Fireshard 1:The Meaningless Holiday [video]

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

[Today, as a lot of the Visitors may have noticed with only a passing glance, is September 19. For Faris, this date holds no real significance.

But there was no escaping the fact that someone, somewhere, knew about International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

And a lot of the people that did had found her.]

Anyone mind tellin' me why everyone's tryin' to do really bad impressions of me today?

Comments

Voice

[echo_of_a_jedi]

Is that what they're doing? I thought this translator thing was on the fritz.

[dontcallmeerky]

I really couldn't say. I know a lot of the students at the university are doing it.

[Erk spends a lot of time in the library okay.]

But no, I don't know why they feel the need to talk like that. I didn't ask.

Voice

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Well, it's either that or pirates in general. Seein' as they love us and I haven't seen the other pirates I've met here in months, I'd be willin' to bet they're tryin' for me specifically, though.

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

...You're kidding, right?

[She pauses...]

...is what I'd say, but considering how everyone's been acting a little weird lately I think I get why.

[dontcallmeerky]

It seems like the sort of humor that appeals to people that age. Apparently it's supposed to sound like a pirate.

... In my world, at least, everybody from the Western Isles talks like that. Then again, quite a few of them are pirates.

Voice

[echo_of_a_jedi]

I only remember one pirate besides yourself, and he didn't have much of an accent, so I guess it's possible.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I guess.

[electricyousei]

"International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Its not just you, its when people who spend too much time on the internet like to pretend they are pirates."

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Any chance you know how to get it to stop, or am I gonna just have to take the rest of the day off?

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Well, got me there. Name's Faris, an' I'm a pirate captain.

...although I think m'crew an' I are the only ones that talk like this where I'm from...

Voice

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Not when it's annoyin' as a cray claw, it isn't.

[dontcallmeerky]

Really? That's... interesting.

It's a pleasure to meet you, anyway, Captain Faris. My name's Erk; I'm a mage.

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Black, white, red, or blue? 'Cause you don't really look like any o' those.

[...yes, that is a question.]

[dontcallmeerky]

... Um, what?

[Erk has absolutely no idea why she just asked him about colors.]

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

What kind of mage? Black, white, red, or blue?

[dontcallmeerky]

I wasn't aware mages came in colors. I'm just... a mage.

Well. Technically I suppose I'm a sage now, but it's mostly just a semantic distinction.

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Oh.

Well, black mages use attack magic like Fire 'n' Thunder, white mages heal, reds do some o' both, and blues use monster powers. I'm not really good at any of 'em. Could've been, though.

[dontcallmeerky]

In that case, I suspect I probably started as a black mage and ended up a red one. Your black mages sound like what my world just calls "mage" - we use anima magic, nature magic that mostly draws from the elements. But most spellcasters in my world pick up some healing as they study more.

[If Faris really gets him started on the mechanics of magic, they could be here all day.]

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

[That remains to be seen.]

Oh yeah, there's also time mages but that one's more obvious. Really the only thing I can do I'd call magic-like are geomancy and ninjutsu.

[are those things even related...]

[dontcallmeerky]

[Fortunately, strange words are an effective derail.]

What in the world is ninjutsu?

[Behold, Fire Emblem - the one European fantasy game that doesn't have ninjas.]

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

[The Assassins sure try to be like that, though.]

Kinda hard to explain, really. Not opposed to a practical demo, o' course, but the trick where I make sure the next few attacks don't hit me's a bit hard to show off.

[dontcallmeerky]

[Point.]

Hm. Sounds useful, at least. I certainly don't know anyone who can do that.

[electricyousei]

"How do you get people who don't do anything to stop doing something? I think its best to just ignore it for the day."

Voice

[echo_of_a_jedi]

It could be worse. They could be committing the actual crime of piracy.

Voice

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Crime, lifestlyle, what's the difference really? Sure, I haven't been doin' much o' what I used to since I came here but can you blame me? There's not enough sea for it.

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Easier said than done, lass. I'm gettin' a bit stir-crazy.

[electricyousei]

"Well, I don't have much experience with piracy, other than shooting down the ones who attack colonies. Still, I would imagine most people would find it less amusing with a cutlass pointed at them? Or you could go to a sports area where the more 'normal' people who are too good for this sort of thing congregate."

Voice

[echo_of_a_jedi]

Or space.

[Hey, she's from Star Wars, all the pirates and smugglers are in space.]

Not really enough free money floating around the economy to get much out of robbing people, either.

Voice

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Well yeah. Not much gettin' anywhere when there's a big wall around you.

[Wrong space.]

But hey, I'm flexible. Goin' out demonslaying is almost like old times.

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

"I'm more of a straightsword person anyway. That n' ninja swords."

Voice

[echo_of_a_jedi]

No kidding. Lots of violent types where you're from, too?

Voice

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

Not like monsters come in other types, right?

[electricyousei]

"I know very little about swords. I tend to conduct most combat in ship to ship means."

Voice

[echo_of_a_jedi]

I've met a few friendly demons here. It's the ones who are only out during the 13th Hour you have to watch out for.

Voice

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

...Oh. Guess I've only run into the bad kind.

[Not actually true: she was just drunk enough not to remember running into any of the good kind.]

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

"And you just hope they surrender instead of boarding 'em?"

That's not very effective, even if you're the one defending.

[electricyousei]

"No, I have mecha pilots for boarding actions. They're trained in that sort of thing."

[ladieswhodresslikemen]

"That probably means you've got a rank. Mind sharing?"

[electricyousei]

"Officially I'm Lt. Commander, but I'm still Captain of my ship on it, and princess of Peaceland when I'm on Earth. That doesn't really matter here."