Kisaik was standing astride the shoulder of the Pirate King, as the latter helped out on Lady Vega's family's ship, one of them. It was called the Waking Dreamer. A very pretty name for a nice ship. It was Kisaik that had insisted the ex-pirate's help would be invaluable to keep the boats seaworthy, and the Pirate King was all too eager to prove that he was here to be a member of the community, even if there were some who seemed to think of him still as a pirate. It was possibly even worse when it came to Vega's clan, the Lei'noxes. Reese was particularly adamant about Kisaik and his Majesty's boarding of the Dreamer.
"Oh not to worry. He doesn't need a chaperone, but anyway I'll be with him helping the entire time." Kisaik tried to ply on some semblance of sensibility and compromise with Reese. He was finding it not very effective, even with Kisaik's impeccable manners.
"No, no pirate shall board the ship while I can draw steel." Reese replied, his face stern and stony. Kisaik tilted his head in frustration.
The Pirate King looked as if he was about to say something, but then Shon appeared, and called his brother away from the gangplank that led onto the deck of he Dreamer. "Reese, he's with Sir Chip. If Sir Chip vouches for him, and if Vega vouches for him, we may as well use his help."
"Yes exactly my thoughts!" Kisaik said, "My friend here is just wanting to show that he can work for the good of the clan as well as anyone, and wants to make sure your boat is nice and sea worthy."
Reese cast a glance toward Shon, hurt pride evident on his face, but then shrugged with a huff, and went to assist his twin. "Fine, but I'll be watching. I have eyes on every belaying pin on this boat. Mind yourselves."
Kisaik smiled, and then tapped the Pirate King on the shoulder. "See? It's all coasting downhill from here!"
The King winced, and said to the tunawa, "I don't think downhill means what you think it does, but I appreciate the sentiment."
So saying, they got to work, sorting the gardening situation, which happened also to be Reese's domain on the boat. There was a small place on the ship that had salt buoys, and a little growing garden to keep citrus fruits growing on the deck. Kisaik marveled at the idea of using the open sea as a growing field, and his mind was awash in all manner of ideas along those lines. He hopped down, and then blinked toward the salt buoys. He'd not seen them before. Although he'd grown up in the South, he'd spent most of his time in Magani, and avoided ships. This was his first time encountering the strange weed.
With a tentative bite, he nibbled on the leaf, and brightened up as its properties were revealed to him through his Green Lore.
"Oh my! Imagine if I could make a tree boat that drank the sea water!" Kisaik blurted out the idea as soon as it occurred to him.
Reese, who was already not entirely disposed to trusting Kisaik, by virtue of his leading a pirate onto the decks, scoffed as he watched them sorting out the salt buoy flesh barrels....
The Pirate King however, quirked a brow, at least having the virtue of curiosity about his acquaintance's idea. "How on Chrien's sticky backside would you accommplish that, Chip?"
Kisaik rubbed his hands together as he chewed on the salt buoy's flesh, and continued to think on it. "If I could find a good tree seed, and grow it up to become spliced with the salt water absorption of the salt buoy, and also the fresh water production, I coulld make a huge fleet of garden boats, living garden boats!"
"Can you..." The King asked, "Do that? What is this, some woodfolk magic?"
"Plain old fashioned gardening! Turned up to the heights of possibility!"
Kisaik waved at Reese. "I really must insist that you be a part of this brave new venture, Reese. Your skill at both engineering, and woodwork, and gardening can ensure that this is a success. I can shape wood well enough, but I need to know how it ought to take shape... What do you say?"
