elongatedsmile | [Voice]

[Today the journal opens up on a rather water damaged looking apartment on the top floor of the Ground Building. Yes, the apartment has been trying to fix itself, but each night she tends to destroy it once more. Thankfully with the warmer weather the mixed breed will be returning to sleeping at the bottom of the lake once more, but thinking of her move she's gotten something else on her mind.

She opens her large, fanged mouth and speaks in a slightly gravely voice.]

Talking book. I have heard tell that in this land is the ocean. This is true, is it not? In which direction is this ocean?

[It's always been a dream of her's to see an ocean. Her extra long, scaled fingers grip the book tightly just thinking about it. She had put off searching for it until she felt she had secured herself a safe territory, but she's learned that Luceti probably won't let that ever happen.]

Is it as any ocean you have visited in your world? Or is it unique as are many items in this world? What of fish? Large monsters of the sea? Does there exist a place where one can stand and not see the end of the water?

[Tell her stories of oceans, Luceti. She's planning a trip and is full of excitement.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Wait... was this woman saying...]

Then the world you are from? It is nearly completely covered in water?

[Want.]

I did not know such a place could exist.

Yes, that's right. A sliver of land circles the world vertically - that's the Red Line - and the most dangerous linear stretch of ocean circles the world horizontally. That is the Grand Line. [Perona waves one finger in a circle, to stress her point.] Other than that, in the four blues...islands dust the waters all over.

I was born on the Grand Line itself, but I can't recall the type of island, or the name. [Or much of anything about her youth, actually. Perona mostly remembers being on Moria's ship most of her life.] Though for a decade I sails the seas as a key player to a great Pirate Warlord - living on the greatest and largest ship on my planet.

[Sailing and ships -- boring don't care.]

I wish I have lived in your world. What creatures live in your oceans? Are there large fish? What of dragons?

Dragons...mhh. From what I recall dragons were eradicated long ago - by a great samurai. I knew him somewhat. [Or his zombie, at least. Ryuuma was seriously cool from what Perona remembers. He was an exquisite swordsman, and a gentleman most of the times... Moria must have picked a good shadow for his body - a strong one.]

But the fish are bountiful, of course! There are many types, each differing depending on the region where they're found. And then there are the sea kings...great ocean beasts that are hundreds of times larger than a great war ship. Each one of those monsters are violent and dangerous, some more than others, but they're simply one of the many challenges of navigating the seas of my land. Great sailors can challenge them, but only the best can overcome them.

The nest of the sea kings lies on the Calm Belt...where no ship dares to enter. A ship on the calm belt is doomed to be sunk and its crew killed and eaten by the beasts within the waters...horohorohoro... [With no wind and no current to escape the water, a vessel lays stationary in the water until one of the hundreds of thousands of sea kings decides its hungry.] The mother sea is vast and beautiful, but she is unforgiving and without mercy to the weak and the witless.

[You need to respect the water, not just adore it. Living in her world is not easy. It's dangerous and difficult. But what would one expect in a world of pirates and thieves?]

Eradicated? [She hated it when humans would use their larger words. Almost as much as the really short words. Sometimes she could figure it out, but this one she was having trouble with. Although by the sound of the words around it and how this woman keeps talking about other things and not another mention to the dragons makes her nervous.]

Do you mean that they left your world? [She's hoping that by "left" they moved to a new place and not simply gone.

Still, her spirits lightened as she listened to stories of fish and sea kings. It all sounded so amazing. She had not ever seen a boat larger than fishing vessels on lakes. In her mind the ones she pictures are massive. A war boat would need to carry a whole village full of people so it had to be large, right? Something swallowed by a beast so large, even she felt somewhat afraid.] Do you know, are there kings like that in Luceti's ocean? [Even if it would be dangerous, part of her wants to see one.]

Killed. [Perona says the words offhandedly, like it doesn't bother her at all. Dragons are mythical beasts, after all. They were rare to begin with, and most likely if they did ever exist, they were wiped out in the primitive era far before she was ever born.] Or they simply died out...but the legend of the samurai says he killed a dragon.

[She shrugs, lazily, to the camera. Again, Perona doesn't care for old legends like that. Dragons aren't her cup of tea.]

Here?! Sea kings? [She barks out a laugh.] With that pitiful little puddle, I doubt anything more than a few worthless bass would swim those waters. Nothing larger than a few feet at best. The ocean here is nothing compared to what I know...though I've never fished nor sailed this ocean. I don't have a ship.

[WHICH SERIOUSLY FUCKING BLOWS, LET HER TELL YOU. At itty bitty as this ocean is, it's still and ocean, and she'd sail it if she had the means to do so.]

Killed? [She can't control a small tremble that sneaks up her arms.] A world without dragons? [It was a scary thing to think of. Yet, there was nothing she could do about that world so she tries to focus on the ocean. Although it will be quite clear that the excitement is her voice has dipped.]

A few feet? [She looks down at her actual feet.] I have seen fish that large in lakes before. Are the fish in the ocean not any larger than the ones in the lake?

Mmh, that's right. Dragons are mythical beasts in my world. They don't exist outside of legend. [Though, really, some of the sea kings she spoke about prior are like sea dragons - some are reptilian looking, though obviously dwell in water. Then there are the numerous other bizarre creatures of her world, but...eh. Perona has yet to see a real dragon.] As far as I've encountered.

[She sighs, and knits her brows together at the next question, a little irritated. Did this girl not hear her? Perona doesn't know for sure! She hasn't sailed Luceti's ocean yet, she doesn't have a stinking ship!]

I can only assume. Like I said before, I don't have a sailing vessel to really check. Nor am I a fisherman... [And she can't swim, but like hell Perona's bringing that up.] If you want a definitive answer, look for yourself!

I shall. [When she figures out to get there.] I am just trying to prepare myself for what may be out there. I thank you for your thoughts on what may be in the ocean here.

[As she did listen before when Perona said she hasn't visited the ocean before, yet Xzana assumed she knew more about this ocean than herself.]

[Perona huffs quietly, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back in her chair. Thanks? Well, alright then...though she doesn't exactly get why she's being thanked. All she did was explain something familiar while making herself all the more homesick for her precious ocean. Still--]

D-Don't thank me! Just let me know when you go to explore that little puddle. ...I want to take a look at it as well.

I do not wish to explore a puddle. I have seen puddles. I wish to see the ocean.

If you wish to see a puddle I know of a place where they commonly form near the stream.

[....]

You're not very smart at all, are you?

[Xzana bristles. A low growl in her throat.] I am wise. I am not the one looking for a puddle.

[Sarcasm is just something she has never understood very well.]

[Hooo boy, this one really was an idiot. Perona rolls her eyes with a sigh, shaking her head. There's no reason to argue with an idiot, especially through the journal and when she can't get outside, so she'll just roll the comment off with little mind.]

...Very well, wise one. Enjoy the ocean you seek. May it suit your ideals. [She'll just dream of home and sailing her own precious waters again.]

I shall see if it will suit soon. [For she is meeting with a God to go find it and it's going to be amazing.]