77 Vol 2. pt. 14 Patch 3.0: Opening Ceremony (1/2)
The Shoebill and her crew sail out from their spot at the docks and onto open waters. With hundreds of ships all being launched at once, Oleander has his work cut out for him in avoiding crashing into any other ships.
Cassiel is the only one to really worry about his ability in steering the ship, but she learns why everybody else has such faith in him.
Like a graceful dancer, The Shoebill glides along the water masterfully evading any potential collisions.
Tabitha comes above deck to give the helmsman some praise. ”This might be some of the smoothest sailin' I've ever seen in this game! I'm used ta having to shout and groan about you drivin' folk bein' shit at your jobs, but this is nice. Can't wait to see how ya handle her with the engine at full power,” Tabitha says, giving Oleander a few smacks on his back.
Each smack smashes him forward into the wheel.
”Tabs, what's your Strength score?” Oleander asks her with a pained voice.
”A rank. Why?”
Oleander forgets that she's a veteran player from how she looks and behaves, but in reality, she's got a Strength higher than the vast majority of players. She's stronger than the rest of the crew combined in raw, physical strength.
”Just curious,” Oleander says as he straightens his back out. He regrets not fully disabling pain.
Tabitha walks up to Fenrir near the bow of the ship. ”Oi, wolf boy,” she calls out to him. ”Green down there wants to know if she can come up once we're out away from other ships.”
”Green?” Fenrir asks.
”Yeah, ya know, green-ish hair and all 'at. Plus her name is in a pain in the arse ta say.”
”Well, I'm calling her Nell now if you want to switch over to that.”
”Nelly! Got it. Anyways, can she come up in a bit?”
”Close enough, and sure. I'll go down there and bring her up when it's safe.”
Tabitha heads back below deck where Nell and Bonekraka are.
”We can go ahead and start casting off the stern. Our lines shouldn't get messed up, and we can just let them drag behind The Shoebill,” Fenrir suggests. His fellow fishers agree with his plan, picking up their rods and equipment to head for the ship's stern.
Fenrir looks at Rod. ”Ready, partner?” he asks it.
Rod pulses once.
”Wait, why I haven't I asked this before… are you a girl?”
Two pulses.
”Are you a guy?”
One pulse.
Yeah. Fenrir should have expected that, and he knows that, but he was still hoping that a rod could potentially be a girl. ”Well, partner, let's go,” he picks up Rod and his tackle box.
The four fishers have only a single bucket of live bait to use that was provided to them by the tournament's organizers for free. Everybody but Fenrir takes from it to bait their hooks.
”Why do you always use lures?” Corwin asks Fenrir.
”Well, you can't really get attached to live bait, and if you do then your attachment is going to be pretty short-lived. But, when you use lures, as long as you don't… try lifting fish that are too heavy for your line, you keep them for a long time and can bond with them. I've read stories of fishermen in reality before who would catch hundreds of fish over years with the same lures,” Fenrir explains.
”You like sentimental stuff,” Serra says.
”Basically, yeah. Plus, it pays off. I mean, look at Rock. Rock saved me from Cass Cass back when she was still penetrating me from behind, and now Rod here is going to grow more powerful the stronger our bond grows.”
Fenrir feels a death glare being directed at him.
He looks to his side and sees Cassiel clutching her sword's handle.
”What if Cass Cass likes pegging?” Serra asks.
Fenrir coughs from surprise at her question. For once, Cassiel is actually grabbing onto Serra and shaking her around. ”I do not like that!” Cassiel shouts.
”Sucks for you, Fenny,” Oleander chimes in from the wheel.
”I – I'm happy she's not. I might be into some weird stuff, but uhh, I'm fine with the only thing penetrating me being a spear in my back. Preferably not even that,” Fenrir explains. ”And food, and drinks. I'm fine with those things penetrating my mouth if that counts.”
”Depends on what you define as food and a drink,” Oleander teases.
”You know exactly what I mean and don't mean,” Fenrir replies.
Everybody but Cassiel, whom is still shaking Serra, is laughing.
The Shoebill reaches a calm, quiet spot away from the hundreds of other ships outside of the city's immediate surroundings.
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Serra and Corwin managed to catch a fish each from dragging their lines behind the ship, but the others have not been as lucky.
All of their caught fish are going into large barrels half-filled with water.
”Sure do wish we still had an anchor to drop,” Oleander says loudly enough for Tabitha to hear from below the deck.
”Keep your pretty lil' antlers focused on steerin' the ship instead of droppin' anchors!” Tabitha shouts up at him.