[Rose was on the Moon, taking a break from all the centaur stuff and doing her chores, when she found one of the mechanical birds on board. She, of course, listened to its song, enjoying the tune until the end. What came after the song, caused her to go pale after hearing a voice she thought she would never hear again. It shook her up quite a bit.

[She tries to keep her voice even when she makes the post, despite what she is feeling.]

Since strange things have been appearing as of late, has anyone else found a mechanical bird? It sings quite nicely, but after listening to it, I am not sure if I want to throw it out or not. If you have found one and listened, you may know what I am talking about, but I suspect what it says will vary from person to person.

[Rose can be found on the deck of the Sun, leaning against the railing stilling holding the bird she found. Every now and then she will list to it sing again, and if someone is close enough, they can hear a man's voice come from it at the end of the song.]

[This evening, there is an oddly excited pirate talking at the journals.

Well, perhaps 'excited' isn't the right world. Possibly 'very drunk' works better. To his credit, he isn't slurring his words, but he is smushing several words together as he talks.]

Hey, hey everyone!

Are any of you good at singing? Or even halfway good, that's acceptable too.

I'm not asking for any particular reason, I'm just curious.

[He pauses for several seconds, possibly done with his questions. But then adds:]

...Though if you say yes, you'll have to prove it to me.

[The writing's a little ruff, he hasn't had to make do with the table in the galley for ages]

Due to circumstances beyond my control I'm in the market for a new writing desk. I'm checking to make sure there isn't an island of strange furniture makers I don't know about.

[Yes Harlock did leave the Mistress's shard out on his desk, and it caught fire when he out dealing with the storm. Better the desk than his Heavy Red Bourbon

The journal picks him mumbling.]

It was to big for the room anyway. Not sure how he got half of that stuff in there in the first place.

[his voice is ragged and low, probably because he hasn't slept in three days.]

Everybody said last year this shit was over when the new month started. The sun came up and the ghosts went away.

It's a new month. There's still no sun.

Nothing is safe. We can't count on anything. People are dying and it's not doing any good to just sit here and endure it. Even my captain is compromised, I don't know what to do but I'm starting to think this is one of those times we need to band together. Before it's too late. It's pretty clear to me that just hoping it runs its course or happens exactly like last year isn't a solution.

If anybody's got any ideas, I wanna hear 'em.

I don't suppose any of you lot has ever kept a parrot before? Is there any way to, er, unteach something once they've learned it?

[Letting Mitsunari parrot-sit Pi-chan may not have been the wisest of ideas.]

That aside, have any other crews given thought to setting up shop on an island? It's quite difficult to get done what I'd like to get done with this constant sailing from place to place with nowhere to return to. A pirate needs a proper base, after all.

[Home is where you hang your giant shark.]

[Truth to be told, Ragna's sense of time is close to non-existent; so far, he's managed to miss his own birthday, his anniversary of coming to this world, and god knows how many other important dates in-between. Even so, there's a time of the year that burned itself into his mind hard enough for him to remember it. Either that it's some sort of self-preservation instinct kicking in.]

So, uh... Anyone know some kinda place where one could hole up for a week or two? Preferably something with no windows or doors. And reinforced walls. Ones that wouldn't let shit pass through... like... something ethereal, for example...

[ . . . ]

... Y'know, in case of emergencies.

[You're not fooling anyone, Rags.]

[The sketch begins with a simple fleur de lis. Nothing important.

It's just something he could do while keeping the ketch on course. He can be found on deck most of the day.]

It seems like there's always someone leaving. People come, and they go just as quickly.

[He continues sketching as he speaks.]

One has to wonder what it says about the mechanics and purpose of our being here.

We've been told that death will take us home, but some have died here only to return to this place.

The ruby will supposedly take us home, but that depends on the wish made once it's put together.

Then some people just disappear. Presumably, from the ones who've vanished and come back, they go home.

So is there any purpose to seeking the ruby? Or are we all just chasing our tails, biding time because we can't accept that we have no purpose here but, perhaps, to be someone else's entertainment?

These strange phenomena might well be someone's idea of fun, watching what we do when faced with such things.

[By the time he's done talking (as well as speaking to a few other people), his sketched fleur de lis is quite distinct.

( cut for image )

]


(Original image from here.)

Chemistry is about transformation.

Everything in the world is held together by bonds- bonds which can be broken, but then can be rebuilt into something greater. I suppose the same is true in this world. I hope I have time here to find out. There are lot of things I'd like to explore if it's possible.

...Beginning with this journal. I've heard rumors about what it's supposed to do, I suppose I can conduct an experiment to see if they are true or not. Or these shards I've heard about. It's a lot to take in.

[Blue sky pirates can find Walt on the deck of their ship, staring as he usually does, out over the sea. Probably wondering if there is any place he can get a cup of coffee.]

[Musa plucking the strings off of something, checking that they were in tune for a moment or two all the while she was talking. She defiantly had something on her mind she needed answers to.]

I have a curious... wondering so to speak. [She stopped what she as doing as it all went quiet.] With what happened during the whole body swapping fiasco, I've been wondering if there was anyway for someone to not be able to get on ones ship using the nav.

There probably isn't, but a girl can dream, ya know. But I do have something I want to ask of the crew who a certain Mister Crocker is apart of. It might seem a little silly, but would you please keep an eye on him? I'm somewhat concerned that after he figured out what I am that he'll might do something.

I'm not saying it for my safety, far from it actually it's just for his own safety more than anything. I would not be responsible for what a friend of mine would do. [Yes Dust she is talking about you.]

With that question out of the way, I'm wondering if anyone has come across some interesting islands? We've been to a few ourselves, but I want to know what else is out there that could be more interesting than singing catfish.

As I find that this place could use some entertainment, I think that it's time to host a radio drama over the journals! Hmm - would that make it a journal drama? . . .

For those who are not familiar with radios, I'm talking about a device that receives transmissions. Audience members listen to these radios to broadcasts of shows, programs, and others. However, we don't need those, since we have the journals!

Now, a radio drama is basically a play that you can listen to, and I think it would be fun to have one of those over here. As such, I am going to set one up! It's going to be mysterious and exciting! My plan is a cloak-and-dagger drama with romance, intrigue, and scandals everywhere!

If anyone has a proposal on a character they'd like to see in this drama, let me know at once - and if you'd like to audition for this character, then even better. ♥

Motochika-san, Mr. Ragna, Mr. Sinbad - I'm counting on you all! Ohohohohohoho!

Oh, but has anyone seen Anji-san? I feel as though this sort of thing would interest him . . . [She's looking for Ranma too, but she's not saying that out loud.]

[The entry opens with a sketch of the fountain on Isla Empieza and a few quick doodles of passersby.]

Greetings, fellow sailors on a strange sea, my name is Ringabel and it seems I now count as part of your number. It's quite a singular situation we've found ourselves in, is it not? It's certainly the first time I've found myself in a world that's completely unfamiliar to me.

As I understand it, the natives are going to get a bit hostile shortly, so I'd like to have a new destination in mind. If anyone is looking to take on a new crew member, I can offer my skills as a navigator, pilot, warrior, magician, and expert on matters of the heart.

(Offers from beautiful women will be considered first.)

 [Brady has chosen to write, as he's not too confident in his voice today...]

... In case you haven't noticed, Ma Maribelle went back home. It's better for her, really. She's got important stuff to do back home. I'll miss her, but it's not like I'll never see her again

[He hastily writes, scratches out, rewrites, several sentences before trying again.]

With her gone, I've done some thinking. While I've been here, I've been following her around like I was attached to her hip. And maybe I was only doing things because that's what she wanted. I only joined this ship because she was on it. I only went on missions that had her approval. That's no way to live. I'm an adult, and it's time I started acting like one.

I guess what I'm trying to say is... I think it's time I started thinking and doing stuff more independently. It's time I moved on.

To everyone on the Shepherds of Justice, I can't thank you enough for taking care of me. You guys are amazing, and you deserve someone much better than me. Maybe I'll come back sometime, if nothing else fits, but right now, I gotta break free of Ma, even when she's not here.

((OOC: just so everyone knows - with this post, brady will be leaving the shepherds of justice, and joining the hazmats!))

NOOOOO!

Why couldn't I have saved her?! She was able to save me! FUCK!

[Crocker will be easily found leaning on the ship's rail and looking into the ocean and feeling guilty as he remembers that first night he was on the Spade's ship and he by accident almost fell overboard like but had been saved by Asami before he goes and shoots around in anger, rather randomly on the ship.]

[Locked to Musa/Written]

...And don't think this is the last you've seen of I, Mr. Denzel Crocker!

I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN. AND YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!.

[The Talent Show had given Haruka a delightful distraction from her current dilemma and after it she had taken a little time off to get things in order. It was clear that she couldn't stay docked in port forever and she certainly couldn't operate such a large ship on her own.]

Excuse me? I know this might not be the best time given the circumstances.. [But when was it a good time here? There was always something happening]... but are there any ships out there that are willing to take on another crewmember?

[She wasn't really good at this whole promoting herself thing, but maybe it would help her find a crew she would fit better on if she added something more]

I am an aspiring composer with no combat skills, but I have been studying all about seafaring and I feel like I have become more well versed in the subject. I- I don't really like the idea of causing injury to others, I would rather bring happiness to them through verse and melody. [She was leaving out the part about possessing a shard, which she intended to always keep on her person for the time being. It was the only memento she had left from the Koumyou (aside from the ship itself!)] If you think- I might be a good fit for your ship, then please let me know.

Also- I apologize for the delay Valentine-san but everyone please wish Ms. Faye Valentine a happy birthday! It was on the 14th and Valentine-san.. you should be receiving a little surprise in a few days time!

Since it's so close to September already... remember to wish Kuzan a happy birthday when the time comes too!

[OOC: Faye will be receiving http://i57.tinypic.com/mm55j6.jpg! It's not quite as fancy as Faye was hoping for, I'm sure! But Haruka thought it was cute when she found it in a local shop.]

[OOC: The Birthday list is under the cut. As always please add your muses or other people's muses if you'd like :3]

( Birthday List! )

[His voice is heavy and a bit hoarse but still easy to understand. He has yet to hit the bottle today, but it won't take him much longer to do so.]

Soon it will be September again. Hn, when people started to vanish I thought there would be only a few of us left to see a second autumn in this world.

[Of course, that refers only to those who were the first to arrive to this world. Unfortunately he never doubted that there would still be a lot of people trapped, just... Not the same people for so long.]

Have any of you changed since you arrived here? No matter how long you have been here... Ever wonder what your people would think of you if they saw you here?

Hello everyone~! This is B.B. Hood speaking. Is everyone adjusting quite well to their new bodies?

I'll admit, I was a little shaky starting out, but this magic thing isn't that hard once you figure it out! At least, if you can train your mind to keep it under control. Who knew that unicorns were so powerful? ♥ If only I had access to this type of power all the time, imagine what amazing things I could do with it!

So remember to cheer up! This isn't all bad, is it? ♥

[Private to the Bloody Roses:]

Watch my stuff. If she touches anything, let me know so I can start torturing this body right away. Oh, and please don't kill her. All things considered, I'd like to be a human again at some point.

Oh, and Mr. Kirkland, the fairies send their regards. Thought you should know.

You know... I wasn't 'thrilled' when I found myself in another body but after I, Mr. Crocker! Felt the magic flowing though my veins - WHO CARES!

And apparently I'm a - FAIRY!

A different kind of fairy over the ones from home but that's besides the point!

[There's maniacal laughing coming from Musa's voice, which probably sounds rather strange.]

Now to see what my new found powers can do!

[Anyone aboard the Queen's Gambit will see Musa flying around and trying to do anything and everything with magic. Including having silverware move by itself, seeing Musa's magic can manipulate water, etc]

This is so totally uncool. [It sounded like Crocker, but the type of speak was not the same as what he would usually do. Could it be that it was someone else in his body. It will soon become obvious when she finally catches sight of the journal.]

Alright, this is not at all funny, but never the less it seems I'm stuck in a body I really wish I wasn't in. So if I am guessing right, there is a certain man in my body and on the Queen's Gambit that I need to get to. Crocker, we need to talk.

[Private to Dust]

Dust, while I may sound like a crazy fool, it's really Musa your captain in a body of a man who needs better fashion sense. Anyway I want you to keep an eye on my body. There is a reason I'm asking you as I trust you to make sure he doesn't do anything with it. Got it?

[When she was done with the journal, she kept it to the side and started to wonder around, wondering where on earth she was currently. After all she didn't know just which ship he had been riding with. So call him confused.]