CRYSTAL MOTHER

They say that you know if a sailor is a pirate if you ask them, "Where did you come from?" and they respond with "The sea."

[guafujinu-blog]

@crystalluscre

          {♥} —; “These god damn Pirate.” Xiuying shakes her head as she heads deeper into the tunnels. Her hands glided against the surface of the cave walls as she ducked so as not to bump her head against the ceiling. Though many couldn’t navigate this place, Xiuying had done plenty of business with the Pirates on The Deceit to have known where to look.

          {♥} —; Finally emerging into the center of action, she looked around at the pirates. Many of them stopped to stare at her, greedily looking as if she was just some two dollar hooker. Not even remotely close to a fraction of how much she thought she was worth. Her head turned back and forth, craning until finally she spotted the Captain of The Deceit. Approaching her, she smiled.

          {♥} —; “Ohohohoho, you think you so funny, right Aeon?” Xiuying mocks a laugh, staring right at the other. “I know you have him. Why you take him? You want my attention that badly you can just ask for it you know?” she clicks her tongue, tapping the ground impatiently with her heel.

          {♥} —; “We good friend, I laugh with you lots! I forgive you if you wrong me, no big deal! We business partner for loooooooong time, so you understand I usually don’t let people go like this. Just give him back to me, and I leave okay? I even give you free drink next time you come around to Jade Palace, how that sound? Or do I have to teach you lesson like I teach fifteen other Pirate Captain before you?”

[crystalluscre-blog]

    Aeon was just leaving the tunnels of Nine Nights when her eyes caught a glimpse of a very tall figure looming in the distance. Ah, perhaps these caves were haunted, after all? What kind of evil goblin was intruding in her property this time? She should really get her weapon out and threaten to kick them out--

    The captain sighed as the tall "monster" laughed menacingly once it noticed her. She knew it was Xiuying at the first glance, but would have probably preferred to blow her out of there before she got a chance to open her whore mouth. She strutted up to the Vagabond leader with no ounce of fear, even when she had to strain her neck in order to look her in the eyes. "Ahh, Xiuying! A pleasure to see ye, as always. What the hell are you goin' on about now?"

     Aeon folded her arms against her chest and cocked her head to the side, listening to the woman with honest confusion. Him? There were a lot of reasons why someone might be mad at her so she did believe that Ying had a good one, and that she was really fucking pissed to be threatening her. "Hm. No, don't ring a bell. Hold on..." She craned her back to shout at the nearest passingby crew member. "OI, LAD! WE GOT ANY VAGABONDS IN THE QUARTERS TODAY?" They shook their head frantically, and Aeon returned her sights to the fellow captain, raising her eyebrows with impatience.

    "Got no one of yers. If ye don't need anything else, you can go. I’m busy."

[crystalluscre-blog]

   "A shield? Son, these gems are made to shield my own body, if anything. They cant keep me from you because--" She knocked another crystal from the ground, thinner this time, so it shot up even faster. Her hand ran right through it and waved in his face as if there were nothing separating them, but any other material that wasn't her own flesh and bone would have found the crystal to me impenetrable. "I’m the only one allowed to pass through ‘em."

  She returned her hands to her hips and shrugged. "I'm not interested in doing any of that though, like I've obviously been showin' you. So, Isaiah, seems like you lack a bit of self-respect. A lot of it, actually. I can tell that, too."

  She hoped that this Isaiah kid wouldn't be talking to the Vagabond leader about this little incident, if they happened to be so close, but word had probably already gotten to her by now. How unfortunate. "Does she really talk about me that much? Huh. We're like, business partners. Business partners that happened to dock at the same unlikely ports. She's a respectable woman all right. Would have invited her onto my own crew, but we're both far too dominant to be able to share a ship. I think my title as captain would be in danger by her presence. Hah!"

  Aeon poked at the medic's nose. "But what could you learn from me? You need to get stronger, or somethin'? I ain't a babysitter, lad."

[fosterpfontaine-blog]

“Aw, you do care~!” Foster giggled without looking up from his writing. “But that’s precisely why we need a map of the jungle.” He paused for a moment, squinting into the distance like he was counting in his head.

“North is….so then…This way…” He muttered, turning ninety degrees to the right and taking a few steps. He stopped to write something else down.

“Nothing’s going to get stolen or even accomplished if no one can make it in or out of the jungle without being…eaten…” He trailed off, writing again. Then turned back to grin at the captain.

“Plus, not even the locals have this jungle mapped out efficiently. I could be the first~!”

[crystalluscre-blog]

     "Huh? Yeah, yeah I guess. Whatever." It wasn't like Aeon ever acted like she didn't care about members of her crew, but she had a tendency to act pissed at them for reasons that weren't their own faults, too. Still, it was a bit embarrassing to hear from her own navigator. Good thing she didn't blush easily.

    The captain knew how Foster's abilities worked, so she didn't quite complain about that. They rarely ever got lost when he was in the lead, but things happened. "Maybe it'd be a good, I don't know, a training ground."  She stomped over the leaves on purpose as she walked, unsatisfied with the lack of crunching noises they made under her feet. They were all too green and soft. If it weren't for the fact that she knew there were dangerous beasts in the area, she would have found this place to be calm and comfortable. "Anyone who gets eaten by snakes is kicked out of the crew. New rule."

    Aeon blinked at a curious looking vine hanging overhead. It was much thicker than the others and seemed to be slowly coiling-- moving downwards. Ah. "See, like that one." She stated simply, pointing at the giant snake that draped down from the trees and separated the two pirates.

[coimay-blog]

Yokuto grins at her response, much like a child enthralled by someone much older than themself telling them something grand. Though it wasn’t grand, just a simple thing in common, yet it delighted the young pirate all the same. Despite his love for his mothers, they’d never been present in his growth. He had to wonder if conversations like this, even the most mundane and even the most annoying, were what it was like. To, you know, have someone… there. For you.

“I don’t see why the ocean wouldn’t be calm. What we’re doing isn’t harming it. We love it just as much as it loves us. Not everyone who belongs to the sea is born with gills.” If the sea was ever angered, it was because it was being hurt. And Yokuto could always hear it, as if the sea had a voice. Typically it sounded melodical and sweet or powerful and strong. When upset, however, it sounded like it was in agonizing pain, crying out for help. On those nights, he couldn’t sleep.

He’d never lie to Aeon! She had his utmost respect. As a woman, captain, and human being. She was definitely the grandest woman out there… But what an interesting question that was! He hums a long “mmm” noise in thought, amused to see someone so concerned about his well-being. “Am I happy here? I…” He didn’t think he achieved true overall happiness yet, but he did think… that being here was right. “I’d say I’m happy. Everyone here is interesting, and I get to meet all kinds of people and see new things everyday.”

He taps a finger against the rail twice. “Most of all, I’m at sea. I don’t belong on land, but I can’t go down underwater either. Being a pirate… is definitely what I was destined for.”

Yokuto averts his eyes to the side then, a boyish, sheepish smile at his lips. “Besides, no matter what happens, I… will always have you guys. Isn’t that right?” And then he leans to the side, towards Aeon. “What about you, mom of mine? Are you happy here?”

[crystalluscre-blog]

     "Hm. True words, my boy. Through thick and thin, the oceans never hurt us. I feel like the seas been on our side since the very beginning." Since the very start of her adventure... the sea had taken Aeon on all kinds of adventures, but it had always shown her great things. It taught her valuable lessons, and brought her to amazing treasures. Among those treasures, were the people surrounding her on The Deceit at this very moment...

    Aeon appreciated his honesty with her. Not that he seemed to have a choice, but it meant a lot to her that he trusted her, and, well, actually had fun aboard her ship. She laughed, giving the bootswain a firm slap on the back. "Hah! Good to hear, lad! A satisfying answer! If you weren't confident about your current position then I wouldn't know what to do with ya. Gotta know where you belong in life if you're gonna even try bein' happy. I don't know about any 'destiny,' but I sure love havin' you in my crew, so that's that." The captain did this often-- asking her pirates if they really wanted to be with her or not. Anyone without strong willpower and motivation had to be reconsidered as a key member of her crew. She didn't have time to be disappointed, or to disappoint others. But knowing the sensitive situation Yokuto had come from, she was just glad that he was finally fitting in with them all.

    "Me? Of course! This is the best I've ever felt about where I am in life, I'd say!" Aeon grinned, hooking Yokuto's waist with one arm in a glorious side-embrace. "You'll always have us, and I'll always have you. All of you." She leaned on him back and pursed her lips in thought, imagining a time where that may cease to be true.

    "As long as I'm captain, I think things will continue on like this. But if you ever get unhappy here, you tell me, y'hear? Especially if I'm the cause of it. I wouldn't wanna hold you back."

[krvlju-deactivated20160827]

⚓-; A silent screech is released by Arlyn as he feels his toes crack beneath the weight of the motorcycle. Mouth open like a flopping fish on land, he does his best to contain his composure in front of such greatness.

⚓-; All the stories he heard of the pirates’ captain couldn’t do her justice. She was immensely beautiful, yet she held a sort of fury to her that couldn’t be put into words either.

⚓-; “…I-I’m a big fan, ma’am,” he squeaked–his voice no doubt drowned out by the revving of the engine. Was it cheesy? Gods yes, and so he should have been glad she couldn’t have heard him, but it was true! To meet his childhood hero? The one that he could’ve potentially have had the honor of working with? For? It was a possibility he couldn’t even have imagined! Oh, how he would have loved to join her, but he knew the vagabonds wouldn’t release him so easily… Whether he liked it or not he had become somewhat of a ‘core’ part of the crew’s lineup, after all.

[crystalluscre-blog]

    Who was this idiot? Aeon didn't know what to think of the boy as he flopped around looking like he couldn't even talk-- or breathe, for that matter. What was the matter? Was he dying? She didn't have time to babysit dying kids. Still, it seemed like he had something to say to her. If he was saying anything at all then it was too damn quiet for her ears to catch.

   She unintentionally revved her motorcycle's engines again. That didn't help. "WHAT?!" The captain's voice was immensely louder in every way, seeing as she had to shout at her crew members every day and barely knew how to hush herself in any other situation.  

   "Seriously, WHAT? You got somethin' to tell me?" Aeon glanced around their surroundings. Full of townspeople. She must have made a scene, because if she didn't move soon, the nobles would be up her ass within minutes for disrupting the peace. Whoever this kid was, he would probably get caught up in the chase and mistaken as a pirate now that she's talked to him. A finger pointed at the strange babbling boy. "You. You're no noble soldier. Get over here."

   Noticing some confusion in the other, she rolled her eyes. Not that one could see under her sunglasses, but she hoped her body language was dramatic enough so that everyone could tell. "ON the MOTORCYCLE, lad! Yes, you! Sit behind me or I'll make you!" Shouting could be heard in the distance behind her, and she sighed. "Alright! I'm makin' you!" Kicking up her foot, she swerved her vehicle around the boy and picked him up by the collar, throwing him behind her on the bike's seat. If he fell off, well, too bad! That was his only chance to escape the nobles who were coming for their heads right then. Aeon let out little warning before speeding off-road and away from the public eye.

[coimay-blog]

@crystalluscre

This was definitely his favourite part of being a pirate. Standing on the deck, leaning against the edge, and listening to the waves roll and crash against the large structure that continued sailing on, beneath the starry expanse. Even the wood creaking as other pirates, still awake and murmuring to each other, walked along was pleasant to the ear. It created some kind of magical bubble, something impenetrable and almost magical. To Yokuto, this was the best part of having become a pirate.

Although, maybe most pirates would argue treasure, liquor, and blood pumping fights were more enthralling than some peaceful night at sea. But, compared to most, the sea was his home. The sea, for pirates, became a home when they belonged nowhere on land, but for Yokuto, he was born from the sea. And a part of him knew, deep down, he belonged deep inside it, in the kingdom of mermaids his mother came from.

That instinct came to him like a song, a melody always ringing in his ears, wishing for him to dive down and never return up. But he wasn’t a full blooded mermaid, and he was even cursed to add onto that mess. What would he do if he went down there? He couldn’t go home, not until he found and saved his mother. And just the thought of her, alone and scared in some deep dark ocean trench hating herself, made Yokuto reach for and clutch tightly his locket from her.

A pure white seashell that opened up and played a song, magical images of a kingdom beneath the ocean full of music, love, and happiness playing on repeat.

Besides, a part of him also had to admit this ship was his home.

Hearing footsteps coming along behind him, Yokuto spins around and grins naturally. With perfect pitch, he easily knew who had come up behind him. “You’re still awake, ma’am?”

“Fufu… But I can understand why. The ocean’s perfect tonight, isn’t it?” He’ll play it off like he wasn’t a little sad just a moment ago. After all, he wasn’t alone. This captain of his was very much like a mother to him.

[crystalluscre-blog]

    Despite how in-tune Aeon was with the emotions of all her shipmates, she always held the most concern for those like her precious bootswain. She could write it off as primal maternal instincts or just watching out for the one of the youngest boys, but the captain wasn't afraid to admit that she had grown quite fond of her closer crew members. They all seemed to complete each other, providing relationships that the others have been lacking. In this case: a motherless son, and a childless mother.

   Her little goldfish was out on deck again that night.

   "Ah! Ya caught me. Yeah, I might've had the same idea as you." Aeon rested her arms against the edge of the deck alongside the boy. "...The waters are nice and calm here, despite all that we do." She tapped her fingers on the wooden rail. The woman had something to ask, she knew she did. It had been gnawing at her brain for a while.

   "Yokuto. I may be good at reading emotions, but that doesn't mean I can see right through you at any time. So I gotta ask like a normal person. Don't you dare lie, or I'll cut your tongue out." Aeon glanced up at him. Their height difference was only obvious when they were alone.

    "Are you happy here?"

[kindkatze-blog]

     Flinching only at the initial sound of the ground tearing itself open, Isaiah stared at the luminous structure that the sea-devil herself seemed to have conjured from thin air. Or rather from precious earth. Beautiful, imposing, he was in awe. It’d stopped inches from his windpipe, and he hadn’t even tried to move out of it’s line of trajectory. That worked out well. At least he knew she was telling the truth seeing as he sure wasn’t dead or dying. Lucky him.

     "Sorry for assuming.“

     Now he had to actually talk to her. And he didn’t rightly know how to. Her demeanor and personality, the way she talked, screamed that she was bold and in charge. She had clear morals too, something Isaiah didn’t even consider. His hands retreated into the sleeves of his sweater and he rubbed them together nervously.

     Aeon was a formidable force to be reckoned with alright.

     "I,, don’t really know what to say to you honestly-” Throwing him for a loop, as he never would’ve bothered to answer anyone else’s questions. With her being a captain though, he didn’t want to disrespect her.

     "-Look, I’m easy pickings okay? Plus you grabbed a medic? Someone who everyone always looks over but is also kind of important to the whole vagabond operation. Hah, operation- BUT, uh, you probably shocked and surprised a lot of people when you grabbed ME out of, everyone. Also really clever of you to do, without knowing. Pretty neat actually. I get the feeling you’d outright ignore me in any other setting.“

     With as nervous and unsure of himself as he was, he gave himself credit for at least holding eye contact with her the entire time.

[crystalluscre-blog]

     The captain smirked, as she had been watching the boy’s reactions closely. “You’re afraid of me, aren’t you? But you didn’t run or scream at the sight of this baby.” She patted the blue crystal and let it shudder and sink back into the ground, its light seeping back into the earth once more. “Don’t tell me you wanted it to hit you.” 

    She folded her arms against her chest while listening to the other try to figure out how to talk to her. A common occurrence with Aeon. He wasn’t that impressive, that much was true, but at least he was self-aware. She couldn’t tell if he was actually spineless or not. He seemed afraid, yet accepting. Perhaps a better word would be submissive. 

    “Ah. A medic.” It was as if you could see the interest bleeding out of her eyes and escaping her body. Aeon wanted to find warriors, not healers. Though they were just as important, she admitted, as her own surgeon-carpenter was her pride and joy and very, very tough. This kid? Not so much. 

    The older woman took a step or two closer to the other, leaning into his face with a smirk. “You’re right about that. I don’t think I woulda ever noticed you if you hadn’t been so conveniently placed next to me in these dire times. Ha.” Tossing her dark hair over one shoulder, she sighed. “So you obviously know my name, lad. What’s yours? Don’t think I wanna be friends or anything-- I just wanna know who Ying’s talkin’ about when she comes to skin me later for taking a Vagabond kid.”

[kindkatze-blog]

     Isaiah barely put up a fight once Aeon had him in her grasp, partially due to the steel blade pressed against his neck. Not sure if his sudden trembling was do to how cold the dagger was or how terrifying he found it to actually be taken hostage by The notorious pirate captain of the Deceit. Or was it more exciting? Both maybe, exciting yet, terrible. She mentioned not hesitating to kill him if needed, making the medic swallow hard. Death didn’t sound so appetizing at the moment.

     In the small window of opportunity she had, Aeon was dragging him off by his heels, which was probably akin to dragging a sack of flour. Cursing his involvement in the entire operation to the heavens above, silently, to himself. He didn’t dare say a word out loud until Aeon spoke first. Deeming it foolish to try and haggle with someone who seemed more annoyed at being ambushed if anything. Angry he could deal with, but annoyed? Not so much, not an easy thing to talk someone down from.

     It was annoying him too, the more he thought about it, why hadn’t anyone taken the precautions to keep him in the background or the sidelines? He was their doctor for Christ’s sake not some wayward fighter ready to take on a force to be reckoned with. He hardly payed attention to where he’d been taken when he was suddenly thrown out of her reach. He stumbled, and caught himself with his heels, before standing upright and clutching his neck in one hand. Still intact, wonderful.

     "There’s a few things wrong with, many of us.”       “You’re not really gonna kill me are you?”

[crystalluscre-blog]

     One stomp of her boot, and a 5 feet tall crystal shot out from the ground with a loud, rumbling roar, aiming itself at the Vagabond’s throat. A devilish grin curled on Aeon’s lips. “Oh believe me, I woulda killed ya already if I wanted to. But I’m already away from those buffoons, so what’s the point in doin’ that now? It’s not like I’m in danger of you killing me.” 

    Of course she would never use her precious crystals to harm anyone, but they worked fine enough as threats. 

    “Did you think I’d get a kick out of kidnapping and killing you when nothing comes out of it? Like some savage? I may be a pirate, lad, but I’m a pirate that can’t be bothered with that kind of behavior.” She held her hands at her hips, sizing up the stranger. Weak. Defenseless. He probably had something other than strength to offer the Vagabonds if Ying had kept him around. He was all-in-all, someone Aeon would have never talked to or even thought to glance at. Situations changed when you needed a good hostage, though. It seemed like they never even cared to protect him from her, too, which she cackled at because it just seemed so damn funny. 

    “You’re annoyed too, aren’t ‘cha? Almost seems like you lost a bet. Pulled the shortest stick outta the lot, huh? What the hell do you do for the ‘ol Vagabonds that makes them think you’ll be ok leavin’ with me, I wonder?” Or maybe they just saw a chance to throw him out to the dogs. The captain couldn’t care less. 

[fosterpfontaine-blog]

Foster snickered at his captain’s griping, but didn’t bother saying anything until she had finished.

“Oh, of course, ma’am. Useful landmark, that. Evil tree. See? Right here.” He held his notebook out to show her; a rough sketch of the hook of land reaching off the North-Western corner of the island. He marked a small frowning face over their current location. “Suspicious tree.” He said out loud, as though he were writing it down and grinned at her before looking back to his map, up at the tree, then back down. “Hmm…no.” He muttered, scribbling something down.

“…Even if we did steal a map, Captain, we’d still be doing this. I’d just have something…less convenient to be writing on.” He fell silent for a moment as he carefully picked his way over an especially large tree root.

“…Besides,” He said when he had safely made it over without falling. “It’s not like I have much else to be doing lately. Not much navigating to do on a docked ship.”

[crystalluscre-blog]

     "Tch. Smartass." She looked over to see if he was actually marking the evil tree down anyways, but it seemed like it was just mocking her.

    "Yeah, yeah, it's necessary... but I'm an impatient woman, Foster, and I'd rather be spying and mapping out the ugly noblemen's mansion than this wild and dangerous side of the enclave. Then I could at least steal their treasure and leave this place." She followed behind him now, pausing every now and then while the navigator scribbled some other nonsense into his notes.

    "I'll tell you exactly what's over here," Aeon threw some hanging vines out of her way and pointed with her hands at the ground even though Foster surely wasn't looking. "Trees. Grass. Snakes. Lots of those. I don't suppose you're out to get eaten by reptiles here, because that's exactly what would have happened if I hadn't joined you last minute."

[crystalluscre-blog]

@kindkatze

     It wasn’t like Aeon ever intended on dying in this hellish enclave. It wasn’t the first time she had been surrounded by enemies-- nobles, vagabonds, and townspeople alike. They seemed to think that they could truly take her if they all worked together or something. Maybe that’d be so, if they were an actual threat to anyone in her crew, much less its captain. The ambush tried to surround her at all sides while she had been going for a little stroll. 

    Aeon sighed. What did a lady have to do to get a little peace and quiet around here? It wasn’t like she was setting their land on fire today. Maybe yesterday, maybe tomorrow, but not right this second. Grabbing an innocent bystander and holding a dagger to their pretty little neck, she smirked at the angered people. “Would it kill ye to let me be for one damn day, lads? This is one of yours, right?” The Vagabonds’ will to fight dropped significantly and she knew she had landed a good hostage. “See? No funny business, now. I will kill this one. Let me go, and you’ll see ‘em stumble back home later.” 

    It was a quick, temporary solution, but it worked. Dragging the dark-haired Vagabond boy with her, she retreated into the wilderness that surrounded Maneater Lake. She shoved the hostage away from her once the coast was clear. 

    “I might’ve apologized, lad, but you were truly asking for it by standing too close to the dangerous pirate captain during an ambush. The hell is wrong with you Vagabond kids?”

[crystalluscre-blog]

@fosterpfontaine

     “What a pain in the ass this is. Why can’t we just buy a map from the town-- no, steal it-- and then mark it up with your nonsense. We’ll have to walk around the entire cursed Enclave to get all these landmarks down.” Aeon huffed. She was far too impatient to be doing a duty like this, but she didn’t really want to leave her navigator to do it alone, either. The nobles were everywhere and he was too valuable a crew member to give up to their slimy, do-gooder hands. 

    “You know what, don’t even answer that,” she waved her hand in annoyance, continuing to walk, or stomp, among the vines and undergrowth of The New Medusa jungle. “I know their maps are too basic and stupid to use, I’m just pissed because I hate this place.” She kicked a rock over to emphasize her burning and agonizing hatred for the Brine Enclave. 

    “What are you marking, anyways? Just random things? Mark that tree over there, ‘ol seadog, I think it was giving me the evil eye and it could be a threat.” 

[crystalluscre-blog]

     It was no easy task to travel around the entirety of the Brine Enclave when one was banned from using the Sailfish Express for the rest of your life. Therefore, Aeon was stuck on two wheels again. Her motorcycle was good enough for getting around the port town without many people recognizing her-- some had the guts to shout insults and others immediately retreated into their homes at the sight of the captain. It brought her a certain... satisfaction. 

    Her vehicle slowed as a figure loomed up ahead, standing in the middle of the road like a god-damned fool. Aeon came to a halt right in front of them, just barely running over their toes. 

    “So,” her voice was blunt, but it was clear that she was amused by the action of the other. “Why are you standing in my way? You got a death wish or something?” She revved the motorcycle’s engine threateningly. Gods knew she would run them over if they didn’t talk or move immediately. 

    “What’s bitin’ you? Make like a good kid and leave already.”

[thelasttimeforeverything]

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Sung by Chloë Grace Moretz

[ctchrysler-deactivated20190226]

this mom could use more fanart

[impostory]

[nicorobin]

[mirayama]