Hey everyone! This is Anise Tatlin, from the Friend Ship!

So, the Great Ghost Race is almost about to start, huh? It sounds pretty exciting, heheh! ♥ Who's going to be participating? I was thinking maybe we could talk about strategies?

I'm kinda worried about the whirlpools Meep mentioned though... They sound pretty scary! Has anyone dealt with them before?


( Action onboard the Friend Ship )

[Hey, guess who found some painted eggs (and more importantly, the dubloons inside them)? Yeah, that's right, this girl.]

Hey everyone! This is Anise Tatlin, from the Friend Ship! ♥ This is pretty important, so pay attention! If you've found any painted eggs floating around, I'd really appreciate it if you can give them to me! Whatever you do, don't open them, okay?

[Aaaand end transmission!]

( aaand action! )

[audio/action]

[Asch has been stuck on this island for one night and he already hates it. It's not even a particularly nasty island, but this town is full of people who don't want anything to do with him-- and he doesn't want anything to do with them, either. Plus, when he asked about people dying, he got a door slammed in his face. Rude.

Having figured out that the journal is capable of both recorded and written communication, he's taking advantage of it while he lingers in the town square.]

Is there no one on this island who knows how to operate a boat? I have enough money to buy a small ship, but hiring crewmen is impossible. These people won't even take gold for it. This is a seaside community; having no one who will steer a boat makes no sense. They're avoidant on purpose.

[He hmphs a bit.]

Finding a company of competent people is going to be harder than I thought.

[The voice coming over the journal sounds strained, rough, tired, and a lot of other things that imply its owner should really be in bed and not talking to people. But... it's also a little cheerier than it's been, and maybe that's enough.]

I know everyone's already started to chime in about being okay, and everything that's happened since the attack on the fortress the other day. So... I guess I should start by saying that I'm fine. Really, really tired, and I took a bad blow to my back that will take some time to heal, but I'm mostly okay. It's nothing some bandages and rest won't heal. [Probably.]

After that, though, I think I need to apologize. I said some... kind of careless things earlier. I wasn't really thinking straight, after... some things happened, and I'm afraid I worried a few people. So... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone straight to the journal after everything, and I kind of regret it now. N-not the part about telling everyone that the people had disappeared. Something else. Um... I'm just going to stop rambling about that for now.

I guess I'm just really burned out, and that's a hard feeling to deal with right now. I'm worried, and I'm exhausted, and I hurt, and there's nothing I can really do about it. I shouldn't be restless right now, but... here I am. So if anyone has any advice on not feeling like you've messed up really badly after everything that's happened, I would love it - I kind of need it.

[A short time after this goes up, Rikka's crewmates can find her out on the deck, looking out at the water. That, or preparing to make social calls to make sure her friends are okay.]

Of all the times to get sick...!

[ Oh, she accidentally hit record. It's a good thing she realized it pretty quickly, before her little rant got recorded besides that. She didn't want to leave everyone out to hang during all of the drama with the witch and possessions, but unfortunately, aura protected against injuries a lot better than it did against the flu.

But now she was better. Jaune had gone and joined a crew by now and Weiss? She had been planning to do the same since their original plans to have their own crew had gone slightly awry. Having sold the ship, she still owed Jaune half of the money for that. Well, that'll come up when it comes up. For now, if this thing is recording she might as well make a useful post out of it. ]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that someone from another world is much more susceptible to the flu here. I'm glad that's over. Do people get sick here often or do I just have very bad luck?

[ Moving right along, she has a declaration to make: ]

Oh, and I'm joining The Shepherds.

[ Weiss you do not declare, you have to ask. ]

I don't mean to only sign up after the trouble's over, but I couldn't really avoid it.

[ Just because she likes a few people on the Shepherd's crew so far doesn't mean she'll be any good at taking orders from the captain, but she's trying! ]

The Shepherd will be setting out for the fortress soon. If there is still anyone on Isla Empieza who wishes to join the attack, we should have room for a few more people.

Apropos of nothing, instant long-range transportation seems to be a reoccurring theme here, doesn't it? The Naviraimants, Davy Jones, and now the Witch... I do wonder how it works. Perhaps something to ask the Dog in the future, since she's apparently quite the magician herself.


[Private to Anise]

Ready to go?


[Private to the Shepherd]

There are a few of you I haven't spoken to at length. I want to know what you're capable of in battle before we reach the fortress.

[Anise had been through some pretty weird stuff lately, but waking up in a completely unfamiliar place all alone might just take the cake. The island isn't anything like the places she's been to either, and she's been to quite a few. Her first instinct is to try buddy up with the locals, but when all the answers she get are annoyingly vague, she finally turns her attention to the weird journal she has with her. A quick trip to the fountain later, she's marginally less confused, but all her earlier questions are replaced with new ones.]

[She does take a moment to keep flicking through the journal though as she tries to work out how to use it. Huh, seems like there are plenty of new arrivals like her. She better introduce herself and find a crew too! Especially if it meant she'll be able to find that ruby by doing so.]

Hey everyone! My name's Anise Tatlin, and I just got here! [Now, should she play for sympathy or boast about her own skills? Maybe both.] It's pretty scary being here all by myself, so it'd be great if someone can let me join their crew! I'm a really quick learner and I'm great at finding treasure!

[And...one last thing that's been bothering her. She assumes a thoughtful pose.] There's a bunch of weird-looking entries on the journal. Does this kind of thing happen a lot around here?


Action;
[A new place! Anise spends most of her time exploring, first trying to find a way to get home, then slowly growing enchanted with her new surroundings. She rummages through the Backwater Brig and the market, and tries to talk her way into a tavern or two. Maybe this will finally be her chance to try some alcohol...!]