Duel An Encounter at Sea

[Magimasterkarp]

Bill's ship, the Pilar​

Wide, flat, endless. The horizon stretched, failed to reach even a smidge of land, as might well there be none, a world devoid of anything but this bowl of ocean, unfathomably deep, the water's surface separating two worlds that couldn't be more different. While below the fish moved in schools and scattered to dodge savage predators, white streaks shot across the sky, jubilant in their ability to defy gravity, screaming their joy into the wind.
One of the seagulls dove down, skirting the cresting waves to pick some prey out of the places where the sky and ocean entwined. While doing so it came close to the one point of interest in the whole scenery of empty ocean, the fishing boat named Pilar. It's scream startled the small cutter's inhabitant.
Bill had dozed off in his folding chair, but now he was awake again. He checked the fishing rods he set up, but there was no bite.
"Och, what a lull. What I'd give fer some excitement. I oughta set sail again, maybe peek into Mock Town for some sellsword work. Or I'll pick up a bounty book. Huntin' some lowlifes might give me some excitement. 'S like fishin' but fer people."
He finished draining the open bottle of now warm beer he had fallen asleep with, and made his way to his mast to hoist the sail gaff. From the roof of his cabin behind the mast he had a great view of the wide horizon and the seagull speckled sky.
@Lamby

 

[Lamby]

Swimming through the Seas, May the Rust be something of the Past...
Gerald had just left his home town, He contemplated renting a boat or even finding someone to travel with but considering the way in which he desired to do things this would go quite differently. Through a plentiful mound of training and conditioning Gerald had molded himself into a beast fully capable of Swimming on the High Seas when the waters are Mild.

[Shameless Insert of Melodic Music]

Splash...Splash...Splash....Splash...
It was pretty hard to miss since this was a fully Gilded man swimming through the ocean; he'd attracted the attention of many small fish since it's apart of their natural curiosity to gather and mingle about bright lights near the water. This lead to alot of altercations where he was met with some of the dangerous and violent predators of the Ocean. Some simply ate the fish and left and others tried to eat Him! Gerald fought off the Predators; some with a punch to the gullet, others by wrestling them under water or by simply shoving his fingers into their gills and forcing them to escape. After a long... Very long journey Gerald came upon this vessel conveniently parked in the middle of nowhere.

"Finally! Something I can get behind; Maybe I can even learn how to sail a Ship!" he said blatantly assuming it was abandoned, it would soon come to his attention that it's quite the opposite. As he approached the thick hull of the boat he noticed a fisherman's line plopped bobbing a few meters over.

"Hey BUDDY! ANYONE THERE?! I'M IN A BIT OF A BIND AND I NEED SOME HELP!" shouted Gerald as he halted, keeping himself afloat. His limbs had begun to tire since Gerald decided that swimming in His Hot-Dog Suit was a better Idea than going in something Lighter that and the many fish he had to ward off on his way this deep into these waters. The Consequence of outlandish decisions truly caught up with the young Floridian.

 

[Magimasterkarp]

Creaking. Ropes creaked. The mast creaked. Bill's old bones creaked. As he began hauling the throat halyard he groaned in competition with his rigging. Luckily for his spine, he spotted something in the distance after the first heave. Something was coming towards him across the surface of the water. It was a wonder he didn't spot it earlier, considering it gleamed in the sun like a billion berries in gold. The halyard was released and the gaff fell back down onto the boom, all but forgotten.
While Bill clambered down from his cabin roof, the golden apparition came close enough that his eagle eyes could make out the movements of a skilled swimmer.
Bill was a very superstitious man, but not without reason. He had dealt with all kinds of ghosts, spirits and other supernatural dangers on the high seas during his long career as a sea bear. Rule one when dealing with an apparition was always: "Do not provocate!" Most ghosts will just pass your ship by if you don't engage them. Only bad luck can come from speaking to a restless spirit.
Rule two, the one Bill was now preparing for, was: "Be polite, show hospitality!"
Once an uncouth comment about the derrière of a horrible Sea Witch had caught him the worst curse imaginable: Divorce.
So now Bill was preparing, in case the approaching entity wanted to come aboard. He took stock of his food supplies, and he cleaned two glasses. When it came to giving hospitality to supernatural beings it was best not to appear stingy, so he put some of his best booze in the cooler. Only his bottle of extremely expensive Starks Mallard Whiskey was hidden instead. Even in the face of potential damnation, hospitality had to have its limits.
By the time the strange traveller reached the Pilar Bill was waiting in his cabin, to see if it would initiate contact.

"Finally! Something I can get behind; Maybe I can even learn how to sail a Ship!"

Bill's heart sank a bit. Whatever it was, it clearly wanted to come aboard. Maybe even take the Pilar from him, to haunt the seas as a ghost ship.

"Hey BUDDY! ANYONE THERE?! I'M IN A BIT OF A BIND AND I NEED SOME HELP!"

Bill's poor heart skipped a beat again. This was it. He stood up, crossed his fingers, spit over his shoulder and knocked on some wood. Thus shielded from bad luck as best he could be, he left his cabin, and saw the golden armoured soldier swimming near his vessel. Perhaps he was slain in a battle on a ship and now haunted this area of sea.
Following Rule #2, he switched on his well trained bartender's hospitality.
"Aye, sailor, ye look like ye had a long journey. Come aboard, rest yeself, and tell me yer stories, that ye may continue yer travels with fortified vigor."

 

[Lamby]

Gerald Waited Patiently in the ocean waters, carefully keeping himself afloat albeit the Ache in his arm.

"Is there really nobody on board this vessel? If there isn't then why is there a fisherman's line floating in the water" he thought as his assumption would be proven otherwise. A man had answered and he seemed to be quite aged.

"Thank you for letting me on board the ship" he said as he lifted one of his arms out of the water, shooting his gauntlet onto the rim of the boat. He tilted the Ship slightly as the Reel pulled him out of the water. He landed on the ship causing it to teeter once more.

"My apologies for the trouble, I was swimming for a few hours now and I need a break. Now, skipping any assumptions about my idiosyncratic appearance. My name is Gerald Yopenheimer! I am the Hot Dog Knight of My Home Island!" he exclaimed Striking a fancy pose; pulling his scepter from a compartment on the back of his suit, holding it in a upside down grip and extending his other hand to the sky so that the pose can flow as naturally as possible!

 

[Magimasterkarp]

Bill looked on as the stranger introduced himself. He was sure, this was definetely some kind of apparition.
This was the restless soul of an incredibly weird individual, unaware of his own demise, traversing the ocean in an eternal facsimile of youth. Never will this soul know the burdens and doubts of old age. It was almost envyable.
"Aye, yer a fine young lad. D'ye care fer some drink and food? Hospitality 's a hobby o' mine. The great Hotdog Knight surely can indulge an old sailor like meself with some of his time. I bin bored anyway."
He indicated to his folding chair for him to sit on. On the small table nearby were already two clean glasses, so Bill went into his cabin to get a second chair for himself and a bottle of rum.
"I guess spirits are fine fer ye to drink, but can ye consume nourishment? I could grill some fish. Ye could tell me yer story while they cook."
He would shout from in front of his fridge.

 

[Lamby]

Bill looked on as the stranger introduced himself. He was sure, this was definetely some kind of apparition.
This was the restless soul of an incredibly weird individual, unaware of his own demise, traversing the ocean in an eternal facsimile of youth. Never will this soul know the burdens and doubts of old age. It was almost envyable.
"Aye, yer a fine young lad. D'ye care fer some drink and food? Hospitality 's a hobby o' mine. The great Hotdog Knight surely can indulge an old sailor like meself with some of his time. I bin bored anyway."
He indicated to his folding chair for him to sit on. On the small table nearby were already two clean glasses, so Bill went into his cabin to get a second chair for himself and a bottle of rum.
"I guess spirits are fine fer ye to drink, but can ye consume nourishment? I could grill some fish. Ye could tell me yer story while they cook."
He would shout from in front of his fridge.

Gerald relaxed himself from his eccentric pose, he shifted his attention to Bill as the man spoke.

"I thank you for your Hospitality, I hope I can repay your kindness in the near future. I'd like to have a drink, I don't need any food as of now." he replied following the Old Man's Indication to the nearby folding chair. Gerald went and sat, he lent over onto his knees as he faced Bill; since he's wearing a mask you can't really see his eyes only the direction in the opening is looking.

"Spirit? No, I'm not a spirit. I haven't died yet. WAIT! Do you see me as some kind of specter kind sir?!" inquired Gerald as he had come to a very strange realization. He thought back to when he had first come to the ship, yelling for help it took quite sometime to get an answer; "Was the man afraid of me because it was a strange occurrence for a gilded Knight to come swimming to your boat??" he thought.

Gerald was unsure what to really do, if He appeared as a specter would removing his helmet clear up the accusations? It was quite cumbersome since it was tradition that we; of the Gas-Station Order from Floridia, kept our Identities hidden as to not draw too much speculation to the regular populous. So, Gerald sat and patiently waited for the mans reply and depending on that, Gerald would come to a more sound decision.

 

[Magimasterkarp]

Bill returned with just his chair and a bottle. It was as he thought. Most ghosts didn't need to eat, and many didn't even notice they were never hungry.

"Spirit? No, I'm not a spirit. I haven't died yet. WAIT! Do you see me as some kind of specter kind sir?!"

So that is how it was. The poor sap didn't know. Best not to be the one to tell him, then. Some spirits were known to react poorly to that. He deflected:
"Nae, lad. I wus talkin' 'bout the spirits trapped inna bottle. The ghost of barley, or sugarcane in this case. Tho if ye want to see sum supernat'ral apparitions, I've got a bottle of Absinthe as well. la fée verte is a personal friend."
With a heavy thud he plopped down into his chair and started pouring rum into the two glasses.
"And don't ye worry about repayin' me. In all me year at sea I learned that a good story is always worth the drink you tell it with. How did ye end up swimmin' in a golden armor this far out at sea?"
He picked up his glass and offered it to the stranger for a toast. "I'm Bill. Cheers!"

 

[Lamby]

Bill returned with just his chair and a bottle. It was as he thought. Most ghosts didn't need to eat, and many didn't even notice they were never hungry.

So that is how it was. The poor sap didn't know. Best not to be the one to tell him, then. Some spirits were known to react poorly to that. He deflected:
"Nae, lad. I wus talkin' 'bout the spirits trapped inna bottle. The ghost of barley, or sugarcane in this case. Tho if ye want to see sum supernat'ral apparitions, I've got a bottle of Absinthe as well. la fée verte is a personal friend."
With a heavy thud he plopped down into his chair and started pouring rum into the two glasses.
"And don't ye worry about repayin' me. In all me year at sea I learned that a good story is always worth the drink you tell it with. How did ye end up swimmin' in a golden armor this far out at sea?"
He picked up his glass and offered it to the stranger for a toast. "I'm Bill. Cheers!"

"Supernat'ral apparitions? Absinthe? la fée verte? Who is this guy?" he thought for but a mere moment, Bill returned with Beers and a folding chair. He laid the Chair with a loud thud as he began pouring the rum into the two glasses on the small table. Gerald reached for his glass and held it up to his helmet. Bill picked his glass and offered a toast, Gerald complied and lifted his Glass to Toast with his new friend... Bill. The Glasses *CLINKED* and Gerald took his first sip. Originally he had worried about revealing himself to Bill to appear as normal but it seems it was all a misguided speculation.

Without removing his helmet he downed the glass in one go and one quick swoop, without spilling any of it on his armor.

"How I ended up swimming in my Gilded Suit? It was a really simple story actually. Where I a come from we raise explorers that go from island to island in search of treasure and Geological formations that we document for our own personal pleasure. Think of it as an exploration culture..." he began lowering his glass to the table at his side.

"My home island is known as Floridia, it's not mapped since it has not really been discovered. There are only a set few ways of getting in and out of those waters. I became of age to start my journey as an explorer and my parents wished me to use my talents to their fullest, so they sent me off. Of Course I complied! The Town Elders Bestowed upon me this Gilded Armor and give me very specific instructions to leave the island in the middle of the day on it's northeastern point. I only later found out why, There were Sea Beasts playing nearby their sheer roughness caused the waters to churn and spin creating an artificial current."

"I jumped into the waters and then next thing I knew... I WAS SOARING THROUGH THE VAST BLUE! Sailing as though I was a Marlin on it's usual morning marathon! I landed on this smile uninhabited island miles away, I then chose a direction and began swimming." he finished as he took off his glove, feeling a slight prick in his Elbow. He grab and pulls on the Polymorphic metal Strip keeping his arm puffs in place and opens it. Out Comes a Sea Urchin! Wait... Not one... But Two?! It seemed to have snagged on as the man had been swimming or when he had left his home isle. No matter atleast they are no more of a bother to him now.

 

[Magimasterkarp]

While listening, Bill started stuffing his pipe with tobacco. This all made some sense. The young man was raised to be an explorer. And before he even had a chance to really leave, he jumped into the ocean with his heavy golden armor on. The poor kid must have drowned straight away, and his spirit just went off to explore anyways, held in this world by pure curiosity.
He lit a match and took his time igniting his pipe, while he observed Gerald shake some sea urchins out of his sleeve. He knew undead or ghostly drowned were often accompanied by sea critters from where they died. He remembered that female ghost with the sea shells that just wouldn't come off.
He decided to regale this young man with some of the tales from his long career as a seafaring mercenary.
"Aye, some islands are hard to leave. They us'ally make fer some insular and reclusive inhabitants. Good on ya folks fer going out to explore so much. I once found a small kingdom in the stomach of a great big whale, they didn't take well to us outsiders at all. They called me an' the boys "Ex-Gastros". Really an unfriendly people, nearly had us hanged because we was shippin' barrels of chilli powder. But they was happy as all get out to trade our antacid tablets fer some..."
He took a pondering puff of his pipe, thinking about the acid burn scars he got from skinny dipping with the locals. Remembering his young audience, he eventually continued:
"Ehem, let's say, pers'nal attention. And barrels and barrels of krill. We ate naught but chilli shrimp fer weeks. The world's a great place to explore, ye got a great journey ahead of yerself! Even old salt like meself can see new tricks ev'ry day."
He indicated with his pipe towards Gerald, who surely was a unique and rare sight.
"Just earlier I asked meself what to do fer some excitement, but mebbe I've been in the local waters too much. I could do with some exploration meself again as well."

 

[Lamby]

While listening, Bill started stuffing his pipe with tobacco. This all made some sense. The young man was raised to be an explorer. And before he even had a chance to really leave, he jumped into the ocean with his heavy golden armor on. The poor kid must have drowned straight away, and his spirit just went off to explore anyways, held in this world by pure curiosity.
He lit a match and took his time igniting his pipe, while he observed Gerald shake some sea urchins out of his sleeve. He knew undead or ghostly drowned were often accompanied by sea critters from where they died. He remembered that female ghost with the sea shells that just wouldn't come off.
He decided to regale this young man with some of the tales from his long career as a seafaring mercenary.
"Aye, some islands are hard to leave. They us'ally make fer some insular and reclusive inhabitants. Good on ya folks fer going out to explore so much. I once found a small kingdom in the stomach of a great big whale, they didn't take well to us outsiders at all. They called me an' the boys "Ex-Gastros". Really an unfriendly people, nearly had us hanged because we was shippin' barrels of chilli powder. But they was happy as all get out to trade our antacid tablets fer some..."
He took a pondering puff of his pipe, thinking about the acid burn scars he got from skinny dipping with the locals. Remembering his young audience, he eventually continued:
"Ehem, let's say, pers'nal attention. And barrels and barrels of krill. We ate naught but chilli shrimp fer weeks. The world's a great place to explore, ye got a great journey ahead of yerself! Even old salt like meself can see new tricks ev'ry day."
He indicated with his pipe towards Gerald, who surely was a unique and rare sight.
"Just earlier I asked meself what to do fer some excitement, but mebbe I've been in the local waters too much. I could do with some exploration meself again as well."

Gerald Listened in awe as he shook out his shoulder cuffs, He then grunted as he felt a sharp pain in his under arm. He was temporarily distracted from the man; he widened the opening he made to drop out the sea urchins and looking into the cough to see what else had nabbed at him... His head was too big for the narrow hole that encapsulated his arm but he could feel it... He could feel stinging him, it got tighter and tighter until he made an educated guess on what it could be...

"You'd fit in pretty well with my folks back home, Old man. Actually, I'd say I like you. You're just as obscure as I am; I like your accent as well! Say you got any family?" Asked Gerald, he was both intrigued by the man but also a bit distracted since he had something pinching his arm.

"I have a few siblings myself, My brother was supposed to be travelling with me but He said He'll make his way off the island at his own pace and so Ill have to meet him some where. I'm wondering when that will be, My Den-Den Mushi has been quite..." He paused. Having thought up a plan to deal with the thing that had been nipping at him. He took a deep breathe in puffing up his chest; He had installed a neat mechanism, a mechanism capable of using a gust of air to rid the suit of all that isn't to be. His chest expanded just a bit more and triggered the switch... a Sudden cloud of steam shot outwards out of his suit expelling a bit of excess water and shooting the thing that nipped at him out of his sleeve.

"Sorry about that, I just had to check my-" He began looking down at what caused him such dismay... ".. A CRAABBB???!! HOW DID A CRAB GET IN MY SUIT!?" He exclaimed, he swiftly shifted a bit of his attention as something about this crab intrigued him. "Actually, I always wanted a pet Crab... AH! Where's my manners, My apologies Sir; As I was saying before..."

"I have a brother back home and He said he'd meet up with me once he finds his way off the island and to somewhere safe. How about you, you got any family?"

 

[Magimasterkarp]

Bill had been a seabound sailor for more than ?? years, so of course a question about his family would cause a long ponderous pause.
A sudden exclamation from Gerald pulled him out of his musings, and he saw that the young man had pulled a crab out of his armor. Crabs liked to eat carrion, so this was even more proof for him that Gerald was a ghost moving around in the armor he'd died in.
He took a few more puffs of his pipe, then answered his question:
"I remember the Bar I grew up in. Nobody at Santiago's was me blood, but they were all me family. Cirrhosis Carl, who gave me a sip o' whiskey when I was three, me first alcoholic bev'rage after growing up only drinkin' beer. Brokeass Bart, who bummed me first ever sal'ry as a bartender off me an' taught me ta never trust others with me money. Staley, the old fish swimmin' in tha giant bottle o' champaigne nobody ever bought. The Carousing Cartwrights, local circus performers what taught me th' basics in dealin' with the supernat'ral. All dead by now, of course, 'cept mebbe Staley. That fish might be immortal."
Another puff punctuated his recollections.
He hadn't thought about them all in a long while. He left when he was four, after all, and when he had returned once after a few voyages at sea, it just hadn't felt right. He blew a smoke ring shaped like a heart to shake some of the melancholy.
"O' course, I made a few blood relations of me own. I probably have kids old enough to be yer father by now. Jus' never could manage to stay fer long. The sea was callin' me back out, y' see? Considering some o' me ex wives, that might have saved me life or at least me sanity in the long run."
He took a swig of his drink to wet his throat.
"Most of me family is the brothers I made at sea though. I got brothers on ev'ry ship, a great big fam'ly of salty dogs and scurvy ridden sailors. All them lowly grunts what make the ship move, them's what forge bonds for life. Brave a storm t'gether and ye know each other better than twins."
He kicked at a wooden bulkhead, opening a compartement with a foldable grill inside. Old man noises followed as he motioned to stand up.
"I'm gettin' kinda hungry. Ya sure ye don't want anythin'? I could grill some fish fer us."
Out at sea, as the flight of the seagulls mirrored the schools of fish in their weightless dance, so did a shadow move under water like a reflection of the Pilar, only slightly peeking out through the surface.

 

[Lamby]

Bill had been a seabound sailor for more than ?? years, so of course a question about his family would cause a long ponderous pause.
A sudden exclamation from Gerald pulled him out of his musings, and he saw that the young man had pulled a crab out of his armor. Crabs liked to eat carrion, so this was even more proof for him that Gerald was a ghost moving around in the armor he'd died in.
He took a few more puffs of his pipe, then answered his question:
"I remember the Bar I grew up in. Nobody at Santiago's was me blood, but they were all me family. Cirrhosis Carl, who gave me a sip o' whiskey when I was three, me first alcoholic bev'rage after growing up only drinkin' beer. Brokeass Bart, who bummed me first ever sal'ry as a bartender off me an' taught me ta never trust others with me money. Staley, the old fish swimmin' in tha giant bottle o' champaigne nobody ever bought. The Carousing Cartwrights, local circus performers what taught me th' basics in dealin' with the supernat'ral. All dead by now, of course, 'cept mebbe Staley. That fish might be immortal."
Another puff punctuated his recollections.
He hadn't thought about them all in a long while. He left when he was four, after all, and when he had returned once after a few voyages at sea, it just hadn't felt right. He blew a smoke ring shaped like a heart to shake some of the melancholy.
"O' course, I made a few blood relations of me own. I probably have kids old enough to be yer father by now. Jus' never could manage to stay fer long. The sea was callin' me back out, y' see? Considering some o' me ex wives, that might have saved me life or at least me sanity in the long run."
He took a swig of his drink to wet his throat.
"Most of me family is the brothers I made at sea though. I got brothers on ev'ry ship, a great big fam'ly of salty dogs and scurvy ridden sailors. All them lowly grunts what make the ship move, them's what forge bonds for life. Brave a storm t'gether and ye know each other better than twins."
He kicked at a wooden bulkhead, opening a compartement with a foldable grill inside. Old man noises followed as he motioned to stand up.
"I'm gettin' kinda hungry. Ya sure ye don't want anythin'? I could grill some fish fer us."
Out at sea, as the flight of the seagulls mirrored the schools of fish in their weightless dance, so did a shadow move under water like a reflection of the Pilar, only slightly peeking out through the surface.

"I'll have the grilled fish, you're a very interesting man. You seem like a long lost grandfather to me, since your stories intrigue me and I'm courtious to listen... I excuse my little search and find with the Crab, We can grill that too if you're feeling up for a little sea food!" He replied putting back on his Glove, He dashed at the Crab; using his superhuman speed to reach it before it scurried away. He turned to Bill who had reached for his grill, it was a thrill to meet such a man and share our individual will(s) and our adventures...

"Though mine had just started, swimming along the sea is truly liberating. I'm surprised my armor hadn't rusted." He thought.

"So, what are your thoughts about science? Do you find it interesting or do you find that most of the scientists are just geeks given powerful roles in the research of our world?" He he asked holding the grab in his hand, he walked over the Bill and waited for him to get the fire going.