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 Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:30 pm
Leaning back on the battered couch that sat in the center of her apartment, Ki'retha looked around, content to finally have everything in place as she wished it--she only used the residence when the ship was docked in Gambino, but it was the one place she could return to without having to be surrounded by people. In addition, the rent was modest enough to only prompt a minor cringe from her when she thought about it.
The building had definitely seen better days--while not rundown enough to be termed 'shabby' it was very definitely worn around the edges, and not in one of the more upscale areas of Gambino, where rent and demand were higher. It was in this frame of mind that she'd indulged in a two-bedroom apartment, with a living room and separate kitchen, and even a smallish balcony overlooking the port. The decor was somewhat spartan--there were a few personal touches, but the she-pirate wasn't one to indulge in useless artworks or decorative carpets, when bare floors and walls were just as functional, and less likely to be stolen at the first opportunity.
Setting her heels on the nicked edges of the small coffee table that sat in front of the couch, Ki lifted one leather pants leg, and pulled a small knife from inside of her boot, using it to pick dirt from beneath her fingernails as she debated going out for awhile. Perhaps she would make her way into the narrower back streets that made up the less socially acceptable parts of town, in hopes of selling some of the items she'd acquired on her last 'expedition'. The rest of the crew had been itching for some time in port, and so it was likely that they'd be docked here for at least a couple of weeks before heading out again...which gave her enough time to get rid of most of it.
Truth be told, she'd been hitting her limits on board the ship--much as she loved it, and was drawn to the sea, she'd been needing contact with the ground, to feel the dirt beneath her feet. She'd been getting progressively more distracted in the days leading up to their making port, and so was pleased to have been given the opportunity to get her head back on straight before they headed out again.
Remaining seated for a few more moments, she re-sheathed her knife, the action smooth and well-practiced, before getting to her feet. Reaching down, she picked up a small satchel off the ground, hooking it firmly to her belt. Inside were a few of the more interesting objects she'd acquired--the sort of items that would make it a bit more clear, upon inquiry, as to what sort of prices she'd be able to expect for the rest of the things she'd be wanting to sell.
Whistling a jaunty tune, only slightly off-key, she made her way out of the appartment, stopping only for a moment to lock the battered portal behind her, before striding confidently out into the afternoon sunlight.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:35 pm
Ki was sitting on the couch, heels, as per her norm, propped up on the coffee table, when the courier came.
Sighing at the insistent banging on her door, she palmed a knife before answering-wary, as always. Peering around the door, she quickly hid it from view, nodding when the rather nervous young man asked if she was Ki'retha.
Before she could even ask what he wanted with her, he swallowed, adam's apple bobbing, a clear indicator of his discomfort, and held out a rather sizeable box. What the hell could be inside?! She didn't think she'd ordered anything by mail... "What the...?" She got out, barely getting a grip on the box before the courier, little more than a boy, really, released his hold on it.
"Sp-special delivery, ma'am!" he got out, gaze flicking to her chest. While not huge, her assets were in plain view in the strapless shirt she hadn't bothered to cover up before answering the door. With a small, self-directed sigh, she rolled her eyes, looking down at the box to see if there was any sort of return address. If there was, she couldn't see it from her current angle.
"If that's all...?" She finally asked, when he showed no urgency to leave, and didn't offer anything further.
"Oh! Y-yes, ma'am!" Sal, as his badge proclaimed him, didn't waste any more time, flushing a bright crimson before fleeing back down the hallway, tripping over a warped floorboard on his way. Snorting, Ki kicked the door shut, and wandered back over to the couch, setting the box, deceptively plain, on the coffee table her heels had been propped on less than a minute before. Eyeing the box curiously, she still couldn't see a return address. Straaaaaaange. But, being the curious sort, she opened it up, carefully. Lifting out the contents, her eyes widened in surprise--what the hell were these for?!
As if in answer to the unspoken query, a piece of paper fluttered, landing on her lap. Setting down the test tube, which seemed to contain a remarkably clear, and quite sizeable piece of amber, as well as the empty, larger bottle that had also been inside the box, she picked up the piece of paper, scanning it quickly.
Huh. It would seem that the application she'd sent in response to the advertisement for a research assistant of some sort, promising a 'sizeable reward' had been accepted--although from the wording, she couldn't tell if the odd contents of the box were the experiment she was supposed to help the 'doctor' conduct, or if they were the reward itself. Running slender, sun-browned fingers through her hair, she wondered, again, what the hell she'd been thinking, sending in that application. Apparently, the empty bottle was supposed to be used to capture a soul--was that even possible? And if so, what kind of soul was she supposed to get, anyway?
A faint frown wrinkled her forehead, and she lifted up the test tube--infinitely more interesting than the empty 'soul' bottle, in her opinion, and held it up to the light, peering at the chunk of amber. Surely, she could sell this for a good price--it was so unusual to find a piece of amber of that size without bits of tree bark, or trapped air bubbles cloudying it up. There was also an insect, perfectly preserved, inside of it, she noticed, somewhat impressed. Why, it almost looked as if it could still be...Blinking, she stared harder. Surely it hadn't...
Its antenna had moved. Nearly dropping the test tube, her mouth formed an 'o' in amazement. How was that even possible? And how on earth had the Doctor, if he even really was one, come by such an odd...what had the letter called it? Fel essence. Picking it up gingerly, she thought on it, then decided that until she figured out just what she was going to do with the amber, she decided that in the meantime, her safest bet was to keep it on her person, so as to avoid having it get stolen, or worse yet, lost. Going into the bedroom, she re-emerged momentarily with a few soft, thick cloths. Wrapping her newest acquisition up carefully, she tucked it into one of the many pouches that hung from her belt, patting it, the gesture vaguely re-assuring. Wrinkling her nose, she tied the empty soul bottle to one of her belt loops, thinking that that insect, if indeed still alive, had better not find a way out of the damn test tube. One thing the she-pirate was not fond of was bugs.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:36 pm
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:37 pm
It had been a long day. Letting herself into her apartment, Ki shooed the butterflox off her shoulder, grumbling about clingy, fuzzy, and probably dirty little beasts. When her name had been called and she'd realized that she'd won one of the oddities in the petting zoo pen, her first thought had been that hey, at least she could probably sell it for a good price, right?
Upon further thought, she'd realized that that probably wouldn't be in her best interest, in light of the extended interaction she was likely to be having with lab staff...but at least it was only a -small- critter, right? Her spirits had been bolstered further when the winged fox had seemed rather shy--this might not be so bad after all!
Sadly, from there the introduction had gone directly downhill. After timidly sniffing at his new owner's hand, the flying fox had looked up at her consideringly for a moment, before, quick as a flash, flitting up to take up roost on her shoulder, tucking his furry, slender nose directly up under her chin. Forcing a smiling response to the cooing this had prompted from onlookers, the she-pirate had done her best to surreptitiously dislodge him, to no avail. By the time she'd returned home, Ki was frustrated at her lack of success, and irritable to boot.
Once in the apartment, she shut the door with a soft click, pleased to note that, FINALLY, Oberon (king of the bloody fairies, and now a flying fox), seemed to have willingly relinquished his spot on her shoulder.
"Bout damn time..." she couldn't help it--what'd he think he was, after all, some kind of parrot?!
It wasn't even particularly late, she found herself staring longingly at her bedroom door--she'd been informed today that she was apparently going to be raising some odd floating thing sometime after she captured her soul, never mind that she didn't even hardly remember her own mother, let alone how to BE one (and anyway, who the hell WANTED that kind of responsibility?!), and then she'd been saddled with...Oberon.
"...Hmph." Barely even taking the time to brush her teeth before bed, she didn't even bother to crawl beneath the covers, letting her eyes drift shut slowly. She was almost asleep, when the nestling of a small warm body up against her spine made her jump, nearly forcing her to roll straight out of bed.
"What the--?!" Rolling over, a small knife already in hand, Ki turned towards the interloper. "Goddammit, you pesky beast." she hissed, re-sheathing her weapon. "This isn't your bed--go sleep on the couch or something!" Shoving at the small body, her eyes narrowed when it didn't even budge.
Oberon, to his credit, didn't even acknowledge the prodding, content to lay where he was, in a reddish ball, tail laying across his nose.
When it became obvious that neither cursing nor prodding was going to make a bit of difference, Ki eyed the door between her room and the living room, debating whether or not it was worth the effort. Finally, with one last muttered curse, she rolled back over, pointedly ignoring her new 'companion'.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:38 pm
As she strolled down the beach, still within eyesight of the port, Ki wiped a hand across her forehead, making a face. It was mid-afternoon, and while the sun had finally begun to sink in the sky, it was still mostly overhead, and it was very hot out in the open. She'd left Oberon back at the apartment, despite the little beast's displeasure at being separated from her--while she usually tolerated his presence, today she'd decided that it was just too warm for her fur-coat wearing 'friend' to be out and about. Despite the hot summer weather, the she-pirate was dressed, predictably, in a pair of faded beige jeans and her usual white buttondown blouse, worn over a black strapless top. The sleeves of the blouse were rolled up to her elbows, and on her feet were a pair of sandals, another of those rare concessions to the heat. Her hair, while usually worn loose, was pulled back in a short ponytail, although wayward strands of brown and blonde escaped, the multi-toned skeins framing her face.
As she walked, the soft, sandy beach gave way to large rocks--perfect for climbing on, really. Surprisingly, the beach, and the rocks were fairly deserted--a rarity considering the clarity of the water, and the cleanliness of the soft sand. Well, it wasn't like she had any plans for the afternoon...
With a short-lived, almost childlike grin, Ki scrambled up the rocks, enjoying the way the uneven surfaces felt beneath her feet, separated only by the thin soles of her sandals. Careful not to slip, she set her hand on top of the soul bottle as it bounced energetically against her upper thigh. It wouldn't do to break the thing, after all. She'd been reluctant to leave the house without it, unsure as to what sort of idea she might come up with as to the perfect soul to capture. That said, she couldn't help but wonder what on earth she was going to do once she actually had captured said soul--did she really want some childlike creature hovering in her presence? On the other hand, at least she wouldn't be changing diapers, or anything like that...plus, it might be an extra pair of hands to help out with some of the more menial work she did on a day to day basis...
As she made her way a little farther from the beach, she came upon what appeared to be some sort of...tidal pool, separated from the ocean when the tides had withdrawn the past morning. It was deeper than most, being a few meters across, and, she estimated, ten or so meters long. While fairly deep, as well, the water was crystalline, and it was easy to see straight to the bottom. Peering into the clear water, she noticed a couple of small fish darting about. Shifting, leaning farther over it, she watched a crab scuttle from one crevice to another. Sharp eyes picked out a larger, more intimidating fish, nearly hidden beneath a small outcropping of rock, not far from her vantage point. The lionfish, a clearfin that lacked a lot of the elegant, floaty-looking fins of some of its relatives, was nonetheless strikingly beautiful, with bold red and white striping on its body, the delicate, if spiny fins only adding to its exotic appearance. As she watched it, nearly motionless in the heat of the day, the almost-forgotten soul bottle slipped, reminding her of its presence.
Shifting to shove the bottle to the side, since it was digging into her hip, Ki froze. The fel essence and soul were combined to make the...floatything, right? Eyeing the lionfish, she pursed her lips. The idea of a fish soul appealed to her, particularly as it was a good tie to the seas she so loved...and what better fish to use than one so elegant looking? The spines looked rather sharp, but even if she got cut, what was a little pain for something so beautiful? It was a pity for the she-pirate that she didn't know more about venemous fishes, something she'd likely regret, since she wielded the soul bottle with a distinct lack of finesse as she tried to angle it towards the fish in question.
How long was this supposed to take, anyway? Leaning closer, she shifted her hand within inches of the lionfish, barely even observing the way that it shifted its position, angling its body downwards, fins pointing more directly at the source that it perceived as threatening and unfamiliar. Jerking her hand more sharply at the fish, as if she half expected it to swim right into the soul bottle (which, much to her surprise, didn't seem to be filling with water, although it was easy enough to submerge to aim at the fish), Ki winced when she felt a sharp p***k against the back of her hand. It stung, but wasn't anything TOO worrisome...at least, not immediately.
As the pain travelled from the source of the sting up her wrist, Ki furrowed her brow, taking a few more seconds to realize just what she'd gone and done. The pain continued to intensify, burning and throbbing with stronger and stronger waves. Releasing the bottle, the soul capture nearly forgotten, Ki withdrew her hand, eyes widening in displeasure as she realized just what she'd gotten herself into. Already, her hand was swelling, although it wasn't too noticeable yet. Cursing, she blinked away the tears that welled up, preferring an angry outlet in response to the pain. It made her feel less...weak, that way. Cradling the still-throbbing hand, she looked around for a place where she could, at the very least, look into getting the sting treated. Lord, but what if the damn thing was deadly? Refusing to think more on -that- particular vein, she stumbled, scrabbling, off-balance with only one arm free, to make her way back towards the beach, and from there, hopefully someone who knew more about...whatever the hell kind of fish she'd managed to p***k the back of her hand on.
To be Continued...
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:42 pm
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:46 pm
Opening the door to the apartment, Ki set her duffel bag down gently, mindful of some of the loot she'd stuffed inside. Much as she loved the time she spent out at sea, she had to confess that there was something to be said about coming home after a month or two away, too. Home? When did this become home? Shaking her head, she wondered when she'd become such a homebody.
Wrinkling her nose, she looked around, pleased to note that, while dusty, the apartment still looked the same as when she'd left it. She assumed that the vial had been properly received by the lab, and...Dr. Kyou, Natsuki had mentioned? Not one to worry or fret unduly, however, she hadn't thought much about it, other than idly speculating as to what sort of creature would come from that damned fish's soul. That said, for all the pain it'd caused, it had turned out to be quite tasty~
Oberon, glad to be settled back on dry land, and familiar dry land to boot, made a beeline to reclaim his favorite spot, on Ki's pillow. He, much like his she-pirate companion, hadn't slept well the past couple of nights, and was more than ready to spend the rest of the afternoon curled up in a fuzzy ball, napping.
Sighing, Ki eyed her duffel, debating just how ambitious she was feeling, and whether she really wanted to unpack now, and maybe head out to grab some groceries...or if she wanted to try to catch up on some of the sleep she'd been deprived of.
After a moment of indecision, she sighed, giving one last, longing look to the sofa before checking to see if she had enough money in her changepurse, and heading out to pick up at least a few basic necessities at the store--if nothing else, this way she wouldn't have to do so later.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:48 pm
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 1:56 pm
 [Solo - A post detailing Ki's return to Gambino will go here]
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 2:02 pm
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