Japan feels more and more distant to me. I have been on these wide, enchanted seas for so many months now that they feel like home, even as they both give and take away precious new family members.

[Someone's missing his 'children.' It's hard not to wonder about how they are doing and whether they've made progress or not, especially when it comes to Rin. Mitsuhide misses that young man more than he'll ever express explicitly.]

I suppose we can do naught but keep moving forward, even when it hurts to do so. Every moment of simple joy is precious, even if many of those moments are also filled with unique decorating attempts, mishaps with instruments, unnecessary fuss or pointless rebelling against recipes.

Certain people should never be allowed to cook.

[The entry initially ends there, but a short time later Mitsuhide adds in a more hurried script than before:]

The Koumyou has arrived on a most welcoming and peaceful island. I thank the heavens for this blessing; such a place is surely rare in this world.

[The sound of a shamisen being played precedes Motochika's voice, and as he speaks, he masterfully plays a fast-paced, playful song in the background.]

Tomorrow is Mitsuhide's birthday. Hajime has taught us the tradition of celebrating them with enthusiasm... [his voice gains an undercurrent of amusement] so while Mitsuhide is too modest for a party, he will certainly appreciate any good wishes sent his way.

The occasion shall be marked upon my ship, but I will not spoil the surprise here.

[Dustin voice seems a bit tired and worn but still is very positive and upbeat.]

Hey, dudes. I've been trying to keep low after the whole marine invasion in my sailboat but uh... apparently you are not welcomed on the island unless you are a part of a crew. So. Anyone need a ninja? I promise I won't be a burden. I know how to use swords and other bladed weapons, I'm fast too. For those I haven't talked to yet, I'm Dustin.

Send me a message if you're interested though, I'm trying not to be caught by those navy dudes.

If you have ever privately thought that a crewmate could do with being more genial, hope that the change is limited, or at least gradual. Undisguised contempt has never felt so comforting.

Has everyone lived down that day?

When you pay attention your journal this day, the clear voice of young Maribelle rings out.

"Ahem! Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to formally introduce to you my son Brady. Say hello to everyone, Brady dear."

"... Tch. Hey. ... Y'know, I already said my piece when I first got here."

There's the sound of a parasol being bonked over Brady's head for his atrocious manners. "Yes dear, but we are formally introducing you to everyone!"

"Ow!" He groans, rubbing his head. After a sigh, he clears his throat. "... My name is Brady. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Very good. Now as I was saying, this is my son Brady, and today we are going to play for you a violin duet that I have trained him extensively for. Are you ready Brady?"

There's a bit of a pause. "Shouldn't we do something more important, like helpin' the captain, or checking on maps, or..." An even longer pause. You can almost hear the glare. "... Yes, Ma."

After some extra grumbling, the strings slowly start to play out. Despite the argument, the two are clearly talented, The performance is full of heart, passion, and dedication. As the last notes ring out...

"Nicely done, darling."

"... Thanks, Ma."

"And with that, I bid you adieu good people, until next time."

"... There's gunna be a next time?!"

((OOC: Both maribelle and brady will reply to comments!))

[Mitsuhide is running, and it's pretty obvious that's the case. He sounds flustured and full of urgency, and the sound of footsteps is very audible right now.]

All crew aboard the Koumyou, prepare the ship for immediate departure. All crew still on the island, head for the ship without any delays and as fast as your feet can take you.

[There seems to be someone shouting in the background too, and they are clearly not very happy.]

No delays, the - my Lord, careful - the island is now a very dangerous place.

[And with that very short post, the journal is snapped closed.]


[OOC: All response will be set after the ship is sailing! Action available but not at all necessary for crew.]

Dear Grandma,

I haven’t had the chance to write to you since I arrived in this strange place. I know that I have no way of sending this to you.. but it just wouldn’t feel right not writing to you. I hope that you aren’t worried about me, and maybe.. you just think that I’m too preoccupied with school.

[Haruka hasn’t realized that she’s making this public yet, not having mastered making private entries yet]

So much has happened, I’m not sure where to begin.

Everything is so different here- everyone is expected to board ships and live on the sea rather than staying on land. I was very lucky to have been taken in by the crew of the Koumyou. There used to be more of us.. but now we’re down to only six crew members, Chousokabe Motochika, Akechi Mitsuhide, Hajime-chan, Clementine-san, Gakupo-kun, and myself. I wish I would have gotten the chance to talk to you about the others before they left, and in their wake I will have to learn what additional responsibilities I can take on. I want our ship to be successful.

.. And yes, if some of those names sound familiar, they should. I couldn’t believe it at first myself. I admire Mitsuhide-san and Motochika-san considerably. They’re so brave and courageous and they’ve never been unkind to me. Hajime-chan, is always trying to keep everyone’s spirits up, whether it’s someone on our ship or someone else’s.. she’s very selfless, and energetic. And I wish you could hear Gakupo-kun sing. It seems like such an odd coincidence that an aspiring composer like myself would have wound up meeting such a skilled singer as soon as I arrived and then to have ended up on the same ship as him seems unfathomable. I hope I will get to learn more about him and the others as we continue our travels together. I haven’t forgotten.. there is still one crew member I haven’t written to you about yet. Clementine-san- well.. I’ve spoken to her a little but I think something must be weighing heavy on her shoulders. I hope she will find someone she can open up to.. and maybe that someone will be me.

The last island we visited had a river there that was rumored to be able to grant wishes.. Can you guess what my wish was Grandma? I hope it will come true.

Take care, and I hope that I will be able to see you soon.

Love,
Haruka Nanami

P.S. If I’m ever able to afford it, I might see if I can purchase a small keyboard.... if they even have such a thing here. There’s no way.. I could bring a full sized piano on board.. but somehow I will continue my studies.

[text]

[Flowing, almost archaic script starts to inundate the page.]

Dearest Brother,

I do not know if you will ever receive this letter. All I know is that I have been spirited away to this dastardly, horrid, menacing, troubling, and mysterious place known as Isla Empieza. I am very much afraid – who knows what the people here would do to a young maiden such as myself? Oh, oh, my dearest brother, my virtue is at stake – you must come at once! If I die here, I will come back to haunt you and you will never hear the end of it, so I suggest that you come and fetch me at this very moment! One such man asked me my name, and I threw him off the dock. I am truly helpless, waif-like, and defenseless, and I need your aid!

Please, also let my darling fiance Ranma-sama know that I am longing for him. I will simply not entertain thoughts of any other until I find myself in his arms once more. I know how he grieves, but console him, my dearest sibling. How he must pine for me – it is unthinkable.

Brother, I will put this letter in a bottle and hope that it reaches you. I will perhaps ask a turtle to bear it for me. When you receive this, please come and rescue me!

Love,
The Star of Hope of the Gymnast World
The Black Rose
Your Beloved Sister
Kodachi



[voice]

[Some time later . . .]

I can't rip the page out! I've been trying for hours! It just . . . flies back into the journal . . . !!! Magic exists, but only to taunt me! The fates are against me! I'll never be rescued now!

[Cue shrieks, wails, and sobs. When sorrows come, they come not single spies but in battalions.]

 [First off, he hasn't been crying, okay? It just so happened that at the same time Brady realized he wasn't with the army, and instead in some strange foreign land with no obvious way of getting back, all of this dust just got into both eyes. Okay? OKAY? But the idea of a journal that could spread across lands by talking or writing... Not too strange. He's known some odd sages and sorcerer's in his life, it can't be impossible.

So now what comes across the pages is the most elegant, beautiful penmanship you've ever seen. The kind to make novelists weep. Although the actual words themselves... don't exactly match the gorgeous pen-strokes.]

This is bull-plop! Grade A 100% bull-plop! I've got better things to do than be stuck on some weird island with a bunch of strangers! Someone better reverse that spell and send me back pronto, I don't have time to waste! People's lives are in danger!

Look, if anyone from the army is here, this is Brady. Get back to me as soon as you can. I know for sure we didn't just time travel again. Didn't Laurent say some crap about variables and consistencies and all that? I'll be waiting for you guys near that fountain.

[And, as an afterthought-]

If you guys see my violin, try not to scratch it, okay?

I guess there are a lot of new-person journal entries right now, so I'm not the only one who's confused. Almost nice Who are all of you people? None of this is fairy familiar. I've seen journals like this, but not for a hundred people to share.

Anyways... My name is Cerise Hood. If any of you know more about what's going on, can you tell me? I'll get out of your hair after that. This stuff I'm hearing about the Navy isn't too welcoming, but I don't want to get stuck here forever after, either.

...How much do any of you know about fairy tales? It's related, I swear.

(Strikes are all visible!)

I know most of us have had experience with the curses that affect all on the seas, but I have a question regarding the enchantments unique to certain islands.

Recently, my Lord Motochika, who serves as Captain of the Koumyou, has been affected by one such enchantment. He is currently quite certain that it will be a short curse and is comfortable in his new form for the moment, but I cannot be quite as confident as he is in the matter.

You do not need to pass on specific details if you do not wish to, but have any of my fellow captives in this world also encountered curses and enchantments tied to certain places? If you have, how long have you been affected for? I may be able to share experiences of my own in exchange, if you wish it; I have been here for many months now and have seen, and done, much.


-- Akechi Mitsuhide

[Keimi has slowly begun to get back to her old self. It was difficult to get over the idea of dying, but once things started to carry on as usual, the thought drifted to the back of her mind. She had been killed, but it was over, and now she's back. As far as she could tell, everything was going to be alright.

To help her get over this, she's put her focus on work. She's taken up a corner in what used to be Usopp's workshop. Leftover sail canvas is strung up on a clothes line to give her a barrier of privacy. Inside are two crudely-welded wire frames; the start of mannequins. She may or may not be hiding a small burn on the back of her hand she received while assembling them. All of this work has made Keimi much more scarce aboard the ship, but when you do run into her, she is in a great mood.

Early this afternoon, she takes to her journal.]

I think I'm going to start making clothing. But... I can't really do much with just canvas and rope. Does anyone know a good place find materials? I'm sure Empieza has something, but I'd like it if I could find something a bit more... special, too.

What is a little rain, under ordinary circumstances? Yet this weather makes a poor companion for an unquenchable thirst. Every drop is a taunt. We set sail from Sweetwater's shores two days ago and it has persisted since, so take heed: there is a price to pay for indulging in the island's miraculous waters.

Though I would call it worthwhile, all the same.

Sweetwater was aptly named. There was no need to eat or sleep as long as one drank from its many pools. Each had its own additional unique impact upon the drinker... a series of surprises that I am unwilling to spoil. Beyond its exceptional waters awaited scenery worth absorbing. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of its picturesque woods with perfect artistry and its natural paths were easy to wander. Let the fact that I had to fish out a certain member of my crew when it came time for us to leave serve as further recommendation.

The tone has shifted. With the Navy due to set their sights upon us, we must leave tranquility behind.

[Rin has been through a lot lately - and, really, things like getting poisoned are pretty low on the list. The longer he's here, the more he's starting to realize that he may never go back to his own world, and turning 18 a while ago has only emphasized how his time is running out.

Anyway, he's not here to whine. The one and only goal he's ever had is out of reach, probably forever, but he's also had to realize, reluctantly, how there are other important things in life. It's just really hard to try and decide what to do now - you know, apart from somehow trying to accept that he'll break his promise to his father. So... he decides to ask. For the first time ever, he sticks to writing, happy to keep that extra barrier between himself and everyone else. No one's going to hear any emotion from him.]

People come, people go. Sometimes people come back. There's a good chance we're never getting out of this place - or not permanently.

So, if we're stuck here, what are we supposed to do with our lives?

More familiar names belonging to unfamiliar people, from worlds both extremely close and very far in nature from the one I know. I do not think it is something one could ever get completely used to.

Sometimes I wonder if-

[And at that point Mitsuhide trails off, leaving little dots of ink after his last words, because without really thinking about it he has pulled a certain sweet from the bowl that has appeared in the Koumyou's island camp. Distraction makes the magical urge to do so very hard to resist; it makes the urge to obey the heart-shaped sweet's message even harder to ignore.]

[So a few moments later, Mitsuhide adds, in a slightly less neat kind of script:]

Lord Motochika, I love you.

[...yeah, he's just going to leave it there. Whatever he was going to say beforehand has been unsurprisingly washed from his mind by sheer embarrassment.]

[The writing is large and looping and it looks like proper penmanship has been abandoned in favor of looking girly and cute.]

Since Selphie was reading love poetry, I started thinking about love again. How depressing, right? I'm beginning to think that being a pirate means not having manners or treating ladies with respect. Sure, there are some exceptions, but the things I've had to go through, honestly...

Do you think the perfect guy is really out there? My lord Ujiyasu would always say that my standards are too high, but what's wrong with high standards? If you set your standards too low, that's what you're going to be stuck with. That's what I think, at least.

[ Immediately alarmed by the scale of the things around him, when this Charmander awoke he avoided the eyes of any people as best as he could, and heart still beating fast he peeked out slightly of the alley in which he ran. After calming down somewhat he sits, and there's some hesitation as Calvin contemplates writing in the journal he somehow had. He raises a quill, lowers it... lets it hover there above the page, and then raises it up again.

Where should he even start? There were all the obvious things, like how the place is like, what info is known and whatnot. It was strange, and it could be dangerous... but the Charmander supposed some solace could be found in that he wasn't the only one in this situation. He absently waves the feather at the side of his cheek, and looks up to the cloudy sky, still puzzled. The glow of a fire flickering so low to the ground might be a curious sight for those who happen to pass by that street. But before he gets distracted; finally, he begins to write some words. ]

You know, even with all the weird things that have happened in my life, this is a whole new level of unbelievable. I hope you don't take offense if I ask this but... are there any... [ At his second's pause, the ink blot thickens. ] other non-humans here?

Sorry! I’m very late, I do apologize. It’s been quite a time recovering and I’m not quite used to these things, you see. When Mistress is back on her feet in a few days, she’ll resume her usual duties, but for now it is up to me. Ah, yes, it’s Meep again. You know Marshall Evans etc etc and I do not have my Mistress’ capacity for weather or for news, though I know it usually takes some time for the Navy to get motivated after Death Day. It’s so very hard for them, you know. Sailors are superstitious. In any case I think they’ll come to investigate the place where the witch met her untimely end, so I’d be well away from it since they’re likely to be cannon happy.

Sadly, though, I may not be able to answer your myriad of questions, though I will do my best—Mostly, however, I am here to tell you about the witch. Mistress doesn’t think you need to know, but it’s of important historical and archaeological value, especially considering all that you are up against currently.

( the tale within )

I must now attend my Mistress’ bedside. If you have questions I will attempt to answer them throughout the evening, though they may well be intermittent as I am tending her. She is very tired and so very grumpy.

That is my lot in life, alas, but chin up and on we go!