|
|
Post by Sophie on May 14, 2022 17:39:04 GMT -5
Atsuko wanted to argue with Apollo, tell him again he owed her no debt. Instead, she settled on doing her best to help him feel he had repaid her. "It's my pleasure to help, Apollo-kan." She returned his smile. "You should rest for at least the rest of the day. I can handle getting us underway." She could already see him beginning to protest, "If you pass out trying to help me, won't you just end up feeling even more indebted to me?" She softly patted his head. "I understand the desire to get to work when you feel that way, but it'll only get worse if you hurt yourself trying to do so."
"You can consider following my order to rest as the beginning of your repayment. I don't think I can work efficiently if I'm worried about you the whole time." She stood up and began walking back towards the hatch in the roof. She walked up the wall and opened up the hatch. She suddenly turned around, quickly adding, "By the way. The engines are a little loud. I'm sorry about that. You should be able to tune it out and get some rest."
Once she flicked on the engines, they roared to life as promised. Below decks were flooded with the sounds of operating machinery as the engines spooled up to start turning the two screws at the aft end of the boat. The fishing trawler lurched as Atsuko kicked it into speed. She pulled it ahead two-thirds, and it hardly took much of a moment for the ship to quickly reach up to its selected speed of fifteen knots.
|
|
|
|
Post by VoxApocrypha on May 15, 2022 14:51:26 GMT -5
With his attempt to protest effectively shut down, the Festria would quietly sigh and then nod his head.
"Alright. I'll.. stay down here then and rest. Thank you so much, again." His acquiescence was made clear and he would settle himself down back onto the soft (and mildly damp) fabric of the bed, apollo letting the heated air dry out his fur. When she'd mention the engines were loud he'd nod his head. "Okay."
He heard the engine start up, and then would close his eyes. The loud noises were of little distraction. It was not long before he was having trouble holding his eyes open, and soon he ended up falling asleep, resting with his large and before too long, very poofy tail hanging over the side of the bed, the remains of what looked like bandages having slipped off and onto the floor or hanging limply around the rings of his furred appendage.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sophie on May 15, 2022 21:30:11 GMT -5
Atsuko piloted the boat almost directly west and watched the island slowly fade away over the horizon. She locked the ship's rudder into position and quietly worked around the boat. Sorting her catches, repairing the net with her web after it got caught while being pulled up in a hurry, inspecting the engines and fuel lines, using webs to patch any holes she found, and sometimes checking on her biggest catch Apollo. Though one of the times she checked on the sleeping Festrian, she noticed the hanging bandages. She knelt down and, doing her best not to wake him, began investigating the dressings.
|
|
|
|
Post by VoxApocrypha on May 16, 2022 1:57:10 GMT -5
Apollo's dressings were not covered in blood nor were they noticeably dirty, they lacked any sort of blood or dirt on their suface nor filth. What they seemed to cover was what looked like a sort of artificla extension to the tail, though it rested a fair ways up the appendage - scar tissue covering the other end of what looked to be the area where the bandages had joined the artifical tail to the rest of the body. The fur was dyed the same shade of orange and black as the rest of him, though it was clear it was not festria fuzz. Apollo moved a bit in his sleep, curling into the fetal position and dragging his tail in a bit closer, though the other part didn't articulate to complete the curl, leaving it hanging over the edge of the bed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sophie on May 17, 2022 0:53:22 GMT -5
The change from real fur to faux fur confused Atsuko for a minute before she made the connection. Her frown brandished her deep heartache at the prosthetic. "I am so sorry this happened to you." She softly touched the artificial tale while whispering. "You've been through so much already." She overlooked his back for a few moments and patted his head as gingerly as she could. Carefully, she retied the bandages so he wouldn't have to realize that she had seen his injury and quietly walked back up to the surface deck hoping she hadn't/wouldn't wake him.
The sun had just begun to set and while the beautiful red and orange hues danced on the water's surface, they also almost blinded Atsuko. She quickly returned to the bridge, if you could call it that on this dinghy, and checked all of her instruments including her fuel gauge. She had to flick the meter a few times for it to give her an accurate reading. This should be enough fuel to make it to Utoro at full speed. Even though Komorro pays so much better for snapper... She shook her head, pushing the thought of delaying getting her new friend to shore as quickly as possible completely out of her mind. It's only a ten yairen difference... Per pound. No, I mustn't worry about it. Getting Apollo to shore matters more than money.
Once Atsuko was satisfied that the ship was in working order, she kicked the engines up to ahead full. Once the boat's screws were pushing her ahead twenty knots she smiled. Thankfully on the surface, the trawler's engines weren't all that loud. She gave a quick prayer of thanks to her mother's spirit for making the engines work so quietly and efficiently. A small hatch built into the floor of the bridge was revealed when Atsuko opened it up to pull out a violin. Only a few discordant notes played as she quickly tuned it. Soon after, a beautiful song began emitting from it.
As she played, Atsuko sang softly an ode to her mother. "If I were in your shoes I'd live, I'd live a little and I'd love with all of this lust. Forget the tears, forget the scars.
And I'd be a little selfish, less selfless, less harsh. Yea I would.
I'd go out once and awhile. Flash my curves, show em style. And I'd turn this whole town upside down, upside down. Yea, I would.
So let's drive, let's pass this by. Forget what we did. Forget why we left in the first place.
If there's magic on this planet, it's in the water. If there's magic on this planet, it's in my blood.
I can still hear you playing."
|
|
|
|
Post by VoxApocrypha on May 17, 2022 4:16:10 GMT -5
The haze that swirled around in his mind flashed orange through the grey, again and again. Thunderous booms, screams and echoes of agony, flashes and streaks of blue that tore through the air and dug into the sooty earth around him. He could see shadows, figures racing through the vaguely familiar landscape of a place he had once called home.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
He watched them fall, again. Die, again. He could do nothing, he felt paralyzed, as another shadowy figure emerged from the haze, and resolved itself into his..
Crack!
Apollo's eyes snapped open, the Festria staring at the wall ahead of him. His eyes stared at the rust between the panels for a few seconds before he slowly rolled over onto his back, uncurling from the ball he had tried to roll himself into.
It'd happened again. Another dream. Another reason he dreaded sleeping. Slowly he pulled himself up and would rub his eyes, feeling better after his short rest. He didn't need much in the way of sleep, he'd gotten his fill of it while he was laying on a rock in the ocean, involuntarily sunbathing.
In truth even if he had wanted to sleep more, his body would not let him - he felt tired to be sure, but his brain had decided, as had his hearts, that he would not again be allowed a rest for some time.
He felt his tail shift a little bit, and then after a moment, he looked at the weighty appendage, feeling off a bit. The bandage had set different, the air a little tingly on his skin. He leaned over and would check on the wood and fiber fake, then let it go.
He'd slowly get up, his legs still sore but not desiring to stay in a bed for overly long. He wanted to be anywhere but in a dim room anyway.
The Festria meandered about for a moment, looking at his surroundings again and wondering how they cleaned dishes on the boat, though the thought would be replaced by something else as he heard the faint playing of a violin above, his ear twitching. After a moment, he would turn and make his way top side, emerging onto the deck and then crouching by the entry way, listening to her play, closing his eyes as he would take in the melody for as long as she would sing and play.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sophie on May 17, 2022 14:08:06 GMT -5
The music continued to flow from the bridge of the RFS Halibut for a couple more minutes, but eventually, Atsuko finished her song and wiped away a tear from one of her left eyes. "I will always love you, mom." Smiling, she gracefully placed the violin back into its case and back into its little hidey-hole. She sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the beautiful ocean night. Again she checked all the instruments on the bridge, it had become dark rather quickly so she had to light a staol lantern to see, and that's when she saw Apollo, crouching just out of sight. "Oh my, good evening Apollo-kan. Are you okay?" She asked with concern before a bit of embarrassment rushed into her cheeks. "And um... how long have you been sitting there?"
|
|
|
|
Post by VoxApocrypha on May 17, 2022 14:37:02 GMT -5
Apollo had been more or less gripping the edge of the hatch back into the ship, using it in part to maintain stability. His tail was not fully able to do that for him anymore, and he was a little sore still.
As he heard her speak, his eyes would open and he'd look to her, the darkness providing his eyes a noticeable red glow, showing the golden hued pupils within as he focused on her. He'd seem to smile as she would blush, the Festria then looking off into the distance again.
"I'm alright. Just couldn't sleep." He'd say. "..And only a few minutes. Listened to you play. You're really good. Was that about your mother?" He'd ask her.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sophie on May 17, 2022 14:59:47 GMT -5
Her blush would redden even further as he admitted to hearing her play. "Y- yeah, it was." She climbed out of the bridge and sat next to the festrian. "She taught me how to play when I was really little. When she passed away, I wrote that song for her. I like to play it whenever I feel her spirit close to me." She looked out into the distance with Apollo and smiled at the extraordinarily calm waters. "It's like glass, isn't it?" She sat quietly for a moment; she felt her heart start racing for a reason she wasn't sure. Even though the embarrassment was fading, her cheeks burned even brighter as her heart rate climbed.
|
|
|
|
Post by VoxApocrypha on May 18, 2022 2:32:05 GMT -5
When she would settle down next to him, he'd sit fully onto the deck, letting out a long breathe from his lungs. "She taught you well, if I may say.. that song was beautiful." He would tell her as he stared off into the sunset, watching as the ball of fire in the sky slowly fell beyond the horizon, his mind peripherally wondering where it'd bring the dawn and who'd see it at that time for only a moment, before he'd reply to her question.
"..I suppose. Makes me wonder if i were to throw a stone, if it were to shatter, or to ripple the horizon." He'd say. He himself could feel his own hearts beating quickly, and he'd gently press his fingers against his chest, before sliding his hand back down to the deck and letting out a gentle sigh.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sophie on May 18, 2022 3:05:00 GMT -5
Her blush shined even brighter at the compliment. Atsuko very rarely played for anyone, despite how consistently she practiced. "Th-thank you for saying so. Maybe I'll play another for you sometime." Her shirt rumpled beneath her fingers as she fiddled with it. She looked out on the glassy water and smiled. "Perhaps it would shatter. Though if the cost of finding out would be to disturb this beautiful view, I don't know that I would be willing to pay." She laughed awkwardly at her cheesy line. Once she finally stopped playing with her shirt, she let her arm relax and fall to the floor. An electric shock rung throughout her body as the side of her pinky collided with the side of Apollo's. Quickly and awkwardly, she pulled her hand away and now wondered why her stomach was now filled with butterflies.
|
|
|
|
Post by VoxApocrypha on May 18, 2022 4:19:32 GMT -5
"I'd love if you played for me again sometime." He'd tell her, "I quite enjoy music. Used to play it a lot myself back in the day, when I still had my guitar."
He'd stare off into the horizon, his eyes watching the sun as it began to disappear fully over the horizon. As she set her hand down, and her pinky brushed against his, he would raise an eyebrow at her pulling it away, tilting his head a little to look towards her for a moment, before then he would move his tail. It rose, and he would gently rest it against the side of her abdomen.
"..I don't believe even a thrown stone from Razina themself would shatter the glass of this wonderful view." Apollo seemed to emit a faint scent into the air around him, smelling of fruit.. strawberries, in particular.
"It's one of the most beautiful sunsets I think I've ever seen." He'd say.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sophie on May 18, 2022 10:32:46 GMT -5
Atsuko held her own hand close to her stomach for a moment before carefully setting it back down on the ground. "I've worked this job for almost four years, but I agree with you. Something feels special about this one." She smiled softly, and as Apollo rested her tail against her, it made her abdomen tingle. Inside her chest, her heart continued to pound so hard she feared that even he would be able to hear it. "I'd love for you to play with me. I haven't shared making music with anyone since my mom passed." As the scent of strawberries floated into her nose, she felt her heart settle, and she closed her eyes to enjoy the surprising but welcome smell.
|
|
|
|
Post by VoxApocrypha on May 18, 2022 14:44:37 GMT -5
"Today is a special day." He'd say. "It's my birthday, and I get to spend it staring into a beautiful sunset, with a beautiful woman, on a boat like I had always pictured." He'd chuckle. "Only thing I don't have is cake."
He'd cross his legs and lean back a bit, his arms moving to support his weight.
"I need to get my hands on another Nevarran guitar. I'd love to play a song or two with you, or just give you a little show." He'd say.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sophie on May 18, 2022 15:03:57 GMT -5
Atsuko's heart entirely skipped a beat upon being called beautiful. For most of her life, she had been a wallflower and was happy with that. Something about Apollo specifically complimenting her that way made her heart pound harder than ever. "You think... I'm beautiful?" Once her mind finally rebooted, she made a more important realization. "Wait, it's your birthday?! I am so sorry. I'm sure it wasn't your dream to spend your birthday on a dinghy with some navy washout. Once we get to shore, I'll bake you a nice cake, get you a gift, and have a proper celebration."
She smiled softly at him, though she felt truly awful that the festrian was stuck somewhere so sad on his birthday.
|
|
