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 Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 12:49 pm
With the full moon rising at her back, Kalua made her way down Elikapeka’s main thoroughfare. While it was technically in Hapuna territory, the city was a growing trading hub for not only Kahikinans but foreigners as well. Having lived her for much of her young life, the Moakai was used to navigating the crowds and knowing which areas to avoid if she wanted to stay off the radar.
She also knew what areas were best to ‘shop’, especially when the sun had set and activities were shifting from the slog of work to exciting. Bards of all sorts had set up to play, dancers played patrons, and Kalua had her eyes peeled.
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 12:50 pm
[Scar via Discord]
For the most part, the first few months after leaving Yael only made Caolan more excited to have left in the first place. Matori was beautiful and bright, the colors so vivid that he nearly wept, and had nearly squandered all his savings rushing to find paints that would match the intensity. He'd only taken a very brief dip into Oban life before the oppressive cityscape sent him scurrying back to the seaside, claustrophobic and overwhelmed - and so from there he'd had a choice.
He could follow his father's normal trek and travel the trade routes ... or strike out over the seas to new lands. So here he was - in a new world, trying to distract himself from the anxiety of finally losing the glow of his eyes by, instead, taking in the glimmering night life of Elikapeka, his satchel of books and paints and meager other supplies flung over his shoulder carelessly.
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 12:55 pm
Kalua’s hips bobbed in tune with a minstrel’s lute as she scanned the nightlife. Most were sailor’s eager for a night’s reprieve, but every so often she caught something truly unique. Like the earthling who might have been part Moakai if he was a little taller. From behind all she could see was tanned skin and purple hair, but when he turned she caught glimpses of those odd knobs – crystals, she thought – on his body.
As she walked Kalua casually lifted the coin purse from her hip – the decoy, one she only kept a few copper in – and loosened the draw string. When she was close enough too him she waited for the earthling to shift just enough to fake him bumping into her and the moment it happened she tossed her satchel onto the ground with a gasp. “Oh no!”
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 12:56 pm
[Scar via Discord]
Caolan's father warned him about common pitfalls on the road, like brigands or pirates, thieves or night walkers. But at the time he'd laughed it off; what did Caolan have that was worth stealing? Besides, he was a smart boy, he knew better than to be fooled by sketchy people -
Of course, spoken like the truly naive young man he was. He thought he was being careful, but then he turned to look down a cross street and -
And he bumped into someone else, apparently with enough force to send their coin purse scattering to the ground in a rain of coins. "Ah! No - I'm so so sorry, let me just -" Caolan swung towards the person, apologies already spilling - when he saw her, and his tongue promptly stuck to the roof of his mouth. Oh.
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 12:57 pm
Ever the actress, Kalua put a hand over her mouth as she crouched down and started to pick up her coins. “It’s...it’s alright, I guess? You really should have been watching the street, though. “ She picked up a few measly copper pieces and stuck it into the satchel – torn, ratty and patched as it was. A pathetic little bag she’d found weeks ago and decided to repurpose for this very thing.
“Can you help me? I need to make sure I find them all; my brother’s very sick and I can’t afford to miss any.” Her curls bounced across her shoulder as she spoke, the dark tresses framing her seafoam eyes in just the right way. She wanted to look as innocent and sweet as possible; anything other than the viper Kalua actually was.
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 12:58 pm
[Scar via Discord]
The part of Caolan that was a younger sibling felt a flash of annoyance at the accusation, followed briskly by a rush of guilt. She was right after all, wasn't she? If he hadn't been gawking like the tourist he was, he wouldn't have run right into her. Immediately, he stooped down next to her and plucked up coins too, doing his best to avoid stealing glances at her.
But really - she was very pretty! She was clearly a Kahikina, but he wasn't familiar enough to know more than that. The appendage on her forehead was... foreign and strange, but against her vibrant hair and the purple on her skin he found it difficult to mind. That, and she was very tall - he felt embarrassed and shy next to her, which only doubled his guilt.
And... a brother? It seemed wrong to think such a beautiful place could have such hardships, but he supposed not every place wore its misery like Yael did. "I'm really really sorry. I've never been here before, and I just - ugh. It's no excuse to run right into you."
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:07 pm
Now that she was able to see his eyes they weren’t at all what she’d been expecting. Black where she thought an earthling white should have been, and silver like a Kaha’iko’s. She didn’t mind them, they were very pretty, which was unfortunate given his luck tonight.
“It’s not, but-,” She raised a hand a tucked a few curls behind her ear. “-you could always repay me with some company? Unless you’re too busy; I wouldn’t want to keep you from wherever you’re going. I’m just trying to keep my mind off things.” He looked young, but not as young as she was. Not grizzled though like a sailor, so a traveler? But why? Someone this young, going this far from home had to be worth something, right?
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:08 pm
[Scar via Discord]
C-company? Caolan nearly fumbled the coins he'd picked up, and instead hurriedly reached to drop them back into her satchel. He knew she didn't mean it in any sort of lewd way, but it still startled him nonetheless. His eyes tracked the motion of her pushing her hair behind her ear (a unique shape, but cute), and forced himself to shelf the part of his brain that was still a little girl crazy.
He had to blame it on traveling, and being around too many new, interesting people. "I think that's all of them." Caolan said, instead of answering, clearing his throat as he stood back up again. "I mean... I'm just exploring a bit before it gets too late so that's - no problem! I don't mind!"
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:10 pm
“Thanks, I really appreciate it.” She sinched the coin purse and made a show of double knotting it - just in case - before tying it onto a belt around her waist. “Come on, let’s take a walk. You said you wanted to explore, right? I’ve lived here my entire life so if you’ve got questions maybe I can help.”
When she started walking Kalua made sure she stayed on the side of him with easier access to escape routes. He would see all the pretty lights, performers and even the moon over the water while she had clear, dark alleyways to dip into when the moment was right.
“You must be far from home. I’ve never seen anyone that looks like you here before.”
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:12 pm
[Scar via Discord]
This felt surreal, and on a deeper level Caolan was somewhat suspicious. Unfortunately, he pushed the thought down fiercely, misintepreting it as his typical Yaeli superstition. It felt much nicer to think that a pretty girl was actually talking to him... willingly! And she was actually going to show him around, even after he bumped into her?
"That's really nice." He enthused, flashing her a friendly, toothy smile. As they walked, just as she predicted, he looked at the beautiful nightscape, fingers itching to find a quiet corner to try and hurriedly sketch out a painting. If he didn't mix the colors now, he might not remember them later. "I can't be the first Yaeli to come this way." Caolan dismissed with a giddy laugh, rubbing his neck as he stole a glance sidelong at his new companion. "But enough about me. You... said you wanted to take your mind off something. Is... are you okay?"
The fact he hadn't asked her immediately made him feel guilty again.
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:13 pm
“Not really...” Kalua took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, raising a hand to wipe a away at the corner of her eye. “It’s too much to bother a stranger, but...things haven’t been great for my brother and I for a long time. Now that he’s sick it’s just harder. So, sometimes I like to come out here when I can’t sleep and look at the sea.” Part of it was true, which made the lie that much easier to spin. She did enjoy night walks by the water, and things had been hard for them, but it wasn’t because of an illness.
“You might not have been the only Yaeli, but most foreigners are tucked into their rooms or a tavern at this time of night so I don’t see too many.” Which was also true. She was just learning what a Yaeli was, and tucking that information into her mind for later.
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:14 pm
[Scar via Discord]
Mm. Caolan's expression crumpled in sympathy, although he couldn't quite sympathize. He'd been lucky in that his family was healthy and happy. Xenia was... gone, not... ill. It wasn't the same, and he wouldn't be crass in trying to suggest it was. "It's very beautiful." He conceded softly, clearly buying into her story.
Although his expression did shift a bit into unease when she continued. "Oh? Is... it not good to be out this time of night?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:15 pm
“I’m sorry, I didn’t say that right. My head’s not where it should be.” She gave an ‘embarrassed’ smile when really she just wanted to push him into the bay. “It’s just late, you know? Most everyone around here works with the sun and once it sets they nod off.” As they walked her eyes drifted to the satchel at his side but they didn’t linger. If he was already suspicious it was best not to feed into it.
“Look, over there, do you see that?” She pointed down the walkway, past where the lantern glow faded into darkness, to a small set of stones just next to the ocean. It would have been picturesque, if not for its reputation among locals for being the prime location for mugging tourists. “You get the best views from that rock. You can see almost the entire reef from there.”
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:16 pm
[Scar via Discord]
Ah. That made sense. Caolan breathed out a little sigh and rubbed his neck, embarrassed. Silly him - it was just more of his paranoia setting in. He could almost hear his parents in his ear, telling him to be careful of a pretty face, to be smart and just retire back to his inn. 'If other travelers are smart enough to go to bed early, so should you.' ...But it really was such a lovely nightscape, and if he slept now he wouldn't be able to burn the moonlight on the water into his memory.
Caolan followed where she pointed and made a noise of wonder. The area seemed... dark, a bit foreboding, but he could believe that such a pretty view was hiding out of sight there. And a local would be the one to know about it, wouldn't she?
"Well; you said you wanted to watch the ocean." He agreed warmly, turning to stride towards the walkway she motioned to.
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Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2024 5:20 pm
The further they ventured from the boardwalk the brighter Kalua's lure began to glow. It was as if the darkness were pulled in and absorbed, bringing a sort of confidence to the young Moakai. She talked a little more about local things - spots that looked lovely in the morning light, even going so far as to point out a strange grouping of stones that looked like a fish - and all the while plotting in her mind.
"Watch your step from here on, okay? The rocks are a little slick." A truth, mostly, but an exaggerated one. Just a little slip so that when - if - he made it back to port the story could be spun more to her favor.
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