steepwithdead | Folkmore

[Caduceus merely smiles at the anecdote comment. Live long enough and you gather plenty of weird stories. He's still relatively young for a firbolg, even. He wonders what Leo would think of stories told by his parents or aunt.

He listens to the rest, attentive, curious. He's always liked hearing about relationships of others, whether they need advice or simply wish to share. It's so interesting to him, the way many things he's never experienced can be interesting. A fascinating tale of a world he doesn't know and has no longing for, but can indulge in the imagery for a while.]

I'm sorry for your loss, and that it had to end that way. No matter how a loved one passes, it always seems to feel too soon, too unfair. But I'm glad it at least doesn't make you regret the experience.

[He shrugs gently at the condolences. Not brushing it off like he would if anyone else tried the sentiment. There is no bluster about being fine.] We knew it the risks, for that mission, for being together, but, it doesn't change that I'd still loved him. I wish things had been different, but I know you can't change the past.

Let me, tell you a better story. Anecdote for anecdote. [He doesn't want to dwell on Usagi's death.]

After we settled down for the night, I asked him a question, 'Are you sure about this, Usagi? I kind of have a lot of baggage.' He was half asleep, but trying to stay awake to talk.

He reached out to pat my arm a bit too hard and said with no hesitation, 'And one arm to carry it all, wow.' I laughed loudly enough that he fell out of bed and hit his head. I had to carry him to medical, and we were laughing like idiots the entire time.

[Caduceus hums as he finishes, thoughtful and appreciative. Yeah, that's the kind of story he likes to hear.]

Good. That's really good. Those are the sorts of memories you should cherish- the kind I'm sure he'd want you to carry, far more than how it ended. It sounds like he really loved you, too.

[He can imagine his parents having that kind of silly conversation- he's heard similar hundreds of times over the years. The void of it, the silence in their household as so many conversations were as missing as the family members who used to bring it to life, was practically deafening. But he never forgot the shape of them.]

I try to think about that, the good parts, the fact he loved me. I want to think about that more than his death.

[He releases a slow sigh, his attention drifting between Caduceus and the meal cooking on the stove top across from them.] Got any more anecdotes? I feel like I talk too much about my issues, and I don't hear you enough.

Hmm...

[Good question. He's used to not talking about himself too much, everyone else just has so much more to say, and he's a good listener. His life here especially, and back home, was for the most part mundane and would be quite dull to those who lead exciting lives. Plenty of adventuring stories, though.]

Nothing on-topic, but if you don't mind veering off, let's see. Have you met many pirates?

When I was younger, I met a handful. My memory is a little foggy on it these days. [He starts to brighten a little, happy to just chatter with the other man.] Do you know a lot of pirates? Go seafaring?

I'll have you know I am, in fact, a certified pirate. I sailed under the fearsome Captain Tusktooth, on a ship named something I hesitate to repeat in polite company.

Oho, a certified pirate, huh? What haven't you gotten up to? [He is definitely picturing Caduceus in a pirate outfit. Leonardo has to stop himself from getting carried away with the amount of eye patches the firbolg is wearing.] Thankfully, you're not in polite company, so you can tell me, if you dare.

Edited 2025-11-03 05:28 (UTC)

Hmm. [Well, if he insists.] It was called the Balleater.

[That does a very good job of making Leonardo laugh.] Balleater- now that is a name.

Did it live up to the name? I can guess you probably made a few other pirates regret their life choices.

Edited 2025-11-03 16:21 (UTC)

I would say it did, just... in an unexpected way. [In that their captain kept absorbing magic balls into his body.] And people often regret their life choices around the Mighty Nein.

[Fellas is it homoerotic if your captain is absorbing balls into his body-]

Dare I ask, or is this best to leave be? [The turtle can at least respect privacy, even if he loves a good story.] What kind of chaos did you all get into?

I'm not sure how I'd begin to explain it, so best let it be for now. [Or maybe forever. It's another "this is not my story" thing, that happens a lot. Because lots of things happen to the other members of the Nein, unfortunately.] We stole our first ship, got captured and allied with another pirate, mutineered against her because she was mutineering against the Plank King - king of pirates, that's a thing - were banished from their secret pirate island in under a day...

[Just to list a few.]

[He's distracted from the first part fairly easily. Fjord and his balls are free from turtle curiosity.] Okay, I can't ever underestimate what you get into now.

Why did you guys steal a ship? You worked with someone who captured you...? Secret Pirate island?

Edited 2025-11-04 04:29 (UTC)

I'm not entirely clear on the ship-stealing part, I was out of earshot for a lot of it. We were following some pirates, and were spotted, and peaceful negotiation failed. Then the fight drew the attention of some guards, and things got very out of hand... the best escape route was to just sail away on their ship. It wasn't a very good night, admittedly. Poor choices were made.

[One thing at a time.]

[One at a time is for the best, given the layers present.] I... yeah, a lot of poor choices.

[The out of earshot aspect does make Leonardo pause for a second.] Please tell me you were on the ship when they left? Not like captured by guards?

[Oh, Leonardo. Oh no. You scratched his ocean salt.

Dryly:]

Neither of those are true.

[Little did he know-]

....Wait, you weren't on the ship? [He just needs a second to parse that out.]

I wasn't. I had to swim to catch up.

Excuse me? [His flabbers have been ghasted. Leonardo needs a second to pull his thoughts together.] They didn't even try to slow the ship to get you or...?

I was new to the group, and things happened very quickly. I'm not sure they remembered where I was.

[It was... a very weird day.]

In fairness to them, it does take a while for a ship to pick up speed. They weren't too far from the harbour before I reached it.

[There is a little judgment there, but Leonardo can amend he doesn't know the circumstances to say much.]

Fair enough. I'm not exactly a boat-faring guy, but, yeesh. The situation sounds messy. I'm glad you caught up. If it were me, I would've had a couple of thoughts about going home by then.

Oh, I had a couple. And then a couple more. But we were too far out to sea to turn back and drop me off again, so I had some time to settle.

[He releases a little laugh at that, arching an eye ridge at Caduceus.] Ah, the cope or else method. Not my favorite method, but, it does the trick when you have nothing else.

"Cope or else" is the acclimation method for the Mighty Nein, I'm afraid.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject