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Okay! I asked some questions of the people around the Island and read the entry that appeared in my journal first. I went to that funny statue too. I think I'm prepared to do this now.

Hello everyone. It feels strange writing in a journal that other people can see, but it's a familiar thing at least. Almost comforting. I hope that other people feel that way about it too.

My name is Nitori Aiichiro. I'm trying to figure out where to go from here. I have all this information, but that doesn't tell me much about how someone who doesn't know how to sail can possibly join a pirate crew.

I know how to swim! That's not really useful once you're really far out in the ocean, is it? I mean, unless someone falls overboard. Or you have to dive to look for the treasure. I'm good at cooking too. Everyone has to eat, even on ships, right?

I wish Matsuoka-senpai were here to help me organize my thoughts. He's really good at pointing out what I'm capable of. But I can do this! I can totally handle this situation, even if it's really weird. There's no reason whatsoever to just give up. I'll just find a crew and then

Wait. Everyone can see this. I forgot and gave myself a pep talk. Oh no, that's so embarrassing! Maybe I'll just wait for an answer now.

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[There's a prior conversation in the journal by now, but Rin ignores it. How can he focus on something like that when his roommate is suddenly here?! And no, no it shouldn't be a surprise - Rin found a few people he knew already in this world when he arrived, after all; why wouldn't it happen again? - but it is a surprise, a shock, completely unexpected. Really, the only person it would have been more shocking to find here is his sister.]

Nitori?!

[He's surprised enough that he doesn't even whine about being mentioned by name, let alone how he was mentioned.]

[For a fraction of a second, that fact that it's "Nitori" and not "Ai" is all he can think of. That doesn't last long though, because hearing this particular voice in a strange place is more than enough to be happy about.]

You really ARE here, Matsuoka-senpai! I'm so glad!

[He doesn't even think that might be a bad thing to say about someone being dragged away from home.]

[For what it's worth, Rin isn't offended; he's been here long enough that the fact that he was taken here has lost some of its sting - which doesn't make him any less determined to go back.]

Nevermind me, think about yourself, first.

[If actions speak louder than words, Rin has never actually supported that statement, always happy to let Nitori ~~serve~~ assist him, but that doesn't make it any less true under the current circumstances. Nitori shouldn't be glad about any aspect of being stuck here.]

You're on Empieza? [That seems to be where people arrive, and the mention of a statue suggests as much, too.] Where exactly?

[Aiichiro looks around himself for a second, so there's a pause before responding.]

That's right! Empi-Empieza? It's a funny name.

[He laughs awkwardly.]

I'm in a tavern just off the square where that statue is. Should I walk back to the square?

[Even if Rin's shipmate had talked to him, it still boggled Aiichiro's mind a little. That Rin was not only here, but might be willing to let him tag along.]

No, stay where you are. I'll find you.

[Seriously - Nitori being Nitori, you can't be sure what will happen if he so much as sneezes. With how annoying he is, of course they shouldn't risk him bumping into the wrong guy. Just because Rin is a saint for putting up with him doesn't mean everyone else will be.

And Rin doesn't waste any time; he's already stalking over to the town square, journal in hand. What? Like you've never seen anyone talking to an open book in public before. With a face like Rin's, at least he gets no comments.]

What was on the tavern's sign?

Some kind of weird wild pig head?

[Really, he didn't pay that much attention, but he remembered it right, after all.]

It's not far off a straight line from the statue, so it shouldn't be hard to find at all.

Right. I'm coming over.

[Boar's head it is. Following the instructions, Rin finds the tavern easily enough, striding in just a little too quickly before he finally slows down, adjusting to the lack of light. He hardly understands himself why he feels this urgency to find Nitori; the guy's been here for at least a little while, and it's not like Rin's his mother. It's not even like Rin has missed Nitori as such - that is: he's never really thought about it. Still... Knowing that Nitori is here, there's a definite need to make sure he's okay, if nothing else.

Old habits, probably. Rin has spent a good part of his spare time over the past months babysitting Nitori, after all.

That's all it is.]

[He's out of the chair so quickly that he nearly knocks it over. One hand goes out to steady it, and then he's reaching for the bag at his feet, hoisting it to his shoulder. It's a little heavy; he's been to the store on the island already.]

Matsuoka-senpai!

[He walks over quickly, grinning brightly, but stands several inches away, not crowding. There's a bit of a pause, once he's spoken, just looking up at the older boy as if he's not sure what else to say.

The conversations via the journal have left him wondering some-]

My journal!

[And just like that, he's turning away, hurrying back to the table to grab the forgotten book.]

[Well, there he is. Though it was hardly a challenge, it's still something of a relief to have found Nitori - or maybe it's just nice to see him again. Just... to see a familiar face. It actually hurts a little; for the first time since arriving here, Rin instantly and violently misses his own world on a personal level, rather than just for the Olympics. He's never really let himself think much about it before.

And then Nitori runs off, and Rin can click his tongue and look away and focus on the other again. Whether he cares about Nitori or not... it's a welcome distraction.]

You came here with a bag?

[Could be pretty convenient, depending on what's inside. At this point, it's of more interest to Rin than greeting Nitori properly, as he probably should.]

Mmhmm I was at a tournament so-

[He doesn't say which tournament, or what just happened. His conversation with one of Rin's crewmates has made him think enough about that to hesitate. Instead he just focuses on the question, and what he has in the bag.]

I had a few things with me already, from home. Like my journal, my swimsuit, a book I was reading, that kind of thing. I stopped in the store on the island too, but I was mostly just looking to see what was there, so I didn't buy much.

[Of course, Aiichiro's "not much" isn't necessarily the same as his senpai's definition of those words might be, but that's beside the point.]

Is there something in particular you need, Matsuoka-senpai? I could go back to the store...

Edited 2013-11-16 21:51 (UTC)

[A journal - from back home? Why is Rin not surprised... It doesn't sound like Nitori's got anything useful, but then, Rin isn't sure what he was expecting, anyway. Maybe if the book isn't too terrible, he can read it too, when Nitori's done with it...]

I got everything I need.

[The words are dismissive enough to almost be harsh. Shopping is the last thing he cares about - and he really has all he needs... which isn't much in the first place. A spare swimsuit, just in case; goggles; that towel that's ridiculously -... Well, he can manage.]

Let's go to the ship.

[He needs to tell Nitori about this world, but it's hard to decide what to say when he hasn't yet worked out how he feels about things, himself. Still, he has to try; he can't just let Nitori go in unprepared.]

... There's a lot you have to learn about this place.

[And with that somewhat vague statement, he turns around and starts walking, trusting that Nitori will follow.

Maybe that's one good thing about Nitori being here, anyway: as annoying as he can be, Rin knows what to expect from him.]

[If it bothers Aiichiro when Rin walks away from him, he doesn't show it. He simply takes a few faster steps, nearly a run, to make sure that he doesn't get left behind. He catches the door before it closes behind Rin - that's how quickly he catches up - and then falls into step just to the side and a little behind him.]

I would like to hear more about this world. So far the people I've talked to have been nice, but not all that informative.

[He pauses, shrugs his shoulders.]

Oh, I did talk to some people who knew you, however! I'm really glad Matsuoka-senpai has been getting along so well here.

[Well, okay, the girl hadn't sounded like she got along with Rin all that well. The people in his crew had though! And besides, it was kind of hard to tell, really.]

[Looking over his shoulder at Nitori, Rin raises an eyebrow. 'Getting along so well'? Rin may not be perfect, but he's not delusional enough to think he has any friends. Of course he doesn't have friends; that's pretty much the point. All he has is his crew, and they treat him like he's a five year old with two left hands.

He chooses not to comment, anyway. Just because having no friends is how it should be doesn't mean he wants to talk about it, least of all to Nitori.]

You read that thing on the fountain, right?

[Tell him you did that much, Nitori. There are limits to Rin's tolerance, even for you.]

We have to find ruby shards, and if we get the whole thing, maybe we'll get to go home.

[He doesn't sound convinced. He isn't. Even so, this is hardly the worst thing he has to tell Nitori. But he's trying to ease into the rest.]

Did you even read my-?

[Sigh. Well, obviously Rin had been distracted by not having expected him in the first place.]

I did read the fountain, and talked to some people around the island! I understand that we're supposed to find ruby shards, and what it's supposed to do. But... that's not very...

[He shrugs his shoulders.]

Shouldn't there be treasure maps or something, at least? Are we really just supposed to sail around pointlessly until we stumble upon them?

[Yes, yes, he knows Nitori went there. But he wouldn't put it past him to miss the text and get distracted by the statue itself, or something like that. At any rate, the question was mostly rhetorical.]

You think everybody who buries treasure makes a map and shares it?

[Stumbling on treasure is the best they can hope for. Even stealing, if they have to - but that's all side business at best.]

We should focus on those shards. For the rest, as long as we have enough money to eat, we'll be fine.

[Of course, information about the shards is as hard to come by as anything. But what can they do? There's nothing to it but to keep searching - and Rin's been busy enough learning how to sail and trying to deal with everything that's happened that he hasn't even thought much further than that so far.

It's starting to sink in that discovering a way to find the shards before Things happen again would be ideal, but that's not even what Rin wants to linger on. What happened last time... Nitori needs to know. At least some of it.]

But that's not the only thing that isn't as easy as it seems.

[Suddenly he's oddly serious, glancing at the ground, though he never slows down.]

There are a lot of strange things, in this world.

[Having come that far, he still can't say it. How do you tell someone about the kind of things that have happened over the past few weeks? How can you expect them to understand?]

[Aiichiro feels stupid as soon as Rin responds to his question about maps. It's true, it wouldn't make any sense, but he's only seen this sort of thing in movies! In movies there are always maps.

That's what makes it sink in that he's really even less prepared for this than he thought. It's not just that he doesn't have the basic life skills, but also that the only logic he knows for these situations is based on unrealistic fiction. He's completely lost.

Rin was too when he arrived here, wasn't he? Well, no, Aiichiro knows that his roommate has always been more worldly than himself, considering he studied in another country and everything! Still, though, that's not quite the same as this.]

It... sounds scary.

[The admission is out before he can stop himself, but it's probably nothing Rin wouldn't already expect from his reaction. Aiichiro draws in a deep breath.]

What kinds of strange things, Matsuoka-senpai?

[It is scary. More scary than Rin is willing to face, which is why he doesn't react to Nitori's assessment at all - not to deny it, and not to mock Nitori for being scared of something he shouldn't be. He should be scared. He should be very scared. Maybe that way he'll be better prepared than Rin was.

That doesn't make it any easier to come out and say it. Not having processed it very well himself yet, Rin still feels insane for even considering that these things are real. But they are. They are, and Nitori should know.]

Ghosts. Vampires.

[He avoids eye contact; if Nitori thinks he's crazy, that's perfectly understandable, but Rin really doesn't want to know.]

Zombies and werewolves, too. Giant spiders... [He lets out a harsh breath that might have been a snort under better circumstances.] I don't think there's anything this world doesn't have.

[... Except the Olympics, apparently. Good priorities, world.]

[All of those are things that Aiichiro doesn't believe in. At home, anyway. Here, he's already heard that things are very strange from others, and he knows himself that he's been dragged away from home in a rather mystical way, at least.

Whether he believes in them or not really isn't the point, in the end. Because it's his senpai saying it, and that makes a difference.

In fact, Aiichiro's first thought isn't to be frightened for himself, but rather to remember that Rin has already been here for a while. It's because of that, in the end, that Aiichiro takes a few quick steps forward, his bag bouncing against his side almost painfully, and moves in front of Rin, looking up at him.]

Matsuoka-senpai, you haven't been injured or anything, have you?

[As usual, Nitori's way of thinking is so off that Rin can't even decide what to think of it, throwing Nitori a look that's halfway between annoyed and confused as he's forced to slow to a halt.]

Do I look like I'm injured?

[What is that boy even thinking half the time?! Not much, probably...]

Anyway, this town is pretty safe, if you don't stay too long. But anything can pop up just about anywhere, so.

[For a moment, it seems as if he's leaving the sentence at that - but then he quickly adds something anyway, simple rather than sentimental.]

Be careful.

[And with that, he ignored Nitori's would-be blockade and continues on his way. They have a ship to get to, after all.]

Well, no, but...

[He'd just wanted to be sure. And it could be hard to tell sometimes, right? It isn't like Rin is the kind of person to just let something stop him, after all. Then again, he might not say anything either. Aiichiro made a mental note to pay close attention in the future anyway, just in case.]

I'll be careful, I promise, Matsuoka-senpai.

[His voice is rather grave, taking the words very seriously. But then he steps to the side and starts walking again, and there's a sudden cheerfulness in his tone.]

Matsuoka-senpai is with me now though! And the people on your ship sound really nice, so I'm sure it will be fine. What kinds of places have you gone so far, senpai? Will you tell me all about them?

[Sure, the people on the ship are nice. They're great. They also treat you like a child - but, for Nitori, maybe that's not a bad idea. Let Motochika and Mitsuhide keep him safe. Apart from anything else, maybe it will take their attention away from Rin.]

We haven't visited that many places. Sailing takes forever, and there was a fog...

[Rin chooses not to share details about that fog. He's said enough already, and as much as he disapproves of how Mitsuhide treats him sometimes, the guy isn't evil or anything. Informing Nitori that Mitsuhide turned vampire for a while doesn't seem worth it.]

We visited one island, but the fog was still there. We didn't see much. By the time it cleared up, we gathered supplies and came here again.

Oh. That sounds a little...

[Aiichiro frowns, trying to think of the right word.]

Less exciting than I expected. But I guess most things are probably like that, aren't they?

You'll have plenty to learn, especially at first.

[Rin ignores the question, almost out of habit, to get right to what they're actually talking about - or what they should be talking about, in his opinion.]

Don't think you'll have time to sit around and be bored.

[It's not entirely true, in that Rin has still found time to think about stuff he'd be better off not thinking about. Exhausting as life aboard ship is, it's generally not enough to let him pass out with not a thought on his mind.

Sometimes being used to ridiculous amounts of training is not a good thing.]

That's good, right?

[Aiichiro takes a couple of quick steps just to stay by Rin's side; their strides don't exactly match and he has to work to stay in step, sometimes.]

It's better than having to worry about having nothing to do but be homesick, right? Have you gotten to swim at all since you came here, Matsuoka-senpai?

Nah. I wanted to at that island, but...

[Things were weird, and very dangerous - and Rin was pissed at the time, but not suicidal. He's remarkably calm, really, considering his lack of opportunities for practice. But then, he knew he was doomed when he first arrived here. He's trying all sorts of other ways to at least keep in shape, but swimming -...

It's been more out of reach than ever.]

The harbor here's pretty sheltered. I was planning to give it a shot later.

[Not that he wants to swim with Nitori or anything... He can do it just fine by himself.

But, you know. If Nitori wants to swim, too, it's not like Rin will stop him.]

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aidreamofsenpai - 2013-11-26 16:17 (UTC) - Expand

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