piratejournal | [Text]

Entry tags:

[Text]

In speaking with my ever growing crew, it has come to my attention that perhaps what we all need to get us through this little cold spell is a distraction. Now, I'm sure you've all found a great many ways to pass the time, but I was thinking that this could be an excellent time to share some stories. I know I have quite a few myself, and I'm sure you lot have your own to share as well, so let's take this as an opportunity!

Here are a few of my own:

[Here he transcribes his story of the battle of Kannagawa and his ghost story.]

Of course, there are far more where that came from, and I'll be more than glad to share a few more.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's very nice of you, sir, to go out of your way to try and distract people during these difficult moments.

Are you from Japan, if I may ask?

[The handwriting is elegant though it shows that the writer's hands shaking, obviously because of the cold.]

I am! Motochika Chōsokabe, the great Sea Devil of the West, conqueror of Shikoku and the greatest pirate in all of Japan. You may find one other writing in this book by the same name, but I assure you he pales in comparison to yours truly.

Is that so?

In this case, I guess you must feel very much at ease in this world, Motochika-san.

Well, I wouldn't quite say "at ease," but it's not so different from what I'm used to. Bit more sedate, I'd say.

[And that's even counting the big fight they'd just had on Isla Empieza.]

Sedate? You're used to fighting a lot, then.

Without end. My friend Ieyasu has it in his head to calm things down a bit when we return, but I don't think I'm going to let him keep it too quiet.

Why not?

Wouldn't a quieter life sound nice? [Mami wishes hers could be now, though she remembers a time when she felt like Motochika.] ...Don't you have a family that misses you?

I'm sure my crew is missing me terribly, but they're no doubt as eager to raise hell as I am. The quiet life is for men not bold enough to truly seize what's offered them.

No bold enough... You're not afraid of dying, are you? [It's not really a question.]

Of course not! I'm not one to seek it out, certainly, but I don't fear it. My men and my land will be provided for and my name will live on long after I'm gone. I have no regrets.

You only fight ships sailed by foreigners, then?

[She supposes that when he says 'my land' he means Japan.]

None are spared, though certainly those Xavists do bring in some interesting things.

[He actually means Shikoku. He's not one with designs on the whole country like Ieyasu, but that island is his and no one else can have it.]

Most of them do come with good and pacific intentions, though.

And they're the first to say it. Always going on and on about "love" and all that. It's enough to make your skin crawl the way they do it. I'm for brotherhood as much as the next man, but there are proper ways to be about it.

You think they're not being sincere, then?

I'm sure they're quite sincere. That's the problem. All that clinging and friendliness...

Oh... I see.

You don't like friendly people?

There's friendly and there's saying things like "the only treasure here is love!" and calling you all familiar-like when you've never met before. They can keep that off my island.

I think they don't do it to be familiar or rude, Motochika-san. I think it's the way people from Western countries usually greet each other.

As for "the only treasure here is love", I admit it's a nice ideal. [Even if not a very realistic one.]

Yes, well, then you can go to Kyushu and join up with them when you go home. I'll not have that nonsense on my island, especially considering they keep stealing my weaponry and my automata.

They steal from you? Well in that case I reckon you have a very good reason not to like them.

[Also she's starting to get that 'his island' is not Japan. Not the totality of it, at least.] I forgot to ask but... what's the name of your island?

Shikoku. I believe I've said as much. That island and the sea that surrounds it shall belong to no other so long as I live.

Oh. My apologies. I thought you'd meant Japan altogether.

Shikoku is a very beautiful island.

It most certainly is! I'd have no other, that's for certain.

Then I hope you'll find a way to return there soon.

got tons of stories to tell
but most of them are disjointed boring and shitty
so i guess i dont have any stories to tell

Then I suppose you'll have to go find some or work on livening up the ones you already have.

nothing i could think of could sweeten the deal
or even make a fraction of the shit ive got palatable
ill leave the crazy interesting shit to everybody else

Nonsense. Everyone's got a good story in them. You just need to figure out how to tell it so that people will listen. Embellish a bit, gloss over some things, add some excitement where there wasn't any. If it's a good story, people won't really care how true it is until long after you're done telling it.

no no no
im tellin you dude
if i even managed to gleam this shit into a legible piece nobody would understand the hodunk bullshit that went into the whole process
id be crazy and have no taste the end

[He's not really sure he got even half of that.]

Well, that's when you make something up from whole cloth then! Surely you can do that.

alright now im just not in the mood
can we just go back to your fairly decent adventure stories

They're a damn sight more than "fairly decent." I'll not have someone who won't share a story of his own speaking ill of my own talents.

way to take a neutral compliment as an insult
an emotional outburst is totally the best way to deal

I'll deal with things how I see fit!

[It's a good thing he started out writing, because otherwise he'd be yelling at the journal right now.]

right the shitty way
good work there chief
you can tell a goddamn humdinger of story about how
one dude said something fairly boring and neutral about you
and you shit your pants about it

I did no such thing! You should thank your lucky stars that I know not where you are or I'd be making you regret such slander!

dude we have like
written proof that your shitting your pants
literally you making a big deal out of it
this shit could be brought to court and a sentence would be dropped like my sick beats

Your gibberish has ceased to have any meaning for me.

[Motochika Chōsokabe: Paragon of Maturity.]

just remember the name of the guy who rocked your shit
draco malfoy

I'll make note of it.

Sounds like you've had some interesting adventures Captain.

You don't know the half of it, Kodai! Give me time and enough sake and you'll never want for entertainment again!

You have a talent for storytelling.

Why, thank you. I most certainly do.

[And now he's preening worse than his parrot.]

But what of your performance?

What? Do you want to hear a story? You have but to ask!

By all means, go ahead. Yet save your best for when our courses cross.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Text]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

[written]

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written;

written

written

text;

text;

no subject

no subject

no subject