Completed The Mermaid's Song

[Andromeda]

Andromeda Barbarossa stood on the slightly raised platform the Shipwrecks Wraith used for all of their performers. The tavern was packed; news of the singers arrival had spread like wildfire amongst the pirate ships, who had known her father and knew of her talents, and news had spread from them to the townspeople and other visitors. It was a universal truth universally acknowledged amongst pirates that wherever Ann went, there was going to be a lot of wine, a lot of women, and a lot of fun to be had. Finally, after days of waiting for her to travel the Cortosi Coast, she was in the large and popular port of Dejima. The owner of the Shipwrecks Wraith had paid good money to be the first one to meet her as she had disembarked the ship she had caught a ride with from the neighbouring port of Eldessa.

So she had found herself with room and board for the duration of her stay - however long that would be - in return for her performing a set each night she was in town at the tavern. She hadn't even had to do any leg work this time around. Ann was glad her name was beginning to get traction, even if it only remained in the circles of pirates, for whatever port you visited in the world, you could bet there was a pirate crew amongst them. Andromeda felt more at home amongst pirates anyway.

She smiled to them now as she finished her penultimate song and a chorus of cheers went up amongst the crowd gathered.

"Sadly, it is time for my final song of the evening," boos from some of the groups who had definitely been drinking well before she had gotten into town. They were promptly shushed by their neighbours. "Let's let the crowd pick this one - what do we want?" voices shouted at her from all corners of the room, and one song struck a chord with her: The Mermaid Song. Andromeda's smile dimpled her cheeks as she cleared her throat softly. A hush swept across the room, leaning forwards in anticipation. Taking a breath, the singer begun:

"When I was a lad in a fishing town
My old man said to me:
"You can spend your life, your jolly life
Sailing on the sea.
You can search the world for pretty girls
Til your eyes grow weak and dim,
But don't go fishing for a mermaid, son
If you don't know how to swim"

A few cheers went up as most amongst the tavern recognised the song. It was a funny one, one that would leave a joyous feeling in the room even as she left. But her voice turned the simple sea shanty into a true story. Most of them were feeling that passion, that curiosity that lived in most men of the sea about what it would be like to lay with a mermaid. The song went on for several verses, some happy, others sad. It ended with the mermaid eventually swimming away and leaving the sailor after a night of passion. When it came to an end, silence drummed in her ears for one beat, two, before the majority of the hall erupted into applause. Smiling, Andromeda took a bow and then stepped down from the stage.

Groups of singing broke out amongst friends now the main event was over, and a buzz of chatter filled the room. As she walked past the customers they offered her kind words. She thanked them all, but didn't linger: her eyes were on the bar. With a soft sigh she eased herself onto the bar stool, and was thankful that she had arrived at a curiously quiet interval. Making a motion with her hand the barkeep slid her a pint of ale - and not the bottom of the barrel watered down stuff he served the rest of his customers. He winked after she had sipped it and realised. Hefting the tankard up she gave him a salute and then busied herself with drinking it.

It wasn't long before one of the men leaned against the bar uncomfortably close to her. She paid him no mind, drunkards didn't often understand the meaning of personal space. But then she noticed his gaze and she carefully put down her half finished pint. His eyes were taking in her appearance: the snow white hair with streaks of pastel pinks and lilacs; her unusual peach coloured eyes which looked even more unusual in the dimmed lighting of the tavern; and finally her outfit. She wore a blouse that bared her shoulders to the elements and puffed out to her elbows where she had rolled them up to, paired with a deep blue long skirt the colour of the sea in a patch of sunlight, and a black corset with silvery embroidery. Almost on queue he swung his body so that he was facing her.

"Ya know," the pirate slurred, reaching out to touch her face, "s'not just your face whats 'utiful." Andromeda's lips curled in disgust as she caught the man's wrist with surprising speed.

"Walk away, little pirate, and do not talk to me again," a ripple of magic pulsed between them, barely noticeable to any but those more in tune to magic. Her peach coloured eyes turned gold for the duration of her speech, and held the man enthralled. Andromeda let go of his wrist with disgust, and dumbfounded he abruptly turned and walked away from her, deserting his pint. Victorious, she pulled it towards her to drink after her current beverage.

 

[Jirou]

Jirou watched in amazement as the half-kivren performed her set of songs. His journey back home had been a long and arduous one; making this evening a welcome change of pace. Her voice was like silk and while his heart would ever belong to Yuuna he couldn't help but be entranced for the moment. She had a way about her that seemed to tap into one's mind so soothingly. While the lot of these pirates would rather see her undressed he felt an ever tugging desire to know about her craft. It wasn't unlike him to inquire about one's talents his reasons for it now just felt... Different. Not a curiosity but an actual craving. His captivation was baffling even to himself.

He was going to intervene on the woman's encounter with the drunken pirate who'd decided to get a bit to close but before he could she handled the situation perfectly. It planted a smirk across the ronin's face as he approached the bar, sitting next to her but at a polite distance.

"Port, if you have it." He spoke to the bartender, who shook his head in response.

"No wines, y'want an ale?"

"Anything on the lighter side, please." The exorcist responded in kind. The bartender scoffed at his choice but brought him a drink anyways.

"This's our lightes'." Jirou nodded at the man and handed him coin for the drink. One sip and he reeled a bit. If this was their lightest than he couldn't imagine what the stronger ales tasted like. He would drink it as to not be rude.

"If I may." He spoke to Andromeda while sipping from his drink. Turning his eyes to her when he set his beverage down.

"How long have you been doing this for?"

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda smirked into her drink as Jack blatantly lied to the man about the alcohol that was on offer - she knew for a fact that his cellar was stocked with wines imported from the East through several of the Merchant ships that called into port. Of course, they were saved usually for special occasions and not for the riff raff such as what usually frequented the joint. She gave him an obvious look but he feigned innocence and walked away to deal with a group of men at the other end of the bar.

Ann's shoulders stiffened ever so slightly when the man spoke, because there was definitely nobody else he could be addressing but her. She inwardly sighed and set down her drink, fully expecting another unwelcome touch. In fact, the question caught her off guard. Of course, not everyone was a grabby chat up, some liked to hear themselves talk and prided themselves on seduction. But, very, very, few people seemed to have a genuine interest in her career. Slowly she turned her shoulders slightly so that she was facing him, and ran her eyes down him from head to toe in a slow meandering way.

She took another sip of her ale and returned her gaze to his.

"Doing the tour? Three years. Singing in general? For as long as I could talk," where her lip curled at one corner, it dimpled her cheek. "You don't look like the usual folk who come to hear me sing," a polite way of saying, you don't look like a pirate.

 

[Jirou]

A three year tour? That was baffling to him. Though he'd walked with Yuuna for longer while they were on the run. To just perform for so long was a new idea to him. As for her reply to what he was actually curious about, it hardly came as a surprise. Her talent was impossible to deny for anyone even dimwitted. Given the crowd here it made sense. She was a striking woman, and Jirou could hardly deny that either. It wasn't ever that physical beauty caught his attention anymore so it felt strange to have it in his brain. It had been years and years since he'd had such a thought.

"That must be exhausting, considering the crowds you must see. I could imagine you'd make a decent living with a voice like that yet the mental strain has to be tremendous. I applaud you for enduring such an endeavor." He sipped his ale again. He was getting used to the taste now but he still wished he hadn't have ran out of sake on his voyage. Getting sake in a foreign land was never easy but a journey sober wasn't either. Sacrifices.

"I myself am a traveler. Headed home to Elbion. Where are you headed next?" He tried to ask as politely as he could, as to not insinuate some diabolical plot to follow her. Based on how most fans treated her already it would be no surprise if she dealt with a stalker or five.

"My name is Jirou, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

 

[Andromeda]

"Andromeda, charmed," the singer almost purred, holding out her hand to shake his in a surprisingly firm grip.

Curious fellow, she thought to herself as she took another sip of her ale and mused upon her reply to his comments, his offer his his own story, and his final question. If he was from Elbion he was probably someone important, wasn't that place full of merchants and special wizards or something? She knew there was a posh school for sure. Her education had been rough and strewn together by different members of her fathers crew, she struggled to at all imagine having books and a class and a schedule. He spoke of her life being exhausting, but if that was his life, then Ann wasn't sure she could handle that at all.

"It's not too bad. I get to pick how long I stay somewhere, decide where I go next, take a break if I want to," she lifted her slender shoulders in a slight shrug. "If you're a traveller, you must understand the joy of freedom it gives you?" The lilt at the end of her sentence suggested it was almost a question, but it could be a musing too. Of course, not all travellers chose the patch they were on, perhaps he longed for a home and for roots. "The coastline here I visited when I first started my singing career, so I'm trying to stop in at every port. I guess next would be one of the ports of Vel Anir."

Andromeda finished off the last of her good pint and slid the empty tankard back forwards the barman's side of the bar and picked up the drink the man had hurriedly left on his way out the door. She wondered if her spell had worn off yet or if he was still walking.

"So are you some fancy mage scholar if you're heading to Elbion?" She turned her unusual eyes onto him with their full force now. It wasn't often she spoke to someone aside from a pirate.

 

[Jirou]

"I cannot argue that, no." He finished his ale and waved the bartender down to bring him another. He was quick about it and gave Jirou a silent nod. He took another swig before he continued. Was probably going to get drunk. Would probably stay here for the night seeing as how he'd made amazing time getting here and should save his strength anyways.

"I do find pleasure in the freedom. It has kept relatively sane over the passed several years. It also allows me to find work easily, which is necessity. Seeing places far and wide has opened my eyes tremendously to the world, its cruelties and it's kindnesses. And just how many vampires there are." He chuckled a bit at his own words.

He let her finish, drinking slowly and listening. His taste buds getting used to the flavor of it all finally. He laughed a bit more at her last remark.

"No, no. I'm actually barely attuned to magic. I live there, with a few others. Ever since my wife passed I've found most of my solace in travel though. I hate to be a burden to those I live with and the open road clears my head more than anything in this world."

 

[Andromeda]

"Yes, travelling will certainly open your eyes to the world," Andromeda laughed darkly into her drink. She listened quietly to the rest of the information he gave her about himself with mild interest. He seemed too nice to be in a place like this and a part of her was mildly concerned that he was about to experience the cruel side of the bustling port town. Least he wasn't a mage; pirates were a superstitious bunch. She thought about passing a comment on his wife then discarded the idea - she hadn't wanted any pity when her Pa passed, and she was sure he wouldn't want pity about his wife.

"No offence Mister, but if those you lived with made you feel like you were a burden in ya hour of need, well then, maybe it's best you don't go back," Ann shrugged. Even the crew she had lived with for years who were now under a different command, would accept her back with no questions asked if she had needed refuge. It had been her own choice to strike out on her own. "So, if ya ain't a mage and you travel the world seeing Vampires, are you some sorta Monster Hunter instead?" Maybe he had heard about the captivating singer and had pieced two and two together about there being a Siren on land. Perhaps, she thought with dark glee, she would never have to hear the sound of distant drumming that was her constant call to return to the ocean. She leaned forward conspiratorially, resting her chin on the back of her hand, waiting for his response.

 

[Jirou]

"Oh, it's hardly their fault." He mused. He set his drink down and rubbed the stubble on his chin. "I'm an exorcist, you see. That being the case I also tend to attract the dead even when I don't mean time. Most of the time it is a spirit and others can't see it. Sometimes..." He twirled the ale in his cup with a shake of the mug.

"It's a lot worse." He said with a half-hearted laugh and a nervous smile. Thinking back now to Ashieron and all the nightmares losing him had brought. He hoped that his friend was right, and that he would see him again come his return to Elbion.

Come to think of it, being a Monster Hunter wasn't a terrible idea. He basically already was one. He may even be a specialist there. He took another swig, but looked into her eyes as she did. He couldn't tell what it was but she gave off the faintest impression she was waiting for something. Eyes that said they were used to and wanted trouble. His curiosity was ever growing.

"Just an exorcist and a sword for sale at the moment. Or if I'm-"

"Oi! Ya gonna steal er' attention all night or' what?" A brutish, drunk and very tall pirate walked up to him breathing down onto his face with a rancid stench. Clearly wanting to replace Jirou's spot in the conversation. The ronin looked away from Andromeda to meet his gaze with poise.

"You are welcome to join us if you wish, friend."

"Whas tha'? Didn' I jus' tell ye to skedaddle?"

"No actually, what you said wa-" Before Jirou could finish the man broke his glass goblet over Jirou's head, knocking him to floor. The room roaring in laughter as this new brutish man took Jirou's seat and looked lustfully at Andromeda.

"So sweetart' where ya stayin' tonight?" He gave a drunk chuckle and made a movement to touch her leg. Before his hand reached her it was intercepted by another hand. Jirou's. He was smiling at Andromeda with glass and blood coming from his forehead.

"If you'll excuse me a moment." He spoke gently. Before the man could realize what was happening the ronin had lifted the pirates arm and dropped his own elbow into it.

CRACK

The arm fractured immediately, eliciting a sharp yell from the pirate and gasps from his comrades. Some standing from their seats. The ronin then grabbed the mans collar and smashed his forehead onto the bridge of the mans nose. Another

CRACK

He tossed the defeated man from his seat to the pool of glass and ale and turned to face the louts who'd drawn their swords against him. His hand on the hilt of his own.

"ANYONE ELSE?!" He called out in fury. A many pirate looked like they wanted to act but didn't. The man Jirou had thrown around had about two feet and a hundred pounds on him. Two came and dragged their comrade away while the others grumbled and took their seat.

"I am terribly sorry about that." He said to Andromeda while he picked glass from his skull.

 

[Andromeda]

Genuine surprise crossed her face: of all the things Andromeda had expected the polite gentleman to say, it wasn't exorcist. It was a rare emotion for the half breed to feel at all and she sat up a little straighter. Maybe, she could stop waiting for the other shoe to drop with the man. Perhaps he wasn't after something after all, just conversation, and for once it wasn't going to consist of a description of a ship. Her interest sharpened like a knife when he went on to say that he was also a sword for hire. What a... unique blend of occupations, Ann mused. Did he talk to the people he killed? Did he speak to them through cards like the voodoo women on Cerak, or did he get possessed by them and let them speak through him? Was there a crystal ball?

Or If I'm-

She had been so spellbound by what he was saying, Andromeda had completely forgotten the rest of the room. Her face shut down in an instant. The slow open curiosity that had begun to soften her face faded and back was the look of boredom, disgust and slight irritation. Opening her mouth to tell the pirate where exactly he could take his backside, she paused when Jirou stepped in for her. Ann raised both eyebrows and then casually leaned back on the stool to watch what was about to unfold: this had all the trademarks of the start of a bar brawl. Casually, she sipped her ale.

Guess I'm about to see for myself this sellswords skill.

Andromeda winched when the poor bloke was glassed. A very typical - and nasty - pirate go to in a bar brawl. She didn't bother turning to face her new companion, she was curiously watching to see what her curious Exorcist was going to do next. Her lack of acknowledgement seemed to only spurn the poor delusional pirate on as he dared to attempt to place a hand on her thigh. She gave the offending anatomy a disdainful look, her eyes darkening. Dangerous move. The moment his skin touched hers she could tell him to slit his own throat and he would attempt it. Whether his will was strong enough to carry out the order would be something to see, but the fear in his eyes as he fought his own compulsion would be entertainment enough.

But it turned out her gallant new hero wouldn't give her the chance.

"Of course," Andromeda politely inclined her head and half turned to Jack, who stood gaping behind the bar. "I think we're going to need the wine, Jack darling," the singer chimed. The bartender nodded, his eyes not moving from Jirou as he carefully stepped back towards the cellar. He didn't wait to prove either Ann, or Jack, why he was deserving of the good booze as he elegantly broke the pirate's arm and sent him sprawling. By the time the exorcist joined her again at the bar, Jack had returned with a very nice bottle of red from the summer isles. Ann plucked it from his hand along with two glasses and slid from the stool. "Follow me."

She didn't offer much of an explanation but set off towards a door out the back of the Tavern. Stepping outside the air was cool but not unpleasantly so, and it definitely smelt a lot better. Even so, fires burned around small clusters of intimate tables. There weren't many who had left the bustling building to seek solitude outside, and none of them paid them any mind as Andromeda led her saviour to one of them. Setting down the bottle of wine, she poured him a glass. "Sit," the singer motioned to the chair as she untied the handkerchief around her neck and passed him the glass. Once he was settled she nudged one of his legs aside so she stood between them and began carefully picking out the glass in his skull with a practised proficiency. Clearly, he was not the first person she had had to pluck glass out of.

"Thank you," Andromeda said after a moment of silence, the sounds of the Tavern were muted but pleasant background noise. From the way she said it, it was clear she wasn't used to saying those words and meaning them. "That was pretty impressive, not the typical martial training I've seen from sellswords," Ann glanced down at him as she plucked another piece of glass from his head.

 

[Jirou]

Jirou followed without question, watching the crowd of pirates as they glared back. Half of him wished they would try something more and learn what it meant to deal with an ex shinobi. The better half of him knew that that way of thinking was something he still needed to work on. Sellsword or not he needn't revel in violence like he used to. However men like this were rampant and unpleasant; a couple broken limbs were good for reminding someone of their place.

He sat, as commanded, as he had so many times in his past. A bit of a stinging request but he couldn't fault her for that. She didn't know of the life he'd led prior.

"You have no reason to thank me," He said somberly. "I've already assessed you'd have been more than capable of dealing it with yourself. My actions were selfish and are undeserving of praise. Yet emotion grasps the best of all of us, no?" He chuckled.

Jirou winced as the glass pieces were peeled from his skin. Not the worst pain he'd ever felt but far from pleasant. Andromeda was delicate, however. And had clearly done something of the sort before. He poured her a glass since she was kind enough to tend to his injuries, then began to drink from his own. A much bolder yet more elegant taste. Exactly what he wanted. He laughed to himself having realized the barkeep was hiding this wine from him originally. A foreigner's treatment, huh?

"I spent a great deal of my life as a killer. Though I have calmed down in the past couple years I still would be best known for the lives I take. My technique is a reflection of that training and the unfortunate realization that..." He sighed heavily.

"You don't take honor to Hell with you."

 

[Andromeda]

"Your method of taking care of them is probably a lot kinder to them than mine," the singer snorted, thinking of the flash of glee that had gone through her mind at the idea of causing pain. At least the man had his life, if not his dignity. While Andromeda was focused largely on the wound, she had enough talent to multitask and listen to what he was saying about his history of training. Interesting, to be known for killing he must have either worked for someone important, or killed someone important. She couldn't say she had heard of him herself, but they seemed to run in very different circles. One the large pieces of glass were out she absentmindedly reached into her hair and produced a clip that she used as a pair of tweezers to get the more delicate pieces out. Once they were gone, she carefully dabbed at the blood to see if he would need any stitched.

"I think..." she murmured, turning his chin this way and that so she could examine the wound from all angles. "You will live." Content that he didn't require any more delicate work, she tied her bandanna around his head to keep pressure on the wound and to keep any dust or dirt out. Nodding once to herself she stepped out from between his legs and sat on the chair next to him, taking a sip of her wine.

"Perhaps you are in the right company after all if you believe yourself to have no honour," Andromeda laughed darkly. Thieves, murderers and worse were her contact companions. "And have you? Been to Hell that is?" Ann raised an eyebrow. If he saw and spoke to the dead then perhaps he could travel to their realm. Either way, now they were outside she could settle in to unwrapping this delectable curiosity that was Jirou in relative peace.

 

[Jirou]

He snorted a laugh with in tandem with her. She was probably right. Usually Jirou doesn't think about taking a limb or two. What he'd done was low on the scale of deserved injuries for their behavior. Pirates didn't bother him until, well, they bothered him. Or others. Which was usually waiting around the corner. This continent seemed to be home to plenty of the rotten bastards too. Maybe pirates bothered him a little bit, but he tried not to judge too harshly.

He certainly wasn't an innocent man.

Jirou laughed once more. "I would hope so. If I couldn't survive a tankard to the head than I don't think I could call myself a warrior." He sipped from his wine glass amused by the thought of him dying from this. Or that any of the idiots inside could deal him a death blow. The alcohol was starting to show its presence and he grew a bit light headed.

The ronin hummed at her question. "I think honor is a hoax. An old wives tale that warriors tell themselves exists to justify their action or lack there of. In my homeland, to face dishonor is worse than taking your own life. What foolishness. There is no code to battle or to survival. It is live or die. And those with the will to live usually do so, especially at the expense of this unwritten rule."

Another swig of wine. He was now a bit tipsy and rambling. "I do believe in kindness, equality and the like. I think there are things that are blatantly good and evil. Yet honor is a concept that is malleable. People contort it to mean whatever suits them best. As for Hell?" He set his glass down.

"I don't think Hell has anything on what I've seen." He snapped his head forward to meet her gaze and let a quiet smile escape.

"I do apologize. I've steered the conversation off the rails a bit. Seems I'm more drunk than intended."

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda pondered honour herself as he spoke. Amongst pirates, honour didn't really exist. You could always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest, you could trust them to slaughter your whole crew if they won, you could definitely trust them to rape and pillage to their black little hearts content, but she didn't think any of that came under honour. You definitely couldn't trust them to do any of the things Jirou thought of as good that was for sure. If there was no hope of good in a person, was there any hope of honour even if it was a made up concept?

Casually, Ann filled his wine glass again and topped up her own as he continued on his tirade. It seemed, she had hit a nerve with her questions. A smile as sweet as silk crossed her lips at his words. Interesting, so perhaps he couldn't go to 'hell' if it even existed. Was there hope for her after all if her half breed soul wasn't to be damned straight to the depths of the pit but the simple fact it didn't exist?

"Not at all, it is clearly a passionate topic for you. Passion," the Siren smiled, handing his glass back to him, "Is what keeps the fire in us burning." But, she was certainly keen to steer it back towards those questions she had had earlier. "So, how exactly do you see these spirits you spoke of earlier? Is there a crystal ball?" the firelight danced in her peach coloured eyes turning them to a shocking golden orange shade.

 

[Jirou]

Jirou himself wasn't sure there was a Hell, either. He used the imagery because when you spoke of a 'hell', all knew what you meant. Demons, eternal suffering, fire, etc. He typically only dealt the first of those things. Fire occasionally. If he had to decide what hell actually was, he would say it was where they all lived to begin with. A place where humans were sex trafficked. A place where greed granted status. A place where food was hoarded. A place where people were killed on the fly. A place where treachery earned you wealth. A place where kings sat idle. A place where thieves ran rampant.

If those weren't trademarks of a hell, he wasn't sure what were.

"It has been a long thought of mine." He spoke, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't believe it right to tear away whatever drives a man to be better. We can just hope that whatever it is, it doesn't lead to the ruin of another." The exorcist finished his glass of wine after he spoke.

Her smile was so entrancing. He felt as if he could speak with this woman for hours on end. More unfamiliar thoughts and confusion, now exacerbated by the alcohol in his veins. Her eyes offering a calm he hadn't known this whole journey. He waved his head and his hand simultaneously.

"No, I haven't a catalyst of the sort. I myself am that catalyst. I am able to see, touch, communicate with, and kill those who live on the plane of the supernatural." He began pouring himself another glass. He was staying here, after all. Even if those lousy pirates wanted to give him trouble for it. It'd be much more trouble trying to find anyone who could reattach a hand.

"I think the hardest thing to get across to people is the idea that spirits are not often scary. Or harmful. Most of them are beautiful and miss the warmth they had in their bodies. Many ask me to do things for them that is out of their reach. Some do need to perish, however."

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda blinked and leaned back a little, breaking eye contact with him would probably help him to clear his head a little. She had thought he could see and talk to them, but to touch and be able to kill them too? How intriguing. Sometimes she couldn't help but be a little jealous of other people and their gifts, how they weren't inherently meant to cause a man to die. If she sung a man into drowning himself, she wandered if it would be to Jirou they appeared. She was, admittedly, a little disappointed about the crystal ball. Sipping at her wine she returned her gaze to him.

"That sounds like a song I know... about a woman who wants to hold her child but she cannot reach him, it drives her spirit to be corrupted and turn evil. Does that sort of thing really happen then?" There was always a grain of truth in a story after all. Slowly she sipped at her wine, swirled it in thought, and looked up at him again with a thousand questions brimming in her eyes. "Do you find also, you get it the other way around and people ask you to find someone their loved - are you able to contact a spirit who has not shown themselves to you?" She noticed himself pour another glass of wine and her lips twitched into a smile. Andromeda wondered if he would be quite so keen to lose some of his sense if he knew what she was.

 

[Jirou]

Two beers and one glass of wine down. Maybe he should take this second glass a bit slower this time around. He needed a second to ponder if he'd ever encountered that exact scenario. Jirou could not recall dealing with that particular event but something similar yes.

"I did deal with a father who watched his daughter die." He clenched his glass tight. "The strangest thing occurred from that, actually. He was able to possess me, yet, my consciousness remained. As if he gave me his strength to deal with his daughters murderers..." He was surprised with himself. He hadn't brought that story up before. At least for a long, long time. He omitted of course that the daughter of this man was also Jirou's dead wife, but he didn't want to linger on the thought for much longer. He would surely be found sobbing.

"From what I can decipher from how it works is I have an extreme attachment to their world. Meaning if they wish it or not, I can see them if they're in my line of sight. Some have no idea they're even dead yet. Unfortunately I have never found out where my power came from due to the fact that I've never known my immediate family." He sipped his wine and waved his hand once more.

"I feel as if I've only talked about myself and am admittedly feeling guilty. Have you any strange magic yourself?"

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda was enthralled; hook, line and sinker. She had never heard of such a gift apart from in tales and she was eager to hear every detail of how it worked, the people he had met, how he could even begin to fathom a conversation about trying to explain to someone they were dead. She just... couldn't wrap her head around it. And where did they go after they had done what they needed to on this plane of existence? It must be a horrible burden, a weight, to be that one person that could provide salvation to wayward souls. Her eyes briefly flicked to his hands as they tightened on his glass and she decided maybe it was time to ease up on the questions. The questions were clawing at her, but something like this had to be done delicately, slowly. Besides, they had most of a bottle of wine to finish off between them yet: the night was young.

When he asked about her own gifts, Andromeda's whole body seemed to tense. Not many people knew about what she really was, let alone the extent of her gifts. She wasn't sure people would come and willingly listen to her song if they knew - no, if they feared that it was controlling them. This man had told her about his gifts, but could she honestly tell him hers? Maybe, he would just end her life right here and now. Would her soul stick around and bother him if he did? All these thoughts passed through her mind in seconds before she forced her body to relax, plastering a lazy smile and forced herself to laugh.

"The only thing unusual about me is that I can sing so well when my Pa was as tone deaf as a Shrieker," Andromeda smiled into her cup and took a longer drag of the sweet liquid. "I'm afraid I'm probably not very interesting compared to your usual company. I grew up on a pirate ship, my Pa was Cap'n, then when he died I decided to make my own way in the world singing. That's about all there is to my story."

 

[Jirou]

While one could never truly tell what another was thinking without some sort of specified magical ability. Being an empathetic towards another often revealed more truth than not. Her words of what she was capable of were true. Her voice was innately wonderful and captivating.

But even he could tell that she was hiding something.

In the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter if she was or not, truth be told. She showed him drink, kindness, and attentiveness. He did not fear her nor did he think her some evil monster to be cut down in a place like this. A woman with something to hide was so often misconstrued to be someone vile or dangerous. And perhaps she was. But Jirou was a man to base his judgments on one's actions.

He smiled back, moving the goblet from his mouth to the table. "You must be growing quite tired of the crowds like these. Having dealt with pirates your whole life must make you sick with contempt for the crowd. No offense to your father, mind you, but if they commonly act like what we saw inside I know that I would grow a bit tired of it."

The ronin held his smile, his eyes seeming to wander to just over Andromeda's shoulder.

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda was relieved when he didn't push anymore on the subject of her magic, her shoulders very slowly relaxing once again and she returned to enjoying her wine. Perhaps she had completely dodged the bullet on that one. Easing herself back into the chair she finished her glass of wine and filled it up again, motioning the bottle to him in a gesture that queried whether he wanted a top up or not.

"When I grow tired of it I just take a holiday. It's one of the upsides to being your own boss, I'll go check in somewhere on a tiny island where nobody knows my name and sip fancy drinks beside a pool, enjoy massages, the quiet," Andromeda sighed in heavenly bliss. She loved her mini-escapes. "The crowd 'ere are actually one of the better ones," she admitted. "Sometimes the songs I sing... cause men to remember things they would rather forget, it can cause a lot of messy situations. Thankfully the barkeep usually has my back, I make them too much money and they know I won't go back if I ain't had a good time there." It was one of the upsides of having a name, even if it was only in a small and rather niche clientele. If she shunned a place but rolled into town and went somewhere else, then that bar was going to lose business for the length of time she was in town.

"Do you ever take a holiday from..." Ann trailed off a little when she noticed his gaze move to over her shoulder. Of course, he could have been admiring her earring, which was a dragon that wrapped its way around her outer ear with golden chains that hung down in varying lengths. But, she had a feeling it wasn't that and she half turned to follow his gaze.

 

[Jirou]

"Oh. I'm sorry. I was just admiring your earrings. They're quite exquisite." A lie but an easy one. Those earrings essentially gave him an out to check their back while they talked. She mentioned the crowds being one of the better ones she had dealt with but that kindness was not often paid the same to foreigners. He had to always be watching. Jirou felt bad for lying to her but there was no reason to drag her into his neurotic warrior thoughts.

He finished his second glass of wine. His equilibrium was now a bit off. Not good if there would be another mishap like inside, yet he had a feeling he'd left quite the impression. And all the men he would have to face would be far drunker than he.

"You do seem the type to make barkeepers happy." He jested. "I am sure those vacations are as lovely as they are necessary. As for me, I don't tend to take a break from what I do. I don't feel as if I was ever intended a destination. Or that perhaps I have already passed my destination and am now contorting destiny beyond its limits." He shrugged. His eyes panning to her 'earrings' again, and yet this time he actually saw something.

A man. Not a live one. A man's spirit. Telling him to run from this songstress. Making gestures that she was to slit his throat. His eyes motioned back to Andromeda and set his elbows on the table, leaning forward.

"Tell me, Andromeda." His voice warm but stern. "If you were a pirate, you must know what it's like to take a life then, too, mustn't you?"

 

[Andromeda]

Andromeda's skin crawled like there was someone standing on her grave, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt and turned back to him with a hesitant smile. Perhaps he was just keeping an eye on the other people in the beer garden; after all they had been surprised once. She was pretty confident Jack had her back and would stop the fools coming out after her, but you could never be too careful. He was a trained fighter by the sounds of it, they were probably more careful than pirates. At least when you fought other pirates, you knew what you were getting, but some of the stories she had heard of land lovers would make even a pirate grimace. Her hand slowly raised to the earring and she focused her mind back on the present.

"Why thank you," Ann smiled and took another long drain from the wine glass to try and sooth the feeling of goosebumps over her skin. "You should maybe think about taking such a holiday, in your line of work and with your gifts I imagine sometimes it would be nice to just... lay on a beach with the sound of waves crashing against the shore. Your troubles just... melting away," her voice was as warm as the sun and the sands she was describing, one could almost hear the waves as if brought to life by her words, taste the slight hint of salt from the spray. She sighed, enjoying her own illusion.

But it broke quickly when Jirou leaned in and asked his next question. Andromeda held his gaze as she slowly set her glass down and folded her arms over her chest. It wasn't exactly polite to ask a woman if she'd sent anyone down to Davvy Jones' Locker.

"I do." Blunt. Honest. "Why?" A wicked smile lit up her eyes as she leaned forward, their faces centimetres apart, her voice a whisper. "Are you scared of being sent to Davvy Jones' Locker at the hands of li'l' ol' me?"

 

[Jirou]

"You sure do paint a lovely picture, Andromeda." He smiled at the thought of his calloused self being cleansed at a beach head. It had been a long time since he'd taken a break. Just to enjoy tea with the family he lived with or to experience something pleasurable. Jirou had grown far too accustomed to the harshness of the world and for that reason never found himself taking time to relax. The stress didn't bother him anymore. The racing of his heart is what kept him alive.

Then, as he expected. The mood shifted. Chatter that was background noise seemed to flee their conversation at his inquiry. And her words changed from warm and cozy to cold in a second. However the ronin couldn't help but smile at her borderline threat. There was almost a flirtatious tone to it. Jirou was used to flirting with death itself.

"Scared? No, that wouldn't be the right term." He spoke, not moving his face from hers. "More intrigued. I wonder what it is you think of yourself knowing you have taken lives. But you being able to kill me?

Now that's rich."

 

[Andromeda]

Never had anyone spoken to her like this before and it thrilled her.

One touch, one touch and it would be a battle of wills as to whether or not he listened to her all the way into death. It would be so easy, so sweet, so satisfying. If she could only get him to the ocean it would be even easier, and so much more poetic. He seemed a man of taste and who liked a sense of danger so perhaps he would find it more fitting to be taken into the depths in the arms of a Siren. She had been reliably informed that drowning was at least peaceful and it would fill this aching need in her soul, in that wretched monster half of her that craved the death of man.

The fire they were sitting by turned her peach eyes to smouldering flames as she battled with her own inner demon. Fought against the half of her nature that she tried to keep on a tight leash every waking moment. The pounding drums of the sea were getting more intense.

"I feel nothing when I think of the men I have killed, think no less, no more of myself," again, brutal honesty. It was a like a razor blade to many's senses who wanted words like regret, remorse, disgust. But Andromeda felt nothing when she thought of the men who's eyes she had closed forever. No, that was a lie. She felt a sick sense of glee. Especially when she was in this kind of mood. The challenge was a grate along her pride, the Kivren's pride. What mere mortal thought he could withstand the song of a Siren which had doomed countless heroes in history? Some of the strongest that mankind had put forward to slay monsters, and he thought himself better? One touch here and he would see.

Mustn't touch.

It was like wrenching on a vicious dog. She propped her elbow on the table and rested her cheek in her cupped hand. She studied his face for a long drawn out pause before speaking. "My darling, I would never have to raise a finger, for you would be begging to do it for me."

 

[Jirou]

Jirou knew something was awry the moment he laid eyes on Andromeda. She was overall a great conversation partner but there was something that bothered him from the beginning. His absolute infatuation with her. The ronin, as said before, never had those feelings since Yuuna's death. His heart was resolute and belonged only to her. Yet Andromeda's presence, her voice, her eyes. All of them stirred up an array of repressed feelings.

That was a red flag if he'd ever known one.

Whatever was up with her inexplicable beauty hid something mysterious and sinister. It was not uncommon to meet people who felt nothing for the trail of death they left behind, but it never got easier to hear. He would have to be more on guard than he had originally ascertained. She was willing to play into the topic meaning it if he did anything rash he'd likely pay for it.

He sipped from his wine, moving backwards to give her a bit of space.

"I don't doubt that in the slightest. I'd say you nearly had me around your finger with just your voice. What a terrifying creature you are." He smiled, his tone playful yet mindful.

 

[Andromeda]

Neither half of her were happy with how the exchange had ended. The primal creature in her howled at her to finish this, to feel the slick warm blood between her teeth. The woman was appalled she had come so close to giving in to the need. When he leaned back it allowed her to wrench the chain again and she sat back too, her hands moving to her hair in an effort to give her hands something to do. Her nails raked through the long locks and pushed the white mass back from her face.

The ocean was so loud in her mind she was surprised Jirou couldn't hear it himself. It beat in time to her rapid heart beat so violently she feared that despite being nowhere near the sea her body might shift here and now. It hadn't been this bad in a long while: she would need to swim tonight. Andromeda gave him a wary smile. It sounded almost mocking, but his face betrayed something else. Mindfulness. It was the kind of look a prey animal got when they knew a predator was nearby but wasn't quite sure where.

"Never underestimate the power of a song, have you never heard of the legends of Sirens?"

Legends, for that's all they were to most: Kirven rarely left survivors.