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 Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:53 pm
Now that he was on deck and breathing again, Cael was able to appreciate once more just how badly the world was spinning about him and how dry his mouth felt. Only half-aware of his surroundings, it seemed to him as though the water was steaming off of his skin as the muffled buzzing around him failed to resolve itself into words.
Pulling his heavy gaze up, he struggled to make Li's face out of the blur before his eyes. Of course it was foggy. What had happened to his glasses, anyway? It didn't matter; he wasn't in a lesson right now. The details of the face flickered like a dream, shifting, morphing, and he felt the start of a scowl twitch on his lips, his mouth forming slurred words without the breath to speak them.
"...Stay...t...th...uck..."
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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:18 pm
Li didn't really get a chance to respond (or for that matter even really process what he had said), before Terran scooped Cael up off the deck, and started for the stairs with Allen hot on his heels. The earth manipulator brought the ship's navigator back to his bunk, laying him down very carefully as he moved aside for the Healer to continue checking him out; after all, what had been done on deck was just emergency healing for the moment to get him breathing...now they had to make sure he wasn't hurt.
Meanwhile, the captain got unsteadily to her feet as the ship pitched again. "Everyone, get back to your stations...We're not out of this storm yet..."she said, putting a hand on her head and bracing herself on the rail of the ship with the other. At once, everyone scurried back to work, knowing she was right...Except Fin. He had handed the helm off to Alyx, to come and tend to the captain.
"Captain, you alright?"he asked, knowing she was off balance, so not really bothering to wait for her answer before hauling her arm over his shoulder - He knew she'd never let him pick her up, no matter how wobbly she was, so this was a better option.
She nodded, grateful for the respite from needing to hold her own weight...The muscles in her legs were screaming at the moment...How she had managed to cut through those monstrously large waves so quickly was beyond her, but id did reason out where the aches in her body were coming from.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. But I am going downstairs...That kid isn't getting off so easy..."said Li, though she still sounded a bit out of breath. Fortunately, Fin Knew better than to argue, and helped her down the stairs.
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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:30 pm
((Bringing out the big guns next post, I think.))
Drifting in and out of consciousness as he was carried below deck, Cael did not realize the change of setting or the passage of time. Things just were, no past, no future. He was breathing shallower now, his face hot and flushed, and as he came to once again he was aware of the rapid pounding of his heart in his chest. Cael wanted to open his eyes, look around, get out of bed and out of the house before someone came to lead him off to lessons or training, but he felt oddly tired and leaden. It must still be early, he reasoned dreamily, the sun's not coming in through the window yet..
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 11:39 pm
"Allen, how's he doing?"asked the captain, as she made it down the stairs, relying heavily on the combination of Fin and the rail, until she could sit down on a barrel.
The healer looked frantic, honestly not even noticing Li at first until she spoke. "Captain...I'm...not sure how to say this exactly..." the blond looked a little panicked, which frankly didn't make anyone among present company feel any better. At that moment, Cael fidgeted a little, and he turned his attention back to the crewman most recently spared the locker.
"Listen, this is not the time to be coy. Spit it out already, would you?"she sounded a tad anxious, not really happy to hear that there was something ailing the navigator beyond his stormy swim. Just how much could possibly go wrong in such a short span of time?!
Allen sighed. "I can't tell you what's wrong with him...He's getting worse, and I'm not entirely sure why..." He was wracking his brain, trying to figure it out...Something about this seemed familiar, but what was it? Fever, cold sweat, shallow breathing...He knew these symptoms, he did! ...But how were they connected...?
((I'll diagnose next post if its okay with kami. ^_^ We need plotting discussion!))
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 4:08 am
((*cue flashback for the next several posts* 8DD))
Cael was running. His feet pounded the cobblestone street leading down towards the heart of the city and the docks. He was looking down, salt angrily stinging his eyes, unwilling to see his familiar surroundings blur away behind him. His heart beat like a hammer on red metal in his chest and the heat coursed through his veins, throbbing heavily and propelling him forward.
Not my son.
His feet beat out the words.
Not my son.
Goddamnit, Cael raged internally, a tearing howl of anger and pain that threatened to block his throat and send the water spilling from his eyes. Goddamnit.
He had never run this far this fast and he was feeling distinctly out of breath, his lungs screaming and his head light, but his legs kept moving and he did not slow down even when he turned onto the main road, plunging between vendors and off-duty sailors as he headed down towards the port and the sea. The argument had been ridiculous, but he had not been able to shake off his frustration this time and it had escalated, reaching a screaming breaking point with both he and his father raging at each other like colliding stormfronts.
You are going to be attending.
I don’t want to go. I went to the last one, damn it, and look what happened.
Don’t be stupid.
You were there.
It wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t provoked him. You need to learn to keep a civil tongue when speaking to your elder brother.
He needs to keep a civil tongue when speaking to me!
Goddamnit, Cael!
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Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:03 pm
Think. Think. THINK, damnit! Allen wracked his brain, trying to figure out what was wrong. If he didn't know what was ailing their ill comrade, there was only so much he could do to attempt to alleviate it. Aside from that, his strength was beginning to run thin after keeping the crew on deck in top form to fight the storm for so long...Stress wasn't good for his ability; Once, he had even been so completely all consumed by it he couldn't heal so much as a paper cut...Fortunately, he had mellowed out significantly since joining captain Nox and the crew.
"Allen. Take a breath, calm down..."Li could see him getting more anxious by the moment, and realized that wouldn't do anyone any good, especially not Cael. She knew about their healer's little quirk, and had tried her best to help him get over it, but in the end...Really, it was up to Allen to master himself.
He sighed...She was right. Beating himself up for not remembering would only make the problem worse. He took another breath, and shut his eyes, continuing to heal whatever symptoms he could as he calmed himself...Trying to bring the fever down for the moment was his main concern...
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 12:05 am
Cael’s heart was bursting now and his breathing was coming in short ripping gasps, the rage at his father and brother now subsiding, now rising again in a twist of self-pity and defiance. He stumbled in the street, nearly veering into a stall like a drunkard before rushing past, his long dark hair starting to come undone from his low ponytail and a few drops of sweat running down his flushed face.
You never treat him like this!
He doesn’t act like a damn child! If you actually showed some maturity—
—If I actually showed some maturity you’d what? Stick me in some godforsaken job in the government? At least he gets to—
—If you had shown any dedication in your training then maybe I would let you—
—Let me be your little lap dog running around begging for praise—
—Take on what you hold to be man’s work since obviously mine is not good enough—
I don’t want to be like you!
Cael was slowing down in his pace, the time between his sudden departure and his arrival in the more rundown area around the port a forgotten smear of time. His head pounded and his mouth felt sandy and dry. His blue eyes burned. He could not recall all of what had been said, only clips and phrases, much of it running together and recreating the scene even as he struggled to both remember it and push it away.
You let her—
Ah, there it was. Cael resisted the urge to wince, drummed into him by innumerable childhood teachings, and gave a grim smile instead as he walked, sneaking furtive looks around him at his unfamiliar surroundings as he wove his way through the thick crowds to the very edge of the city and the ocean. He had made the slip of the tongue that had led to the red stinging welt he now felt on the side of his face and the dull throbbing pain it sent through his body as the blood beat rapidly through it. Cael was letting it surge and recede as a badge of honor and it made him hold his head up higher, defiantly willing the shifting crowds to stare.
Not my son.
His slower, halting footsteps echoed the words.
Not my son.
Not my son.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 7:15 pm
That was when it happened; Allen's eyes snapped open, immediately turning to Fin. "Sir, get out, right now,"he said, with a bit of urgency in his voice. For once he was asserting himself as the on-ship healer who had the right to tell others what to do, including the captain, if it was for their health.
The first mate was confused. "Allen, what's goin..?"Fin was cut off before he could even finish his sentence, which was especially unusual for anyone on the crew except Li.
"Fin sir, I will explain later. You need to leave, right now," The blond stood up, his presence actually a little commanding as he did so.
Li nodded, turning to her first mate and said, "Fin, go. I'll make sure to get an explanation and tell you." She waited until he hurried up the stairs, and moved her attention back to the Healer. "And now, You need to explain," issuing orders like he was, he had best have had a damn good reason.
"If I'm not mistaken, it's a virus...And if it is what I think it is, then its contagious, but only to manipulators of the same element...Fin and Cael are both Water Element...Fortunately, his exposure to Cael was relatively limited, so he should be alright..."He turned his attention back to the sick Navigator, intensifying the soft glow around his hands that was his manipulation, "but I'll need to check out the rest of those aboard once Cael's condition is under controll..."
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 10:19 pm
Cael stopped walking as he stepped up onto the boardwalk, the ground beneath his feet changing from laid stone to wood. He looked around, still too angry and hurt to be afraid. Impulsively, he laid his hand on the hilt of his sword, dangling from his side, and pulled it out. He did not use it much, shirking even much of his training, and he felt oddly unbalanced without its weight at his waist. He made a sudden movement, cut off, as if to toss it into the sea. Instead, he turned around equally quickly as though he was working out his plan as he went and, scanning the streets, darted into the nearest pawnshop. A few minutes later Cael was outside once more, his pockets heavy with coins. He bought an apple and a loaf of bread off a vendor and made his way through the streets, feeling savagely free.
Not my son.
His footsteps were still repeating the mantra, but it was fainter now, with the airy independence clouding his thoughts, and he paid it little heed. That night he slept sitting up under the eaves of one of the taverns, his long coat wrapped firmly around him and his new silver blade in an attempt to keep out the chilly air and his destitution. The next several days were strung together, their edges blurred into the next. He was unceasingly hungry and cold in addition nearly as soon as the sun set. It was harder to find work than he had imagined and his fine clothes were becoming stained and stiff with dirt and sweat. The white of his shirt was now largely beige, in some places brown. His hair was tangled; he cut it on impulse, the same way he made most of his decisions it seemed, with his new blade. Now what? He looked out over the darkened buildings and shivered, tugging his coat tighter. He did not want to go back.
((*easiest posts ever~~* 8DD))
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:47 pm
"So what should we be doing?"asked Li, really knowing that the best thing to do in this situation was to give Allen all the help that she could; After all, when it came to anything medical, he was more or less an encyclopedia. "If we need to pull into port for medicine, we can..."she added, frankly not really considering that all the ports in the area were company-controlled. She didn't really need to; she would take that kind of risk for a member of her crew...No, for one of her family.
"No, at this point that's not necessary...As far as I can tell, its not advanced enough to merit that right now...If I can manage the symptoms, I should be able to cure him..."Allen spoke without ever moving his attention from his task. He kept his hands just centimeters above Cael, sensing where the virus was at its worst, and trying to fight it off before it could get any worse...At least, he thought he would be able to keep it at bay long enough to get the ship to where they were headed: A safe port.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:54 pm
By the fifth day, Cael was growing desperate. He was no longer wandering along the dock as he had been earlier, asking for work. He had begun to hear his name spoken and was taking care to hide, spending most of his time lurking behind one of the bars in the dark and filth. His stomach hurt and he was wondering about giving in and go home. A small knot of something, pride maybe, or determination, had lodged itself in his chest, and he felt he would rather starve to death than return home in his current condition. He spent most of his time remembering his last hours, their parting words.
I’m not going to.
You will do as I say because I am your father and I am telling you to.
You let her—
Cael was crouching at the side of a building, a restaurant; he could smell the cooking food and it was making him dizzy with desire. He nearly forgot who he was and what his purpose was, so badly did it distract him. The man he had decided on, a fairly innocuous-looking stranger with a long coat and hat, was now facing away from him, apparently not having noticed him at all although they were mere feet apart. Good. Cael fought the urge to laugh, manically, desperately, and stretched his hand out, fingers quivering with tension and hunger. They slipped into the man’s coat pocket, the one heavy with what could only be money, and jerked erratically, brushing against the material.
I will not let you insult my son like that. Not my son.
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:15 pm
((So not fair. >.>))
Focus...Focus...He just needed to keep strict concentration until Cael was over the worst of it...If he could do that, Allen was confident he could pull the water manipulator through his ailment...The healer wasn't a timid person by nature, but he was unsure of himself in moments of necessity on occasion...This, was not one of those occasions. His confidence helped give his gift strength, and he knew that would help.
'Stupid idiot...What was he thinking, coming up on deck? Drunk or not, I though he had more sense than that...'thought the captain a little bitterly. Had she overestimated his judgment...? Or was it his illness that had caused this lapse in reason? In truth, she didn't blame him. No, she blamed herself; Li blamed herself as a captain for not keeping someone below deck to watch the slumbering dancers during the storm. However, luck did seem to have some pity on the crew, as it had not been Sain, who seemed even more likely to sink to the depths thank Cael even if he were conscious.
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:26 pm
((You'll have your turn. xD >w>;; ))
“What’s this?” Apparently, he had noticed after all, grabbing Cael by the wrist, and pulling it back until the coat-shrouded man had him on the ground. His voice was surprisingly high, but even so his grip was very firm. “If you’re looking to steal from someone, keep your hand steady next time,” added the would-be victim of the crime that never had a chance to happen. The pain in Cael’s arm was especially noticeable as the man stood up, placing his heavily booted foot on the boy’s arm.
After a moment of silence in which the man seemed to be observing his attempted robber, he tilted his head slightly to the side. “You’re dressed up pretty nice for some pickpocket… Or, you were before you decided to try roughing it… What was this, a bet or something?” asked the man, removing his foot from both the arm bent backwards and his back. Obviously, Cael had noticed from his position on the ground, he was not being taken seriously. Surprisingly, the man picked him up by the back of his shirt, lifting him onto his feet, apparently thinking that while a poor thief, Cael wasn’t stupid enough to try it again… at least not on him. “Come on, go home to your family. I’m sure they’re worried sick about a rich child like you,” he added, with a bit of a smirk.
Cael flushed red, feeling lightheaded once more from the sudden movement of blood and irrational in his vertigo. He pushed away from the taller man, stumbling heavily and glaring up at him. “Give me a job,” he demanded, not paying attention to what he was saying. “I’m hungry.” This much was certainly true by this time, as he had had little to eat after that first day, as the only money he had been able to earn had been through rough and cheap unskilled labor and even that had stopped after the third day when he had begun to hear talk of his running away. He was swaying slightly under the warm sun, but he tipped his chin up, stubborn as always and still humiliated. The ends of his chopped-off hair were brushing the nape of his neck and around his ears and he felt somehow indecently exposed as if his worn clothes and coat counted for nothing. He was caught between two worlds and he knew it.
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:49 pm
((Yeah, two weeks from NEVER.))
Allen could feel the virus trying to multiply. Every chance it got, he had to cut it off before it got the chance...It was trying so damn hard! Was it more progressed than he thought it was? That didn't make sense...If it were, wouldn't it be making his fever worse? On the contrary, it really did seem to be preparing to drop...But it was almost waiting for something...A last push, to get it to break.
((Tiny, tiny post...))
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:57 pm
“A job?” The man was a little taken aback. He placed one hand on his hip, and cupped his chin in the other as if thinking about it. “Well, that is why I came here after all… You do seem like the type with something to prove, I’ll give you that…” He spoke quietly, almost as though talking to himself rather than Cael. “Well, if you want a job from me you’re going to have to prove to me you’ve got something to make you worth my ship… Do you have any skills?” Apparently, this person was captain of one of the vessels docked in the dingy port.
“I can read,” Cael was nearly rambling now, his words spilling out between his lips in bunches as they passed through his mind. “I’ve been tutored my whole damn life. I can write, I can do sums. I know maps. I know maps well.” Grasping at straws, he continued quickly, “my memory’s great: show me anything and I’ll give it back to you like that any time, years later. Water manipulation. Please,” his words rose briefly in desperation before he managed to rein his tone back, voice hardening with hopeless determination. “Give me a chance. There’s no way I’m going back.”
A pondering look crossed the captain’s face. “Well, we do need a new navigator…” he said, again almost as though voicing his current thoughts. “Fine. You’ve got the job… That is, unless piracy is against your better judgment,” he added in a low tone, as if to keep the words from closely spying ears. Without waiting for an answer, the man started back to the docks, his coat billowing a little behind him as it beckoned Cael to follow.
You let her—
I won’t let you insult my son like that. Not my son.
Cael did not stop to think after the initial burst of resentment quickened his heart rate and the thrill of promised adventure cleared the air. He hurried after the captain, tripping a little as he wove his way through the crowd, somehow managing to work his way consistently against the flow of people no matter which road they turned onto.
Not my son.
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