We're on a whatever they call Sky Islands here. It's funny because I was just telling Thatch I really wanted to go to one. All while forgetting how much Namur hates them. With good reason too, he can't swim in clouds, anymore than I can fly in the Fishman Island water half. Still, he's been a real bro about putting up with it to humor me and Ace, and the others, eh?

So it got me thinking again, about the kind of extreme things we do for those we care about, eh?

Now me, I wouldn't think twice before going to war with an entire universe if I had to, but what about the rest of you lot, eh? What kind of crazy things would you do to prove you love your family, or maybe crazy things you put a line at?

[Okay, let's be honest here. Henry isn't really all that sane normally. But with this pink mist messing with him? Well...]

Eheheh, I dunno what's up with this mist, but I like it! It's all pretty and pink and... and stuff! Pffhaha, it's great! Hee, maybe it's another curse?

I really, really, reaaaaaally hope so, because for some reason curses keep skipping me and it's dumb! Oh, oh! Ha ha, I know, I should do something about it myself!

[Oh no.]

Nya ha ha ha, maybe I could... just curse myself? Heheh, yeah, that's a great idea!

Hey, heeeeeeey. Gimme ideas. For curses. Nya ha ha, come on, help me come up with a great one I can try out!

( action )

Since yesterday was Mother's Day, I've been wondering how many of you are mothers? All family is important. At least, I think so. But mothers...

[Considering she has lost her mother, Haruhi feels a lot of things about the day.]

It's special, isn't it? Not that being a father is easy. [She knows that from watching her Dad struggle all of these years.] But it's not Father's Day.

So...

Tell me about your mothers. And if you are a mother, I hope you're close to your children. Nothing can replace that bond.

[Uh oh, getting too serious again.]

Anyway, I know it's a little late, but let's celebrate.

[Wan decided to test the book with something written. It was better than looking like a fool and talking aloud to himself in a place full of cold-shouldered strangers who were obviously looking for more of a reason to fight him. He didn't know what he'd done to upset the town he woke up in, but it was clearly enough for them to be threatening to his person. And he really didn't want to get into a fight with anyone and risking harming bystanders.

Raava's silence was also a concern, but she had grown less talkative the longer they were joined. They didn't need to talk that often anymore. So he didn't put much thought behind that. Not yet, anyway.]


To the book that speaks back: Hello.

I have recently woken up in this place and I don't know or recognize anything about it. I've traveled all over my world and nothing like this village exists. I would like to learn more about it, but the people aren't very friendly and most refuse to speak to me.

So I ask you, hopefully helpful book, for your aid.

I'm not really concerned about my safety, I can handle myself. But I have a friend... an animal friend. She's a catdeer and she answers to the name 'Mula'. If there are a lot of catdeer in this place, she'll be the one with a bedroll and small travel pack tied over her back. Please don't hurt her, she'll do you no harm. If she runs, that's okay. Just tell me where you saw her and I'll get her.

Thank you.

[Voice | Public]

I regret to say Aida Mana and her friends have all disappeared. Hopefully, they are safely back in their homeworld. It seems my crew continues have bad luck when it comes to keeping people around...

Of course, this leaves me with no choice but to succeed Mana's position as the captain of The Friend Ship. [A small sigh.] I should have known suggesting that name would come back to haunt me.

[Written | Private to the Friend Ship crew]

Mana left behind a message for all of us. I will copy it here.

( Cut OOCly for length )

[Other than Henry, you can hear some faint chirps coming from the journal. Looks like he's found a chick.]

I didn't know there were chicks this fluffy out there! Waaaay fluffier than the ones back home, that's for sure. It's a little weird, but pretty cute too, nya ha!

Hey, what do you guys think would be a good name for a chick? I tried asking her, but I think she's still too young to understand what a name even is!

[As if on cue, the chick makes some more noise.]

She definitely needs to have a good name though.

( action )

Ahem.

[Maribelle clears her throat to grab everyone's attention, as though she has some form of announcement to make.]

Today is my birthday, and as such I've decided to throw a little get together on Isla Empieza for all my close friends and anyone else who wishes to attend. Presents of course are not mandatory, but certainly encouraged, and certain individuals who know who they are, will be in a bit of hot water if they've forgotten all about my birthday.

My birthday party shall be at the Empieza Inn, and will go from now until late this evening. I have acquired a variety of candies and other hors d'oeuvres, and there will be music, dancing, and a general good time for everyone who attends.

[Maribelle's tone becomes a bit harsher as she lays down a few ground rules.]

There are certain individuals who are not invited, and the majority of them are lowborn pirate scoundrels! However, there are certain exceptions to this rule since I am not a completely heartless birthday girl. The host club, The Straw Hat Pirates, Hazardous Materials, and of course my former Shepherds are all invited if they wish, and any other pirates who do wish to attend must remember this is a somewhat formal occasion, so remember your manners and dress your best.

As for those of you who cannot make it to my party because your ship's nav has been used too recently, you have my sincerest apologies. I did not feel I should publicly announce my birthday is approaching weeks in advance because I needed to test certain individuals. I assure you that next year that all my guests will receive party invitations with at least a week's notice so that they can attend the celebration. Have a good day everyone~!

[OOC: Long story short?! It's Maribelle's birthday today, and I'm going to have a little party log that people can come party in over here. Sorry about the short notice for people who wanted their share of candy mountain candy, and partying with Maribelle, but I only remembered last night myself xD]

Hello, everyone! I trust you're all safe! It's been a very dangerous time, hasn't it?

I just wanted to let everyone know that those of us on the ship that was called the "Shepherd" are all alright! Unfortunately... our vessel didn't quite come out of the battle with the Navy unscathed...

Fortunately, we made it to Port Chance, and have successfully attained a new ship! We felt it was best that we step out on our own, so it's been given a new name from the old one... in fact... it was our first mate Jade who gave me the wonderful idea for what to call it!

Are you all ready for this?

Our new ship... is called "The Friend Ship"!

It's such a great name! It works on so many levels! We'll be setting sail on it this weekend, so here's hoping calm seas await us!

[locked to the crew of "The Friend Ship"]

Jade-san wasn't the only one with a good idea! I spoke to Asbel-kun and he suggested we all carve our names or initials on a particular part of the ship! I think that's a great idea, personally, so if anyone wants to do it before we set off, just let me know!

Attention to all pirate crews, and to those formerly known as the shepherds. It seems that I have been dragged back to this ocean by that nefarious poltergeist, and I am currently on Empieza... again.

To those who were once my Shepherds, I wish to offer my sincerest of apologies. I founded the crew in the hopes of bringing order to an unending well of chaos, to bring hope to the hopeless, and to right the wrongs that I saw all around me. Yet it seemed that events conspired against me, and with illness after curse after illness I fear I failed you as a captain. Since my resignation as your Captain, and shortly afterwards my departure from this place for a time, I've no doubt the Shepherds has evolved into something different and new. This is not a terrible thing, and in fact I hope that you have taken my founding notions and perhaps turned them into something good and earnest. Yet I feel I do not have the right to be captain of this new crew, nor do I wish to impose my presence where I would likely feel the need to meddle. In this regard, I would like to bid you the fondest of farewells, and to tell you that I shan't return to the crew, but I will always be your comrade for as long as I live.

To the Pirates who mocked and jeered at my ideals, know that while I may no longer captain a crew of pirate hunters, I still intend to bring justice to this place. I will not be deterred even if I must fight this battle from scratch, and work my way back up from nothing.

Lastly, I wish to Parley with the Captain and any commanding officers of the Straw Hat pirate crew. I do not approve of piracy in any forms, but I have worked together with you in the past in more peaceful endeavors. In that regard I wish to speak with you about a rather... sensitive matter.

Dear...bugger it, not in the mood—

Potter seems to have pissed off back to our world, which is just typical. Always has to have things just handed to him because he's the bloody Boy Who Lived. I bet Dumbledore gave him the House Cup the second he walked into the Great Hall, too, just because he finally bothered to show up for classes halfway through the year. Probably gift-wrapped it, at that.

1000 points to the arseholes of Gryffindor because Potter's not stuck in some stupid bleeding pirate world anymore.

- Draco Malfoy

P.S. Help, my ship has been taken over by ninjas and one of them is wearing the most ghastly and horrid shade of orange and another has pink hair that I think actually might not be dyed or charmed. Why do I have to still be stuck with these nutters when Potter isn't????

 [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?

Hello, everyone! This is Aida Mana, captain of the Shepherd! I'd like to thank everyone for the words of encouragement they gave me, and let everyone know that I'm resuming my role as captain of our crew!

I know it looks like we have a big challenge ahead of us all, but I'd like everyone to know - not just my crewmembers, but everyone out there on those high seas, that we can get through this! We've survived a lot so far, and we'll keep on doing it, no matter how tough things get!

If there's anything these last few months have proven to me... love, courage... it will all see us through! Even if we can't see it, it's still out there, over the next horizon! Whether it's the Navy, or the sea witch... it doesn't matter! I believe in you!

[locked to the Shepherd crew]

Just reminding everyone our next destination is Port Chance, where we intend to use the treasure we recently acquired in order to upgrade to a bigger ship! The Shepherd has carried us far for so long... we should take these next few weeks to remember what it's done for us! It's been our home, our safe haven... we'll never forget it!

That said, we have to be diligent, given the Navy is out there... I'm counting on you all!

[Alice sounds... far, far cheerier than she has in a very long time. However genuine that may or may not be, she sounds legitimate, and there's only a few people that can probably rightly figure that out one way or another.]

Happy Valentine's Day~!

Once more I realize there are many not from our world who may not understand the holiday. [As a businesswoman in training, she understands what it means to the modern business world very well, but she would rather look at the more idealistic side of things there:] It is a day to celebrate love, and the people you love. Something I plan to not let escape me.

However, it would indeed appear as per the usual holiday pattern there is something strange going on... It would seem to be much less... nefarious than some things in the past, at least... [A bit of a flustered tone slips through.] Still, please be careful!

Regardless, I hope that everyone has a happy day!

[Meanwhile, on the ship itself, Mana and Rikka are going to find particularly large bouquets of flowers parked outside their rooms. They range across many varying types of flowers, and are pretty thoughtfully put together. Each has a small note attached, addressed to each one, with Alice's name and a heart on them.

Every other member of the crew will find a pot with a single - but pretty! - flower in it as a token of friendship. Because A) Apparently, Alice really likes flowers and B) Even if they are not likely to last long at sea, she figures the ship as a whole could use a little more color for at least a few days.

Beyond that? Mana and Rikka will also probably find Alice hovering around either of them even more significantly than normal - which give the last few weeks, was a lot - because it's not like she's completely paranoid regarding the candies floating around or anything.]

[OOC - And if anyone wanders across her, candy induced hugs are fine. ANYTHING ELSE... is reserved for Rikka or Mana.]

[Alice speaks with strained composure. She probably should have just written this out, but...]

Gaius-san has left the ship. He will... he will not be with us when next we disembark.

[She draws in a breath and sighs.] He simply has... things he must work out, I believe. This past month has been hard for many of us, and... I suppose everyone has their own means of dealing with it.

...it would seem that is all, then.

[The sound of a chilling wind filters through the journals followed by a female voice, hesitant and scared. Terrified even.]

Is... Is everything over yet? Did you, the people who can listen this... Were you victorious?

[A long pause filled with nothing but the wind and the sound of someone's breath.]

Is everyone safe?

[The last message that had appeared in the journals had been on Thursday, after that... Nothing. Until a few moments ago, at least, which is why she dares, why she pushes herself to ask.]

[action - open to crewmates]
( The night wasn't long enough. )

[voice]
It's several minutes later, after she's realized the horrible truth, that she turns the journal to a new page and removes the lock. It was something she could confirm, now. Had to confirm, because this didn't need to happen to anyone else. "This is Rikka, aboard Shepherd. Several members of our crew... the possessed among them are gone, without a trace. My best friends, Mana and Alice... Gaius... Hubert. All of them are gone."

Her voice is dead. The words are coming out, but there's no emotion to them. She doesn't care, beyond the illusion of having a duty to make sure the others were alert. But Rikka... she's lost everything that was important to her. That duty was all she had left to cling to for now.

"In the Captain's absence, Colonel Curtiss has assumed command of the ship. I'm... still recovering, so I'm not much good for anything. I hope everyone else's people are safe. In the meantime, we're preparing ourselves for the attack on the fortress in a little over a week's time. Until then, I'll be... ah, what does it matter?" A hollow laugh. "Nobody's going to be looking for me. Nobody needs anything from me. So I'll just be going now. Good night, everyone."

She closes the book lightly, hugging it to her chest before throwing it against the cabin wall, picking it back up after a moment and glaring at it before tucking it under her arm and returning to her room. All the while, there's one strong thought in her head: 'I will get them back. I'll save them, and they'll never be hurt again. Whatever the cost.' There's a black feeling, a need to hurt and destroy that's so unlike her, and yet it fits her black mood just fine. She's not sure if she wants to go break something, or just lie on her bed and never move. Tired as she is now, it's sounding like the latter; she heads back to her room, puts her head on her pillow, hugs Mana's pillow for dear life, and tries to motivate herself to cry. But the tears aren't coming anymore, and she's not sure what that means.