[RP Log] Two Men & A Wrinkly Old Lady (Gaara, Chiyo & Sai)
Character(s): Gaara, Chiyo & Sai
Date: Summer
Setting: Murky Swamp
Summary: Gaara and Sai head out to see Chiyo to retrieve something important from her
Warning(s): Ummm Nothing except vomit
No colour coordination mwahahahahaha because I'm lazy
He must have been seriously insane to venture as far as he had, to find himself drifting along the humid dim bog lands just west of his small sanctuary he had made his kingdom. It was not often Gaara had been so bold as to come and see the one hidden in it's dark gloomy depths for something he needed and wanted to learn more about. His eyes glanced down to the open palm of his hand, studying the image painted across the warn, near fabricated paper of some kind of snake or scaly best from the far East he had occasionally found in his numerous books of the oriental world. With a blank stare, shifting to the boy sitting straight across from him, pacing the fabric back under his coat, and swiftly glanced around.
The small hut was coming more into view, the wooden legs suspended the small shack just above the thick, near black waters below. The smell, it stunk like mossy thick mud and the pungent smell of decay wafting up in a heavy mist filling his lungs with the feel of disgusting coat of potent toxic goo collecting in a thin layer against the inner walls of his esophagus and chest. Drawing a fist to his mouth, he coughed into it as the spray clung in a in beads against his gritty skin (thanks to this unkind environment) and turned a narrow gaze upward to the faint light of the candles lighting a way to the ratty old wooden door, and the flicker of the dim fire bouncing off the walls from the inside, clearly seen from the soot covered pains of glass.
"Lets go." Gesturing a flick of his head upward to the dark haired boy, meant for he and he alone to follow leaving the others behind to mind the small vessel they had used to enter the thick bog lands.
Gaara could have added the pungent smell of vomit to that equation with the smells of the area getting to the young slave, leaning over the edge of the boat expelling what could have been his lunch... or maybe breakfast, there was a few unidentified pieces in there, into the water proving that it wasn't only the open sea that he couldn't stomach but more of a motion sickness of any vessel upon water. Then again it was quite foul around there and he had smelt bad before, this was nothing he had ever experienced in his short life.
"Are we there yet?" the pale boy groaned, flopping his head down on the closest thing around while happened to be the lap of a not too happy crew man who wasn't enjoying the boy's filthy bile covered lips near his crotch. That would take months to get the smell out but for now he was serving the purpose of a pillow resting his weary head until it was able to rise again on its own.
Time passed bringing their journey closer to a more steady stop which the land lover would thoroughly enjoy, dark eyes cracked open blurred in tan material still in the position he had last remembered himself to be in, wiping away the last of the mess dried to his face. "Okay" he nodded pushing to his unsteady feet almost bounding onto land but stumbling part of the way onto weathered wooden planks that were almost the colour of what he had left behind in the marsh earlier. Sweet land how he liked it. It didn't move.
Not exactly land, but it was close enough as the light sound of Gaara's boots hit against the brittle wooded planks half expecting to break straight through and be lost to whatever lingered beneath the pitch black surface of the abyss. It was a rather amusing sight to say the least, watching Sai yak up everything he had eaten that day to the light sway of the boat rocking back and forth, something else to see someone react so violently to the motion Gaara had lived his whole life. "You shouldn't waste food like that." He stated casting a glance over his shoulder just in time to see the dark haired boy whip away the reminisce of what had come up.
Turning his nose upward to the less than safe path from the small platform up the steps to the front door, he left a relaxed breath pass his lips in contempt he made the right chose in coming. He had not been here in ages, yet whenever the need was requested of the ol' bat, she deliver as annoyingly senile as she was. It was only the sheer torture of sitting through on of those telling when she near every time had brought up a love that would dawn in the future one he would not bare to loose with long jet black hair light the midnight sky in the pitch of the darkness, one he would give up his life for a moment to be with. Earning her a low grunt and curl of the young Captains lip, when he had known the truth already the description matching him exactly, the Commander had been far from a normal relationship though there was still a hidden tenderness held in the usual stone hearted boy and even now his thoughts would occasionally drift in wonder to what he had been doing at that very moment, was he thinking of him as well? But how could such things be true, when both come from two different worlds when one is set out to kill the other and the other set out to survive as best they can [as such, killing and stealing was necessary]. Bu there was no time for such things now, for now there were more important matter to tend to having this new clue in his possession he had really should have asked questions before killing the one standing in his way, protecting it like it was some kind of priceless loom. That merchant ship from China hadn't seen their fate coming until it was far too late.
A light push was all that was needed in hearing the light creek of the old door open, and he stepped into the small clutter shack fanning a glance around the room at the jars upon jars of animal body parts, what looked like human eyeballs and tilting his head to be sure that was not some ones full set of digits submerged in the misty yellowish solution. God this woman was nuts sometimes.
He was not wasting food, in fact he was helping the ecological development of the under privileges fish that couldn't get a decent feed from the algae that lived on the surface of rocks inside the lake, instead giving them the nutritional needs of burly instead. But he would have to be mindful of his churning stomach in the future knowing that it displeased his master to do such actions, if his body would comply to that was another thing. Still he was on solid ground now so it didn't matter, walking a few steps behind looking around at every little thing in sight wanting to take in everything that was around no matter how bad it smelled, a new experience was something he seemed to be having every time he went out with the pirate captain but what awaited here baffled him.
It couldn't be good, or maybe some kind of sea creature that could talk. Did sea creatures talk? They like to bite him or the fresh water variety did but given the disgusting bottles and jars that looked like whoever inhabited there was slaughtering people and keeping their body parts, they didn't look to be very nice people. Still Sai kept quiet about it, instead investigating with a sideways shuffle over to one of the jars, picking it up shaking around the murky liquid examining the floating particles waiting for them to do something. Nothing really just bobbing around so instead he shook harder. Any minute now they would explode.... that might not have been good to do that either.
"Sai...." Gaara casted a glance over his shoulder to the sloshing sound of the shaking with a narrow glare, to silently tell the boy to put it back and don't touch anything further. Chiyo-ba does not take kindly to those who are untrusting and patently could take her precious ingredients without asking. As the cynical blood thirsty captain had found out the last time he had visited the old fortune telling coot. Making his way in slowly, eyes glancing around the small dirty dim shack he took his place on one of the unsteady chairs at the 'kitchen' table with hands kept on his lap awaiting for the soon arrival of this damn woman so bent on making an entrance, not like there were many places she could really be...this place was a hut, a beat up tree house....God, how can someone live like this really. He curled his nose, suppressing the wafting scent of the most recent brew of ...'whatever' she had started on the table and just left for a later time.
His childish shaking stopped looking over at the call of his name knowing exactly what he was implying without the use of so much words, placing the jar back onto the shelves on where he had found it, twirling it back to the position it had been in originally leaving no trace of him behind except for the smudged oily fingerprints and cloudy liquid of the abrupt movement. So his attention span wasn't longer than a few moments, standing around with nothing to do was not what he was accustomed to given that he was always worked to the bone in physical activity to keep his mind idle or else he was wanting to learn more about things that he could never have experienced. Floating eyeballs was something like that.
"Are we here to stand all day?" he mumbled, still unable to stop his wandering eyes at whatever voodoo was going on there. Unless it was something of food then he was not happy with the items on hand and he doubted that the tropical fruit he had grown quite and addiction to would not be in such a place. Maybe leeches but not coconuts. "I'm bored" he stated flatly, speaking his mind for whatever reason they were just there in the land of uninteresting things.
"OH HO! Bored you say?..." Came a eerie cackle from behind the stings of what looked like garlic dangling from the rafters above to cover the open door was leading into the small type 'kitchen'. Reaching a bony frail hand out making a narrow path between the curtain to slip between taking her into view of her most recent visitors. Stopping her squinting gaze to the young boy looking rather lost in his means, with a bright near toothless smile she spoke in pure delight." OHHH not only one cute young man to come and see me but two! Captain you are too kind to offer him up as payment!" He moved swiftly, her feet creaking along the tapered wooden planks of the floor until her skeleton like hand lashed out and gripped tight around Sais' wrist tugging him down to her shorter height.
"He smells ...nice." She spoke with a slight crack in her tone with an evil smile painted her face like a demon ready to devour the soul with one swipe.
"Chiyo-ba." Gaara stated blankly, closing his dark lids over in annoyance not bothering to even glance over at the obvious distress Sai was being placed in at this very moment, or was he? Honestly you couldn't really tell with him as he always seemed so expressionless as Gaara was, but in a more innocent of ways. A low grunt rumbled against his chest as he spoke." He is not your payment, unless he wishes to be." He followed with a grin, leaning back in the fragile chair and opening his eye just a crack to monitor the situation.
Of course Gaara would not give him up just like that, there had been a strong connection he found in Sai that no one else could offer and for that reason, the bond would not be broken so easily, pirate or not. A friend was a friend, even if Sai really could not understand the concept, nor could Gaara. But calmness in his stupidity followed only tamed the dormant beast that rest inside this cynical young man. Instead he tossed a leather pouch to an open area on the table with a small thud. Things he had collected over the Caribbean as he traveled his way though, plucking and saving certain things the old bat would enjoy experimenting with, having new ingredients to play with from merchant ships passing through into their waters from all over the map.
The granny smelt like she had no idea to the meaning of personal hygiene and he was getting an up close and personal whiff of how ghastly it was, except he was standing firm waiting to be told on what he was meant to do. Besides she wasn't that strong, he could easily break out of her hold. "Is everything on your body sagging down to your knees?" he asked about her senile appearance, reaching forward with the free hand to poke at her jowls watching them flap back and forth. It was more than disgusting to see that, he didn't want to stay here to be a slave to her, having to wash whatever unknown particles from between the skin flaps while she cooed him with words about how cute his innocent youth was.
If Gaara wished for him to go with her then he would have, being passed off was nothing uncommon for him which was why he was now in this current predicament, shifted from one Pirate Lord down to a Pirate Captain as payment for his hard efforts at Port Royal, this one would just be a bit more... gross. But he could get used to the smell eventually and she looked like she was going to die soon so it wouldn't be that much to deal with. Only then he would be left by himself without coconuts... his world would be doomed.
"You tease an old lady Captain, you think twice about setting foot in my home without aliquot payment.... unless you plan on giving my yourself instead!" A hearty cackle cut through the heavy silent air like knife dicing through the soft flesh of men, her nature had meant well but what is to say she could not have payment for her solid efforts especially when she had so graciously helped the young pirate captain when ever he was in need. In need indeed!
She waddled back to her place across from the red head, taking her seat in front of the charts and ignoring the fact the idiot boy had outwardly displayed his disgust for her loose floppy skin of her arms. It comes with age that moron will know the day when he experiences father time himself. Mumbling under her breath, digging through the small pouch with a light chuckle to the goodies brought as her real payment, using her other hand to swipe aside the brew she had been working on before they had arrived. Clearing a space to work she finally turned her dark eyes to the lad of fire red locks, cold aqua eyes and the cursed mark that branded him throughout the seas stretching as far as China, so they say.
"Have you found truth in my tells boy?" she smirked knowing the subject circulating the last prediction was vague at best, leaving the young red head as confused as when he had arrived. Possibly earning a low sort of utter annoyance she pressed forward in an innocent mocking. "OH HO! YOU HAVE!!! THAT A BOY!"
A low growl and a solid hammer of his hand slamming flat against the star charts, creating a loud shudder of everything loose occupying the frail surface. "What is this." He replied calmly, with a light quiver of anger practically leaking like venom from his voice. He honestly had little time for such foolishness when something of greater importance could be awaiting him, as the ol' man he had swiped the strange drawing and pictured writing from off the merchant ship crossing the Atlantic whom fortunately had the pleasure of crossing lines with Captain Sabaku.
The babbling and crying had done enough for the short temper to do do away with in a matter of a swift slice of his blade tearing through the tender flesh from neck. Now, he really should have waited and he wouldn't have found himself in such a place yet again in asking this old damn bog coot for help.
As usual, Sai was left completely in the dark of what was going on and why they were speaking so familiar to each other. A note never to get involved with the personal lives of his masters just to sit back, do what they say and be ignorant of everything around him unless otherwise stated and he was certainly doing just that. Shifting over to the side of his master and away from the stench oozing from every pour of that vile women, he rather be at the side of someone who was unhappy than someone that looked like they wanted to stick him in the cooking pot to gradually broil his body so the tender meat would fall away from the bone, providing her with a feast that would last a week. Maybe less, he was just skin and tough overworked meat.
"Are you sure you want to be chasing after such things boy?" He cooed, reaching a bony hand blindly to the leather sack of goodies brought for her pleasurable enjoyment. A smile played her features as the goop of wrinkles had folded and toppled over against the many layers of extra skin left over from years upon years of aging, the near toothless grin almost wicked and sinister was only accompanied but a deep eerie chuckle. A withered tongue grazed along the length of her curled in bottom lip as she continued to study the small cloth with strange markings. The small pads of her thin fingers brushed along the faded image mumbling nonsense under her breath, a chant of some kind to tap into the unknown realm of that where she would find her answers.
"To the North east an Island of sand and rock hold home to a relic of power untouched by man in over one hundred years." Her tone was low, and pitch was foreign to those who had not heard her spiritual trance would find it somewhat disturbing. "To control the uncontrollable, to tame nature in the palm of ones hands. The mark of this beast." Pausing a brief moment, a harsh slam of her palm rattled the fragile table and the floor beneath it.
Of course Gaara had been able to pick out a few of the pictured designs of the lettering, having come across those in his books from time to time and even having the opportunity to flex some of his skill with one from the mother land herself, amazing how one could think she better when knowing 5 accents in one language. Pathetic and useless. He snorted cocking his cheek sharply to the side, pale eyes catching a brief glance of the young man to his side staring up at him curiously for a moment before turning back to the old coots warning words.
All else had been blocked from his mind but the word 'power', not only that but something that would grant so much to someone such as Gaara would mean more than the Title of Pirate lord, to rule over them all with an iron fist. To have anything and everything he wanted with a wave of his hand. But the exact knowledge of what the ancient relic was said to hold was unknown, and it was obvious he was not about to get a clear answer from Chiyo-ba.
"Look for the symbol, boy and it will guide you to the answers." she continued, lifting her pitch black eyes to the young red head sitting directly across from her noting that all too familiar smug little smirk of his. honestly that brat had a lot more nerve than any she had ever come across, it was a wonder how one so young could be and cynical and blood crazed as he was said to be. That smile was like his open book, the pages let to read every last detail and exposing everything he dare not speak of himself for fear of falling weak to those who would step to suppress him. Interesting lad to say the least.
"Mind the fengfuang, you will come face to face. Can you prepare yourself for the power that will hold over you?" He playful smile and she placed an elbow to the table and rested her cheek in her palm turning a sly look up at the dark haired boy. "Why don't you leave him, Gaara. I will give him a good home here."
Curling his lip in a snarl at her accusation, fengfuang? It was not a word he had heard before, nor will he spare the time to search as anything, or any one to get in his path for this greater treasure would surly meet the end of his blade with their lives. With a quick lash of his hand swiping up the tapered cloth with a harsh tug, stuffing it back into the folds of his coat with a narrow unforgiving glare.
"He is not mine to give, Sai is his own person. If he wishes to stay he will. " He barked lifting himself from the chair, the legs scrapping along the rotting wooden planks as he breezed by the taller boy. "I gave you your payment, now be contempt with THAT. Sai, make up your mind." He turned to make his leave.
Fumbling around with the bottles he had decided to check out again thinking that it was so more enthralling than the conversation between the two of them, the sounds of glass clanked around rattling being put back into place ready for another nights meal for her. Seriously if she was eating that stuff then her breath would be rotten but that might have explained why most of her teeth were missing. But how she got that hair on her upper lip would perplex him for a good hour or so wondering of the possibilities of a half women half ape creature walking around that enjoyed passing the time with molesting little boys so she could feel young again. Not that the foul word was in his vocabulary at all, granny with the sagging breasts would now be what she would be commonly known to him.
"I will stay if my master commands me to" he replied firmly, spinning around watching the young male leave him, hanging his head slightly thinking that he was indeed going to be passed off again. Free will wasn't something he was accustomed to, being not of a slave but his own man was even worse that he had no idea what to do with himself but in his eyes, he was still that dirty teenager that was sold or bartered to others. Looks like he really didn't have friends. They all wanted to be rid of him.
There was a sharp pain in his chest that he didn't know what it was, never had he felt like this before so he didn't know how to react, tapping on the hollow cage to make it stop in case it was something bad. "Don't you want me because you have that Navy guy?" he mumbled, kicking at the floor arching up the thick sediment of dust into the air. What he believed were friends were leaving him again, Kisame got rid of him because that Navy Commander was after him and now Gaara was leaving him because that same man made him not so grumpy and caused strange mewls from his room behind closed doors. He only caused trouble for everyone, no wonder they hated him.
"Navy guy?" Deep black beady eyes granted full attention to the exiting red head, a frown of concern had darted between the two boys for a brief moment before turning back to the celestial chart mapped out under her elbow. The wrinkled pad of her finger traced along the orbit lines that had been burnt into the old board that had been the item of success for all who had come to see her. Navy guy?.... She repeated again and again in her head as the intense narrow glare down had widened into a slight shock. "....GAA..."
"MOVE IT SAI!" He turned with a snarl, lashing out to grasp the idiot boy by the scruff of the neck dragging him along behind. Moron can't even make a simple obvious decision on his own, why does he need others to make them for him ALL the time?... His rising fury had only blocked out the babbling nonsense of the old woman yelling back at him over something she had no doubt discovered about his personal life that he had not wished to share with the likes of her. It was none of her business after all, her only job was to do what she was told as long as the right payment was made and that had already been done.
Forcing the younger boy into the boat yet again, following with a leap causing the small vessel to rock back and forth on top of the [appeared] black liquids below. "Make the decision your self! I will not always be here to get you out of situations like that." He barked clenching his fist at the young boy before plopping down with a huff sitting opposite, crossing his arms in annoyance.
"OH HOOO! Looks like our little Captain had found himself a roadblock in the larger picture....or is it?" She mumbled, snickering lightly to herself as she waddled her way from the front door back to take her spot at the table once again. "The young master is playing with fire, but I wounder how he would feel if he stayed long enough to know that the one he longs for is no longer his enemy, but on the very same side. Not by choice, but still, it had been because of Gaara his valiant career had come to an end. And now.... HE...EH!.... Now stuck on a ship with anther how would you feel then, boy? Curious... very curious...."
With a light toss of the scattered shells and claws from different sea creatures landing in a distinct pattered over the board, the mumbling and rambling under her quivering tone had continued. Breaking into a heavy chuckle that echoed through the sheltered bog lands, between the rotting trees for all to hear her eerie cry of insanity for those brave enough to venture into her realm.
Most would have protested from being man handled so roughly, pulled around like a dog on a leash going wherever his master commanded him to was a common occurrence and most people would have been frightened by the escalating anger level rising in the young pirate captain but not him. Sai was immune to fear, such a emotion that he had never learnt to experience over his short years in this world, the face of danger did not speak up loudly when he was faced with it, instead he pulled himself back up to sitting after being tossed around like a rag doll into the boat, looking up at the irritated male with a tilt of his head. "I am a slave, I only do what is expected of me" he finally replied to him with a smile.
Now he might have made himself an enemy for life after revealing such secrets that might have been wanted to be kept in silence, forbidden love did not comprehend in his mind and he had admiration for Gaara no matter who he associated himself with but that one he didn't like at all. "Does this mean I'm not property of her now?" he continued to talk still not picking up on the danger lurking around of the wrath of an angry pirate especially someone who would have taken his life without a care to his end.
"Listen to me Sai, I will tell you this only once. You are NOT a slave anymore, you are FREE." Honestly it was getting to the point where it was much like babysitting a small child, and it was getting irritating to see someone such as Sai, someone he had felt a larger connection with than anyone on that quaint little Island of his. It frustrated him to no end to watch him wonder about with no clue without having someone tell him. "That woman does not own you, neither do I." He snapped with a grumble. "You are staying with me because you are....gah! forget it!"
He Turned in almost a pout to the side, his narrow glare fading off into the misty fog of the forest surrounding them, and a light grumble of irritation under his breath.
Completely ignorant of the people around him and well he wasn't reserved enough to really care to what they thought, Sai shifted from his position on the opposite side of the boat and sat down next to grumpy Gaara and rested his hands on his lap quietly. He had never heard him the first time when he had said it so this time it had really sunk in that he had been freed of the binds that held him there as a slave. Only issue was that he didn't know what to do with himself now, taking orders had been a part of his life and without it, he was even more clueless than before.
"My friend" he mumbled completing his sentence for him. Even if he didn't mean that to be the way it ended but he liked that ending. Gaara was his friend and he wouldn't give him up to any bag of wrinkles, he was keeping him around because he wanted him to be which was the first time ever than he truly felt needed and wanted.
A curious glance over at the concealed items obtained by the sagging down knees one, wondering what was hidden inside and would an adventure come out of it. An adventure on the open seas sounded so appealing to be out on the open waves again instead of the murky swamp, scouring the world for buried treasure and riches beyond your imagination. Not that riches interested him but following the rising pirate captain around the world seeking out what he was after did. He would be ready to help no matter what the circumstance was.
Date: Summer
Setting: Murky Swamp
Summary: Gaara and Sai head out to see Chiyo to retrieve something important from her
Warning(s): Ummm Nothing except vomit
No colour coordination mwahahahahaha because I'm lazy
He must have been seriously insane to venture as far as he had, to find himself drifting along the humid dim bog lands just west of his small sanctuary he had made his kingdom. It was not often Gaara had been so bold as to come and see the one hidden in it's dark gloomy depths for something he needed and wanted to learn more about. His eyes glanced down to the open palm of his hand, studying the image painted across the warn, near fabricated paper of some kind of snake or scaly best from the far East he had occasionally found in his numerous books of the oriental world. With a blank stare, shifting to the boy sitting straight across from him, pacing the fabric back under his coat, and swiftly glanced around.
The small hut was coming more into view, the wooden legs suspended the small shack just above the thick, near black waters below. The smell, it stunk like mossy thick mud and the pungent smell of decay wafting up in a heavy mist filling his lungs with the feel of disgusting coat of potent toxic goo collecting in a thin layer against the inner walls of his esophagus and chest. Drawing a fist to his mouth, he coughed into it as the spray clung in a in beads against his gritty skin (thanks to this unkind environment) and turned a narrow gaze upward to the faint light of the candles lighting a way to the ratty old wooden door, and the flicker of the dim fire bouncing off the walls from the inside, clearly seen from the soot covered pains of glass.
"Lets go." Gesturing a flick of his head upward to the dark haired boy, meant for he and he alone to follow leaving the others behind to mind the small vessel they had used to enter the thick bog lands.
Gaara could have added the pungent smell of vomit to that equation with the smells of the area getting to the young slave, leaning over the edge of the boat expelling what could have been his lunch... or maybe breakfast, there was a few unidentified pieces in there, into the water proving that it wasn't only the open sea that he couldn't stomach but more of a motion sickness of any vessel upon water. Then again it was quite foul around there and he had smelt bad before, this was nothing he had ever experienced in his short life.
"Are we there yet?" the pale boy groaned, flopping his head down on the closest thing around while happened to be the lap of a not too happy crew man who wasn't enjoying the boy's filthy bile covered lips near his crotch. That would take months to get the smell out but for now he was serving the purpose of a pillow resting his weary head until it was able to rise again on its own.
Time passed bringing their journey closer to a more steady stop which the land lover would thoroughly enjoy, dark eyes cracked open blurred in tan material still in the position he had last remembered himself to be in, wiping away the last of the mess dried to his face. "Okay" he nodded pushing to his unsteady feet almost bounding onto land but stumbling part of the way onto weathered wooden planks that were almost the colour of what he had left behind in the marsh earlier. Sweet land how he liked it. It didn't move.
Not exactly land, but it was close enough as the light sound of Gaara's boots hit against the brittle wooded planks half expecting to break straight through and be lost to whatever lingered beneath the pitch black surface of the abyss. It was a rather amusing sight to say the least, watching Sai yak up everything he had eaten that day to the light sway of the boat rocking back and forth, something else to see someone react so violently to the motion Gaara had lived his whole life. "You shouldn't waste food like that." He stated casting a glance over his shoulder just in time to see the dark haired boy whip away the reminisce of what had come up.
Turning his nose upward to the less than safe path from the small platform up the steps to the front door, he left a relaxed breath pass his lips in contempt he made the right chose in coming. He had not been here in ages, yet whenever the need was requested of the ol' bat, she deliver as annoyingly senile as she was. It was only the sheer torture of sitting through on of those telling when she near every time had brought up a love that would dawn in the future one he would not bare to loose with long jet black hair light the midnight sky in the pitch of the darkness, one he would give up his life for a moment to be with. Earning her a low grunt and curl of the young Captains lip, when he had known the truth already the description matching him exactly, the Commander had been far from a normal relationship though there was still a hidden tenderness held in the usual stone hearted boy and even now his thoughts would occasionally drift in wonder to what he had been doing at that very moment, was he thinking of him as well? But how could such things be true, when both come from two different worlds when one is set out to kill the other and the other set out to survive as best they can [as such, killing and stealing was necessary]. Bu there was no time for such things now, for now there were more important matter to tend to having this new clue in his possession he had really should have asked questions before killing the one standing in his way, protecting it like it was some kind of priceless loom. That merchant ship from China hadn't seen their fate coming until it was far too late.
A light push was all that was needed in hearing the light creek of the old door open, and he stepped into the small clutter shack fanning a glance around the room at the jars upon jars of animal body parts, what looked like human eyeballs and tilting his head to be sure that was not some ones full set of digits submerged in the misty yellowish solution. God this woman was nuts sometimes.
He was not wasting food, in fact he was helping the ecological development of the under privileges fish that couldn't get a decent feed from the algae that lived on the surface of rocks inside the lake, instead giving them the nutritional needs of burly instead. But he would have to be mindful of his churning stomach in the future knowing that it displeased his master to do such actions, if his body would comply to that was another thing. Still he was on solid ground now so it didn't matter, walking a few steps behind looking around at every little thing in sight wanting to take in everything that was around no matter how bad it smelled, a new experience was something he seemed to be having every time he went out with the pirate captain but what awaited here baffled him.
It couldn't be good, or maybe some kind of sea creature that could talk. Did sea creatures talk? They like to bite him or the fresh water variety did but given the disgusting bottles and jars that looked like whoever inhabited there was slaughtering people and keeping their body parts, they didn't look to be very nice people. Still Sai kept quiet about it, instead investigating with a sideways shuffle over to one of the jars, picking it up shaking around the murky liquid examining the floating particles waiting for them to do something. Nothing really just bobbing around so instead he shook harder. Any minute now they would explode.... that might not have been good to do that either.
"Sai...." Gaara casted a glance over his shoulder to the sloshing sound of the shaking with a narrow glare, to silently tell the boy to put it back and don't touch anything further. Chiyo-ba does not take kindly to those who are untrusting and patently could take her precious ingredients without asking. As the cynical blood thirsty captain had found out the last time he had visited the old fortune telling coot. Making his way in slowly, eyes glancing around the small dirty dim shack he took his place on one of the unsteady chairs at the 'kitchen' table with hands kept on his lap awaiting for the soon arrival of this damn woman so bent on making an entrance, not like there were many places she could really be...this place was a hut, a beat up tree house....God, how can someone live like this really. He curled his nose, suppressing the wafting scent of the most recent brew of ...'whatever' she had started on the table and just left for a later time.
His childish shaking stopped looking over at the call of his name knowing exactly what he was implying without the use of so much words, placing the jar back onto the shelves on where he had found it, twirling it back to the position it had been in originally leaving no trace of him behind except for the smudged oily fingerprints and cloudy liquid of the abrupt movement. So his attention span wasn't longer than a few moments, standing around with nothing to do was not what he was accustomed to given that he was always worked to the bone in physical activity to keep his mind idle or else he was wanting to learn more about things that he could never have experienced. Floating eyeballs was something like that.
"Are we here to stand all day?" he mumbled, still unable to stop his wandering eyes at whatever voodoo was going on there. Unless it was something of food then he was not happy with the items on hand and he doubted that the tropical fruit he had grown quite and addiction to would not be in such a place. Maybe leeches but not coconuts. "I'm bored" he stated flatly, speaking his mind for whatever reason they were just there in the land of uninteresting things.
"OH HO! Bored you say?..." Came a eerie cackle from behind the stings of what looked like garlic dangling from the rafters above to cover the open door was leading into the small type 'kitchen'. Reaching a bony frail hand out making a narrow path between the curtain to slip between taking her into view of her most recent visitors. Stopping her squinting gaze to the young boy looking rather lost in his means, with a bright near toothless smile she spoke in pure delight." OHHH not only one cute young man to come and see me but two! Captain you are too kind to offer him up as payment!" He moved swiftly, her feet creaking along the tapered wooden planks of the floor until her skeleton like hand lashed out and gripped tight around Sais' wrist tugging him down to her shorter height.
"He smells ...nice." She spoke with a slight crack in her tone with an evil smile painted her face like a demon ready to devour the soul with one swipe.
"Chiyo-ba." Gaara stated blankly, closing his dark lids over in annoyance not bothering to even glance over at the obvious distress Sai was being placed in at this very moment, or was he? Honestly you couldn't really tell with him as he always seemed so expressionless as Gaara was, but in a more innocent of ways. A low grunt rumbled against his chest as he spoke." He is not your payment, unless he wishes to be." He followed with a grin, leaning back in the fragile chair and opening his eye just a crack to monitor the situation.
Of course Gaara would not give him up just like that, there had been a strong connection he found in Sai that no one else could offer and for that reason, the bond would not be broken so easily, pirate or not. A friend was a friend, even if Sai really could not understand the concept, nor could Gaara. But calmness in his stupidity followed only tamed the dormant beast that rest inside this cynical young man. Instead he tossed a leather pouch to an open area on the table with a small thud. Things he had collected over the Caribbean as he traveled his way though, plucking and saving certain things the old bat would enjoy experimenting with, having new ingredients to play with from merchant ships passing through into their waters from all over the map.
The granny smelt like she had no idea to the meaning of personal hygiene and he was getting an up close and personal whiff of how ghastly it was, except he was standing firm waiting to be told on what he was meant to do. Besides she wasn't that strong, he could easily break out of her hold. "Is everything on your body sagging down to your knees?" he asked about her senile appearance, reaching forward with the free hand to poke at her jowls watching them flap back and forth. It was more than disgusting to see that, he didn't want to stay here to be a slave to her, having to wash whatever unknown particles from between the skin flaps while she cooed him with words about how cute his innocent youth was.
If Gaara wished for him to go with her then he would have, being passed off was nothing uncommon for him which was why he was now in this current predicament, shifted from one Pirate Lord down to a Pirate Captain as payment for his hard efforts at Port Royal, this one would just be a bit more... gross. But he could get used to the smell eventually and she looked like she was going to die soon so it wouldn't be that much to deal with. Only then he would be left by himself without coconuts... his world would be doomed.
"You tease an old lady Captain, you think twice about setting foot in my home without aliquot payment.... unless you plan on giving my yourself instead!" A hearty cackle cut through the heavy silent air like knife dicing through the soft flesh of men, her nature had meant well but what is to say she could not have payment for her solid efforts especially when she had so graciously helped the young pirate captain when ever he was in need. In need indeed!
She waddled back to her place across from the red head, taking her seat in front of the charts and ignoring the fact the idiot boy had outwardly displayed his disgust for her loose floppy skin of her arms. It comes with age that moron will know the day when he experiences father time himself. Mumbling under her breath, digging through the small pouch with a light chuckle to the goodies brought as her real payment, using her other hand to swipe aside the brew she had been working on before they had arrived. Clearing a space to work she finally turned her dark eyes to the lad of fire red locks, cold aqua eyes and the cursed mark that branded him throughout the seas stretching as far as China, so they say.
"Have you found truth in my tells boy?" she smirked knowing the subject circulating the last prediction was vague at best, leaving the young red head as confused as when he had arrived. Possibly earning a low sort of utter annoyance she pressed forward in an innocent mocking. "OH HO! YOU HAVE!!! THAT A BOY!"
A low growl and a solid hammer of his hand slamming flat against the star charts, creating a loud shudder of everything loose occupying the frail surface. "What is this." He replied calmly, with a light quiver of anger practically leaking like venom from his voice. He honestly had little time for such foolishness when something of greater importance could be awaiting him, as the ol' man he had swiped the strange drawing and pictured writing from off the merchant ship crossing the Atlantic whom fortunately had the pleasure of crossing lines with Captain Sabaku.
The babbling and crying had done enough for the short temper to do do away with in a matter of a swift slice of his blade tearing through the tender flesh from neck. Now, he really should have waited and he wouldn't have found himself in such a place yet again in asking this old damn bog coot for help.
As usual, Sai was left completely in the dark of what was going on and why they were speaking so familiar to each other. A note never to get involved with the personal lives of his masters just to sit back, do what they say and be ignorant of everything around him unless otherwise stated and he was certainly doing just that. Shifting over to the side of his master and away from the stench oozing from every pour of that vile women, he rather be at the side of someone who was unhappy than someone that looked like they wanted to stick him in the cooking pot to gradually broil his body so the tender meat would fall away from the bone, providing her with a feast that would last a week. Maybe less, he was just skin and tough overworked meat.
"Are you sure you want to be chasing after such things boy?" He cooed, reaching a bony hand blindly to the leather sack of goodies brought for her pleasurable enjoyment. A smile played her features as the goop of wrinkles had folded and toppled over against the many layers of extra skin left over from years upon years of aging, the near toothless grin almost wicked and sinister was only accompanied but a deep eerie chuckle. A withered tongue grazed along the length of her curled in bottom lip as she continued to study the small cloth with strange markings. The small pads of her thin fingers brushed along the faded image mumbling nonsense under her breath, a chant of some kind to tap into the unknown realm of that where she would find her answers.
"To the North east an Island of sand and rock hold home to a relic of power untouched by man in over one hundred years." Her tone was low, and pitch was foreign to those who had not heard her spiritual trance would find it somewhat disturbing. "To control the uncontrollable, to tame nature in the palm of ones hands. The mark of this beast." Pausing a brief moment, a harsh slam of her palm rattled the fragile table and the floor beneath it.
Of course Gaara had been able to pick out a few of the pictured designs of the lettering, having come across those in his books from time to time and even having the opportunity to flex some of his skill with one from the mother land herself, amazing how one could think she better when knowing 5 accents in one language. Pathetic and useless. He snorted cocking his cheek sharply to the side, pale eyes catching a brief glance of the young man to his side staring up at him curiously for a moment before turning back to the old coots warning words.
All else had been blocked from his mind but the word 'power', not only that but something that would grant so much to someone such as Gaara would mean more than the Title of Pirate lord, to rule over them all with an iron fist. To have anything and everything he wanted with a wave of his hand. But the exact knowledge of what the ancient relic was said to hold was unknown, and it was obvious he was not about to get a clear answer from Chiyo-ba.
"Look for the symbol, boy and it will guide you to the answers." she continued, lifting her pitch black eyes to the young red head sitting directly across from her noting that all too familiar smug little smirk of his. honestly that brat had a lot more nerve than any she had ever come across, it was a wonder how one so young could be and cynical and blood crazed as he was said to be. That smile was like his open book, the pages let to read every last detail and exposing everything he dare not speak of himself for fear of falling weak to those who would step to suppress him. Interesting lad to say the least.
"Mind the fengfuang, you will come face to face. Can you prepare yourself for the power that will hold over you?" He playful smile and she placed an elbow to the table and rested her cheek in her palm turning a sly look up at the dark haired boy. "Why don't you leave him, Gaara. I will give him a good home here."
Curling his lip in a snarl at her accusation, fengfuang? It was not a word he had heard before, nor will he spare the time to search as anything, or any one to get in his path for this greater treasure would surly meet the end of his blade with their lives. With a quick lash of his hand swiping up the tapered cloth with a harsh tug, stuffing it back into the folds of his coat with a narrow unforgiving glare.
"He is not mine to give, Sai is his own person. If he wishes to stay he will. " He barked lifting himself from the chair, the legs scrapping along the rotting wooden planks as he breezed by the taller boy. "I gave you your payment, now be contempt with THAT. Sai, make up your mind." He turned to make his leave.
Fumbling around with the bottles he had decided to check out again thinking that it was so more enthralling than the conversation between the two of them, the sounds of glass clanked around rattling being put back into place ready for another nights meal for her. Seriously if she was eating that stuff then her breath would be rotten but that might have explained why most of her teeth were missing. But how she got that hair on her upper lip would perplex him for a good hour or so wondering of the possibilities of a half women half ape creature walking around that enjoyed passing the time with molesting little boys so she could feel young again. Not that the foul word was in his vocabulary at all, granny with the sagging breasts would now be what she would be commonly known to him.
"I will stay if my master commands me to" he replied firmly, spinning around watching the young male leave him, hanging his head slightly thinking that he was indeed going to be passed off again. Free will wasn't something he was accustomed to, being not of a slave but his own man was even worse that he had no idea what to do with himself but in his eyes, he was still that dirty teenager that was sold or bartered to others. Looks like he really didn't have friends. They all wanted to be rid of him.
There was a sharp pain in his chest that he didn't know what it was, never had he felt like this before so he didn't know how to react, tapping on the hollow cage to make it stop in case it was something bad. "Don't you want me because you have that Navy guy?" he mumbled, kicking at the floor arching up the thick sediment of dust into the air. What he believed were friends were leaving him again, Kisame got rid of him because that Navy Commander was after him and now Gaara was leaving him because that same man made him not so grumpy and caused strange mewls from his room behind closed doors. He only caused trouble for everyone, no wonder they hated him.
"Navy guy?" Deep black beady eyes granted full attention to the exiting red head, a frown of concern had darted between the two boys for a brief moment before turning back to the celestial chart mapped out under her elbow. The wrinkled pad of her finger traced along the orbit lines that had been burnt into the old board that had been the item of success for all who had come to see her. Navy guy?.... She repeated again and again in her head as the intense narrow glare down had widened into a slight shock. "....GAA..."
"MOVE IT SAI!" He turned with a snarl, lashing out to grasp the idiot boy by the scruff of the neck dragging him along behind. Moron can't even make a simple obvious decision on his own, why does he need others to make them for him ALL the time?... His rising fury had only blocked out the babbling nonsense of the old woman yelling back at him over something she had no doubt discovered about his personal life that he had not wished to share with the likes of her. It was none of her business after all, her only job was to do what she was told as long as the right payment was made and that had already been done.
Forcing the younger boy into the boat yet again, following with a leap causing the small vessel to rock back and forth on top of the [appeared] black liquids below. "Make the decision your self! I will not always be here to get you out of situations like that." He barked clenching his fist at the young boy before plopping down with a huff sitting opposite, crossing his arms in annoyance.
"OH HOOO! Looks like our little Captain had found himself a roadblock in the larger picture....or is it?" She mumbled, snickering lightly to herself as she waddled her way from the front door back to take her spot at the table once again. "The young master is playing with fire, but I wounder how he would feel if he stayed long enough to know that the one he longs for is no longer his enemy, but on the very same side. Not by choice, but still, it had been because of Gaara his valiant career had come to an end. And now.... HE...EH!.... Now stuck on a ship with anther how would you feel then, boy? Curious... very curious...."
With a light toss of the scattered shells and claws from different sea creatures landing in a distinct pattered over the board, the mumbling and rambling under her quivering tone had continued. Breaking into a heavy chuckle that echoed through the sheltered bog lands, between the rotting trees for all to hear her eerie cry of insanity for those brave enough to venture into her realm.
Most would have protested from being man handled so roughly, pulled around like a dog on a leash going wherever his master commanded him to was a common occurrence and most people would have been frightened by the escalating anger level rising in the young pirate captain but not him. Sai was immune to fear, such a emotion that he had never learnt to experience over his short years in this world, the face of danger did not speak up loudly when he was faced with it, instead he pulled himself back up to sitting after being tossed around like a rag doll into the boat, looking up at the irritated male with a tilt of his head. "I am a slave, I only do what is expected of me" he finally replied to him with a smile.
Now he might have made himself an enemy for life after revealing such secrets that might have been wanted to be kept in silence, forbidden love did not comprehend in his mind and he had admiration for Gaara no matter who he associated himself with but that one he didn't like at all. "Does this mean I'm not property of her now?" he continued to talk still not picking up on the danger lurking around of the wrath of an angry pirate especially someone who would have taken his life without a care to his end.
"Listen to me Sai, I will tell you this only once. You are NOT a slave anymore, you are FREE." Honestly it was getting to the point where it was much like babysitting a small child, and it was getting irritating to see someone such as Sai, someone he had felt a larger connection with than anyone on that quaint little Island of his. It frustrated him to no end to watch him wonder about with no clue without having someone tell him. "That woman does not own you, neither do I." He snapped with a grumble. "You are staying with me because you are....gah! forget it!"
He Turned in almost a pout to the side, his narrow glare fading off into the misty fog of the forest surrounding them, and a light grumble of irritation under his breath.
Completely ignorant of the people around him and well he wasn't reserved enough to really care to what they thought, Sai shifted from his position on the opposite side of the boat and sat down next to grumpy Gaara and rested his hands on his lap quietly. He had never heard him the first time when he had said it so this time it had really sunk in that he had been freed of the binds that held him there as a slave. Only issue was that he didn't know what to do with himself now, taking orders had been a part of his life and without it, he was even more clueless than before.
"My friend" he mumbled completing his sentence for him. Even if he didn't mean that to be the way it ended but he liked that ending. Gaara was his friend and he wouldn't give him up to any bag of wrinkles, he was keeping him around because he wanted him to be which was the first time ever than he truly felt needed and wanted.
A curious glance over at the concealed items obtained by the sagging down knees one, wondering what was hidden inside and would an adventure come out of it. An adventure on the open seas sounded so appealing to be out on the open waves again instead of the murky swamp, scouring the world for buried treasure and riches beyond your imagination. Not that riches interested him but following the rising pirate captain around the world seeking out what he was after did. He would be ready to help no matter what the circumstance was.