OPEN ☁ january catch-all

[weatherscience]

Who: nami & YOU
When: early january
Where: around the city, purramid and the coven
What: nami works at purramid, trains at the coven, despairs with gardening and introduces her crewmate to people
Warnings: n/a so far

i. snowglobes and cafes ; purramid

a. [ it's not a bad job to have, by any means — being a barista is easy, dealing with customers is easy, and the pay is not bad. and the kittens are cute, of course!

one day, she brings something with her to work; a snowglobe that she sets at one of the counters, out of the way enough to not disturb the work, but close enough that she can see it during the days. inside the snowglobe, there's ocean waves crashing on its insides, as a ship with a lion's head at its front and a skull with a straw hat on it painted on its sails fights against the waves. all around it, snow keeps falling slowly. ]

b. [ when she's not taking a break with petting kittens, nami is actually, you know, doing her job as a barista. when a customer approaches her, she greets them with a beaming smile and, ]

Hi, what can I get you?

[ or, if it happens to be someone she already knows, ] Oh, hey, it's you!

[ ... politeness really isn't a pirate's strength, okay. ]

ii. all about onigashima ; the coven

[ in her free time, nami still attends magic classes, but spends her time training both physical fighting skills as well as magical. this particular day, she can be found sitting in a large courtyard after practising; there's scorch marks all over the ground. nami twirls her clima-tact in her hand idly... and upon seeing someone else enter the courtyard, she says, ]

Hey... what do you think it takes to defeat a really, really large dragon?

[ not that she's going to be the one fighting kaido... but if she can get her friends any pointers at all, that'd be great. ]

iii. behave, garden! ; nami's house

[ should anyone walk past a small, unassuming house that nami calls home, here, they might see that a patch of the garden is kept warm with spells even during winter, and there a patch of vegetables grows... in relative peace.

"relative", because sometimes, the vegetables in question require some encouragement. ]

Oi, stop that! You're supposed to be growing, not running around! Tangerine, stop chasing them!!

[ neither nami's sheep-like cauliflowers nor her cat seem to listen to her at all, running around her in a circle. eventually, she just sits down and sighs, leaning her chin on her hand. ]

Haaaahh.... I'm really not made to be a farmer.

iv. have you met sanji-kun? ; around the city ( note: responses come from both nami and sanji! )

[ whereas some months ago, nami would be seen on her own most of the time, nowadays it's not too rare to spot her accompanied by a slim, blonde man with a notably curly eyebrow. she bosses him around mercilessly, more often than not making him carry all the bags from their shopping trips... not that he seems to mind too much.

but should anyone run into them as they're out and about, especially if it's someone nami already knows, she's quick to greet them with a grin and a wave. ]

Hi! It's good to see you! Ah — [ then, glancing at her companion, ] This is Sanji-kun, our crew's cook! [ and from the bright, bright smile on her face, it's easy to see she's glad she's no longer the only straw hat in this world. ]

v. wildcard

[ you know what to do! hit me up, or pm me here or on plurk @ celen to plan for something specific! ]

Comments

[notbert]

[Well, 'Ardbert' certainly looks surprised. Elidibus is going to ignore the fact that 'huger' isn't really a word. Probably. Mortals are constantly changing the way they speak. So it probably is a word, to her reckoning. It would be rude to point out otherwise.]

The dragons here are of that size as well? [Nami hasn't clarified WHERE this 'Kaido' person is, after all. Nevertheless after the initial surprise over the thought of something the size of Midgardsormr here- is Lahabrea going to get that big too?- the warrior takes a moment to think on strategy.]

I guess it's going to depend on what you have available. I haven't seen any counter-dragon artillery here, yet. But even hardened scales must have joints or imperfections. The eyes and mouth and wings, should your dragon have them, would certainly possess less protection than the body.

[Elidibus studies Nami, taking note of any signs she shows of her state of mind. She certainly is distressed over the matter of this 'Kaido'. With a serious tone, he offers a few words on that as well.]

Be frightened, I won't tell you otherwise. But it will be up to you whether that fear keeps you from the battle and hinders your allies. Or if you will stand together with your comrades and use your fear as a reminder of what's at stake, should you and they suffer defeat.

[weatherscience]

Ah, it's all happening back home in the country of Wano...

[ so at least they don't have to worry about kaido here, which is something.

she nods to his words; she supposes luffy's haki will work as anti-dragon artillery, at least in a way.

at that last, encouraging note, she smiles... and shakes her head a little. ]

Oh, I'll be fighting other members of his crew! If I try to fight Kaido directly, I'll just get in my captain's way. But even if I'm not the one going to fight him... the Akazaya samurai will, Luffy and Zoro and the other captains will, so if I can find out anything of use to them, I will!

[notbert]

I see.

[This doesn't mean dragons don't get that big here. Just that this issue isn't immediately relevant to Aefenglom. Unless this 'Kaido' walks out of the Looking-Glass House as a Mirrorbound dragon. Elidibus relaxes a little. Listening further to what Nami says, recognition dawns on his expression.]

So it is to be an assault with an alliance, then.

[Multiple captains, various smaller 'full groups' handling other parts of the battle. Well it sounds similar enough. He offers an apologetic grin.]

And it sounds like you have a good grasp of your role in the battle to come. But I'm afraid I can't be much help, knowing far too little of your world and what you would be likely to encounter in such a battle.

[Even Elidibus might be surprised if he were to learn about Devil Fruits. That aside, he concludes.]

I can only offer experience. And in time, as I learn this world's magic, I believe that could be beneficial.

[It's clearly not 'you're a girl!' or 'you lack the muscles of a warrior' that makes Elidibus so sure, though he had given Nami a looking over. He simply seems confident that whatever experience he has, it will benefit the woman.]

and finally i'm back from an unannounced 2-week hiatus... sorry

[weatherscience]

[ she laughs a little sheepishly as she nods; yeah, she sure knows what she can and can't do... but when he offers his experience as a help, nami grins, not seeming offended the least. ]

Any help at all is great! Thanks in advance, mister!

[ if he can offer even just some ideas, tricks for what to try... anything is useful. and those she can use to help her nakama. ]

look, sometimes you just get isekai'd without warning. It happens. And welcome back!

[notbert]

[Elidibus is definitely a mountain full of tricks. What he plans on sharing remains to be seen.]

If you insist on thanking me before anything is given, then you're welcome.

[He spares a faint smile. Surely what he offers will be worth such naive gratitude! Right?]

You may call me Ardbert. Might I inquire as to your name?

that's true lmao! thank youuu <3

[weatherscience]

It's nice to meet you, Ardbert!

[ she smiles at him, brightly, nodding. ]

I suppose you can! [ and because it's nami, she props her hand on her hip and says, with utmost cheer, ]

I'm Nami, the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates!

[notbert]

Pirates, is it? [Well, he doesn't seem alarmed or anything. Interested, perhaps. But at least open to the possibility.]

Well, Nami. I believe all that remains is to choose when you wish to begin and where it should happen.

[Elidibus... or 'Ardbert' as he claims, takes a moment to think.]

I have matters to attend today, so I would not have much time currently. But I can offer you the means to contact me through the watches, if you've a mind.

[weatherscience]

Hm... what about next week? I'm not sure about the where, what's a good place? Here? Somewhere else? My house isn't really that big and I'm definitely not going to accidentally set it on fire!

[ .... said like someone who has definitely set a house on fire by accident before. ]

That's a good idea! I can send you a message when it's a good time and we can decide where to meet!

[notbert]

[Elidibus will not judge you for setting your own house on fire Nami. He definitely will recognize you have Learned a Lesson about it and approve.]

There's merit in taking the time to investigate options before coming to a decision when the opportunity allows. [Elidibus has had this platform for well over ten thousand years. It's not going to change any time soon.]

When I have a better grasp of my upcoming schedule, I will contact you. Let me know if there are any changes.

[He draws out his watch as he's saying this. Not so much as a need to check his own identification as to record Nami's when given. Naturally, he'll give his own contact. Of course, it is labeled 'ardbert'. Because wouldn't that have given up the game if he'd used his real identity there?

Wait, well that probably mostly applies to those from his world(s). But that's a small nuance.]