[OPEN] Brave Vesperia, meet the Wild Geese.

[coyotealpha]

Characters: Pip Bernadette (and Hanamura Yosuke by default since he's my muse as well) & OPEN to all of the Fiertia!
Content: Welcome to the headquarters of one of Reial's most (in)famous mercenary crew, the Wild Geese.
Setting: Wild Geese Headquarters, Garretstown.
Time: After the Fiertia docks, backdated to before joining with Way shenanigans.

Comments

...you wouldn't want his soul, it would taste absloutely terrible.

[coyotealpha]

...why did he have this feeling that he was (once again) asking for more than he could chew on? The look on Sebastian's face wasn't helping much on that either, but Pip had went though worse and it was really a very usual thing for him to look completely alright even though he was shaking in his boots somewhat.

Which was what he was doing now, of course, as he gave a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck before turning to Léon. "Well, looks like I'm busy now! You'll have to come and find me later - I did promise to give Sebastian 'ere a tour of zis place." His other hand raised up in a mock salute, before waving his crew mate off towards the other direction. "I'll talk with you later, so do me a favour and go help with ze others down at ze shooting range. If Jacques asks, just say I sent you zere. Now off you go, mate!"

If anything Léon seemed to sparkle a bit at those words and gave a very very enthusiastic 'yes sir!' complete with salute before he started to make his way back down the corridor and towards the shooting range out of the barracks. Pip waited until the other man was gone before he allowed himself to let out a relieved sigh, turning back to Sebastian with another sheepish look. "Sorry for disturbin' you like zat, mate. But Léon just wouldn't stop houndin' me ever since I came back." Seriously, someday he really needed to try and get all those oddball fanatics at one corner - the last thing he needed were crazed henpecked over-protective people acting as if he was in constant danger twenty-four-seven.

(Which was actually not too far from the truth, but it wasn't as if Pip couldn't handle himself. Really.)

Sebastian will make an exception for you~

[demonic_romeo]

Sebastian kept up his smile until Léon had left. Once Pip's subordinate was gone, the smile dropped and he turned an exasperated stare at his crew member. Well, at least the boy was gone now. If they had actually gone on a tour...

"You should hardly be one to let your subordinates take advantage of you, Pip. You're their leader, are you not?" He eased Lilith onto his shoulder, seeming to relax a little once he felt her warmth there. Pip may escape his wrath yet. "I do not understand why you could not give him a direct order to stand down." Sebastian glanced at the other man, an eyebrow raised.

"Though I am curious as to what exactly he was 'hounding' you about."

Should he be glad or worried about that.

[coyotealpha]

The exasperated look on Pip's own face only grew more prominent at that question, and the man couldn't help but sag a little as a hint of weariness crept into his voice while he responded. "It's not really... takin' advantage or houndin' me. Léon's just one of zose henpecked guys - he just feels obligated, since I was ze one who saved him from being ripped into half by a Licker Dog before he joined." That memory almost seemed like yesterday, really, despite the fact that it had already been a few years ago. Those were the days, alright.

"Besides," he added on, giving the back of his head another awkward rub. "I don't like to exert my authority. It's not like I'm a commander or anythin', y'know? We're all just guys and gals who band together under common interests. I just happened to started up this group." More than anything, Pip always considered himself a guy who was never good in commanding positions, though more often than not he found himself in such situations - he was really just a 'make do with what he had' kinda person.

Very, very worried.

[demonic_romeo]

"Ah, and yet you seem to be able to assert your authority anyways, efficiently and effectively." Sebastian chuckled. "The way in which you took over the Fiertia when you returned is proof enough of that." Indeed, for someone who seemed to work better in the background, Pip still had the experience and ability to command when he needed to. Business and mercenary-wise, it was a valuable trait. He'd seen it in action, but it was still rather difficult to believe that the easy-going man before him was able to be a force to be reckoned with.

Oh shit--

[coyotealpha]

"Well..." the man started with a small shrug, "Gotta do what I gotta do, right? You're all my kinda people, and with nobody listenin' to Jabu..." Truthfully, Pip was a little surprised about that - Jabu was the first mate after all, not him. If anything, his words were the one that should be listened to... then again, that guy tended to be a bit of a blockhead, so Pip supposed them deciding to ignore him wasn't that much of a surprise.

Still, he really should stop pulling stunts like this. It really wasn't healthy for anyone at all, especially himself.

derp

[demonic_romeo]

"Sir Jabu is not as capable as he pretends to be," Sebastian said plainly. "The rest of our crew mates do not respect him because of this incompetence. Indeed, he's quite the vulgar and rude man-- I do not blame them for it." It was very obvious that Sebastian did not approve of Jabu. Having Yuri as the captain was fine and well, because he had the abilities to do so. But Jabu...?

"He is a blundering fool," the butler concluded.

Hahaha ♥

[coyotealpha]

"But he is still ze First Mate," Pip returned with a small audible undertone of 'why me?' in his voice. "I mean, I know he's kinda... zere-" the man made a vague hand gesture at that word in a bid to stress his point, "-but I'm sure zere's somezing about him zat's good. I mean, Yuri did pick him as ze First Mate and all..."

And Pip did trust Yuri about this - surely, there had to be something that was good within Jabu, right...? Otherwise he wouldn't even have been First Mate in the first place, unless something happened which Pip wasn't aware of.

[demonic_romeo]

He wasn't convinced. Neither was Lilith, who let out a skeptical mew from Sebastian's shoulder. "Perhaps the Captain thought having a First Mate with brute strength would help enforce ship rules," he mused, though of course, his tone was utterly sarcastic and dry. The past few days with Yuri's imprisonment had shown that Jabu wasn't capable of even that, really-- because he wasn't quite sure of the ship's rules anyways to do much with his fists. Sebastian suddenly paused, glancing at Pip slyly.

"Though quite honestly, that is probably what Miss Erza is on the Fiertia for. Sir Jabu is merely a puppet stand-in."

[coyotealpha]

At the mention of Erza's name, Pip couldn't help but turn just a little pale - honestly, just why was Sebastian bringing her up? He knew well enough that the woman was just out to get him and possibly brutally maim him and leave his corpse to the birds. Not exactly a very pleasing thought, but then again Erza herself wasn't exactly the most pleasing woman. In the... relationship sense, of course - she did seem to have some wonderful breasts under that armour of hers...

No, no. The brunette shook his head, clearing his mind about all thoughts related to Erza and her wonderful (and deadly) boobs - that try though only earned him nothing but a train of thought that led to death by Ex-Quip and a shudder that ran through his body. "...I agree zat Erza's great and all, but sometimes she can get... kinda Jabu-like." Especially when she was mad at him, he belatedly realized.

Why did these things always happen to him...?

[demonic_romeo]

And what other reason would Sebastian bring her up but to torment Pip with thoughts of their almighty lady officer? This was part of his punishment, after all. Sebastian gave him a small smirk. "Perhaps...But she at least has more sense, intelligence, and restraint than him. Not to mention she is probably stronger than him anyways."

Strong enough to take care of certain 'traitorous' quartermasters named Pip, was left unsaid.

[coyotealpha]

And once again, Pip shuddered at the mention of Erza once more - damnit, did Sebastian just have to keep bringing her up? The cook already knew that he just feared her for her strength alone, not even begin mentioning her other qualities. He was pretty certain if she could, Erza would have broke him into two like a twig a long, long time ago.

"Yeah, but..." the man attempted to answer, only to blanch more at the thoughts of his fellow red-headed (tsundere) co-worker. "...yeah. Just... don't bring her up again for ze moment, I kinda feel like faintin' now."

Why, just. Why him?

[demonic_romeo]

Oh, this was just the start of Pip's punishment. Well, it was a rather simple one, but it would do for now. There was much more in store later, and Pip would find that a demon interrupted from his quiet time with his cat was a very, very miffed demon.

"As you wish," Sebastian chuckled, turning away to hide a slightly satisfied smirk.