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the one you don't see comin' - Jack - 05-01-2025
It might come as a surprise to some, but the crew of The Ark do actually hang out off the deck of the ship sometimes. Especially in Longheat, when they have absolutely no business being out under the punishing sun on the open sea, no matter how good the breeze might be or how many mages can produce ice at a moment's notice. And so this evening, as the sun begins to bleed away beneath the horizon, Jack and a few other members of his crew find themselves hanging out near the Lucky Rum Fountain.
They feel lucky, and they feel full of rum, which is probably the point. And what happens, you ask, when you put a bunch of tipsy sailors together with nothing better to do and a whole night stretching ahead of them?
A lot of dick-swinging, that's what.
Jack is watching with amusement bright in his gaze as Bassian - the hulking himbo of his main crew - circles the sand around his first mate Murphy, a small, olive skinned man with dark hair and darker eyes. It should really be a no-brainer to anyone watching, but for the majority of the onlookers, they know better, and as Bassian swings a ham-handed punch at the smaller man, he darts seamlessly out of the way. Bassian even has the audacity to look surprised about it.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Nova - 05-01-2025
Longheat is here, and Nova is ready for it! In fact, she spent all night dying one section of her hair in a full rainbow that goes perfectly with her bathing suit then spent all day soaking up the sunlight until her skin glows. Satisfied, she plops her sunhat on her head and pulls her light blue sundress over her rainbow bikini then does what any young woman does after a long day on the beach: skip through the ports to catch the eyes of attractive young men.
It seems to be working well for her as she hums and twirls, sparkling glitter following in her wake as she winks whenever she catches someone staring. It's hard not to when she's a whirlwind of color fluttering on the ocean breeze, her smile as intense as the blistering sun that recedes on the horizon. The only thing attracting more attention than Nova is a large crowd of drunk, sweaty men just ahead of her. They're not quite what she had in mind, but curiosity draws her in as they jeer and shift around a pair of men throwing punches.
Her head tilts in a feline manner as she approaches, her nonchalance suggesting that she's meant to be there despite her obviously contrasting attire - and stature. A small smile of delight on her face, she slides between a few of the shouting men, ducking under an elbow as she secures a front row seat, so close she can taste the rum on their breath and feel the flinging sweat against her face. It's exhilarating, and she bounces on her feet to see a fight up close and personal.
Turning to the man next to her, she's about ready to ask about joining the brawl (because isn't this what it means to 'practice') when she realizes exactly who it is. Her starry freckles look brighter against the pink of her skin when she smiles. [say]"Jack! You're back!"[/say]
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Jack - 05-02-2025
Nova might be clueless about the participants in the fight or the vast majority of the audience, but they certainly know who she is. It's one of the reasons the crowd parts so easily for her, and the captain of the merry band picks out the kaleidoscopic spark of her thoughts long before she ever settles beside him. Without noticing him at first, might he add, and there's a quietly amused smirk on his lips as she finally turns to face him and realises the company she's keeping.
[say]"You often come to watch a bunch of drunk sailors take swings at each other?"[/say] he asks, raising his voice a touch over the ooooooh! that ripples across the little crowd - Murphy has just struck Bassian in the back of the knee, sending him down hard. It's only years of mastering a neutral expression that keeps the surprise from Jack's face, too; call him pitifully human, but Nova is the first person who has actually seemed happy to see him since his return to Torchline.
[say]"I am,"[/say] he confirms belatedly. [say]"Here for a while now, I reckon."[/say] For the foreseeable future, in fact.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Nova - 05-02-2025
Briefly distracted by the savage knockdown, Nova's eyes shimmer with delight. Her laughter joins the chorus of voices as she shrugs her shoulders. [say]"I go wherever looks the most interesting! And you've got quite the crowd."[/say] And not just his crew, a few people peering down the port with narrowed eyes of suspicion.
Jack may not be everyone's favorite right now, but he's never done anything to make her dislike him, and Nova's never been one to let others' opinions stop her from having a good time (usually involving glitter). In fact, the captain makes her think he's a lot like glitter, annoying most people but still seeming to stick around, leaving a lasting impression everywhere he goes. She even thinks his ice magic is almost as sparkly as her special concoction of confetti.
Bouncing once at the news, she claps her hands. [say]"That's great!"[/say] Already, there's a rush of things she thinks to tell him: how she's been working on her magic, her trip in Hak Etme (NOT FUN), Vesper's victory at the carnival, and so much more! But suddenly there's another cheer going up, and she sees the large man (Bassian if she remembers correctly) take another heavy hit, to the jaw this time.
Nova grins through a sympathetic wince as she sees blood splatter from his lip. As bad as she feels for him, this is too fun to watch, and the slight wiggle of her body shows that she's thoroughly enjoying the brutal spectacle. Without looking away, she leans a little closer to Jack, curiosity coloring her tone a bright pink. [say]"What are they fighting for?"[/say]
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Jack - 05-03-2025
[say]"Mm, there's only so much you can do when it's too hot to work,"[/say] Jack says with a breezy shrug of his shoulders, eyes flicking up to the other onlookers, some of whom decide to very quickly make themselves scarce under his gaze. [say]"Add in some free rum an' this lot turn back into kids for an evenin'."[/say] Squabbling, roughhousing kids, he might add, though Nova will already be able to evidence that for herself.
Frowning internally at being compared to glitter, though he can appreciate the logic in it, he supposes, he lifts a cup of said rum from the fountain behind them, taking a sip before offering it out to the rainbow-clad girl beside him. [say]"Is it, now?"[/say] he wonders at his being effectively stranded in Torchline, tilting his head towards her. Of course he can glaze her escapades from her mind - magic and deserts and carnivals, oh my! - but unlike her brother, he remains tight-lipped about it.
Drawn back to the fray by the firework of white pain that shatters through Bassian's thoughts, Jack smirks and shakes his head. [say]"For shits an' giggles,"[/say] he tells Nova, watching as Murphy backs up now and dusts off his hands, not that the bigger man looks as if he wants to continue the fight. [say]"Good practice too, 'specially when you consider the difference between 'em. Murph's too quick for most, though, no matter how big they are."[/say]
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Nova - 05-03-2025
His question makes her laugh, as if the answer is obvious. [say]"Well, now you can see how my magic's coming along!"[/say] Not that it's the only reason she likes having Jack back (he's more fun than she'd thought the oh-so-serious captain would be), but they're common connection with magic certainly gives her a reason to seek his approval.
Without a second thought, Nova accepts the rum, a blinding smile on her face as she bounces. [say]"I think I've almost got the ice mastered!"[/say] Where her hand holds the cup, a light frosting of ice crystallizes over the side, sparkling in the sunlight as it already starts to melt. She flashes him a bright grin, holding it up for him to observe the cold rum before she takes a sip. Her face immediately scrunches at the taste, not having expected the hard alcohol to burn so much. It sears her throat and makes her tongue come out as if the sunlight and ocean breeze might carry away the nastiness.
She's about to hand it back to Jack, but, suddenly the flavor is shifting in her mouth, turning sweet with hints of vanilla and coconut. Her eyebrows raise, lifting the cup to try the cold drink again. Similar to the first, the rum burns and assaults her senses on impact, however, it's less intense this time and the sweetness feels stronger, making her hum and smack her lips with surprise. [say]"This is pretty good."[/say] No longer interested in handing it back, she returns her attentions to the fight.
Nova likes giggles, although shits aren't something she particularly cares for. Regardless, she thinks she can understand why they might find the fighting fun, and she smiles as the crew encourages the smaller man ('Murph' apparently) to finish the job. Her eyes scan him and his unassuming figure. She shouldn't be one to judge size or looks, but she stills says casually, [say]"He doesn't look that scary."[/say] It's followed with the thought of, 'I bet I could beat him.' At least with magic and shifts.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Jack - 05-04-2025
Bully for me, Jack almost drawls, but with his agreement with Vesper clanging around in his mind, he holds his tongue enough for Nova to demonstrate her growing mastery over water magic with the glass of rum he hands to her. Raising his eyebrows and looking appropriately (dryly) impressed, the captain inclines his head. [say]"You'll be makin' ice castles rather'n sand castles at this rate,"[/say] he remarks.
Not bothering to hide his smirk to see her face scrunch up like ball of glittery tissue paper, Jack is about to reach out to take the rum back when he senses her thoughts mellow, melting from disgust to reluctant appreciation and then to genuine enjoyment. [say]"Looks like you're a white rum gal. Just needed to find your drink,"[/say] he says, reaching back to collect another cup of liquor from the fountain - and it's a wonder, honestly, why everyone in Torchline isn't wasted all day everyday.
[say]"Mm, that's the point,"[/say] he says of Murphy who, despite the crowing of the other sailors, waves them off and nudges Bassian to get back to his feet, content with his victory. [say]"He's my first mate, an' I wouldn't cross him."[/say] Even if I could beat him too he thinks privately, before glancing to Nova. [say]"You can be my guest though,"[/say] he says, gesturing to the now empty space where Bassian had been standing.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Nova - 05-05-2025
Immensely proud of her meager brilliant display of magic, Nova raises her head at the praise, no matter how much it resembles crumbs to a bird. From Jack, they feel like a feast, fueling her ego just a little more than might be healthy for her.
Taking another, larger sip of the rum, she rocks onto the balls of her feet, giggling a little. [Say]"I also like cranberry dayquerries!"[/say] As if to prove to the captain that she's at least found one other drink she enjoys. Although the dark amber drinks haven't been much to her liking.
She looks again to the fight as Bassian steps away. Despite the obvious warning from Jack, she still doesn't find the man very threatening (ignoring the fact that he just took down one of the biggest men she's ever seen), and he had told her she needed to practice. So, whether he'd expected her to or not, Nova takes him up on the offer. [Say]"Okay!"[/say]
Passing Jack her glass of rum, she skips into the middle of the circle, earning more than a few confused glances. Her sunhat still sits primly on her head, her blue skirt fluttering around her legs as she enters the arena with an energetic wave to Murph. [Say]"Hi! I'm Nova!"[/say] She smiles, feeling the hum of her magic buzz with excitement as she tilts her head at the man. Suddenly, a thought occurs, and she turns to Jack for guidance. [Say]"Oh! Are there any rules I should know about?"[/say]
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Jack - 05-09-2025
Cranberry dayquerries, Jack might have mouthed to himself, were he not able to snatch the image of the cocktail Nova is thinking about from her mind. Ah. Right. [say]"Makes sense. Those use white rum as well,"[/say] he says, frosting his own glass with ice and taking a quick sip of it, letting the burn trickle down his throat to bloom its warmth into his chest.
It takes a lot to surprise the captain, but Nova's thoughts flash so quick that it's hard to keep up, especially given how quickly she acts on them. Before he's so much as lowered his glass from his lips, her okay! trills through the group at large and she's sauntering into the fray, putting herself opposite a very wary looking Murphy.
His first mate flashes him a glance that's a mix of confusion and a petition for further instruction, and Jack abandons both of their glasses of rum on the side of the fountain to clear his throat and step forward. [say]"A few, yeah,"[/say] he rumbles. [say]"C'mere. You can practice with me 'fore I let you go swingin' at my crew. Don't want you knockin' 'em all on their asses too quick."[/say]
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Nova - 05-09-2025
Her head tilts adorably as she takes another sip of rum. [say]"Really? But they're pink."[/say] It doesn't make sense to have white rum make a pink drink. She's rushing through color theory suddenly, flashes of pinks and reds and fuchsias and bubblegums and blushes. It all tells her that it very much is possible that the red of cranberries and 'white' of rum could make a pink liquid, and Nova decides that perhaps she is a white rum kind of gal.
But then she's giving it to Jack as he steps into the circle, receiving an almost comical reception, because is Murph scared of her?! His glances to Jack make her think that can be the only reason, and she lets out a quiet giggle to herself. She looks between the men as they have some unspoken conversation, wiggling in place as she waits for them to finish so they can get started.
When Jack steps forward to intervene, her face first falls into a small pout, disappointed that he's going to tell he she can't. It's only when he implies that she would be too good to face his crew that Nova raises her head, the overly confident and overly bright smile returning to her face. Of course it only makes sense for her to practice against the strongest of them. So with a prideful nod of her head, she accepts the proposal. [say]"That makes sense."[/say]
Turning back to the first mate, Nova shrugs her shoulders, a playful grin on her lips. [say]"Sorry, Murph. Maybe next time."[/say] She shoots him a sparkly wink and shifts her focus to the captain.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Jack - 05-10-2025
It does make sense, Jack raising his eyebrows pointedly at Murphy as he's left standing, bemused at Nova's apology. To the small man's credit, he quickly recovers and lets out a sharp whistle to the next opponent who had intended to step into the circle with him, and the ranks gently close behind them to the sound of fresh cheers and bets being placed. In the meantime, Jack leads Nova away to a small, empty patch of shoreline where he can teach her how not to get punched to death.
[say]"Fist fightin' ain't anythin' like usin' magic,"[/say] he tells her - forgive him the obvious, [say]"but for the likes of you 'n' me, you can use both when you need to."[/say] With fairly devastating results, he might add. That being said, though...
[say]"You ever thrown a punch before?"[/say] Jack asks with a raise of his eyebrows, relaxing his shoulders and straightening up as he sifts through glitter and static thought for any prior experience. The couple of glasses of rum he's had make all of this easier, but let it be said that he can see quite a bit of potential in the hybrid as well, especially because of her cheery, devil-may-care exterior. [say]"If not, start with me."[/say]
Gesturing for her to swing at him, Jack remains still, relaxed and unassuming opposite Nova.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Nova - 05-10-2025
Following Jack, she skips away from the others, slightly disappointed to be leaving the fun, but eager to make her own. She cocks her head at him, curious as to what he means about fist fighting and combining it with magic. [say]"How so?"[/say] Maybe a flaming fist? Or using air to add more force?
Nova hops to a stop on the sand, glancing around as she cheerfully reports, [say]"Nope!"[/say] She's clawed and fought, but 'punching' isn't something she's really tried before. In fact, she hadn't thought it'd be much fun in comparison to magic, but after seeing the crew beat on each other, color Nova intrigued (along with all the other colors of the rainbow and emotional spectrum). So when he tells her to punch him, she bounces closer without hesitation, curious and eager.
[say]"Okaaay!"[/say] It's like a very poor battle cry as Nova moves to punch Jack, her arms graceful and smooth as a dancer with none of the power of a brawler. She steps forward, arm swinging wide as it arcs towards him. Even if she were trying to hurt him (and she's definitely not), it would be about as painful as the batting of a kitten. She's all soft lines and sharp claws, but nothing to back it up, and if he doesn't dodge, he'll earn a gentle love tap to the shoulder, although not for lack of trying.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Jack - 05-10-2025
Jack doesn't dodge this time. He's too confused to dodge this time, if he's honest, his expression one of quiet bemusement as Nova trills and dances her way into his space, punching his shoulder lightly enough that he barely feels it as something worth shaking off. [say]"Right,"[/say] he says slowly. [say]"It's a good thing we didn't set you on the crew. I dunno that they could handle you."[/say] Which - take that as you will - and he knows Nova will.
[say]"Before we get into magic, let's just focus on this,"[/say] he decides, stepping a little closer and holding up one tanned fist nicked with scars along the knuckles, formed into a fist. [say]"Like that. Don't tuck your thumb in,"[/say] he demonstrates, before turning to the side and showing a slow punch; tucked close, wrist turning to extend his fist neatly outwards, before tucking right back in near his chin. [say]"Try again that way,"[/say] he invites, beckoning for her to come at him again.
RE: the one you don't see comin' - Nova - 05-10-2025
She's momentarily disappointed that Jack doesn't dodge or show any signs of pain, lowering her hand from the 'punch' she'd delivered. However, his words have her chest swelling again, a preening smile on her face when she lifts her chin. After all, she hadn't been using her full power.
Her eyes scanned as Jack made a fist, raising her own delicate hand to make the same. It didn't look nearly as fierce next to his scarred and weathered knuckles, even if she looks tan enough to be related. Placing her fingers in the same positioning, she makes sure her thumb isn't tucked inside before absorbing his movements with a hungry gaze. In the colorful chaos of her mind, there's a surprising level of attention as she copies each shift and twist of his body like she's downloading it to her brain.
When he calls for her to punch again, Nova is ready. [say]"Yessir!"[/say] She still wiggles and hums with excitement, but it's a little more focused as she brings her fists up to her face like she'd seen Jack do. A smile brims behind her guard as she punches her fist forward towards his shoulder again.