onepassingnight | [Gate of Heaven]

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[Gate of Heaven] – [Act 2]

[ The luxury cruise liner, the San Ariel, is truly a breathtaking sight, as it parts the sea about its bow, the only source of waves on the still surface. From the railing lining its massive deck, the world is water in every direction, pure, glittering blue to each horizon. Warm Spring air and the scent of saltwater fill the atmosphere, the sky above caught in the perpetual twilight of sunset.

And all throughout the ship, a sort of celebration seems to be going on -- every person is in high spirits, though they hardly resemble the type one might think to find populating such an extravagant ship as this. Almost all of the partygoers are... Well. Pirates, by all appearances. Their sense of style is tragically cliché, striped shirts and hook hands and peg legs and all. If approached, however, they're also quite friendly, willing to point even their "hostages" in the right direction.

Or toward the captain, more likely, because he does so love to meet new people.

Though, at the moment... He seems to be a bit seasick, hanging halfway over the rail at the bow, while one particularly surly young man stands at attention nearby, holding his hat for him. Some kind of miserable, incoherent groan drifts up from the other side of the railing, and then--

Was that a hiccup? ] Haahh... Have I ever told you about the time I fell in love with a mermaid?

[ He sounds positively dreamy as he asks, though the ridiculous question doesn't seem to be intended for the unflappably stoic man next to him, who doesn't reply. Maybe it's more like alcohol sickness, that he has, liable even to mistake members of his own crew for new faces, from this angle. ] It's a really beautiful story!

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[ He has the innate ability to be the most pathetic being in existence in all universes at once. It's impossible to avoid her fate. ]

But I'm so tiiired! [ whine whine whine ] Don't I deserve a little break every once in a while, too?

[She's made a living avoiding inevitable fates. :|]

Just what are you taking a break from? Did you accomplish something on this trip?

[ Well, she shouldn't quit her day job. :3c ]

[ Pushing himself up onto his elbows, Abel looks back up to her from under a mess of loose silver hair. ]

I survived it! I should think that's more than enough.

[Good thing she likes her day job.]

So, 'nothing'. Is that what you're telling me?

[And Ami is going to find something for Abel to be doing.]

[ Now that is too mean. ]

No, no! Not 'nothing' at all! Do you have any idea the kind of trials I've been through!? I nearly died! Five or six times!

[You know... considering it's Abel... she actually believes he was stupid enough to be in near-death situations five or six times over the span of a boat trip.]

That's not something to be proud of. Can you even walk? [She makes a derisive sound.]

[ Over the span of the past week is probably a less conservative, more realistic estimate, considering his life, in general.

Rather than trying to stand, again, he merely flops over onto his side, an entirely too cheerful expression on his face. ]

Isn't rolling good enough?

No. Walking. Upright. [And from the expression on her face? She's quite willing to wait here until he does it.]

[ He mumbles something that sounds a lot like Do I haaave tooo?, but spends only another few seconds wallowing on the deck. With whatever is left of his strength, he pushes himself to his feet, wobbling only a little as he stands away from the railing. ]

You see? I'm perfectly-- [ hiccup ] Fine!

[Abel, what are you even...?]

Yes. You have to. [And she does not look impressed by the wobbling.] Keep going. [If an enemy came right now, what would he do?]

[ If he ever finds out, he'll be sure to let her know. ]

[ Why, he'd hide behind his loyal crew, of course! In true cowardly fashion. He walks a (surprisingly) straight line, turns around, and comes back. With a bow - or the first half of one, anyway, as he remains mostly doubled-over. TA-DAH! ]

...Can I lie back down, now?

[She'll be relieved if there's a reason, really.]

Don't you have something more important to do than that?

[ But it's a party! What could he possibly have forgotten...? ]

Eh? What's that?

[Last time she was at a random party was totally to investigate a lead on the ginzuishou.]

You really just think about having a good time, don't you?

[ She definitely needs to loosen up. Abel will teach her the ways of fun or die trying. ]

Of course! Why should I worry? Everything's looking up! I'm finally catching a break!

[Her idea of fun is ridiculing her enemies as she crushes them, or causing mischief to rub her evil in their face. She's kind of enjoying her current project: starting a war.]

Oho? Want to share this good news?

[ Okay, well. That's just awful. And he would deeply disapprove, if he ever knew (which, hopefully, he won't). ]

We're nearly home! It's all smooth sailing, from here, and then we'll all be in Rome, again. [ He sighs, leaning on the railing again - though in considerably more reasonable fashion, this time. ] I think that's worth celebrating, don't you?

[It'd be a mistake to call all her motives evil. It'd also be a mistake to call her good. The war, for example, is to stop the enemy while they're still weak enough to defeat - the enemy who'd destroy Earth otherwise.

It's also still an underhanded trick to start a war.]

Rome suits you. You're always on your way there.

It seems like that, sometimes, doesn't it? But that's the trouble with taking a job like mine. [ He flaps a hand at the scenery, a superficial weariness in his smile. ] We're always traveling somewhere.

[She relents enough to speak of her past.]

Growing up, I wanted to travel and see more of the world some day. I was finally able to do that.

Ah, that's nice. Everyone should have the chance, if they're that type.

Me? I've gotten sort of tired of running around, all the time. But I suppose it must be very different to travel only for work, or just because you like to.

It sounds like a normal dream, doesn't it? [The normal dreams she was supposed to be able to have again once everything was done.] Even for someone like me, there are normal dreams.

Of course, of course. That's something most people tend to forget, isn't it? Everyone has normal dreams, even if they're just very little ones. [ Even he had, maybe, once upon a time. ] It's part of being human.

In that case [She turns away from the water to look at Abel.] What are yours?

Mine? Oh oh, nothing really extravagant! If I ever get out of this job alive, I think I'd just like to settle down somewhere peaceful and live out my remaining days in relative obscurity.

[ A briefly contemplative expression crosses his face, as if he's evaluating what he's just said. ] Yes. I believe that sounds nice.

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