A pirate lives free [Saya]

"Wow!" Dana exclaimed at Saya's incredible feat of acrobatics, giving an enthusiastic round of applause when Saya even managed to stick the landing. Even the clone who was sulking at the back of the boat had to give a begrudging clap. It probably wasn't true but Dana liked to imagine that Saya had learned all those cool moves from watching Dana's own gymnastic movements. The younger Senju had taught her so much and Dana kind of felt bad that she herself didn't have anything to offer Saya in return. Maybe in the future, Dana would eventually have something to teach Saya to repay her for her kindness.

The boat was going super fast now and Dana began to hum a cool tune whilst the boat cut through the choppy waves. She undid her ponytail to let her long white hair flow freely and allowed it to catch the wind magnificently. The sea air wouldn't be good for her hair but for now, she would temporarily revel in the feeling of a cool breeze. She smiled contentedly, "This is nice.". Her tone was happy, relaxed. Dana wasn't really the type of person to go out for recreational activities like this that often but it was quickly becoming evident that she should do so more often.

Dana skipped over to Ai to see what she was ruffling through the hatch on Coach's back. When AI pulled out the white bag Dana just gave it a puzzled expression and a tilted head, having never seen food like this before. If Ai decided to hand Dana one of the containers, the older Senju would cautiously open it. It smelt delicious but now Dana was struck with a small dilemma, was this something people ate with their hands? Did it require a fork? Chopsticks? If Dana was by herself she'd probably just scarf the whole thing down with her hands but she didn't want to offend present company.

While she tried to figure out the answer to this conundrum, Dana took a second to look around and see what both her clones were doing. The one that had given Pinochio her coat earlier was still sitting next to the wooden boy, and Dana could see that the clone was having an internal crisis of her own where she was fighting the urge to put a place a hand on the grumpy puppet's head. Her other clone - the one that had sassed her for not being able to cheat at rowing as she had - was currently sitting at the back of the boat with her hat on her lap. Dana held up the container of mappo tofu and made eye gestures to indicate that it could be some kind of peace offering, but her clone just sniffed derisively and looked away.

WC: 470
TWC: 5336

"Its no big deal! I mean like. Don't stop clapping or whatever, i'm a big fan of that BUT it wasn't that hard of a trick. In my off time I've been looking up this thing called parkour, its like. Imagine if running away from the guards was a dance. Maybe I'm explaining it wrong. It's a cool way to climb things and jump from stuff and just like get around. I'm not great at it yet, but it's super helpful since I have a tendency to dive unprompted performances that impede traffic, and the higher ups in the village are not exactly a fan of that particular aspect of my personality. Whenever someone tries to catch me I just hop up, cat pass the fence, and I'm gone before they even know what hit them!" In emphasis to her statement, and totally proving her lack of skill in urban free running, she did a standing backflip before giving a shrug. She'd stand quietly, not considering until half way through dana's humming that she should probably turn the boat before they get far enough to be in danger of the storm wall, and then rushed to the back of the ship. Turnning the rudder, she'd give a motion to her puppets who still held oars, and they planted them into the water.

The ship slowed a bit as the wood gave friction to the wind power they'd built up, but the longship made a hard left turn, now following the outline of the island from about two hundred meters out. From here she'd be able to control angle solely with the steering mechanism. As dana's song ended, a thought passed  her mind. 

"The king and his men stole the queen from her bed
and bound her in her bones
the seas be ours and by the powers, 
where we will, we'll roam. 

yo. Ho. Haul. Hands. Hoist the colors high, 
Heave. Ho. Thieves and beggers.
Never shall we die" 

Her song was slow and haunting, the tune an origional creation that came from thoughts of Dana's song and totally not something borrowed from a famous movie about pirates. If she'd taken the time to actually consider it, SHe'd probably heard some pirate around the islands singing it when she was off testing out if the pirate lifestyle was better than the ninja one. If she had to give him a name, she'd probably call him zack carrow, but either way one thing was certain: This totally unnamed pirate who is not zack, would live a long fun filled life with no one to interfere in his endeavors or turn into a big chakra construct and murderify him. Yea. That would be aweful. 

Natrually, A container was offered to Dana. As Ai passed food to both girls, she'd pause, hopping back up Coach's back to climb half way into the pirates chest cavity. For a full minute she rummaged around, and then came back with two sets of chopsticks. Somehow the food was still quite warm. 

(TWC 5748)

Dana listened attentively to Saya explain her reasons for being able to move about the way she did and shook her head to show disagreement at the actions of the authorities. Saya sure did live quite an interesting life. "That sounds like a them problem," She said to show solidarity with Saya, "Maybe they should just learn to appreciate your performances!". Dana rubbed her chin as she thought about it some more, "It does sound fun, though. Like a proper pirate, arrr!" She pumped a fist in the air as her voice shifted into a more piratey-accent. She held this position for a few seconds and then broke out into a soft laugh.

Dana would be lying if she said that she didn't go sailing right off the ship when Saya performed a hard turn. There had been ample warning that it was about to happen but, well, Dana's attention span wasn't the best. Now, a normal person who was caught off guard by the boat turning would probably stumble a few feet but manage to regain their balance afterward. As established earlier, Dana was incredibly light. So, unfortunately, the moment the boat started to turn Dana would quite literally go flying over the side of the ship. Somehow, going soaring through the air did not seem to phase the Senju girl, who wouldn't even make a sound whilst she was in the air.

She reacted with grace and precision. Which is to say, Dana flailed about in the air for a few seconds once she went overboard. What happened next would be incredibly cinematic and also very sad:

The clone that had been sulking at the back of the ship would see her creator go flying overboard and she would suddenly go through thousands of words of character development in a few seconds. Cue black and white flashbacks: the clone thought about all the good times it had shared with Dana, all the bad times as well. She quickly decided that it actually liked Dana, despite all her shortcomings by being lazy and rubbing it in her face. She also didn't want the outfit Dana was wearing to become ruined. So, she reacted instantly.

The clone dashed across the deck of the ship and would jump over after Dana. In the very short distance between the edge of the boat and the ocean, the clone would somehow manoeuver itself underneath Dana mid-air and push her back onto the deck of the ship. Even in a ninja world, Newton's Third still applies, and pushing its creator in the air would push the clone right back into the water. The clone would hit the water and then sink slowly, making sure a raised thumbs up would be the last thing visible. Once fully under the water, the clone popped out of existence.

Dana herself managed to land on the deck feat first, with a completely blank expression on her face. She was still sorting through the memories from the short existence of the clone so she was a little confused. She shook her head, "Well, that was weird... Let's eat!"

WC: 523
TWC: 5859

"It kind of makes sense I suppose. Like, of course everyone should just take the time and apreciate my performance, learn the lessons of the songs, and stop purposely buying fruit and vegis, letting them sit until they get rotten, and then bringing them each morning to throw at me. Especially that last part. But yanno I do have a tendency to pick the best possible spot for visibility, and the best possible spot may or may not have been directly in the flow of traffic heading to and from places, or up on top of something that may or may not colapse by the end of my performance, or may involve some scenery that I 'borrowed' without exactly asking if it was alright, so i suppose the adversarial response is fairly warrented. Gives me lots of time to practice running all around the village and taking new lines that could more easily get me out of trouble though. " There was a rather loud scoff from the still soaked puppet as Saya rationalized all of the things she'd done to nearly get in trouble with the guards stationed around the village. The list was far more extensive than she'd suggested, but who has time to explain hundreds of situations where she may have been a little too eccentric and in the way?!

It wasn't even a consideration for saya when she called her puppets to shift the boat at a hard angle. Most of her team literally shared a mind, so it was easy for them all to brace in a way that kept them firmly in their seat. As Dana's feet left the wooden floor, She remembered that her friend did not share her own mind. A call out would have been ideal. She also considered the importance of seatbelts on her boats, given her rather obnoxious tendency to lose focus and then have to make unnaturally hard adjustments in order to get them back on path. It really was a shame that there wasn't some department of like. Aquatic vehicles that set up regulations and safety requirements. 

"Huh." Saya watched the scene unfold, and for a moment she considered releasing the vines still sitting on her wrists. Then she saw the clone move. She was flabbergasted at the actions the Dana clone had made, the noble sacrifice of jumping in the way of her creator, and the long drawn out sinking down to davey jones' locker. Seemed a little excessive considering they could have just stopped the boat, but Saya was one for theatrics so she could apreciate a longer line than needed for emphasis! As quickly as it happened, thoughts of the clone were gone and Saya simply nodded. 

"So this is my favorite meal ever in the history of ever. I eat it every day after training sessions! It's called mappo tofu and you can get it from this little old lady who runs a food stall just outside of my house! Its very spicy and savory and it just hits the spot after a long day's training. "

(TWC 6260)

Dana snorted at Saya's own complete lack of a reaction to the strange events that had just transpired. Dana, for her part, was just a little disorientated from the influx of memories and bizarre opinions her clone had somehow developed. All her short-term memories were filled with sulking and... Being annoyed at herself? She didn't really get why a part of her that had been independent for what couldn't be longer than 10-minutes had ended up so different from her normal self. Though it was very possible that Dana was just a bit weird, no further explanations needed.

After, presumably, receiving the chopsticks and container full of mappo tofu, Dana took a second to look around the ship for somewhere to sit while she ate. She needed somewhere that wouldn't cause her to go tumbling off the ship again if Saya decided to make another impromptu turn. Once again, Dana's strange brain decided to take control, and it directed her gaze upwards towards the top of the mast, where the flags were. She imagined the view from that height, then imagined the danger. Then she decided that the danger didn't bother her; her remaining clone would probably save her if she fell, anyway!

The vines that were wrapped around her arms uncurled. One circled around underneath her like a squashed spring, and slowly began to lift her up towards the yard of the ship. Once she was high enough, Dana plonked herself down and used both the vines to wrap around the wooden pole to make sure she was completely secure and stable. She hoped Saya would also join her up here but she also knew that not everyone had the same carefree attitude as she did. She looked out across the ocean and let out a small "Ooooh," at the view. It really was beautiful, even if the tranquility was slightly ruined by the huge murder death storm that surrounded the island.

The white-haired Senju crossed her legs underneath her, wobbling as she did so, and opened the container. The smell hit her within an instant and her eyes widened as she took it in. It smelt amazing! Her stomach rumbled as if annoyed at her for taking so long and so, Dana obliged. She gripped the two chopsticks in her hand, deftly yoinked a piece of tofu and shoved it into her mouth without much grace or build-up. Her pallet exploded into a flurry of flavours and her pale green eyes almost shone with amazement as it hit her tastebuds. It was as Saya had said; very spicy and savoury, and it sure did hit the spot.

On complete autopilot, Dana used her chopsticks to pick up to push another piece of tofu in her mouth before she'd even swallowed the first one. This continued and very quickly Dana soon turned into something resembling a chipmunk as she was attempting to eat faster than she could swallow. She thumped her chest and eventually managed to get it down, finally regaining the ability to breathe. She sighed happily and draped herself on the yard, resting the container on her torso as she had nowhere else to put it. "That was amazing! Best thing Oi've ever eaten!"

WC: 539
TWC: 6398

Mid-Thread claim:
Using 2600 words for 26 stats (11 into Chakra, 15 into Vigor) to get max stats
Then using 400 words for 8AP
3000 words to switch Ninjutsu for Medical main spec

3000 words claimed so far

@Dana Senju
Approved Mid-Thread claims. Make sure to restate them at the end of final claims.

Lips parted to question both the snort and what the heck had actually just happened, but she'd thought better of it. Either this was an elaborate set up performed to perfection, or an absolutely random series of events that inevitably she would not understand. The thought of having to have the emotional scene just witnessed explained seemed pretty complex, and honestly it would have taken away from the energy of the situation in a bad way. sometimes theater was not meant to be understood, IE cats. Either way it was finished as quickly as it'd begun, and with the chaos slipping from her mind she remembered one important detail: they had Mappo tofu. 

"AHEM. There is also garlic bok choy, rice, and some steamed brocoli. Remember we talked about having more balanced meals. You need to eat your vegetables and not just subsist on protein sorces and spicy sauce full of MSG--and you aren't listening to a word i'm saying. I understand how pinochio feels all the time." Ai's short rant on proper nutrition garnered a frusterated scoff from the small puppet still wrapped in a rediculous coat. The bag at her feet rustled for a moment as Coach searched for just the right response, finally holding up a sign that read:she has a point" on the side that pointed towards Ai, and "mappo tofu life" with the rat hand seal beneath it on the side facing Saya. He liked to keep his option open. 

"Sis, tofu IS vegitables. It's like. soy beans or something. Totally counts." Saya was already two bites into her lunch when she took the time to comment on the lecture. Thick red sauce dribbled down her chin as she almost literally inhaled the contents of the soup container. Actually, She did start sputtering and coughing for a moment as she attempted to breathe and eat at the same time, literally inhaling the meal. After a slightly slower third bite, having taken the time to bite the large nugget of tofuey goodness in half instead of fitting the entire thing in her mouth, she looked up, noticing Dana now hanging from a mast. Huh. 

It would take her three strides, but with one hand holding the food container and chopsticks she pushed off the ground, one foot coiling against the front mast to push her higher into the air. She grasped the mid mast with her free hand, spinning around it one time befor vaulting herself up another couple meters, and then stuck her landing. With one leg wrapped around the mast and the other out flat to link the first heel behind her calf, She'd find herself stable enough and take another bite of her lunch. 

"I told you! You gotta go check out the shop sometime. I literally eat there every single day. " 

"she does. Every meal that we don't physically stop her from going she gets the same thing. One large mappo tofu and a milk tea. I've been trying to get some variation in her diet for three months now but nothing doing. " Ai sounded disgruntled as she explained her plight. It was dificult raising teenagers when you were one yourself. 

(TWC 6790)

Dana beamed widely when the younger Senju decided to join her up on the yard of the ship, though she would eye Saya's lack of any exterior security to stay on the mast curiously. Saya was surprisingly nimble, though it made sense given how much time she had apparently spent running from the authorities of the village. Saya seemed to have quite an aptitude for sailing as well, she seemed like quite the professional monkeying about the ship and changing its direction and stuff. Dana wouldn't know if steering a boat was difficult or not since she had never done it.

Dana almost commented on Saya's choice of diet but chose not to. She could hardly speak about diet when she basically subsided off whatever she found among the leftovers of the inn she lived above. She didn't want for many things, but thoughts of getting to eat tofu like that every day was mouth-watering to the Senju. It looked and tasted very expensive, so she didn't know how Saya was managing to afford this on a daily basis. Maybe the energetic girl just did so many missions that she could afford to eat like this. Goodness knows Dana could use that same energy when it came to doing missions.

Still beaming, Dana used her incredible core strength to push herself up so she could fully face the girl who was sitting on the mast with her. It had just occurred to her that there was a whole lot about Saya that Dana didn't know, and vice versa. Dana was as exuberant and extroverted as they come, but she still struggled to actually just... Sit and talk to people. Others very rarely caught her interest, and that was assuming she even considered them important enough to pay attention to in the first place. Saya and Niko were probably the first people that Dana had spoken to in a very long time. It was nice, and a unique change of pace from her usual life of staying inside and drawing.

"Have ye ever heard of a game called 'Twenty Questions'?" Dana asked, coming up with the perfect idea to continue talking to Saya and also learn more about her, "It's where ye ask me a question about moi loife or something, and then oi ask one back. If it's anything personal then don't feel pressured to answer, it's just a game after all." She smiled.

If Saya was up for it then Dana would happily clap her hands together, "Yay! Okay, ye go first! Shoot."

WC: 424
TWC: 6822

Her position was a little odd. Her legs curled and linked around the circular mast, using the angle of her upper body to leverage her skin against the wood in a way that held, but for the time being there were more important things at hand. She had a container of tofu that was not yet fully consumed. In emphasis of her defiance at the idea that she should "eat well" or "not just eat the exact same thing every meal of every day because it could have a negative impact on her health" She took another piece of tofu from the container, bringing it to her lips, and made eye contact with her sister as she popped the whole thing in her mouth. Chewing quickly she'd make quick work of the last of her meal, swishing the deep red liquid around in the plastic before finally tipping the cup back and drinking the remaining sauce. Gosh she loved Mappo tofu. 

She formed seals quickly. While she could probably stay up here for a while if she needed to, with her focus no longer on more important matters she could feel the rough wood threatening to splinter her skin. That seemed less than ideal. Hare. Boar. Unity. Hare. Dragon. She held the seal, and in moments a small chair sprouted from the mast just beneath her. It stretched out, it's back embedded fully into the structure she'd been linked to, and in moments a folding chair finished creation. Unhooking her heels she slid downward, one arm outstretched to guide herself, as she plopped down into the seat. She shook left and right a couple times to ensure it was in fact stable, and then responded to the girl's question about questions. 

"mmm. Not that I can think of? sounds like a fun game though!!! How do we decide who was the winner?" This game had absolutely everything she could hope for. There was talking, there was questions, and there was more talking. While it seemed less like a game and more like spending two minutes in a room with our dear protagonist, she was a big fan of the try everything once approach--as long as the try everything didn't involve like murder or torture or being mean to cute animals. That was off limits. Now came the hard part. What would be the perfect question? She needed a real deep dive into Dana's history that would reveal something no one else would ever know... Something that would leave secrets between the pair for years to come. But how could she fit all of that into just one question without being cut off half way through because she'd turned a sentence into a twenty two page dissertation... agian? 

"Alright. Sorry if this one is too intense to start off with but.... What.... Is....." She'd pause to let the tension build for a moment, feeling her adrenaline pumping at the sheer thought of such an invasive inquiry. 

"You favorite color?" There was a collective gasp from the puppets, with even Coach holding up a sign with the word gasp between two asterisks. 

(TWC 7310)

Dana would be lying if she said that she didn't feel the teensiest bit jealous of Saya's ability to materialize a chair from the ship. She looked immensely comfortable in a way that was simply impossible for Dana to be, sitting on an awkwardly thin mast as she was. While it was true that Dana possessed the same ability to grow chairs and other furniture as Saya, she lacked the ability to do so from another Senju's creation like this boat was. It would be far too much effort to try and grow a special hooked chair that hung from the yard, so she'd just continue to sit down with her two grasping vines keeping her steady.

"Oi... Don't actually know." She said when Saya asked how the winner was decided. Could Twenty Questions even have a winner? It was another of those things that Dana had knowledge of without actually knowing where said knowledge came from. "Oi don't think it's that kind of game." She shrugged, not really knowing the answer for definite. It was probably just a way for people to get to know each other better, why would something like that need a winner anyway?

Dana let out a slow breath at Saya's question, considering it deeply. Now, this was a proper tough question; there were so many colours, how the heck was she supposed to decide between them all? She scratched her cheek in thought and slowly hedged an answer. "Teal." Instantly after answering she appeared to reconsider the answer, "Wait, no. Green... Pink? Purple, maybe? Yeah, definitely purple." She nodded after finally coming up with an answer she was happy with. That had been hard to answer! Now, she needed to come up with an equally tough question to bamboozle Saya with.

"Moi turn!" She itched the back of her right hand whilst deep in thought, "Hmmm... Would you rather have a pet dog or a pet cat." Dana smiled smugly, certain that Saya wouldn't be able to answer such a difficult question. She seemed to be the type to love pets so having to pick between two different animals would probably be impossible. Who knew, though; Saya could easily surprise. The whole point of playing this game was to learn more about each other after all.

WC: 388
TWC: 7210