Description: Arr! A sneaky ninja thinks she can board the Rindoukan Dojo and steal May's hat unperturbed. Thankfully good ol' cap'n May can dazzle her with song and dance to steer her off her thieving ways. Try as they might to find mutual kinship through both being Makoto's acquaintances, May and Ibuki prove that the age old rivalry between pirates and ninjas is still well and alive. Ibuki's laid back views on ninja discipline clashes with May's super serious freestyle pirate living and the two make a decision to settle their differences in the ring at some point in the future.
LATE AFTERNOON
RINDOUKAN KARATE DOJO
As much as May enjoys the freedom that a pirate's life offers, she has to admit that having a roof over her head, a warm bed, and not having to be constantly on the run from social workers feels really nice. The journey of life had blown her sails in this direction and good ol' Cap'n May would be remiss if she didn't make the most of this opportunity. In fact, Makoto had offered to let her stay at her dojo for nothing in return, why if May haven't tasted Makoto's fighting skills first hand she would think her a naive lubber. She was given an offer that she could not refuse and saw little reason why she shouldn't make herself useful around here. A pirate always her crew! That's what May always says, and tidying up the dojo and making repairs here and there was the least she could do to thank Makoto's generosity. This leaky vessel could sure use some pick me ups after all, May didn't want any ships she boarded to sink all of the sudden.
Naturally, May has other reasons to stay besides having a place to sleep. At her core she will always be a ruthless pirate, not some glorified maid! Her pride as a fighter had been bruised when Makoto was able to best her and then the girl had the gal to tell her she wouldn't teach her any Karate until May managed to defeat her. Why, the nerve of some people, Makoto may be a pretty tough lass but she should know better than to incur a pirate's wrath! May will show her, she'll show her good!
At some point anyway.
She just needs a bit more practice.
Although Makoto refused to teach her any Karate she didn't say anything about not using the facilities. May has put on a Karate Gi, hilariously mismatched with the enormous captain hat she refuses to take of, and she's currently inside the main dojo swinging her giant anchor up and down. Weights of all sorts have been strapped to the improvised weapon to make it even heavier and this is how May has been spending most of her evenings lately, doing reps with her weighted anchor.
"Ninety eight, ninety nine.. uh.. bollocks, what comes after ninety nine?... One thousand! Ar har har!" The girl could probably used some schooling too but everyone has to start somewhere.
May doesn't know it, but there's a ninja in the room. Ibuki whimsically thought to herself that it meant that pirates definitely aren't mystically drawn to ninjas like moths to the flame. That is, if she's a real pirate, but the kunoichi had no idea what else she could be, given her hat, and the anchor she was wielding. Who does that anyhow? Maybe she wasn't a real pirate after all, she could be a cosplayer, wielding a PVC anchor.
Sighing quietly, she simply hung from the rafters of the dojo with only slightly more exertion than she'd put forth sitting in an incredibly comfy chair, watching May's work out. She had really wanted to give Makoto a surprise visit, but she didn't seem to be about. She supposed she could just text her, but that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it? As niggling boredom crept up on her, she eventually decides to do something about it, shifting her toes which are hooked over the rafters, fingers creeping along the wood.
Once directly overhead, she allows her fingers to let go, bending over backwards, simultaneously snatching the hat off her head. "Arrr~ Skipping about nine hundred reps there, I think!" Bending her abdominal muscles, she instantly brought herself back to the rafters above, which she stood upon. "Penalty for that is a moonlight dance with Jack Ketch, lass!"
Ibuki puts the very orange pirate hat on her top knot. Winking at May and giving her a thumbs up. "That's pretty good pirate cosplay! Except the gi. I'm guessing that's not your whole costume though! What anime is it from?" She puts a hand to her chest, grinning behind her half mask which covered her mouth, "As for myself... I prefer playing the part of the beautiful kunoichi, but I bet you already guessed that!" She crosses her arms at that point, with the most smug look ever.
Unfortunately for Ibuki she couldn't be more wrong.
On all accounts.
May /is/ a real pirate, this is something that pirates do, the anchor is real and, more importantly, she does have an inexplicable mystical connection to any ninjas nearby.
It's like cats and dogs.
"Eh!!? May reaches for her head as she suddenly feels a lot of weight lifted from her scalp. That thing is heavier than it looks and not because it also has hidden weights inside it for training, but because May uses it to store a lot of essential things. As soon as Ibuki puts that on she'll find that there's a bunch of things falling out, including; a compass, a map, a sextant, a pocket knife, and a tiny dolphin key chain. Needless to say that May's fascination with all things nautical is in an obscenely unhealthy level.
And to make matters worst, most of the time it's not only unhealthy just for her.
Ibuki's pitiful attempts to mimic a pirate accent fall on deaf ears when she reveals her presence to May. Words like cosplay, costume and anime just sort of fly over May's head. She can only see one thing and one thing only.
There's a ninja in the dojo.
And she just stole her hat.
"YOU WOT MATE!!??" Now it's her turn to say incomprehensible gibberish. The tiny girl turns to face the interloper and pulls all the weights off her anchor with one movement, the things falling on the tatami floor with heavy thuds. "Gimme back me hat, ye dirty ninja!!"
"Or I'll bash yer BLOODY SKULL IN!!"
Wow, talk about frothing mad. Maybe she's related to Makoto...
Ibuki just looked upon the small pile of things that she kept under her hat, her grin only increasing. "Wow, you're really into this." She air quotes with both of her hands, "Pirate, thing."
Though her expression changes somewhat as she pulls the weights off the anchor and watches them clatter to the floor with heavy thuds. She looks momentarily startled, and then eventually she sounds incredulous, but with an edge in her voice that makes her sound like she's starting to believe it. "No way!"
Dropping down off the rafter, she catches hold of it on her descent with a single hand. "Is that a real anchor!? Wow! You must be incredibly strong!" She holds out a palm in a gesture to ward her off. "Alright, alright, calm down! You can have your hat back." Ibuki then shifts her palm into holding up a single finger, "If, you sing the first verse of 'You are a pirate!'"
It's like everything that comes out of Ibuki's mouth has been specifically designed to infuriate May. Calling it 'pirate things' with air quotes, doubting the true strength of a pirate, and even refusing to comply with May's demand is all about to earn her a healthy dose of anchor bashing to the head.
The littlest Pirate advances menacingly, anchor fiercely grasped with both hands, bright youthful eyes narrowed in anger, an ugly scowl on her mouth.
And then.. Ibuki asks her to sing!!?
She's sure to attack her now.
Except she doesn't! Instead May's eyes widens and she flees from the room! Maybe she was embarrassed about it or something? Stage fright can do that to a little girl. But then she returns to the dojo having traded her giant anchor for an accordion!
She clears her throat, gives her accordion a few squeezes to see if its tuned and then.. starts swaying back and forth.
Ibuki wants her to sing? She's going to sing the Whole. Freaking. Thing.
/o~ Do what you want, 'cause a pirate is free,
You are a pirate!
Yar har, fiddle di dee,
Being a pirate is all right with me,
Do what you want 'cause a pirate is free,
You are a pirate!
Yo Ho, ahoy and avast,
Being a pirate is really badass!
Hang the black flag at the end of the mast!
You are a pirate!
You are a pirate! - Yarr!!
We've got us a map!
To lead us to a hidden box,
That's all locked up with locks!
And buried deep away!
We'll dig up the box,
We know it's full of precious booty!
Burst open the locks!
And then we'll say hooray!
Yar har, fiddle di dee,
Being a pirate is all right with me!
Do what you want 'cause a pirate is free,
You are a pirate!
Yo Ho, ahoy and avast,
Being a Pirate is really badass!
Hang the black flag
At the end of the mast!
You are a pirate!
Harharhar!
We're sailing away,
Adventure awaits on every shore!
We set sail and explore, yar-har!
And run and jump all day! Yay!
We float on our boat
Until it's time to drop the anchor,
Then hang up our coats. Aye aye!
Until we sail again!
Blue sky above and blue ocean below,
You are a pirate! o/~
Then May stops abruptly and glares at Ibuki saying, "Ya gobshite!" Because it wouldn't be piratey without sneaking in swear words here and there.
"Now gimme back me hat!"
And to think this is what Makoto goes through every day since she took May in.
When May vanishes, Ibuki just shakes her head. Maybe the challenge frightened her off? "Maybe she really was a cosplayer." Ibuki shakes her head, but then freezes when she sees May back at the threshold with an accordion. She stares forward at her in complete shock as she immediately starts to play the accordion and sing the whole song.
...
...
...
...
Ibuki just stares throughout the whole tune, as if mesmerized. At the end of it, 'Ya gobshite! Now gimme back me hat!' Ibuki continues to stare.
And then there's a weak chuckle that is emitted from her lips. It slowly gathers in strength, before she tries to suppress by having it turn into a fit of giggling, but that effort fails. Soon it's one loud guffaw after another, as her her hanging arm trembles with every laugh.
Eventually she falls, and doesn't even try to catch herself. Instead she hits the ground, creating a moment's pause, before she starts literally rolling around in laughter on the floor.
By the end of it, she's wheezing so hard that she might take HP damage if this keeps up as she comes to rest on her side, holding her other with a hand. "You! I can't believe! Ahahahahahaha." The hat had already fallen off her head sometime during that, but she picks it her free hand, extending it from her currently sprawled out position. "A-All yours!"
Interestingly, May seems to be just as perplexed! Why is Ibuki rolling on the ground laughing if she's the one that wanted May to sing? Captain May stares down at the kunoichi rolling on the tatami wondering if this is some sort of puny defensive ninja tactic or something. Her eyes narrow and she briefly considers hitting her on the head with her anchor while she's clearly defenseless.
Fortunately, Ibuki manages to gather her scattered wits and surrenders the stolen hat which May quickly snatches off with her hand and collects her stolen booty, placing it firmly back on her head.
"Now that's outta the way." To Ibuki this could have been the most ridiculous thing she has ever seen, but it's just business as usual for May and she carries on like nothing happened. Incidentally, she now has traded her accordion back for her anchor which rests on her shoulders. "What business does a lubber like yerself has in this here ship? If yer trying to challenge Makoto, she's off doing errands ashore!"
Then a deep frown sets on May's childish features. "But I'll be more than happy to ripple yer seas if that's what ye want, matey!"
Now that that's out of the way, Ibuki finally brings herself up in a sitting position on the tatami ground of the dojo, grinning like a fool though May won't see it given the half mask covering her mouth. It takes her some time to catch her breath, before she takes her hand off her side. "Oh you know. Business. Things. Not pirate business though." She winks, "Arrrrr~"
She's being rather vague about that, but she explains in pretty short order. "I'm not here to challenge anyone though. Well not here." She takes a look around, "Look this place is pretty shabby, but it obviously means a lot to her else she wouldn't be here, so how about we /not/ throw down here if you actually wanted to. Maybe somewhere else, but you know..."
She puts a finger up to each cheek of her own cheeks, tilting her head as she closes her eyes, making an obviously caricatured gesture indicating how 'cute' her face is. "...gotta protect my identity." A finger whips up away from a cheek as she waves it in front of her face, "It's a secret you know. A real ninja ninja thing."
A beat, as she considers a sudden thought occurring to her, "Hey don't suppose you're a professional fighter? I would think so if you're staying with Makochan and are itching for a fight! If you're in any of the fighting circuits we could always set up a match that way. Makochan knows how to get in touch with me."
"Arrr!" May is quick to correct the ninja when she has the nerve of trying to say 'Arrr' in a cute way. The pirate girl throws her hands up in the air, lifting the massive anchor over her head and gives a proper 'Arrr!' showing the ninja how it's done. May seems far more focused on showing Ibuki the proper way a pirate speaks rather than discover her reasons for intruding in the dojo, so she fortunately doesn't try to press her about it too forcefully. Besides, as different as ninjas and pirates are, May has to agree with the kunoichi's reasoning of not fighting inside Makoto's dojo.
"Aye aye! I fixed her up meself too! Makoto's a real sea dog but she doesn't know how to keep a boat afloat, whole place was taking in water when I came aboard!" And sure enough, May points to certain places on the ceiling that have been recently fixed to keep the water out. Guess it pays to have a pirate around in the dojo after all, no matter how vexing they can possibly be.
The pirate rolls her eyes when Ibuki continues doing cute gestures at her, clearly not very amused. On principle, she can't even agree to anything she has to say considering the two are supposed to be archenemies due to the ninja and pirate difference. May had never put much thought on why the two are supposed to be enemies, but now that she's meeting Ibuki she's starting to understand why. "Ye sure are a dainty lass, aren't ye.." May mutters.
That is until Ibuki suggests they make it a legit fight. "Arr! Of course, ye scurvy dog! I'm part of the Neo League too! Just look me up by me name! Captain May, scourge of the seven seas, terror of the ports, and plunderer of treasure!" And yes, if Ibuki actually looks May up in the Neo League profiles, she'll see that she's signed herself up with all those titles.
The girl then decides to rest her anchor point down on the tatami now that she realizes something. "How is it that ye know me mate Makoto anyhow? I don't recall her saying that she associated with lubbers."
Ibuki just does yet another "Arrr~" back, but keeps it just as cute as before, uncaring about the instruction. The chances of her not having a little fun with this are next to nothing. Eventually she pushes herself up, laughing to herself, as she crosses her arms once again in a standing position. "It's a dojo, not a ship! I bet Makochan doesn't know the first thing about living a life at sea!"
She grins at May, "Do you really relate everything that everyone says to the life of a pirate? I mean, I don't say that I..." She unfolds her arms to do the air quotes, "...'ninja'ed' the hat just because I'm a ninja!" When May calls her a dainty lass though, she starts giggling again, "What? If you're saying that I'm a girly girl then... thanks! I'll take that as a compliment~ But if you mean you think I'm weak and delicate, then I hate to disappoint!"
When she gives out her name, Ibuki whips out her cell phone. Tapping upon the keys, she starts making a few notes. 'Captain May' scourge of the seven..." Applebees. She types, "Terror of the..." Schwartz, "plunderer of..." pleasure. She is having way too much fun typing up something different in it's place, "...Alright, got it! I'll try to set something up. You might not know it's me though until the fight is about to start!"
The final question though causes her face to fall. "Well first, better choose a different shorthand term. Lubbers comes from 'clumsy' and I'm anything but that. Second. It's not really my story to tell you know? We haven't known each other for long though." She nods in satisfaction.
"Arrr!!" May declares again with doubled amounts of enthusiasm as Ibuki simply refuses to speak properly. She rather drown that to let someone purposely say pirate lingo incorrectly and say that she didn't do anything to stop it. "And of course Makoto doesn't know how to navigate. She's not a pirate!" It makes perfect sense to her.
"Well, ye should." The pirate girl continues when Ibuki claims that she doesn't try to insert a bit of ninja everywhere she goes. "It shows dedication to yer principles, matey! What will yer crew think if ye don't have professional solidarity?? That sounds like lubber talk ta me!" May purses her lips in thought when Ibuki claims that just because she's a girly girl that doesn't mean she's weak. That is something that May can actually relate to considering how small she is and that she's also a girl. As much as it pains her to admit it, she has a few things in common with this ninja too. "Aye? Guess we'll be seeing how good are yer sea legs soon enough, me heartie."
Having never owned a phone of any sort, May doesn't seem to understand why is Ibuki giggling when she starts pushing buttons on her tiny contraption. The girl has been giggling non-stop ever since she came in the dojo so maybe that's just a personal quirk of hers. "Hmph!" Another scoff comes from her though when Ibuki tries to convince May to stop calling her names. "I'm not one for secrecy, matey, unless it involves treasure! I gave ye me name and title now gimme yers, I'll keep calling ye lubber 'till then unless ye prefer bilge rat instead." It's what ninja do don't they? Scurry around in the dark and bite ankles, just like rats. Well, Ibuki /is/ in a Karate dodjo, she shouldn't expect a whole of respect thrown her way even by the resident pirate.
Nevertheless, May nods and understands that much. "I guess I'll ask Makoto then." Is that a hint of jealousy in her voice? Ibuki doesn't know it, but Makoto is the first person May has ever latched on to and she's terribly afraid of losing her easily. She manages to brush off the doubt in her and looks up to Ibuki again with defiant eyes.
"Guess next time I see ye we'll be crossing sabers! I'll be letting me anchor do the singing when that day comes! Arr har har!"
Ibuki puts the palm of a single hand against the visible part of her face as May tries to correct her yet again, and describes Makoto's inability to navigate. "No no I meant... You know what, forget it."
The next part though has her staring at May, so much staring. The phone is put away, slowly. Now her voice becomes quite serious, with a razor's edge of emotion to it. "Look. I'm gonna be nice here when I say lay off the issue of my 'crew'. My clan knows that I love them and I'm with them one hundred and ten percent if they need me. How we show 'professional solidarity' isn't your business."
When she moves on to her name though, she quirks an eyebrow at May, then starts enunciating each syllable individually, "Se-cret i-den-ti-ty. It means I just don't give out my name to people if I can help it. When we fight in the league, it won't be under my real name either. Seriously, you think I need my name getting out? It'd ruin my whole life if someone let it out to the wrong person!" She handwobbles, "Just call me lass, if you don't mind. Not too keen on bilge rat or lubber." Her voice takes on a facetious tone, "I've got the heart of an innocent young maiden after all!"
Ibuki back flips back up to the rafters, which is quite a feat as she didn't even look where she was going. Taking a few steps along it, she opens a skylight in the dojo. "Tell you what. When we do cross paths... I'll be the one to sing instead. You're a terror of the high C's after all!" She slips out the skylight and is gone, though May might have time for a witty rejoinder if she wants.
May stares right back! Even pushing herself on her tip toes if she has to! If Ibuki is going to tread so carelessly on her life then she'll do it right back to her to see that the feeling isn't appreciated. May doesn't necessarily know that the topic of Ibuki's clan is a sore one to the kunoichi, but she recognizes that serious look on the ninja's eyes and knows she's hit a delicate spot. And she's going to milk it for all its worth should Ibuki continue stepping on her toes. She should consider herself very lucky that she decided to steal May's hat inside Makoto's dojo, because that almost always earns someone a few anchor bashes to the face.
The buccaneer narrows her eyes in response to the ninja assuring her the importance of a secret identity, ultimately resting back on the flats of her feet when she realizes Ibuki isn't going to budge. Weird ninjas and their uptight rules. No wonder why most people turn to the free life of piracy. She just can't imagine why its such a big deal! "As ye wish then, lass." May decides to be the reasonable one for a change because maybe Makoto is rubbing off on her.
Ibuki finally decides to make her escape though and as she shoots that last quip to her, May can only chuckle whilst leaning on her giant anchor. "'Course, lass. Pirates know all about making innocent young maidens sing!" Quite the dirty mind on this one for her being so young...
Log created on 16:41:24 01/02/2015 by May, and last modified on 20:43:47 01/02/2015.