Home to Witch Mountain

That was....the weirdest fucking sensation he'd ever experienced. A shiver running through his body involuntarily as they reached the other side and his body became solid again. Yep, that was definitely not something he needed to repeat, though looking around the room, he might have too.

Flicking his gaze to Seth his gaze watched the other for a long moment, unsure if he was even aware that he'd spoken. In that one sentence, he'd revealed far more about himself and his sister than he ever had before. Perhaps this Mr. Bolt was the reason why the guy had worse trust issues than even Nami.

"Right. Let's just look to see if the last piece of the key is in here." Whoever had designed this house had already proven to be fucking twisted. He had no desire to even contemplate why a room like this existed.

Seth only nodded once. Being in the room was enough to give him chills. He didn't need to study it to see that the window was sealed shut - a beautiful view of the outside, but no way through. All it was, was a mockery of escape. The bed seemed elaborate, like a dream with the adornments and over-fluffed pillows, before you could see where the ties went.

He didn't want to know what the door would look like, almost refusing to scan the doors to see.

Seth was honestly unsure how long he could stand to be in here. "Can..."

He swallowed once, but was unsure if it was enough. A dollhouse caught his eye, and he could almost see Sarah knelt before it, struggling to play while they knew they were being watched. "Can we do this quickly?"

He shuffled on his feet, eyes trained on Zoro as he tried to shove the fear in him down.

... and that's the last we saw Uncle Benée...

"Ever consider that you don't have to pick up all the pieces?" He countered smoothly before pushing off from the railing he'd been leaning against. Not even bothering to see how his parting words may affect the other as he moved towards the area he typically spent the morning training in.

Falling easily into his stretching routine upon reaching the worn wooden deck.

"She is my sister. She is all I have in this world," Seth shrugged. This is what you did for family, what you did for your other half. "When we shipwrecked, all we could cling to was each other, and the star case. I know it's not great, but I can't imagine letting go now."

Seth nodded once, seeing how Zoro stepped into his routine. Following suite, he grabbed a broom, ready to make himself useful for as long as he could.

"You're always on edge." He leveled at the other, cool gaze sliding from were he'd been watching the street below, looking for the orange-haired beauty who navigated their crew through the worst of storms. Nami always needed help getting her bags onto the ship during big shopping sprees like the one he was sure she'd undergone.

Crossing his arms over his chest he returned his gaze back to the street, uncaring what else Seth may have to say. The guy was getting on his nerves and the way he was suspicious of even his own shadow made him on edge. It was the kind of behavior one displayed when they carried a secret.

"I am nervous," Seth said. They were about to embark off of the island, on a strange ship with strange people who most certainly were not a passenger ship. But no, Luffy liked their devil fruit powers, so everything was going to be 'just fine' - even though it meant for the next few weeks, they would be stuck together with no way out.

"I am sorry, though," Seth said. "Is there a way I can help?"

Glancing down at the suddenly offered hand following up Seth's hesitant response he had a sinking suspicion that he knew what the other was about to do. "Really?"

He'd seen a lot of devil fruit powers, but whatever fruit the twins had eaten was downright creepy sometimes. Just the thought of being able to walk right through the wall had his skin crawling even as he sighed. Placing his hand into Seth's smaller one he stepped forward slightly, mentally preparing himself for what was about to happen.

"Only if you want," Seth promised. There was no guarantee he could get wherever the hidden door was open if the other side was sealed off where Zoro couldn't see. Either way, he wasn't going to just drag Zoro in. He'd never just yank him around. For one thing, that would be a losing battle, trying to fight Zoro like that. For another, he wasn't that type of person.

He nodded when Zoro accepted his hand, and gently pulled him through, the wall glowing around them as they stepped through the barrier.

"It looks like the room Mr. Bolt kept us in when we were young," He said quietly. Elegant, regal even at first glance... then you saw all the little things that were wrong, with a terror that slowly enveloped you.

hodgepodgebitches

“Well.. sort of but not really, there on those blocked off shelves over there.” He gestured towards the bookshelves that held books that were definitely of the older variety, but those were exactly for the public. “But it's more parts of maps drawn in for context, and they aren't mine. Their part of a friends private collection, I let him store them here so that his flat doesn't get over run with them.”

He paused for a second, looking over at the boys sister for a moment and then back at him. “Is there something particular your looking for? Maybe I know where it is, I've done quite a bit of traveling over the years.” He doubted that there was anywhere on earth he hadn't at least heard of.

"I see," Seth said. He looked back to these 'blocked off' shelves, wondering if there would be anything, anything at all, that would help.

So far, it seemed they really would have to do this the slow way, and the slow way would take them ages.

"We are looking for a specific mountain," Seth tried to explain. "However, what we do have is very incomplete."

#hodgepodgebitches

It was a relief when Seth didn't question his request and slipped through the wall. Sanji or Nami would have had something to say on the matter and right now he didn't feel like dealing with questions. Though the look on the Seth's face made him wish he hadn't noticed the goddamn movement out of the corner of his eye. The explanation only solidifying that wish.

Well, that was....more than concerning. It was downright fucking creepy. Why the hell would a house need a hidden bedroom? "Can you find a door in there?"

"I can," Seth said, but it was not the only option available. The creepiness of the room beyond had him slightly shaken, and being alone in there was... off-putting.

He offered his hand out, the second option hanging in the air. He could just extend his density to Zoro, and pull him through the wall. He doubted up until now, Zoro knew it was an option, but the worry was there.

whoops i did a thing @lightnessmade

whoops i did a thing @lightnessmade

He sighed heavily, wishing he were anywhere else at the moment before glancing at the sister. It was clear she was enamored with the Going Merry, but it was the brother's question that had him worried. If these two were looking for safe passage....well anywhere, this was the wrong ship for that.

Sure Luffy would probably agree to take them somewhere, but there was a very small chance that it would be safe.

"We have a navigator." He didn't mention that she was the best he'd ever seen, able to predict patterns and changes in weather before other more seasoned ones would be able to. "Why?"

"We have a piece of a map," Seth explained. The ever-present star-case hung from Sarah's wrist, the map safely behind the blue plate and double star emblem, hidden from sight. At least, as hidden as a sapphire blue case could be. "Small and incomplete. We would appreciate the chance to ask some questions, and I'd be happy to pay for the time of someone more experienced than we are."

True, he hadn't personally given Seth many chances, though he'd never been downright rude to either of them, but the others had. Sanji in his let me feed you and listen attempts, Nami in her quiet silent offers to be there for Sara. Even Usopp had asked Seth a few questions to try and get to know the guy better. So no, hadn't tried, but the rest had.

But this? Following him this time? It had been a line that should never have been crossed. Even his crewmates knew to leave him alone when he visited a local shrine if he found on on an isle. The twins had ignored the offhand comments that had been given that he'd been sent on a mission and followed him.

Clentching his jaw he almost considered that he might have gone a bit too far....until Seth offered to pay him so that he could walk at his side. To pretend that he was a kind person.

The words cut deeper than he'd like to admit even as he slid a cool gaze over his shoulder toward the male. Tired. He was tired. All the. other did was shelter his sister and try to protect her from the reality of the world. It was what had caused them to end up on the Going Merry in the first place. He wasn't even sure if Sara knew they were pirates for fucks sake.

"Maybe it's time for her to realize the world isn't sunshine and rainbows. That way next time she takes a fancy to a pirate ship you aren't trying to bribe us to pretend to be kind." With that he stalked off, lengthening his stride to get away from the other as quickly as possible.

The ship made him nervous in so many ways. He was glad for all the food Sanji offered, but he was so aware that their speech pattern alienated them from the others. Sarah had taken to Nami like a fish to water, and Seth listened to Usopp's stories with a wild fascination, nodding with every word.

It was just hard. He didn't know when to back off, so he just did so early.

"Sarah is well aware that the world isn't sunshine and rainbows," Seth glared. His sister wasn't stupid. "She believes that people are good, and will be good even to us; she has hope. And I believe if someone told you to tell Luffy that the world isn't sunshine and rainbows, you would not take it so well, either."

"This is not a bribe. This is an exchange of goods and services, the way that makes the world turn, yes?" Seth darted up ahead. He spun around, facing Zoro on. "I know this much, we were the commodity being exchanged for quite some time - or do you think I protect Sarah for paranoia's sake alone?"

"I do not aim to be cruel," Seth said, nodding once. "We can just find a way to be civil for the rest of the journey. That's all. It would be better for everyone if we can just settle on that."

lamelancolia-deactivated2023112

"Oh," Saika quickly understood Seth's reaction and nodded, "I guess in some ways we're all different, right?" Then she gulped embarassed, "But I think I get your point." Did she really?

"I suppose. But they do not call us different, they call us creepy. I believe then you would be creepy by association." Seth further explained. Perhaps, though, she actually did understand. Perhaps that swallow was her realizing just how 'creepy' Seth was. "They call my sister Wednesday - it is a reference to two different tv series, a set of movies, and a comic book."

#lamelancolia

It was like dealing with children, and granted he only had a year or two on the twins, but that's what it felt like.

Not wanting to deal with the conversation any longer and needing to get back to the ship he started to turn before pausing and glancing at Seth. What part of him stating he didn't trust the guy made the other think he had any desire to walk with him? And it wasn't even to try and make amends but to make it look like he'd tried for his sister? "You didn't try. You haven't tried since we first picked the two of you up. All you've done is throw any attempt we've made to give you a chance right back in our faces all while expecting us to open our arms to you."

Turning his back to Seth he added before walking away, the act of showing his back to the other a clear sign of just how little of a threat he saw the other as. "I don't need your help. None of us do."

"I have never expected open arms. Not once. I told my sister you are not a passenger ship, I told her to leave you alone. Now I am sorry, because Sarah -"

Seth shut his eyes for a moment. It wasn't fair to lay the blame on her because in the end, he did agree, to make her happy and see the smile.

"You have not given me any chances. The only thing I could do was try to stay out of your way, but when you ask something of me, I do it. I chased a ghost for you, no questions asked, expecting nothing in return. I still do not." Seth pointed out. He truly did expect nothing, just his little bit of hope. "I have never expected open arms, never. What part of me says I would like your open arms? But I would like a chance now if you deem me fit."

Seth chased after Zoro, just a few quick steps to get back in time with the other. "I will pay you."

He breathed hard. "Triple what we paid for our passage. If you just let me walk with you for a little bit. One day my sister will not be so wide-eyed, and that day will break my heart. So I will pay if you just let her believe you are kind just a few more days."

That fucking bear? They thought he'd been saved by Seth with the bear? Now that was just insulting. The last time a bear had been any sort of threat to him had been when he was eleven. Which was years ago. So unless the bear was some devil fruit monster he'd not been in any danger and even then he'd have won.

Cutting cold eyes that were as sharp as his blades between the two of them for a long moment he finally said, tone fridged. "The only thing Seth did that day was save the bears fucking life. So if you think I owe him some kind of life debt your vastly mistaken."

He didn't even care when Sarah walked away towards the ship. She wasn't the one he really had an issue with. It was clear out of the two of them she still viewed the world in colors and light. Seth was the one who'd lost faith in....well everything. Which wasn't his goddamn problem.

Leveling his gaze on the younger guy he waited to see what idiotic attempt he'd make at digging himself out of this hole.

#3katanas #//oof rough one hah

"Which is why I did it. It would not have been a fair fight between the two of you," Seth responded calmly. The bear did not have a sword for each hand, plus a mouth, all she had was hunger. Fear, maybe, for the small ones she was trying to feed as well, fear for her own end. In addition, a bear mauling was never exactly fun to watch - in the end, the bear would have gotten some awful licks in, scarring the green-haired man. The way Sarah pouted at Zoro's response made him wince and turn away.

"I am sorry for disobeying," He said. Seth meant it, as well. Sarah's cheer got them in trouble plenty of times, she was just so hard to say 'no' to. "We were... presumptuous."

He was unsure if it was the right word or not, but while his language had its issues, his tone could still be understood. At least he hoped so. "May I walk with you, just for a little while? When you tell me to go, I will, but I hope to at least tell my sister I tried. I do keep my word.

"And if we get into trouble because of my presence, I can help. Not just in animal attacks, but my density does work in both directions."

lamelancolia-deactivated2023112

"She sounds like someone I'd like to meet," Saika commented, "I'm new in town and besides you I don't know any others." She sighed, "Sometimes I think that this place is not really welcoming to strangers."