Friday, August 24, 2001

Two things:

I made a mistake in my review/whinefest about Bundori -- it's not shounen ai, it's shotakon. *Grump* I hate it when I flaunt my mistakes like that.

Secondly, Ersatz-Sprocket is another one of my RGG blog-picks. Heh.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:34 AM |

To Do for today:

Clean up, more or less.
Do some laundry
Whatever else I can think of to occupy myself between commutes.

I'm out of here.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 9:35 AM |

Wednesday, August 22, 2001

I'm still alive and well, if anyone was worried. Just feeling quiet.

And what, pray tell, am I doing awake at 8:30 AM? If you could tell me, I'd sure appreciate it. This whole not-sleeeping-through-the-night thing is really, really bloody old.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:43 AM |

In other news, though... BlackRose's LiveJournal.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 8:44 AM |

Wai! Lucy has a LiveJournal! *Ahem* I'm calm, now.

And off to take my meds, give Schatzi hers, and try to remember why I think pulling double-duty while housesitting is a good idea.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 10:01 AM |

Monday, August 20, 2001

And here's the next Maus and Silver bit! I started with the idea that Maus has to stay below, but he doesn't find it so bad after all. The rest of it just sort of -happened-. *Throws up hands* I've had no control over them, ever, so I just pretend to understand what they're up to.

So. Enjoy, Or Something. *Grin*
--------------------

The man finally identified himself as Til, the cook. He led them back to the Hell's Cutwater, all the while casting speculative (and more respectful) glances at Maus.

When they reached the ship, Til took the fish below and stowed it, then beckoned them aboard.

"We make the short haul in two nights, running dark through the Chuzetsu Straits. Passage is two fifty each, though if your boy is willing to work his way I'm sure Captain Valspar could arrange something less." Til eyed Maus covetously, a bit of a frown rumpling his brow at the kid's snort.

Silver gave the man a funny smile. "Mm. He's not my boy. Ask him yourself."

Til blinked and looked back to Maus. "So, you want to work in the galley?"

Maus considered it, shrugged, and looked up at Silver.

The man tilted his head. "I want you below anyhow, so you may as well have something to keep you occupied." He ignored Maus's 'we -will- _talk_ later' look.

Maus sighed and nodded at the cook, who lit up with cautious glee.

"Splendid, splendid. I'll tell Valspar when he gets back. You can wait for our boy in that seedy tavern at the top of the first ramp, there." Til waved them back toward the ladder, suddenly much more animated.

----------------

The seedy tavern wasn't all that seedy, though Maus knew everyone at the Lady's would consider it so. They found an unoccupied stretch of public table near a window and huddled together over a bowl of iffy stew. "Now, I -know- you're not happy about this arrangement. Do you want to know why I think it best, or do you want to complain first?" Silver figured that Maus would whine for a bit, then accept his fate relatively gracefully.

"You want me out of the way, don't you? Why?" He scowled, but didn't think that Silver was going to say something dumb like 'you need protecting' or 'I don't want to have to worry about you' or something. Maybe. He was getting that -look- again.

Silver pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "Have you ever had any hand-to-hand combat experience? Particularly experience on a boat, at night?" He was pleased to see the annoyance fade from the boy's face.

"You know as well as I do that I haven't." He sighed and relaxes against Silver's side, poking at the food.

"So, there you go." He blinked as Maus leaned against him, then slowly slipped an arm around him. He justified it as being far more comfortable than leaving his arm trapped to go numb...

"All right. And I suppose there's nothing to see at night anyhow?"

"Nothing but the stars, no."

---------------

Silver shivered as the first hint of dawn began to pick out the edges of the high thin clouds on the horizon. He knew that leaning on the railing, staring out into the black water, wasn't useful. Neither was muttering under his breath; kicking things; or wishing he'd just burned the letter, spent three days in debauched revelry with Maus, Merriweather, and any of their friends they happened to invite and pretending he'd never gotten a missive of any kind.

He -knew- all of this, yet he persisted. And his spate of self-recrimination for bringing Maus -along- was just gearing up for another assault when Maus himself arrived. Silver opened his mouth to ask him what he thought he was doing abovedeck, then closed it as Maus pressed against him in a sleepy cuddle. Rolling his eyes, he gave up and let Maus lean against him. If nothing else, he was -warm-.

He was just starting to gain a better perspective on the whole affair when he caught a whiff of something both incredibly familiar and wholly unwelcome. Silver decided that he hated his life. Here he was, staring vainly at the vaguest of shadows on the tricky surface of the water, when he -could- have been below, getting laid. He said the mildest thing he could think of. "Having a good time?"

Maus smirked into the fabric of Silver's shirt. "Sort if. 'S a shame t'have to lose y'r bloom t'one as y'don't even know... 'R want, really."

"What?"

Maus roused himself to grin at Silver's bewilderment. "The captain's cabin-boy, Gunther or something like that... The one that came and got us, and stared at me all through dinner. He wants t'please his captain in -every- possible way, but Valspar wouldn't have'im green. So... He asked me." He shrugged and let his head fall back to Silver's shoulder.

"Oh... Makes sense, in a strange sort of way, I guess. But why didn't he just..." He waved a hand. "Insist? Or ask one of the crew?" Well, actually, he knew the answer to the latter. But still!

"Captain just flatly refused. And he said that's just something you -don't- ask other crew to do. He couldn't afford to go anywhere like the Lady's, and he didn't want to risk going to anyplace cheap."

"And you did it for free, out of the kindness of your heart?"

"Not exactly for -free-.... Though he didn't -pay- me." He was smirking again.

"Oh?"

"Satisfaction in a job well-done is its own reward," he said, primly, grinning brightly at the laughter it startled from the man.

"No, really."

"Why not? I wanted to, he was polite, he's cute, and best of all? Merri's not here."

"Merri's not any more attractive than you are." Silver thought the statement over, then let it be. If Maus was insulted, he was pretty sure he'd know it.

"No, no he's not."

Silver wondered how Maus could sound so damn smug. The same way he could effectively whine, too, he supposed. "Why is -that- important?"

"Because, for some reason, virgins are irresistibly drawn to him. Merri and a virgin in a crowd of a thousand willing people? The virgin's going to run smack into him and drag him off to the nearest secluded spot." He burrowed a cold hand up under Silver's shirt, neatly ignoring the glare it earned him by the expedient method of keeping his eyes closed.

"And poor you never to get the honor." If his glare was being ignored, he could at least be snarky.

"I'm not so sure it -is- an honor." He frowned. "At least not for someone like me. Or Merri."

Silver said nothing, merely wrapping his cloak around the both of them and an arm around Maus' shoulders.

"I can see why you'd want to wait, and give it up to someone you feel deserves such a thing," Maus said, eventually.

"So can I. But, on the other hand, if the one you want isn't -interested- in such a thing..."

"Eh." Maus shifted, yawning widely. "Or if you just can't stand not-knowing any more, or everyone else is doing it and you're weak-willed..."

Silver felt oddly pleased that he'd seemed to help cheer the boy up. He glanced out over the water and realized that he could easily make out the sharp mountains that hemmed in this side of the bay. "It's dawn," he said, tipping his head and pressing his nose and mouth against Maus' hair.

"We should get some sleep. -Real- sleep." Silver regretted the sharpness of his clarification at the sight of Maus' 'of -course- _real_ sleep, you ninny' look.

"Sounds good to me. Do you know if we have a room, or do we sleep in the hold?"

"We might have one tiny cabin with one tiny bed, or we may be bunking with the crew. We'll ask someone." Silver reluctantly turned loose of the boy and led the way below.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:31 PM |

Sunday, August 19, 2001

Silver is attempting to describe the way -I- get down into a small boat harbor. Your Experience May Differ. (I'm not nearly as brave as Maus, though... I -always- watch where I'm putting my feet.) Also: as for filleting halibut, I'm basing this on what I saw while wandering around Homer's SBH, and it may not be -exactly- accurate. It -seems- right, but I may be forgetting a step.

08.12.01
---------------

Maus took a deep breath in preparation to ask some question or other and immediately regretted it. The reek of fish offal and stagnat mud were alien and overwhelming, and he clutched helplessly at Silver's sleeve as he dropped to his knees.

Two burly young men with windburnt faces and arms netted with thick black lines smirked as they carried another tub of heads, tails and guts to the side of the pier, past the gagging inlander.

"Get up, Maus. The faster we get down there the better you'll feel." Silver grumbled to himself and hauld the boy upright. The press of the crowd, the heat and the dust, even the occasiona putrid breath of air wafting up from the fis dump, all of it was as familiar as the sun in the sky... For him. How had he forgotten that Maus hadn't led the same sort of life? Well, besides the fact that he was excited enough for four of them...

Breathing carefully and swallowing hard, Maus got back to his feet. The men came back, empty tub on their shoulders, grinning at him. One winked and he looked away, not fond of being free entertainment of any kind.

They broke free of the crowd at the top of the peir and crossed to one of the ramps leading down int othe harbor. The slope was gentle, and the smooth wooden railing firm under Maus' hand.

"See these? If you put the ball of your foot on the point, like so, you can get down more easily." Silver demonstrated, walking down a few cleats, then turned to watch Maus. His steps were sure, to the point that he didn't even look down. "Perfect. You okay?"

Maus nodded grimly and followed.

----------------

Hell's Cutwater looked... Deadly. Maus gaped at the trim little craft, his mind burbling things like 'corsairs!' and 'privateers!' and 'Adventure!' in a delighted daze. The hull was a glossy black, trimmed with a dark red. Not just -any- red, he decided. No, that was a -blood- red. There was plenty of (fish) blood dotting the docks, should anyone demand an exact comparison. He glanced up at Silver, who was looking everywhere -except- at the exquisite example of shipbuilding before them.

"What are you looking for?" Maus was scowling.

"Nothing. I just wanted to be sure we had the right ship." He squinted at the boat again and shrugged. "Halloo!"

A disappointingly plain face popped up out of nowhere. The man glanced at Maus (who had stepped back in startlement) and then at Silver (who merely looked impatient), scowled, and announced, "The proper term is 'ahoy'," before disappearing again.

A giant flatfish came sailing up out of wherever the man was and caught Silver squarely in the chest. Silver spluttered a few choice expletives and was about to throw the fish back when another came soaring out to him.

Maus refrained from giggling, which was good as it meant that he was alert enough to catch the third and fourth fish. It wasn't easy, and he cursed a bit himself as they slithered about as if they were still alive. He also discovered that they weren't -that- big, after all, merely his inexperience with them making them -look- huge.

The fish were cold, slimy, sticky, bloody, and smelled like fish. Maus decided that nearly fresh dead fish smelled much better than long-dead fish, but he still didn't enjoy it.

Finally, and carrying a bucket with four more fish in it, the man emerged from the vessel and jumped down to the dock. "This way."

They followed him down the dock, away from the fish-seller's stalls and the dump. Maus managed to forget the unpleasant burden he carried as they walked, listening to the soft slap of water against hull and decking, the creak of ropes as they passed ships tied up for whatever reason, falling in love with the scents of sun-warmed creosote and fresh salt air.

From some far-off corner came the rhythmic -ping- of someone hammering on metal, from another came women's voices lifted in song, though he couldn't understand the words.

Here and there were men; talking, smoking, cleaning decks and holds. A woman with a basket of laundry on one hip complimented his fine catch and all he could do was nod politely and scurry off after Silver.

The man led them to the top of the next ramp, where a number of people were busily cleaning fish. They were mostly women, and the tone of their conversations were as raucous as the seabirds that fought below the pier. A few women moved aside to give them room, and Maus could see that the table had a deep channel at the back of it. The channel was full of clean cold water, and it ran swiftly enough to carry off anything save heads, spines, and tails. Those parts went into large tubs, carried off by more of the same men from earlier.

The man passed knives to them and set about cleaning his own charges. Maus frowned at the thin, flexible blade and looked up at Silver.

"Like this." Silver held the head of one fish down with his left hand, then made two long slashes behind the gills and across the base of the tail. A little fresh blood welled out of the cuts, mingling with water to roll sluggishly back toward the trough.

Maus followed Silver's example, surprised by the toughness of the fish skin. His cuts were ragged, and the cut across the base of the tail veered off into the sidefin a good two inches from his starting point.

"Now cut along here," Silver said, drawing the tip of his knife along the dorsal line. "Hard enough that you feel bone."

Maus' mouth quirked in concentration. Cold squishy sticky nasty fish in one hand, slippery sharp shiny knife rattling against bone in the other -- until it slipped and dug deeply into the meat. Frowning, he started again, more slowly this time.

Silver waited as Maus painstakingly finished his cut. Finally! Reining in his irritation with their mysterious taskmaster, he positioned his knife at the bottommost edge of his gill cut. "Put you knife like this- good, now move your hand- exactly. Just follow the line of the fin, there." He had the big fillet off of his own fish in a few seconds, spearing it on the end of his knife and holding it the stream for a few moments to rinse it clean.

Maus blinked as the huge strip of meat came away in his hands. Feeling triumphant, he held on to it with both hands as he rinsed it off. He could just -see- it sliding along the bottom of the trough and tumbling off the end, into the waiting beaks of the greedy gulls.

"And there you have it. Here, give me that and do the other side, there." Silver smiled and took the meat, turning to present it to the man.

"Thanks. Can you two hurry up?" He gave them a disdainful look and added Silver's offering to what was already in the bucket.

"Hey, I had to show him what to do. Not my fault you can't wait on a flatlander, you know." He craned his neck around at Maus' nudge, only to find him holding out three hunks of fish. Silver turned, took it, and presented it to the man with a bow. "Kid's a damn quick study, though." The distinctive zipping sound of a knife on fishbone made him turn around again, just in time to be presented with the other cut from the demo fish. Maus moved on to the final fish, expression composed, as if the display was nothing unusual. The woman on the other side of the boy was so impressed with his speed that she was disposing of the entrails and bundling the rest of the remains up with her own.

The man peered over Silver's shoulder and whistled. "Damn quick."

Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:16 AM |

I dig comics. Especially ones that manage to cross themselves with Penny Arcade and succeed.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:49 AM |

Um. Ugh. I have a confession to make, one which will probably not surprise anyone...

I. Hate. The word. 'Japanimation'.

It's...ugly. It borders on insulting, to me. I hateithateithateit.

*Ahem* I'm better, now.
Posted by: Shannon M.: 11:43 AM |

My aunt and uncle are really big on organization. I just noticed a storage box on a shelf in here that's labled 'office giblets'. *Blinkblink*
Posted by: Shannon M.: 12:17 PM |