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 Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:22 pm
Nyko had always imagined his grand return to Oba would be....a little more grand, honestly.
He had vowed never to come back until his pockets were full of gold, and he could lord it over the Obans. However, life had other plans.
Instead, he and Thessia had arrived midday with few possessions and even fewer coin. They had been allowed to sleep outside an Inn in the stable until the time of their flight, and while Thessia was quick to assure him that it was only temporary, it wouldn't last that long, Nyko was still sour. The arrangements, his fight with Sajahka, his life.....where had it gone wrong?
Now that the sun had started to set Nyko found himself climbing up onto the stables roof. Thessia was inside, talking to travelers about preferred routes, and he...was content just sitting on the edge, letting his legs freely swing in the growing darkness.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:23 pm
(Corny via Slack)
With a basket of fruits and a jar of bath salts on her arm, Aari was headed back to her apartment. A bite to eat and a soak was just the thing she wanted after a day spent training. She was sore and tired, but still smiling. It always felt good after putting the physical effort in. A red shawl covered her hair, but she was letting it fall back now that it was getting darker and cooler. There was just one more stop to make.
Nearing the stables, she gave an idle glance at the legs hanging off the roof. A stable worker lounging after a day of work? As she got closer though, she broke out into a smile. "Nyko!" she called lightly, raising her free hand.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:24 pm
The young singer brought his left leg up and crossed it, placing his right thigh over his bare foot. His right leg still dangled, but with this change in position he could get a little more comfortable. The temptation to sleep up here, directly under the stars, was intense and maybe if he brought a few handfuls of hay up here then-
At first he panicked. An Oban that knew his name? That was never good! He half rose, ready to spring off the roof, and run, but when the hood fell back his features split into an instant smile. "Aaricia! You're becoming quite the traveler, aren't you?" Last he had seen of her she was in Matori, and now, much like him, she'd returned to this sandy hell. "What's in the basket?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:25 pm
(Corny via Slack)
Aari pulled back slightly with Nyko's sudden movement. Of course she had startled him. However, the smile she saw returned to her was like a warm sunbeam. She giggled lightly and shook her head. "I could say the same of you. It will be some time before I am able to leave again though." Truly, she was surprised to see him back in Oba.
Looking at her basket, she gave a small shrug. "Some fruits for dinner and bath salts. The salts are quite good for relieving sore muscles, you know? ...Not that I have a full bath, but it is just as effective for buckets to soak the hands or feet." A full bath would probably tip over the building she was in! "Would you like a fruit for yourself? I have plenty."
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:26 pm
Nyko tensed a moment and shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't very good at hiding his emotions, and the bit of aggravation that slipped through would have been totally noticeable. "I would have come back a LOT sooner, but the jack a** I was traveling with-" Catching himself, Nyko thought better of venting in the open, and shook his head. "Sorry, it's just fresh and I'm still pissed."
He reached for the edges of the roof and leaned forward, trying to get a good peep into her basket. "I've never tried them. Getting a decent bath these days is hard, since we aren't near the ocean, but I would kill someone for a good, long soak...." And fruit! Fruit wasn't exactly high on their priority's for shopping, but it wasn't as if Nyko hadn't wanted any. And now that he was being offered some for free...."Yeah, sure, toss it up. Or better yet, come up yourself, if you've got the time." He motioned to an older ladder he'd leaned up against the side. "It's not the prettiest, but it's sturdy."
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:27 pm
(Corny via Slack)
Aari's brow rose a moment before knitting back down. A falling out with his traveling companion? Who could that have been? Nyko had not spoken of one when they had last met; at least not that she could remember. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said. The world was uncertain enough without a fellow traveler letting you down...
"I am sure there is a bucket around here that you could find to hold at least a little water," she mused. It wouldn't be much, but when a soak was needed.... The baths were one of the very few things she missed about being a noble of Oba. Her father's house had held some luxurious baths....
The invitation earned a nod of acceptance, and she climbed up the ladder without concern. "As long as it gets the job done, it does not have to look pretty," she assured, carefully walking along the roof to settle at Nyko's side. She uncovered the basket and held out the small selection for Nyko to see. "Pick whatever you would like."
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:28 pm
"Yeah, but the only water we're allowed to use is what the Quhar drink." He stretched his toes to a little trough, just far enough away from them that the stench wasn't horrible. "And I'm not walking in that mess to get to it." Nyko was willing to do almost anything for a good round of pampering, but that was so not happening.
He waited patiently for her to join him, even going so far as to move in order to help her, but Aaricia had it perfectly under control. Nyko quirked his mouth in a half smile, scooting over just a bit so she could sit in one of the 'better' spots on the rooftop. It was less worn than others, having been freshly replaced earlier in the week, and thus wouldn't scratch her legs as much.
For a moment he spent his time perusing her offerings, before finally settling on a small, violet fruit. He peeled it as he had dozens of times before and took a bite out of it's juicy center. "I missed these. My mother and I used to dry them out before making pies. I remember one time we didn't dry them out enough and the pie came out all wrong, but Sajah ate it anyway...." His voice trailed off, eyes lowering to the ground below them.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:34 pm
(Corny via Slack)
Oh, so that was the state of things? Unfortunate... Nyko would not want to see her feeling bad about his situation though. "I do not blame you," she said, peeking down at the trough and its mucky surroundings. Settled down, she let her legs hang down over the edge, calves and feet swinging lightly. This was a rare position for her, and she had to admit that it was rather pleasant. It felt good to be off her feet, too.
Aari pulled out the same fruit for herself, smiling at Nyko's story. The last part seemed to carry extra weight to it... Sajah had not been his mother's name, right? "Sajah? Is this a friend of yours from the manor?" she asked, taking a bite of the fruit as she watched the man at her side. After all, if Sajah was there with Nyko's mother, it only made sense to her.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:53 pm
"Sort of. He was in another house, but we were close up until a few weeks ago. We escaped together to Matori, and then Sajah started screwing around." Nyko took a big bite out of his fruit, stuffing his mouth with an irritable grumble. It was still a tender topic with him, and likely would be for a long time. How could one go so long with a friend like that, only to have it washed away in an instant and try to move on? "Literally. He started screwing some guy, and then his head went other places. We should have left MONTHS ago, MONTHS! But here he was, prioritizing himself over anything we had planned, and any time I asked him about it he would say 'oh yeah, sure Nyko, we're totally going to go' but it never happened!" So much for not publicly venting. "That guy he's seeing really messed him up, but he STILL went back. Who does that?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 4:57 pm
(Corny via Slack)
Aari inhaled softly. So that was the traveling companion. ...and, perhaps more than that? No wonder it was hurting Nyko so badly. Aari could only sit and listen, eyes lowering slowly. "It certainly was not fair to you," she agreed. "However.. I am hardly one to point fingers. I kept myself in a dismal situation for years just for the sake of comfort. We cannot know what drives a person in different situations." Lifting her chin back up, she let out a heavier sigh. She couldn't beat herself up about that again. "I take it that Sajah is still back in Matori? How did you get here?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:08 pm
[6/10]
"I'm thinking nothing really is," he groused. Everything 'awesome' that had happened to him since his escape could be counted on one hand. Did Sajah care about that, though? Nope; he was too busy getting down on his knees and- "But the risks! We took risks to get out of that - you, me, Sajah - and what does he do? Slips right back in! It's just a different guy with the whip this time."
He stretched his legs out over the open airspace, wriggling his toes into the on-setting night. There were few milling on the nearby streets; most had been drawn indoors by the lack of light, either to settle in with families or drink. "I came with Thessia. Did I introduce you? I didn't, did I?" He started to beam a little,feeling a little more pride talking about his lady love than his fallen friendship. "We're kind of dating; it's not completely official, but I hope it will be soon. We're getting out of here and going to Belrea together. There's supposed to be a ship that will land here soon and it'll take us across the ocean."
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:38 pm
(Corny via Slack)
Aari couldn't help a small wince. Captivity took many forms. Not knowing who this other person was left her at a disadvantage, but Nyko's summary was plain enough. It did not sound like the best situation. To separate two friends who had escaped together... "I hope he finds what he needs," she murmured softly. Nyko still cared about the guy, obviously, and they had helped each other escape. Whatever was going on.. Moving on was more important than bearing ill-will.
The light rising in Nyko again made Aari smile lightly. "It seems as though I only ever see you when no one else is around," she mused. "I am happy to hear you have someone. Thessia must be a special person to earn your affections." Belrea! "What is it that has you drawn to Belrea? I'm sure you wish for a change of view, but that is quite the trip to take on."
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:40 pm
Yeah, me too. Nyko wasn't sure what Sajah could possibly want that involved his current path, but if keeping his friend under his thumb was anything to judge by then Nyko didn't need to know. He'd grown to be manipulative, and underhanded, so maybe it was for the best that they split. It was hard to talk about, but the discussion didn't come without it's own form of therapy; just being able to discuss it with a friend was helpful. "We'll have to change that. Are you staying somewhere close? Maybe tomorrow the three of us could grab a bite and you two can meet. She's great, Aari; you'll really like her. She's so spot on with things and she's smart; real smart. And pretty! B-but that's not the most important part...but it doesn't hurt, right?" He grinned. "Thessia was the first to mention it, and she made some good points. They have whole districts in the capital dedicated to performing, so it would be easier for me to find work and a proper mentor there. Also we're foreign; if they think we're unique and I can sing to them then they might pay more than if we stayed here." There was also the issues of being found out here in Oba, by both his old masters and Sajah himself, neither of which left Nyko with good thoughts.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 5:48 pm
(Corny via Slack)
"I think I would like that very much," Aari agreed with a nod. "I do not live far from here, actually. I have an apartment with Jidora and Halim. You met them in Matori." Hearing Nyko gush about Thessia was adorable and she couldn't help giving him a companionable bump of her shoulder. "She sounds delightful."
Would Belrea have that much opportunity? "I wish you the best of luck over there, Nyko. A change of scenery is probably just the thing you need. A fresher fresh start. Is Thessia a performer as well?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:15 am
[8/10]
"Oh yeah, the squirt. How's he doin'?" The kid had been likable in his own way, but Nyko couldn't imagine putting up with someone that young for long. He didn't have the 'motherly' instincts necessary for it, and was man enough to recognize that. Then again, at least she wasn't playing sole guardian figure; he still had his....mother? Right? That must have taken some of the heat off her.
He guided himself until his back was flat on the roof, eyes looking at the stars above. "It's a little scary thinking about it. I've never been a fan of heights, and being up that far for so long is...." ...daunting. Especially since he didn't want Thessia to know what kind of a wuss he was. As far as she knew he was just as excited as she was for the trip, but that sense of dread hadn't yet left him. Surely it was just jitters over the flight, and nothing left over from..."She's a seamstress, so she could get work just about anywhere, but she wants to go just as much as I do. Maybe they could show her how to work all that metal into the clothing or something."
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