldn't be enough to have thrown his brother this much.

Probably?]

Are you sure? I don't have anything else to do right now.

[forthevillage]

I'm positive.

[He's standing just in the way of Sasuke's view of the food, but doesn't move further. That will make it too obvious that he's trying to keep his brother from seeing it.]

I will be able to finish up myself. There were simply a few setbacks.