piratejournal | 7th rise of the phoenix ஜ Voice / Action for Spades

It wasn't for my birthday. I've not gotten birthday presents since I won my Cloth, though I'm sure that if he could find me, Shun would give me something every year.

[A pause.]

I don't put it past him to have a stock of presents for me that he wanted to give me and couldn't, though I would hope for him to have better sense than that.

[And know that the idea of getting a present he knows he won't be able to give to the person he wants to give it to is just plain stupid.]

Thatch. Marco's too much of a fail to be a mom.

Anyway, isn't there anyone like that back in your world for you? I don't have anyone whom I consider my parents, but there's someone whom I see as a father for one of my brothers at the very least.

Oh... Well, how about I get you a birthday present? I don't know when your birthday is cause I've got a feeling you're not gonna tell me... but if I give you a present then you can open it whenever it is your birthday!

*She sounds pretty pleased with herself, as though this is the best plan that she has ever come up with*

Hm. Not really. There was matron, in the orphanage... but that was before she went crazy and got possessed and tried to take over the world. Heh.

*There was a pause as she tried to think of how to phrase the next bit*

Are you drinking alone?

[There's a heavy sigh on his end. Fine, he gives in.]

My birthday has passed already.

[But he doesn't give in fully.]

Hmmm, wait, did she go crazy or get possessed? Or both?

[Because it's not the same time and Selphie should know that well.

He takes another loooong gulp before he answers.]

There's no one here with me, that's for sure.

And so has mine. So I guess we're even. I'll get you a present anyway, and you can decide if you wanna open it now, or keep it until next time. Is there anything you'd like, or should it be a surprise?

She got posessed, for sure. But I don't know if the going crazy happened before that or maybe even because of it. It's not nice...being posessed...

*Not that she had needed to say that to him*

I didn't think you really liked drinking... Drinking alone isn't...very good for you, though.

*The number of times she'd suggested they went for a drink, and then there was that night he got so angry at her for being drunk... She guessed that somewhere along the line, he'd changed his mind, remembering his cut hands the last time they'd met up on deck*

Can you create a portable volcano that we can pull around with the ship?

[Just joking, and a way of saying that she can just surprise him. Or try to. He doesn't try to convince her to not get him a present, it's useless when she has decided something after all.]

Mmhmm, how was she before that happened? Did she care and worry for you? Or did she just see you as things that shouldn't be there and were a pain for her as long as you were there? Because the orphanages where I was were kind of like that, I had the feeling they just saw us as things that should be relocated.

I'm sure they had good intentions and all that but... They only cared about us being adopted by any means, even if it meant separating siblings. They tried to do that with Shun and me several times, always saying they had tried to get me adopted too but that the adoptive parents only wanted the baby. Because that's what adoptive parents want, either a perfect kid that will cover all their flaws and make people be awed at them or a baby so they can try to get said perfect kid themselves because of how awesome parents they are.

[Someone has a very, very, very low opinion on orphanages and most adoptive parents.]

I didn't like it but... Things happened, Marco taught me... And it's good to forget.

What about that paper one I made for you that time? Is it all ruined by now? That's portable enough right?

*She was happy to be cheeky about it, knowing that the paper volcano she'd made for his Christmas was useless to him. Besides, she did suspect that it was probably destroyed by now or something*

I think she was nice. I don't remember most of my childhood anymore... But I think she was good to us, and that she cared. She looked after us even though people visited us and didn't want us. Then we just got sent away to become soldiers. I guess that's better than nothing.

*Selphie found it difficult to talk to Ikki about things, especially given that they weren't so close anymore. At least it was Marco that had taught him, and not some other girl*

Forget? What are you trying to forget? You want someone to drink with?

Are you an idiot? Why would it be ruined? It's fine, but I can't exactly get into it, can I? I can't shrink my size and even if I could it doesn't really have lava or anything in it.

[A growl, does she really think that he would destroy the volcano? Or allow it to be destroyed as long as he had a say on it?]

It's more than what I've ever had, or many others for that matter.

[Another swing of the bottle.]

Many things. Are you offering to drink with me?

Well...uh - I don't know...

*She's a little embarrassed on the other side, assuming that he'd maybe got rid of her gifts for some reason long the way*

No. It's not really real, so not so great, I guess.

*Selphie clears her throat a little, blinking at her journal*

Only if you like...

[This is the guy who kept a gift he had got her for Valentine's for months, until he finally gave it to her while he was turned into a child. Whatever she gave him during their time together or before is all safely kept, in perfect condition and just hidden from plain view in the rare case she goes to his room in order to avoid any awkwardness.]

It's great and awesome. But not a real volcano, that's the only flaw it has.

[A small but also important flaw.]

Hmmm, sure. But promise you won't try to take my bottles away at any point.

[Because if she tries he doesn't want her or anyone around.]

Want to meet somewhere?

*The gift that is still the best gift she's ever been given, kept for use every now and then when she is feeling bored, or even lonely*

Who knows, maybe some day I'll buy you a volcano and you can go visit any time you like.

I'd only take them away if you were sharing - there's enough for me to have some too, right?

*Until then, she really wasn't sure if he'd take her up on her offer or not, and she found herself extremely pleased to his question, though she tried not to show it*

Sure. Where is good?

You would need a lot of treasure to be able to buy a real volcano, though. Are you channeling Saori now?

[Has he ever told her about Saori? He can't remember at the moment.]

There's enough for everyone, I am not so irresponsible to drink like this and leave nothing for others.

I don't really care, anyplace in particular you want? Or we could just invade the crow nest and claim it as our fort.

[Either he's learning a lot of Marco or he's already tipsy, probably both.]

Saori...? They bought you a volcano?

*She recognises the name, though can't place what Ikki might have told her. Still, she guesses that any gesture of a real volcano wouldn't actually be all that great*

If you grab enough for me too, I'll meet you up on the crow's nest. Just gimme five minutes.

*It's only then she thinks about the last time they were together on the crow's nest, when she'd said and done all the wrong things. Still, she appears cheery enough when she finally gets there*

[He doesn't answer the question about Saori, busying himself in moving to the crow's nest with enough booze for them both and then several more. It's going to be basically just them and all the booze up there, though he doesn't expect to drink it all, it's mostly just in case.

When she arrives he waves a hand inviting her to sit besides him and grab a bottle. Only then he resumes the talk they were having.]

Saori never bought me a volcano. Or anything.

[The sole idea makes him chuckle, Saori is the last person who would give him anything good as far as he's concerned. And he probably wouldn't accept anything from her.]

But she was rich enough that she could buy an island as if she was buying candies. Mitsumasa Kido left everything to her after all, his darling granddaughter, the great Goddess Athena.

[There's a special note of disgust and hate when he mentions his father, before taking another swing of the bottle.]

*Selphie happily sits herself down beside him and takes one of the many bottles that he's brought with him. She opens it and takes a sip, listening to him continue their conversation*

Enough money to buy islands? Wow, that is really rich! And a bit rude if she never bought you anything for a birthday or whatever.

*She frowns a little at the tone of his voice, turning to look at him*

You really don't like that guy, huh?

Rude? It's not as if we are equals or even friends, you know.

[He hums at her question and for a moment it may seem that he's not going to answer, but that's just until he takes another sip.]

I hate that guy. Why should I like him? Just because he's the guy who used my mother as a toy, leaving her pregnant twice? Or should I like the fact that he sent his men to chase Shun and me until we were captured and taken to his mansion together with all the other children he had with women he used and threw away? Oh, maybe I should be grateful for how he sent us all to die trying to become Saints without even telling us anything about what we were going to do. And let's not forget how he promised us to let us go and be free if we got the Cloths, instead of telling us that we would have to spend the rest of our lives serving Saori who was the Goddess Athena.

[He shrugs.]

I suppose I'm an ungrateful bastard for not appreciating him even a bit after all he did.

*Selphie slowly glanced away as Ikki continued to explain about his father. She took a few steady sips from her bottle, staring down at her boots as she did so. Finally, Selphie turned to him again*

I'm sorry. I didn't connect the name with - Well, I didn't know.

*She did know very well about his feelings towards his biological father, and how he refused to think of him really as a father figure at all*

You have no reason to like him.

*Selphie turned the bottle over in her hands, trying to think of something somewhat lighter to talk about*

So... I'm nowhere near rich like Saori, but what would you like as a birthday present?

[He chuckles slightly and shakes his head.]

It's okay. I don't think of him as my father, there's nothing in him that counts as that other than having used my mother for his own pleasure. So I suppose that when I talk about him it may seem as if my father and Mitsumasa Kido are two different people.

[A light frown comes to his face as they return to the subject of his birthday present. What would he like?]

I don't know. Whatever you are willing to give me will be enough.

Hmm. That makes sense. I used to think about my parents a lot. Like, maybe they were super famous film stars so they had no time for me, and they'd come back and get me some day. Or maybe they were total jerks. Like my dad was a murderer or something, and my mom some kind of... I dunno. Or maybe they were just dead. I know I obviously had parents, but I'd rather not think about who they were too much...cause - Well, you know it - they can be a horrible disappointment.

*She'd been staring at her bottle as she spoke but then she realised she'd been speaking too much so shut herself up by taking another drink*

Guess we wait and see where we end up next and I'll get you a nice surprise from the next island.

I never wondered about my father, even before I met him once when I was a kid. It was only for a moment though and he was gone the next morning after he and my mother... I never made the connection that he was the one sending men after us, or that Mitsumasa Kido was the man I had met. I didn't really remember his face so... I was sure they were two different people, at least until I was told otherwise and finally made the connection.

My father was a disappointment, but it's probably better that way. You know, if your parents are going to not be there for you, it's better if they were assholes. That way you can just think that you're better off without them after all.

[At least that's how he sees it, then again he's terribly biased.]

That's going to take a while. Unless you plan to go shopping in the middle of the rescue.

[Just joking, he knows she wouldn't do that. And anyway there's probably nothing worth it on that island.]

Assholes or dead. That's much a better way of thinking! Anyway, I think we both turned out alright, despite what parents might be like.

*She nudges him playfully, giggling a little before taking another drink. Whatever it was, it wasn't too bad, and it was making her feel warm already*

I dunno - sounds like a good idea. I could pick you up a collar, or some chains.. Maybe a dirty brick from the wall in the cell...

*Selphie is finding it much easier to joke about this kind of thing, because still her own memories of being kidnapped by the Navy, or imprisoned by the witch, could hurt her deeply*

Maybe, though one of us turned out better than the other.

[He doesn't really think that he turned out alright, but he doubts that having parents would have made a difference.

Something inside him kicks up at the joke about collars or chains, both because it makes him think of the state in which Thatch, Namur and Leanne must be and because he just hates to be restrained. He has enough with the weight of his Cloth and has no wishes to have more shackles. But that's not what she meant and if there's someone who knows what's like to be imprisoned and tortured between the two of them that's Selphie. It's a bit surprising, actually, to hear her joke about that but he takes it as a good sign.]

Why not some clothes? I'm sure there are some interesting attires among the people in the cells.

*Selphie doesn't say anything about that first bit, but she thinks he turned out okay. Could maybe have done with a bit more love in his life, but she knew he'd been working in that. In a way.

She joked around about the situation only because when she thought about it too much it hurt, was heartbreaking to her. She dreaded to think of what any of them were going through. So she took another sip and smiled*

Clothes? You wanna wear a cute little slave girl dress? Or a tattered dirty shirt that you could wear out sometime.

What would you prefer to see me with?

[Honestly, even as a joke no option was interesting. The dress would just be painful for anyone who had to look at him with it and a tattered dirty shirt isn't something he hasn't worse before.]

Maybe we should just stick to chains and tattered pants.

Hmm...

*Selphie paused in her drinking to look him over carefully, as though assessing him for an outfit. It was the first time in a while that she'd really spent any more than a couple of quick seconds looking at him*

Alright, if the birthday boy wants chains and tattered pants, that's what he gets.

Didn't say I wanted them. Are you sure it's not just you wanting to see me in those?

[Really, he didn't say he wanted them... Did he? He has to stop in his drinking to try to think back to check.]

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