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+---- Thread: A Changed World (/showthread.php?tid=9902)
A Changed World - Aurelia - 08-09-2024
The familiar cacophony of Kaiholo Port washed over Aurelia, a symphony of shouts, haggling, and the rhythmic creak of rigging. The tang of salt and exotic spices hung heavy in the air. She navigated the bustling crowds with the ease of a seasoned traveler, her senses attuned to the ebb and flow of the port's underbelly.
Years of solitude in the Oerwoud had not dulled her awareness of the clandestine activities that thrived in the shadows of Kaiholo's vibrant trade. She knew the telltale signs, the furtive glances, the coded whispers, the subtle shift in a merchant's posture as they ushered a potential buyer into a secluded corner. Smuggling was as much a part of this port as the tides that lapped at its docks, and Aurelia had borne witness to its many faces.
As she strode along the port, her gaze swept towards the horizon, searching for the only constant she dared hope for in this changed world. It had to be here. As if anything could truly anchor the restless spirit of Jack's ship.
There it is, its scarlet sails a slash against the setting sun. Aurelia's breath hitched, a knot of tension unraveling within her chest. Perhaps Jack was home. If not, she knew where to find him – the Hanged Man, most likely. But the ship called to her.
Her worn boots echoed against the damp planks of the dock, each step a purposeful declaration of her return. She crossed the gangplank with a determined stride, her updone hair swaying in the salty breeze. Her keen eyes scanned the deck, noting the changes and the comforting familiarities. The ship bore the marks of time and countless voyages.
A flicker of apprehension danced in her gut. How would she be received after all these years?
Pushing aside her doubts, Aurelia lifted her chin and stepped onto the main deck. The familiar creak of the ship beneath her feet was a welcome embrace, a reminder of the adventures they had shared. It was time to face the past, to reclaim her place among those who had once called her a friend.
As she approached the door to the captain's quarters, she paused, her hand hovering over the worn handle. A wave of memories washed over her - laughter, heated debates, quiet moments of companionship in the face of stormy seas... that wicked grin, or how his brows furrowed when he was annoyed at her for some thing or other.
So she knocked quietly, for she thought he'd be vexed if she burst through without warning. The old her might not have cared, and brazenly pushed her way in. But she was not the same woman she once was. It made her wonder what kind of person he had become, too, or if he had really changed much at all.
Still, she didn't wait for permission before she slowly turned the knob to open the door.
RE: A Changed World - Jack - 08-09-2024
How would she be received, pray tell?
It's an audacious move, for Aurelia to set foot right upon The Ark without warning or invitation, and whilst the deck is mostly empty, some of the crew do see her. Some even recognise her.
And those little whispers never take long to reach the good captain, such that Jack is on his feet behind his desk well before Aurelia even enters his telepathic field. He abandons the maps and routes he's been plotting at his desk, and even as the handle to his cabin turns, he's there on the other side, smoothly drawing the door open to stare her down.
Whether his (former) first mate looks great or looks like hell is irrelevant to Jack. For his part, he of course looks very well indeed, in his usual shabby finery and perhaps a little more well-groomed than usual Flora, but the sharks that swim in the blue of his eyes are as deadly as ever.
[say]"The balls on you,"[/say] he rumbles, head tilting as if to try and subconsciously lift the veil of her thoughts and peer at the dirty secrets underneath. [say]"I'm appointment only these days, so I suggest you go an' chat to someone about that. Diary's full until Deepfrost, by the way."[/say] And that's that, as far as he's concerned.
If Aurelia is expecting heartfelt reunions and kumbayas from the captain, she really doesn't know him at all, however much he may or may not have changed after the war.
RE: A Changed World - Aurelia - 08-09-2024
A flicker of a pained smile touched Aurelia's lips, the ghost of a gesture that once came easily. Jack's words, blunt and dismissive, landed like a blow, a stark reminder of the distance that had grown between them. She had expected this coolness, this guardedness, yet it still stung, a fresh wound on an old scar.
Beneath her carefully composed exterior, a maelstrom of emotions churned. The ache of Milo's absence, the uncertainty of Melita's whereabouts, the gnawing guilt of her own prolonged desertion - they all converged, a heavy weight threatening to crush the new resolve she had mustered.
Years of introspection and healing in the Oerwoud had brought clarity and strength, but they had not erased the scars of the past. Returning after so long, facing the ghosts of what once was, proved to be a trial in itself.
Jack's coldness served as a stark reminder of the time that had passed, the bridges that needed mending. The familiar banter now felt forced, a brittle echo of their former bond.
[say]"Balls, you say? Must've picked those up in the Oerwoud,"[/say] she managed to retort. The smile faltered, a fleeting vulnerability flickering across her features.
[say]"It's been a while, Jack..."[/say] Aurelia's voice trailed off, her gaze falling to the weathered deck. [say]"Too long."[/say] She raised her eyes back up to meet his and for a moment, the years melted away. Jack was still Jack, the lines on his face etched deeper by time and hardship, but the ice in his eyes remained unmelted. Yet, there were subtle changes, whispers of the man he had become in her absence. A new tattoo, a delicate star, adorned the skin beneath his eye, perhaps a newfound devotion to Safrin.
For his part, he looked remarkably well, his usual attire somehow elevated by a touch of care and attention. His beard was neatly trimmed, his hair pulled back, and his boots, though still bearing the marks of countless voyages, were polished to a dull gleam. But his blue eyes were as sharp as ever, their predatory gaze unwavering.
In stark contrast to Jack's polished appearance, Aurelia bore the marks of her wilderness sojourn. She wore a loose-fitting shirt, its fabric soft and worn from countless days spent beneath the sun and stars. Comfortable leggings clung to her legs, hinting at the strength and agility honed in the Oerwoud's embrace. Her feet were clad in a pair of well-loved leather boots, their soles etched with the stories of countless miles traveled.
Her face, though still bearing the familiar lines of determination, was etched with a new depth, a quiet wisdom gleaned from years of solitude and introspection.
[say]"I know I haven't been around. I know I let you down. I let myself down. I can't change the past,"[/say] she said, her voice firm but laced with a touch of sadness, [say]"but I can fight for the future. For Milo, for Torchline, for all those who are suffering. I won't stand aside any longer."[/say]
The thought of standing idly by, while the darkness spread its tendrils across the land, while shit just kept happening to the world, was unbearable. A familiar fire ignited within her - not the destructive rage of her past, but a righteous flame fueled by a sense of duty and a longing to honor Milo's memory.
RE: A Changed World - Jack - 08-09-2024
Jack doesn't respond to Aurelia, because there's no use wasting words on I knows and you're rights. It has been a while. It has been too long. She hasn't been around, and she has let him down. Looking her up and down as if noting the marks of her absence and her travels but saying nothing of them, as her thoughts turn the pale indigo of virtuous, of making the most of now and stopping whatever horrors are scraping along the horizon, he can't help himself.
He laughs.
[say]"I'm sorry,"[/say] he says gruffly, glancing briefly over his shoulder as if believing she must be talking to someone else, [say]"you know this is The Ark, right? You... you know this ain't the Dragoons, or some warship or rescue dinghy?"[/say] There's no other reason for her to be talking about fighting for the future or for all those who are suffering.
Jack doesn't give a fuck about that. Let them suffer - he's only interested in what's in it for him.
[say]"Were you expectin' applause or somethin'?"[/say] he asks with another tilt of his head. It's the only thing that explains the audacity. [say]"A warm welcome? This ain't some vacation you've been gone for. A war happened. Fuck gives you the right to swan onto my ship and demand to speak with me?"[/say]
RE: A Changed World - Aurelia - 08-09-2024
Aurelia swallowed back the words that clawed at her throat, the apologies and regrets that threatened to spill forth. She knew Jack too well. Laying her heart bare, confessing her guilt and remorse, would only be met with indifference. His world revolved around self-interest, a harsh reality she had accepted long ago. Yet, a stubborn loyalty still burned within her, a debt owed to the kindness he had shown her in those early, bewildering days in Caido.
She remembered the Ark's embrace, the first taste of belonging after a lifetime of isolation and hardship. She remembered Jack's gruff but genuine welcome, the hammock slung beneath the deck that had become her sanctuary. These memories, etched deep within her soul, whispered of a bond that transcended mere transaction.
[say]"I know I messed up, Jack,"[/say] she began, her voice a low, steady flame. [say]"I left, and I didn't come back when you needed me."[/say] The admission hung heavy in the air, a confession she couldn't take back. [say]"But I'm here now,"[/say] she continued, her gaze unwavering.
Her words carried a weight of conviction, a promise. [say] "I understand I have a debt to repay, Jack. But let me earn my place back. I'm offering my loyalty, my skills, my everything. There must be something I can do to help. Let me prove to you that I'm here for the long haul. Just tell me what needs to be done."[/say]
RE: A Changed World - Jack - 08-09-2024
That's the thing about bonds though, isn't it? They can fray and snap under pressure, and after five years (legit, wtf), a war, and almost every connection he's ever made going down with it, these days it's just Jack, the ship, and Melita when she's around and not being Ludo's menace. (Well, recently it's also been a lot of Flora, the Doubletake's presence acting as a springboard for a lot of first times and a few throwbacks, but it's not enough to welcome Aurelia back with open arms).
[say]"I made you first mate,"[/say] he grates out, as if she might have forgotten that much, forgotten that it goes so far beyond the washed out, generic platitudes of messing up and wanting to make up for it. [say]"And that was after you fucked off the first time."[/say] After she returned as Torchline's QuEeN, a title that has now passed on to someone far more deserving in the captain's opinion.
[say]"What needs to be done is you gettin' the fuck off my ship,"[/say] he tells her curtly. [say]"I got nothin' to offer you, no olive branches to give. Your loyalty means fuck all, your skills are rusty, an' your everythin' ain't enough. Go beg at someone else's door - mine's closed."[/say]
RE: A Changed World - Aurelia - 08-09-2024
A heavy silence descended upon the deck, broken only by the mournful cry of a distant seagull and the gentle sway of the ship. Aurelia's gaze remained locked with Jack's, her expression a mask of carefully controlled emotions. The sting of his rejection throbbed beneath the surface, a raw reminder of the chasm that had grown between them in her absence.
[say]"I understand your anger, Jack,"[/say] she finally spoke, her voice low, [say]"I deserve it. I made a mistake, a grave one, and I've lived with the consequences every day since."[/say]
Jack's expression remained unchanged, a mask of stoic indifference. Aurelia's heart sank, the weight of his rejection pressing down on her.
With a slow, deliberate nod, she turned and walked away. Her steps were measured, her back straight, her shoulders squared. The familiar creak of the gangplank beneath her boots echoed the hollow ache in her chest.
Aurelia refused to let it break her. She had returned to Torchline with a purpose, a burning desire to make amends and fight for a better future. She would find another way, another path, to fulfill that promise. The journey ahead might be lonely, but she was no stranger to solitude.
As she reached the bustling docks, she paused, her gaze lingering on the scarlet sails of the Ark, a bittersweet reminder of the home she had once found, the bond she had broken. But there was no hesitation in her stride as she turned and walked away, disappearing into the labyrinthine alleys of Kaiholo Port.
---
[fin]