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

Great! [Beams.] See you at the docks this afternoon then!

[And with a little wave, he shuts the journal and spends the rest of his morning working on his project with renewed energy. There's nothing like finding a friend who shares the same dream of wanting to go to the sea, after all.

Right after lunch, he sets out to the beach. And by the time Perona arrives, he's finishing up fitting the sails to Ace's skiff by the docks then stepping back to view his handiwork with a satisfied nod, before muttering quietly to himself.]

Huh. This is kinda nostalgic. [Trying to sail away being the first thing he did upon arriving here.]

[When Perona herself does arrive at the allotted time, she still seems a little uneasy. Really, it took a lot of mental preparation for her to even make it this far, and the desire to see the ocean and sail on it swayed her decision as well. She grumbles a little as she walks down the shore, to where she sees Sabo and...that must be Ace's ship.

Whining quietly at the sudden chill she feels, Perona takes a deep breath and strides over, tapping Sabo gently on the tip top of his top hat. She's here!]

[Busy as he was reminiscing his first--no, second actually--day here, he didn't hear Perona's approach. But the light tap startles him, and he turns around so quickly that his hat almost flies off his head, if he hasn't got a hand clamping down on it instinctively.

Then he looks up at his visitor and smiles.] Hey there! Ready to go sailing?

[Goodness, what a reaction! Perona jumps a little herself, her nerves up so high already. She has to remind herself that no one's going to pop out of the sand or something and beat the tar out of her several times, putting a hand over her chest and exhaling. A-Ahaa...she can't take much more of this. ;~;

With a final, somewhat uneasy look to the...really kind of smallish looking skiff, Perona nods her head.] Y-Yes...I'm ready.

[Ooops. Looks like he surprised her as well. Have a sheepish grin.] Ah, sorry 'bout that. Got a bad history with people coming up from behind me...

[And because he's an observant kid, he notices the uneasy look on her face and is quickly concerned. He has a pretty good guess what she's worrying about; Ace's skiff --no matter how tough it really is-- is kinda flimsy-looking, after all.]

...Hey, we're not in any rush, y'know. If you aren't ready yet, we can hang out here for a while. [Smiles.] And 'sides, this is the first time we've actually met. It'll be good to talk outside the journals too!

[She shakes her head to the apology, dismissing it, and gives one final look at the skiff, and then over her shoulder. Honestly, she half expects something bad to happen when she isn't looking. Thankfully, Ace and she haven't had much history at all, but if he ever did find out about Thriller Bark from that idiot, or one of his crew...it'd spell disaster. And then if Sabo found out, then what? He was nice, and actually very cute in person, and...and he offered to be her friend. Would he not like her if he knew what she did back then?

...Mm.]

No, I'm ready now. We can go.

[Stubborn and defiant as always, as Perona lifts her head up with purpose and pride. Whatever happens happens, she'll deal with it later. But she does stop to at least pat Sabo on the top of his hat.] You're very nice to take me for a ride, Sabo-kun. I'll repay you for it! I promise.

Oi, oi... We're friends, aren't we? There's no need to repay me for anything!

[With that, he climbs on board, settling on the stern and near the mast. The sails are easier to control from here, after all. Then he calls to Perona with a smile, gesturing to the seat.]

Hop on!

[Oh, Sabo, you really are a wonderful little man, and an even better friend. ♥ Perona's glad to have met you. As she steps on herself, keeping balance despite the wobbliness of the waves and the size of the skiff, her unease steadily fades away. Looking out over the water, seemingly going on into forever...it's a wonderful, almost exhilarating feeling. The smell of salty water, the touch of the air and mist on her face and through her hair, the sound of the waves... If she closes her eyes, it's almost like she's home again.]

No, I think you deserve something in return for this. [Because it's special, and she's happy to be on the water again. So Perona pulls Sabo into a tight, loving hug and gives him a kiss on the cheek.] This is all I can give right now - thank you very much, my little friend!

[Eh? Wait, a hug? Another one?! Okay, what is it with girls and their hugs today?! But really, Sabo's not one to complain. He'll never get enough of hugs after being deprived of them for so long. But-- he freezes completely at the kiss. That? That's a first for him.

So he's just... touching that spot on his cheek, looking stunned but far from unhappy. Then he's going to blink and flush deeply.] H-hey, I told you it was fine, right? Helping each other out's what friends do!

[D-Did he just blush and--oh, my gosh! ♥ Sabo, stop, you're going to injure Perona with how cute you are. She bites her lip to keep from laughing too hard and snuggles him one last time before, almost reluctantly, letting go. It's been a long time that she got to hug someone herself, and she's misses the contact. It also doesn't help that she's possibly been feeling more and more lonely as the days go by. Having someone she feels comfortable enough to hug is...a rare thing indeed. Perona's not the easiest person to get along with.]

Mmh...well, then I'm glad you're my friend. Is it all right if I stay there? [She's looking up near the top of the mast, where the sail is currently furled. She could definitely float up there, and possibly hold on tight enough so she doesn't slip off or anything.]

[He'll try to discreetly rub his face free from the blush once she lets him go, not realizing he's only making it worse. He's just glad none of his brothers are here to see this scene because they'll never let him live this down. Not that he actually minds, but they can be a bunch of jerks when they choose to be.

When he looks at where Perona's pointing, he can only look back at her with a slightly concerned frown.] There, you mean up the mast? But it's too easy to fall from there... Didn't you say you can't swim?

[Perona turns back to look at Sabo with a confident smile, her eyes softening only for a moment at his concern. Is he really worried she'll fall? That's terribly sweet of him, and warms her heart. He's a good little boy, but he also shouldn't underestimate her strength, or...well, her power.]

Ah...I can't swim, yes, but I won't fall! See? [Perona stands up on her tiptoes, then lifts up off the skiff and hovers in the air, raising up to about a foot before descending back onto the ship.] And if I do fall, you'll...help me, won't you?

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

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