[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[Morning finds Emil lugging a bulging knapsack up the road to the bridge near CH #1, the ends of what look like a couple of glass bottles sticking out of it. Whatever is inside it seems to be rather heavy-- he has to stop every few yards to rest, but he's determined to make it to his destination despite this.

Once he gets to the bridge, he unzips the knapsack and begins unpacking the contents. Inside is a whole array of glass bottles, each one containing a letter addressed to a friend who has left Luceti. Richter, Marta, Tenebrae, Horatio, Luke, Faize, Lloyd, Genis-- each one of them (as well as several other people) gets a letter. He figures that with all of the creepy supernatural stuff going on lately, maybe, just maybe, if he drops these bottles into the stream now, they'll somehow reach the intended recipients. It can't hurt to try, right? If nothing else, it might make him feel a little bit better about hearing voices and seeing things.

... or so he hopes.]

Comments

[knightofratatosk]

Oh. Um, thanks, I think, even though I'm not sure how you knew what I sound like when I sing.

[all7seas]

I...yes. Well, let's call it an "educated guess," shall we? Now then: what else can you do?

[knightofratatosk]

Not very much... I can cook, and I can fight too, but only when I'm in Ratatosk Mode.

[all7seas]

Cook--aye, that's a good thing. Fighting, also good, if not always necessary.

[He stumbles and climbs his way up the bank to the bridge. When he looks at Emil, his face holds some concern and he shakes his head.]

You fight only in Rastikok mode? Lad, that's limiting. Truly limiting.

[knightofratatosk]

[He droops.]

It's the only way I can fight. Without Ratatosk Mode, I barely even know how to use a sword. I don't think anyone would want me trying to fight for them when I'd probably just end up getting myself hurt.

[all7seas]

But why the Rattytusk? Rasky...tart hang it I'll teach you. Sparrow will teach you to handle a sword, lad. But are you prepared to take an oath as to your enlistment in his crew?

[knightofratatosk]

Thanks, but I'm not sure that's a good idea. It might be dangerous to teach me anything with a sword if Ratatosk decides to come out in the middle of it... he doesn't really like people that much.

[all7seas]

Well you tell that bleedin' Raskotick that Sparrow don't like the cut of his jib, savvy? As me dad always said, a lad should learn the sword. If he wants to use it, that's under his cognizance, but he should still learn.

[knightofratatosk]

Um, it's Ratatosk, and I don't even know what a jib is, so how am I supposed to know how he cuts it?

[all7seas]

You'd know a sight more about cutting in general if you'd learn the sword 'stead of fearing it, lad.

[knightofratatosk]

I do know how to use it a little bit...

[all7seas]

[Jack backs down a bit; after all, the sword isn't his preferred way, either. Just seeing a message in a bottle was a blissful reminder of home, in an "Oh God I'm stranded in another place" sort of way.]

Well, you let Jack here know when you need more bottles, savvy? Go through a lot of 'em. Could put 'em to better use.

[knightofratatosk]

Okay, thank you. Um, would you like to send a message to someone too? I have a few extras you could use.

[all7seas]

You'd...do that?

[He's seriously considering this.]

[knightofratatosk]

Why not? I brought more than I needed, and if I don't use them, I'm just going to have to carry them all back home.

[all7seas]

Pen? Paper?

[Jack certainly does want to send messages. Gibbs, for one--needed to know not to trust Barbosa. And Elizabeth...might just care to know he was still alive. Might. Just.]

[knightofratatosk]

Just a pencil, and I can tear a page out of my journal.

[Those aren't quite the type of messages Emil had in mind, but what he doesn't know won't bother him, and besides, he's just glad he can make other people feel better.]

[all7seas]

[Jack will take the implements and, using the bridge railing as a writing-desk, scrawl his notes. Soon enough--]

Right--here they are, lad. Perhaps they'll make landfall someplace...p'raps we'll even receive replies...

[knightofratatosk]

You really think so?

[He looks almost hopeful at that as he shoves the letters into the empty bottles and carefully corks them.]

Then... maybe I really will get to talk to all of my friends from other worlds again.

[all7seas]

There's always hope for that, aye. Who knows what's in store? And maybe one morning, you'll go out your door, and you'll think to yourself, "Mayhap I'll take a stroll by the river," and lo! Bottles. But other bottles--foreign, like, from other worlds. Otherworldly bottles, and there! Contact. It's a beautiful idea.

[knightofratatosk]

Maybe I should set up a net or something in the stream to catch them just so I don't miss any. That way I could check it every day and I'd know if anyone did write back.

[Aww, Jack, you're getting his hopes up.]

just thoroughly irresponsible of him, really...

[all7seas]

Aye, bottlenet. Excellent scheme, lad. Truly, if I ever do find a way out of here, you're hired as cabin boy if you choose to take the job.

"irresponsible" is Jack's middle name

[knightofratatosk]

R-really? You mean that? Thank you! I'm not sure what a cabin boy is supposed to do, but I'll try my best.

XD

[all7seas]

You're welcome, of course. [Best not to let Emil know that Captain Sparrow's cabin boys have about as much luck surviving as the drummers in Spinal Tap.]

Now I'm off--many preparations necessary if we're to leave this place and get back to me ship, aren't there? I'll be seein' you, lad. And you let Jack here know if any new bottles turn up.

8D

[knightofratatosk]

Okay, I will, and I'll keep an eye out for any that are addressed to you.

[... sad thing is, he's actually going to do this.]