All In The Same Boat

In which newbies discuss newbie things. Guest starring The Great Jazuhanzu!

Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

    It should be relatively well known by now that Crescent Moon is building new headquarters in Carmina Gadelica Marina, and even if it wasn't, it would be hard to miss the sudden spike in Adventurer activity. The usually otherwise relatively quiet place is abuzz with construction activity, adventurers from all walks of life contributing how they can toward this goal.

    A certain musical kung-fu nurse we all know and tolerate is, at the moment, pushing a boat full of planks along a dirt road with buildings on one side and the ocean on the other. It needs to be specified that the vessel, probably no longer seaworthy, has been converted into a cart with the addition of four wheels.
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Jazz is here. She is, no doubt, plotting her next move. Acquiring transport to Westland, right?

Or, you know, Uta could be passing by her as she sits with her back to a barrel with her hat snugly down over her eyes.

Yeah, she napping.
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Uta slows down progressively, so that by the time she's close to Jazz she can easily maneuver the boat off-road, not far from the Undine, and once her cargo is parked away from any possible access (even if there are no cars it is still important to park responsibly), she slowly approaches the sea witch.

    Uta circles the sleeping figure, hands behind her back, slightly hunched over, her neck extended like a curious bird, and when progress is impossible due to some architectural barrier, she simply pivots on her foot and circles the other way.

    Once the creature under observation has elicited the mandatory squeal of adorableness (a very restrained one -- don't want to wake her, after all), Uta approaches her from one side, whispering into where her ear is supposed to be (in case it's hidden by hair), "Operator? I'd like to speak with Jazz's subconscious."
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade is also helping with the construction going on, pushing a wheelbarrow full of nails and tools and things, delivering it to the work site. She'd been keeping pace maybe a hundred yards behind Uta when she found herself on the same road, and now that Uta has paused, she's getting closer. She's not clear at first what has halted Uta's progress, but soon that becomes clear.

Goldenblade's not entirely sure what to make of the situation as she continues to approach, but since we're headed to the same place, it seems, she's got to go the same direction, so she will continue to approach.
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Slowly, a hand raises. It pushes the hat up and askew so just one eye is visible. Her lilac bangs shroud the other.

Tentacletips twitch.

It's all very anime.

"Hullo, Uta."
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

    It's also very Western Movie. Uta spaces out for a moment, the reason for which kown only to herself (unless someone is brain-probing people because Dive Gear), but it mostly involves imagining a High Noon style duel between a Westernified jazz in one of those battered gray coats above a French maid outfit, a Mexican-looking Uta in a sombrero and colorful poncho, tumbleweeds, and tense camerawork which alternates wide shots with dramatic close-ups on details.

    "Oh. Uh. Hi, Jazz. Sorry I woke you up, but we had to do a thing last time we met and we didn't get around to do it."

    She reaches for her pants, and bares the lower part of her leg.

    "...here, you can kick it."

    She bites her lower lip and scrunches her expression into a grimace, bracing for the impact.
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade watches the scene unfolding between Jazz and Uta, but has a slightly different take. Because she's seen both and as they came out, she's aware that the western movie trope of the tense showdown was based on the samurai movie trope of the iaijutsu duel, which was first borrowed when The Seven Samurai was remade as The Magnificent Seven, and was so cool that it became a thing on its own. But then there's something about kicking shins? That's neither trope, and she shrugs and continues to move along. "You letting everyone kick you, or just her?" Goldenblade calls in greeting.
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

"Just me," answers Jazz to Goldenblade's question. She covers her mouth as she sits up straighter and has a big old yawn, and with her voice, it just sounds stupendously adorable.

She gets to her feet. "Not really in the mood to visit violence upon your shin today, Uta, but I'll bear it in mind."
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

    Uta nods at Jazz's reply. "Thanks, it's a raincheck then." She lets the bottom part of her pants go, so that they may cover her shin again, then turns to Goldenblade. "At least so far," she admits. "Nobody else has asked..."

    "What about you? Do you let people kick your shin?"
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade nods at what Jazz says. She has no actual desire to kick Uta in any event, it was more a question out of curiosity. "All right," she replies. Her own wheelbarrow of construction tools and parts is up even with the two of them now, though at this point she's blatantly rubbernecking to see what transpires.

She chuckles at Uta's question, and says, "I try to avoid it, when I can."
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

"I don't actually want to kick people in the shin but it is one of my only dangerous weapons," says Jazz, solemnly, and utterly deadpan.
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Uta nods to to Goldenblade with her eyes closed, "A wise course of action." And to Jazz, "I don't know, the thing you do with chilling people when they try to pat your head is pretty cool, if you ask me. No pun intended." She alternates looking at Goldenblade and Jazz, and urges the latter, "C'mon, c'mon, do the thing. It's so awesome."
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade looks quizically at Jazz, and can't help but note, "There's a fellow who sells swords just up the road...?" If she needs dangerous weapons, that is. Goldenblade carries two, herself, because more is better, right? And now Uta's exhorting Jazz to do a thing that's awesome. So she will pause here and see what it is that's awesome.
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

"Uta, I have no idea what you mean." Completely deadpan again. She peers at Goldenblade, though, curiously. Her almost lambert eyes study her a moment longer before she offers her name, "I get called Jazz in these parts. I've got a feeling you may already know Uta."
Wynfei
Carmina Gadelica Marina



    Wynfei makes his appearance at the Marina, he hasn't been here since the escape from Ezzo and the rescue. Still he moves along the streets until he sees a few familiar faces and he walks over to where Uta is, "Hey Uta." he says to her. "How's it going?" he asks and, "Hello everyone."
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

    "You'll have to forgive her. She's shy with strangers, and she's all cold and detached like this." Uta apologizes to Goldenblade. "But once she gets to know you, she can come up with some really nice snappy comebacks! She's hilarious."

    "It's okay, Jazz, if you don't feel like striking the cold, gripping fear of the depths of the ocean into the heart of the bystanders is fine. We can do this when you are ready."

    Back to Goldenblade. "I... I have tried using swords..."

    Cut to flashback, with a barn on fire, everything bathed in red and orange flashes as unextinguishable flames consume everything and a chain of landers passing buckets fight a valiant yet hopeless battle. In the foreground, two black silhouettes seen from the back. A tall, strong man observing the scene with his arms crossed, and Uta, shoulders drooped, a sword held limply in her hand, the blade slanting down until it touches the ground.

    The nurse's silhouette turns its head up to face the man, and mortified, she whimpers, "...ok, you were right. Attempting just one slash without the necessary skill /can/ be bad." Her head is hung low, and without changing the rest of her pose, she lifts her arm, still otherwise limp, and offers the man the sword she's holding, blade pointing down.

    "...I am told I need to... uh... practice more first," present-Uta admits, embarrassed.

    Quick! A distraction! She waves at the newcomer. "Oh, hey, Wynfei! Long time no see!"
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade ohs as she realizes she hasn't introduced herself to Jazz, and she bows and says, "Uh, easiest to call me Goldenblade, I guess?" When inspected, her name takes three lines, slightly overflowing the space the game allows for names. She nods about having already met Uta. She nods again to Wynfei when he walks up, and calls, "Hello!"

She looks curiously at Uta and pauses to consider, then nods slowly. "You must be one of the non-sword classes then, if you need to practice. I could use these," she pats the swords on each hip, "pretty well right away."
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

When Uta says that she has tried using swords, there is a brief look of horror on Jazz's face. The darkest corners of her imagination filled with images of Uta, surrounded by her fallen allies, mostly because she stabbed them on accident while very confused goblins leave because that lady is CRAZY.

She shakes her head, tentacles whipping this way and that as she quickly dismissed the image

"I'm not shy," she counters. "I'm just not seeing any particular reason to call on the black heart of the deepest oceans or whatever it is I'm supposed to do." She shrugs.

"Too busy trying to plan an expedition into the middle of a stupid desert when I'm a water breather."
Wynfei
Carmina Gadelica Marina



    Wynfei sees the burning building and he looks to everyone. "Is anyone helping them?" he asks. He rubs teh back of his head and he looks at his systems screen and frowns when he doesn't have any water like abilities. "We should help them out."
Wynfei
Carmina Gadelica Marina



    Wynfei looks to Jazz, "Hey Jazz, been a while though I know we've not actually talked in a while." he says to her. He stands next to Uta and looks to Goldenblade, he reaches a hand out to her, "Hello, I'm Wynfei." he says introducing himself.
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

    Uta shakes her head at Goldenblade. "No, no blade skills for me. Aerialist. Godhand/Bard. I'm terrible with a sword, but you should see what I can do with a xylophone!" Well, that is certainly going to be helpful in battle.

    "...why would you want to go to the desert? Is it for mapping purposes? Or are you going there for something more specific?"

    She points her thumb at Wynfei, "He's good at bare-handed combat."
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade eyes Jazz warily at calling the black heart of the deepest ocean. That sounds kind of dire. Planning an expedition to the desert, on the other hand, sounds problematic for anyone. For a water-person, it sounds super desperate. "What do you need in the desert?" she wonders. "Could someone get it for you?" She shakes Wynfei's hand firmly, she's got a solid grip. It's not to many people here that shake hands, but she does it naturally enough. "I'm Goldenblade," she replies.

She ahhhs as Uta reveals her Xylophone specialization, and nods slowly. "I see." And now she's imagining combat xylophonery and she shivers. "Better save that for bosses, otherwise it'd use up too many xylophones," she suggests.
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

"To make a marching band, of course. Where else but in the desert will I find the city of brass?" Jazz delivers this deadpan to Uta.

She then bows in greeting curtly towards Wynfei. "Hullo," she offers, keeping her tone casual. She does the same to Goldenblade as well. "Nice to meet you," she offers, her voice low and casual, but it's hard to sound that way when you've been assigned a voice actress from tweeeland.
Wynfei
Carmina Gadelica Marina



"Nice to meet you all and yes, I'm a Martial Artist." he asys to the other two as Uta has seen him fight and Jazz has seen him fight as well. Stretching out a bit and as he does he feels the muscles stretching and relaxing a little bit. He looks towards the women not sure why one would want to go to the dessert, "Well going to the dessert could be good stamina and endurance training in all that heat and cold." he says to them.
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

    Uta shuts up at Jazz's comeback.

    After she's done greeting everyone, she timidly offers, "...can I be part of your marching band? I'm a Bard and Godhand. I'm sure I'd be good at banding. And marching.."

    "Oh, of course I don't fight them with literal xylpohones, no."

    "...I beat enemies them on their head with a stick, but I pick the right size of skull and time for beating, so I can make music."

    "...I suppose...", she says to Wynfei, acknowledging the utility of the training but not really sounding enthusiastic at the prospect.
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade bows smoothly to Jazz, "It's good to meet you as well. I don't think you need to go to the desert to find brass. Brass is just copper and zinc. If they've got steel weapons, they must know how to do stuff with copper. Copper is much easier to work than iron. Historically it's picked up a thousand years or more sooner than iron." She looks skeptical about the training potential of the desert, herself, and adds, "The only reason brass is not in use is it's not as good as iron for really anything." She ahhhhs as Uta clariefies her xylophone uses. "I see."
Jazuhanzu
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Jazz looks at Uta a long look for a moment. "Sure, Uta, I'd love to have you a long." She then pauses and glances towards Goldenblade. "Eh, Mmn. Who knows what exists out there," she wiggles her fingers airily at either side of her head. "Guess I should be on my way, work to do," and with that, the Undine bows in farewell to the assembled and gets on her way.
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

"Thanks Jazz! I won't disappoint you! See you!", she waves, and then turns to the rest of the group. "So, onward with our boards we go, right?"
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade picks up her wheelbarrow handles and starts to trundle her load towards the worksite again.
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Uta walks behind her boat-converted into a cart and pushes it towards the worksite as well. "So, uh, I haven't been checking the inspect thing in detail...", she confesses. "Are you part of Crescent Moon as well, or just helping out?"
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade nods to Uta, and says, "I am, actually. You guys helped me when I first showed up in the game and was even more confused than I am now." Which may be hard to imagine. "So I joined the guild, it seemed like a good idea at the time."
Uta
Carmina Gadelica Marina

    Uta keeps walking and pushing, "Same with me. Joined early on when because of their newbie-helping program. I guess it's time to give something back." More silent pushing. "You know, since we seem to be at a relatively similar level of experience, some time or other we try and compare notes. Mentors are great and all, but it's good to learn from your peers as well."
Goldenblade
Carmina Gadelica Marina

Goldenblade nods at joining because of the newbie-helping thing. She's pushing as well, and nods about being pretty similar in general situation in the game. So she nods at comparing notes, though she says, "I don't know that I'll be super helpful at that. I spent most of the first months helping the refugees from that city, and didn't learn much about the world at all. But if I can help, I'd be happy to."