sailedfirst | III. [Action: July 15th--19th]

[It's been a week since Luffy was brought back home. The first few days were hard; the fact Sabo might never see him again and he's helpless to do anything about it still cuts deep. But he and Ace promised to keep living, keep moving forward. It's what they've always done, and Sabo's not about to stop now. And so to avoid moping so much, he decides to get busy.]

[July 15-19 -- Mornings, the Library]
[He'll be seen occupying a table in the library, with large sheets of paper spread out and books lying open all around him. The books are noticeably all about ships and how to build them. He's busy sketching out blueprints of a small sea-faring vessel. he's obviously not an expert, so the blueprint's almost cartoony and not accurate with regards to the finer details, like measurements and stuff, but he's got most of the main parts down.

On the 19th, he'll open his journal to ask something.]

[Voice]

Hey, are there any shipwrights around here? Or anyone who knows anything about making boats or ships?

[Afternoons (except the 17th), the beach/the mountain]
[Afternoons are spent out in the beach, just looking out to the sea, and/or exploring the nearby mountain in the hopes of meeting the Wind spirit Kipinn.]

[Evenings, the Battledome]
[Sabo can be found in the Battledome. The simulation shows a wide forest, with towering trees and a huge mountain looming behind. Sabo's armed with his usual pipe staff, and his chosen opponent is an old acquaintance to the ASL brothers: the Great Tiger of Mt. Corvo.

Even knowing he's no match by himself, he'll fight on determinedly. Of course, he's just going to get smacked around by the giant paws or batted away by that bludgeon-like tail. But he'll get up, again and again, until the auto-abort kicks in due to the boy's over-exhaustion. At one point, his journal will get knocked aside and start recording one of these fights on video.

Once he catches his breath, he'll rest a bit within a peaceful simulation of a cliff overlooking a wide blue sea, before making his way home.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Come the return of the sweltering heat after the storm, Nami's decided to say screw it to all other obligations and head out for the beach herself, if only so she can avoid thinking too hard about certain missing captains. Distractions are useful things.

She's pretty far out. She has no ship, but she does have a sailboard, and those things are damn fun.

...is that a child on the beach?]

[Yep, it's a child. And if she can see the top hat from over there, it'll help recognizing him.

Sabo, for his part, had spotted her sometime ago. It's kinda hard to miss someone on a sailboard in an empty sea, and just the right glint of orange hair from a distance told him her identity. He retreats under a shady tree, and continues watching her having fun in the water, wishing he could do the same.

Damn, that looks really fun! Maybe he could borrow Ace's skiff and join her? .... Nah, it'll be too heavy for that kind of sailing.]

[The top hat does kinda give it away. Not many kids wear one, after all. The sailboard skims in toward land, slowing down until she drops off the side with a splash and wades it into the shallow and up onto the beach.

She'll snatch up her towel on her way to say hi.]

Hey. Kinda warm not to be in the water, isn't it?

[He straightens up a bit when Nami approaches and greets her with a smile.]

It sure is! But I guess I kinda gotten used to warm. [Laughs.] Living with pyros will do that, y'know!

Oh, I bet. [Going back to that comment on maturity levels here... Nami grins.] I prefer being on the water more than in it, but it's fun both ways. You know this ocean has only been here for a year or so?

EH?!! You mean there wasn't before and it just appeared here one day?! [Staring incredulously at the water.] There's magic in this place, I know, but-- damn, a whole ocean?

Yep. It used to be desert. Home of some jerk of a demon before the water came pouring in and took the whole thing away.

It doesn't go very far out, though. Maybe you could sail out for a couple hours before you hit the barrier.

Yeah, I've heard about the barrier and how it cuts off the rest of the ocean. But, I still can't believe this sea hasn't always been around... [Sighs.] Guess I'm lucky I arrived when it's already here.

[Imagining being trapped in a place where there's no sea around is something close to a nightmare.]

[Yeeep. That was the Straw Hats for the first year and a half of their stay. :Db]

It definitely helps keep us sane, that's for sure.

Have you sailed much?

[That sucks. :\ ]

Nope, only once. [And he got blown to pieces.] I've always dreamed of setting out to the sea though. Me and Ace spent five years saving up money to buy a ship for that dream.

[She's heard how you died. Only once, huh?

...ouch.]

Well. There's plenty of sailing to be had here. It's just there's only so far you can go.

[...Oh. Sorry if there are unexpected feels, Nami.]

Yeah, sucks we can't visit other islands, huh?! Ace wants to bring down the barrier to open up the sea more, but-- [he trusts his bro, but Sabo doesn't really believe something like that can be achieved by anyone.] --for now, this is good enough. Even if it's short-term sailing. I'll take whatever part of the sea I can.

[The sea will always mean his freedom, no matter how small it is.]

Bringing down the barrier won't help too much. I've been outside it now-- you know the ocean may as well be full of Sea Kings out there, too? We fought a kraken once... twice, actually.

[Which is beside the point, and she blinks before shaking her head.] Has anyone told you about the Third Party? They're a group that want all of us dead. If the barrier comes down they'll try slaughtering everyone in the village, and not all of them can fight.

So it's as dangerous as the Grand Line... I figured as much. [Which he has no problem with, to be honest. He'd been planning on getting stronger first before venturing there anyway, and it's no different here. And he needs to get stronger fast.

Especially if what Nami said next was true. It just makes him clench his fists, because right now? He's one of those that doesn't stand a chance against that kind of enemy.] ...I've read a bit, but I don't really understand what their purpose is. Why would they want to kill us?

{There is visible hesitation-- she's talking to a kid.

But then again, she's also talking to a kid from her own world, who grew up with Ace and Luffy. And set sail only to be killed by a World Noble. So. She sighs.]

They say our being here and not being able to die properly is unnatural. Something about freeing us from that cycle.

[Unnatural. Well, that's a fitting word.]

Why are they pinning that on us? It's not like we asked for any of this. If anything, shouldn't they be on our side and take down the bastards who're keeping us here?

Well, I guess it depends on who you believe. Some Malnosso claim we're here by accident and they're doing everything they possibly can to send us home. Annnd some get on the network and say we're their labrats and treat us like dirt. There's lots of different factions and I never really know quite who's in charge.

Bottom line, you can't trust any of them. About the Third Party, though... I don't know. I think it would be great to try and actually talk with them. But they don't even speak our language. So who knows what they believe.

[He's quiet as he ponders this information. It sounds like whoever wins in that conflict between the jerks in this place, the villagers will suffer anyway. There's too many lives at stake... It all sounds too big, especially to an ordinary boy like him. Then again, wasn't the burning of the Gray Terminal the same? But even then --against humans with god-complexes, but humans nonetheless-- Sabo wasn't able to do anything...]

Nah, I don't think I can ever trust anyone who play with peoples' lives like this. And it's easier to believe in my brothers and to you guys, anyway. [Said with a swift smile towards Nami. If his brothers can put their whole trust in their nakama, then he has no problem in believing in them too.]

[She grins at him for that, tucking damp hair behind one ear.] Hey, your brothers are good people to put your trust in.

Did Ace tell you? Luffy'll probably be back eventually.

But never around food! [Laughs.

Then he blinks.] E-eh?! But... I thought that's not a sure thing...

It's not, I know. And maybe I'm wrong, but ...he's gone home twice before this. He always comes back. It's like he can't leave us behind.

[Whatever lets them sleep better at night...]

III. [Action: July 15th--19th]

[action] 19th/afternoon

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