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 Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:54 pm
((Aw, crap. I'm such a space-case. Sorry, Haeo, I totally forgot Nekcal said "we need to talk" to Anise...do you want me to edit? Or post a reaction from her? I kind of wanted to follow it up, but I totally forgot. I'd be more than happy to change things. And I am RP owner so, you know, demi-god like powers and all. XD))
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:57 pm
((You can have her remember a post or so down the road. That way neither of us have to rewrite and my character's reluctance to tell this little tidbit is developed further. blaugh ))
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:44 pm
((I'm sorry, everyone. I couldn't think of another way to leave, but to be angry or something. I feel really bad...that was my character, and I hope you guys don't hold it against me in HD or whatever. Sorry again.))
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:04 pm
((I don't ^_^ I thought it was a really good way, actually. A little chaos never hurts anyhow. domokun All is well- we are RPing, afterall. heart ))
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:21 am
((Indeed! It was well roleplayed, especially for such an abrupt departure. biggrin I got to make Nekcal mad again. Heh. Oh, I think that I was the last one to post.))
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:59 pm
((I was a little irked initially at your sudden departure from TSW, but it's nothing I'm going to hold against you or anything. For instance, I have no plans to sic a vicious pack of ninja gibbons on your sock drawer. XD It's cool. Relax. It's just an RP, love. ^_^ Life's way too short to get bent out of shape over something so small as whether or not faceless Internet people like you or not. Trust me, I know all about that.
I'm going to skip ahead a bit in the timeline, to the next morning, since I don't think roleplaying a big shopping trip would be especially entertaining, particularly since Haeo's on his own. =) I hope no one minds, and if there's something you want added into the storyline or something you did want to RP, let me know and I'd be happy to edit my post.))
Anise nodded at Nekcal. She was still feeling a little shaken from all the emotional upset that had resulted from Fao's abrupt departure, but her composure was slowly starting to come back. She realized most of her discomfort was coming from the fact she was "commanding" two people who were far older and more experienced than she was...but they were willing to follow her, and the quest was hers, not theirs. It was something her heart had already acknowledged, and now the trick was going to be getting her head to understand it. Taking a deep breath to help soothe her shattered nerves, Anise began studiously splitting up the money everyone had spread out all over the table. Silently she hoped her Secothian math skills were as good as the ones she'd possessed on Earth.
"Agreed, Nekcal. We should try and prepare for every possibility, at least inasofar as our money will allow. Obviously, food and clothing are the two most important things aside from transport. Without those we're as good as dead, no matter where we are. All right, sounds like we're all set. Hopefully I've spread all this money out as evenly as I think I have. Let's all meet back here at about dawn, get some breakfast if we've got time, and then set out." She smiled. The realization that her quest was about to get underway was slowly beginning to sink in, and she felt a sense of warm peace come over her for the first time in a long time. "Nekcal...good luck. And thanks again. Sachara--let's go shopping." A smile that was almost impish crossed her face as she collected her things and rose from the table, her gauntlet shining a dark red color in the tavern firelight.
***
The next morning...
Anise stifled a yawn as she leaned up against the stained and only marginally washed bar of the Athosian tavern. Through the grimy windows, the first rays of dawnlight could faintly be seen, which meant that outside the sun was almost totally up. The place was a shadow of it's former self--all of the smelly, unattractive patrons that had crammed themselves into it so forcefully last night seemed to have al vanished. Only a few sorry seamen still drank away their woes in the tavern's many shady corners, and the overweight serving wench seemed to have magically transformed in a thinner, uglier version of her normal self...or maybe she was just off duty. Anise couldn't quite tell, and in this place--who knew? She'd seen stranger things, certainly.
The young girl looked shockingly out of place in the scene, but the poorly hidden stares of the bartender did not concern her. In fact, all that really concerned Anise right now was where her partner, Sachara, had wandered off to. The cheerful elven maid was intelligent, Anise was sure of that, but that didn't stop the girl from being...well. Less than organized. She supposed she must have lost track of her sometime during the early morning, from a combination of the fog, darkness, and lack of sleep. Anise tried not to yawn again. While she was happy to have passed almost a full forty-eight hours without a nightmare, that peace had come at the cost of not getting any sleep at all. It was beginning to wear on her, and she could feel exhaustion's heavy grip dragging her down more forcefully every moment. Maybe once they were on their way, the nightmares would stop, and she would sleep for a little while...yes, just a short nap would certainly do...
Anise propped herself up on the bar using her left arm, and continued to wait patiently for the arrival of her friends.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:20 pm
((Hooray, an update!
I love posting between TSW and HD. Sachara is on the edge of ditzy and Kura-kun is so smart. xd Sorry, just keeps me amused. lol ))
Sachara flounced into the tavern, her face clean and her hair slightly damp as though it had just been washed. Everything on her was clean and shining, and smelled slightly of something like lavendar. ((you know what I mean. domokun )) She saw Anise at the bar and plopped herself down next to her, "Good morning, my friend!" she squeeled cheerfully. She set the bone helmet down on the shining wood and turned to her companion, "Lovely morning, it is! Not too hot, not too cold at all, though a bit chilly for this season... Have you been out?" She flicked a strand of hair out of her face and watched a drop of water fall on to the bar. Grinning, she wiped it off, smearing the moisture instead.
((Oh my, a morning person indeed... sweatdrop ))
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:55 pm
((I second the Hooray!))
Nekcal watched as Anise divided up the money and accepted her words with a calm and controlled nod. Good, Anise. You're still unsure but... you are learning fast. His face shifted as the corners of his mouth turned upwards in a slight smile.
"I will depart to see about our transportation then." Nekcal turned to go as Anise wished him luck. "And to you two as well." He then walked out of the tavern and walked down the street quickly. If I only have until dawn then I need to hurry.
It took several hours before Nekcal managed to gain admittance to the home of an enterprising, and respectable, supplier. Nearly two hours after that the arrangements had been made and Nekcal left the house. Well... my purse isn't any lighter from that exchange... but my hand hurts... He flexed his left hand gently, the clean gray bandage sliding painlessly over the unhealed wound. And the ship should be ready by noon. It should take us that long to walk to the port itself anyway. He glanced over his shoulder, his pale eyes seeing a faint aura of distorted magic within the house, and ran the fingers of his right hand through his white hair. I guess that was the most feasible way to accomplish the task...
Nekcal turned away and walked toward the tavern at an easy pace. The dull throb of pain from his wound's recent aggravation only bothering him slightly. That man was full of himself... I really wish I could have taught him how to run screaming like a panicked pig. Various thoughts of violence and other less pleasant things occupied his mind until he reached the tavern.
Nekcal pushed the door open quickly and walked in. A very slight sheen of sweat remained on his forhead from exertions during the night. It appears that midmorning is not a busy time for seedy bars. He grinned slightly at the thought as his pale eyes located the rather energetic elf and an obviously exhausted human leader. She probably hasn't slept either... whew. It looks like this trip will be useful, if only to give us time to rest. He walked up to the two quietly and leaned on his staff.
"The vessel is at the port of Velica and should be fully loaded by noon." Nekcal looked into Anise's tired eyes and smiled ironically. "Of course it will probably take that long to walk to the port from here, assuming we leave now. The captain is prepared to depart at any time today."
Nekcal's eyes showed some fatigue but he was quite used to odd hours and was able to handle it with relative ease. Anise didn't seem to be so practiced at it. Of course... she hasn't had as much time to grow accustomed... He did not allow any pity or concern to touch his expression. He knew that there was no way that she would want that from anyone, much less someone who was still a stranger.
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:49 pm
Anise nodded at Nekcal, and launched herself gently off the bar into a standing position. "Excellent. Thank you, Nekcal. Let's get going." She started off, then paused a moment, looking at her companions. A small smile flitted across her face. "As official group leader, I think my first command will be to order each of us to take a nice, long nap once we get settled in. You look absolutely dreadful," She said this more to Nekcal then to Sachara, noting the wizard's tired expression and weary posture. I wonder if elves get tired? She mused silently, taking off out the door again. I certain do. Damn. I probably look as bad as they do, or worse... Anise ran a hand across her eyes, exiting the tavern and blinking sluggishly against the rising sunlight.
It was a nice day, all things considered. A light fog, more like a haze, hung in the air, especially in the direction of the port. The sun was slowly climbing up towards it's zenith, making the dirt streets look like gold dust. The streets were mercifully empty, for which Anise was thankful. In her exhausted state throngs of people standing between her and what was already going to be a long hike was the last thing she wanted to see. She sighed, a pang of homesickness in her gut. If she were back home, the trip would be as simple as getting inside a car, or on a bus...but there wasn't anything like that here. And, thinking back on her original life, for a brief and ugly moment, Anise felt utterly and completely alone.
She walked faster.
***
(later on that same day - roughly 12pm)
"Finally," she panted, leaning against a nearby post to catch her breath. The trip seemed like it had taken forever, and the alluring golden sunlight had quickly turned into a harsh glare that there seemed to be no reprieve from. Anise felt like she was roasting alive inside her hot, heavy leather armor, and continually fought the urge to rip everything off and just try very hard not to touch anything. Nekcal's chilling presence stopped her. She was grateful towards the wizard for the help he had given her, but even so she didn't completely trust him yet. Her inner self still recoiled from his strange visage, screaming: "He's different! He's different!" at the top of it's lungs. Anise took a deep breath and walked on, determined not to appear anything but collected and in charge. And possibly sweaty.
Velica port was a beautiful place, and the Sparkling Sea stretched out in every direction. The low hum of the waves was calming, and a pleasantly cool wind blew off the water. It made a nice break from the hot, stuffy atmosphere the rest of Ath had. Buildings, mostly repair shops, sea faring guilds, and taverns, stretched in every direction, shoved together so tightly it looked as if they might choke each other. The sea front, however, was blissfully empty, and if one stood in just the right place, looking out onto the ocean...they might forget they were in Ath at all. The contrast between the huge empty blue nothing and the crowded, choking mass of Athosian culture was startling, and made Anise more than a little nauseous. Piers stretched out into the water like long fingers, and were crammed with men of every description. Fishers, merchants, sailors, captains, pirates...only a few of them didn't remind Anise instantly of the brutish and drunken thugs she'd found in the tavern, and for some reason the presentable seafarers scared her more than the unpresentable ones. There was something comforting in the fact that you knew the toothless, hulking mass of muscle and witless hatred standing in front of you was bad news. The ones with the straight teeth and fanciful clothes were a bit harder to read. Anise had to remind herself that she was probably in very little danger, due to her own appearance. She pushed away the thought that she could probably kill every one of these men, presentable or not, with a few well placed cuts on her body. She shuddered, and stopped, looking back at Nekcal.
"Well, we're here finally. Which ship?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:47 am
Nekcal only blinked at Anise's offered thanks. His fatigue was quite evident after spending the night conducting negotiations and paying for the ship. He closed his pale eyes and nodded in mute acceptance of both the command to get started and the nap. He followed Anise. His eyes were already accustomed to the rising sun but burned with weariness and he blinked slowly, shielding his eyes with his bandaged hand as he walked.
Nekcal matched Anise's pace, forcing himself to keep up in spite of fatigue and the dull pain that the heat and his tired state had caused in his hand. The long and silent walk through the growing heat of the day had brought about the rivulets of sweat that ran down his face. These robes aren't the best for hot weather... The robes added a suffocating humid feeling to the oppressive heat as they had walked but even with these things to occupy his mind Nekcal was still aware of the way that the leader of their group deliberately ignored him. I disturb her... I have to tell her once we're on the ship.
He was impressed with how well Anise hid her reaction to his presence when they arrived and managed to actually ignore it himself for a brief time as the wind cooled his face. His hair was slightly gray with sweat and the hand he ran through it to push it away from his face came back wet. He gave a small smile of chagrin at his appearance then dismissed it and turned his attention to more important matters. Where is that ship? Ah, there it is. His pale eyes fastened onto a sleek and well maintained vessel. The men on deck were bare to the waist as they worked but seemed more respectable than most. The captain had been alerted to the time of the party's arrival and was watching for them from the stern of the ship. The ship was about two hundred crowded meters away from Nekcal but his staff caught the captain's eye and he raised his hand into the air. The captain was not wearing a shirt either and he sported several scars on his well muscled torso. He looked to be in his fourties with a rough but slightly handsome face.
Nekcal wasn't terribly concerned with the quality of the various varieties of scum that clung to the region, whether they were pirates or not didn't affect whether they burned after all. He raised his staff in a return to the greeting of the captain at the same time as Anise's question reached his ears. He turned his head to look at her, taking a moment to refocus his tired eyes at such a short distance.
"There it is. The Vindele. Her captain is waving and the ship looks almost ready to depart." Nekcal indicated the cutter with his staff. "It looks like the last of the supplies are being stowed below decks now."
The Vindele was a nine-sail cutter with smooth lines and looked like it was built for speed. Nekcal had chosen which vessel he wanted and had chosen wisely. This particular cutter was usually used for the shipment of low amounts of very high priced goods and had three guest cabins on the same level as the officers and captain in case those goods included persons of distinction. The quality of the rooms themselves was of a well constructed, efficient and utilitarian nature but included enough space for embellishments by the occupant as well as around twenty feet of open floor-space. Nekcal turned his eyes back the ship and its captain.
"The captain of the Vindele is a man named Raltof Nomehto. His prior employer and the rumors have placed him as one of the best cutter captains on the west coast." Nekcal remained outside Anise's personal space as he spoke, his eyes casually sweeping over the crowd between them and the ship. "I've also heard that his crew has handled pirate raids before with a good degree of success." The crowd between them and the ship was fairly innocuous in composition but Nekcal's eyes had a tiny edge of worry in them. However, the reason for this worry didn't seem apparent.
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Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:03 pm
Sachara walked slightly behind the other two members of her party, eyes sweeping the mostly-empty streets with a suspicion not common to her normally. Soon, though, they reached the port and her suspocions were immediately eased as gaggles of people hurried infront of, behind, and all around her. She litened to Nekcal and looked up at the large ship.
It made her slightly uneasy. Sachara had never traveled by sea, and was nervous with just the thought. Now that she was actually at the port and staring up at the towering masts, her stomach turned. Stone-faced, she turned away from th ship, a chill going down her spine. Her stomach told her sea pirates would be the least of their worries, or at least hers. The men aboard looked like brutes, though compared to many of the men on the port, like gentlemen.
I'm sure that the captain will handle everything well, She thought, straightening up and turning back to face her party members. Besides... At least we're not traveling through Shelk'ma...
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Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:07 am
((I like the name you gave the ship, Haeo. Good job. smile I'm sorry I couldn't come up with anything myself.))
Anise rubbed her eyes for a long moment, and stifled another yawn. All the stress and fatigue of the past few days was catching up with her, and the constant heat was actually starting to make her feel kind of sleepy. Or maybe she was just on the verge of passing out. Anise couldn't tell.
She squinted against the bright light and shining sea to look at the Vindele...it was then that she realized just how out of her element she really was. She'd never even so much as set foot in a rowboat, much less actually travelled on the sea in a real live ship. She had no idea what a "cutter" was, or why that was important in anyway, although Anise did think the ship was rather pretty. The captain also didn't strike her as particularly special, and she found herself slightly annoyed at the fact that Nekcal was rattling off his credentials to her as though they actually mattered. What did she care if the Vindele's captain was the best cutter captain thingy on the west coast? Her idea of the west coast included things like California and avacados. She didn't even know if this place even had west coasts...though they must have, since Nekcal mentioned it. Once again she stifled her dislike of the wizard and forced her voice into a steely calm tone that she imagined all good leaders must use. She turned to look at Nekcal and Sachara both, and was surprised to see that they both looked just as tired, hot, and uncomfortable as she did. For some reason Anise couldn't quite work out, she hadn't been expecting that. She swallowed in a feeble (and only mildly successful) attempt to lubricate her throat.
"All right, it looks good. Let's get going. I'm anxious for a nice dark hole to rest in. This sun is about to kill me...is the captain ready to depart immediately?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:50 am
((Thank you Kurikins. I kind of ran random sounds through my mind until I came up with one that sounded good. biggrin ))
Nekcal saw a confusing flicker of reactions race across Anise's face and his expression fell slightly in response. She doesn't seem familiar with ocean craft at all... I didn't expect much but... He closed his eyes for a moment and ran his hand through his hair, sending a couple drops of sweat to the ground.
"I believe that he will be ready to depart very shortly. We should have time to settle into our quarters before we set sail." Nekcal smiled slightly in a vague attempt to make light of the heat as his gaze drifted back to the sea.
I never thought that I would ride the waves again. Nekcal's smile took on an ironic tilt. I never thought that I would miss it, the smell of the sea. His smile grew sad at the memories that this voyage had disturbed. But he didn't permit himself to dwell on the past. Other people can afford to dwell on the past. I cannot. His gaze turned cold and hard as his bandaged hand tightened into a fist, the color of his eyes darkening ever so slightly.
"The captain is waving at us to come aboard." Nekcal's tone was rigid and hard. "I'll make sure that everything has gone according to plan and confirm the ship's status with him. Excuse me."
Nekcal gave Anise a small bow and turned to quickly walk through the crowd toward the Vindele. His strides were rapid but those in his path barely noticed his expression and parted to let him pass with cautious glances. His staff tapped against the street and then thumped against the wood of the pier. The captain had moved to the main deck in order to meet him and extended a strong and weathered hand to steady the magi as he took the final steps up the plank that linked the cutter to the pier.
Nekcal did not acknowledge the offered assistance but easily traversed the slightly unstable plank. His feet were well accustomed to such things, in spite of his lander's appearance. The captain frowned at the look on Nekcal's face.
"I wasn't told that you were ill tempered."
Nekcal stopped in the middle of the deck, out of the way of the sailor's work, and turned to face the captain.
"I'm not." Nekcal smirked grimly. "Memories can be a curse at times." He closed his eyes for a moment before meeting the captain's gaze again. " I am Nekcal, the human woman with me is Anise and the elf is Sachara. I think that further pleasantries should wait until a cooler time." His expression showed the double meaning in that statement. "How's the ship? Have all the preparations been made or will we have to wait for a bit before we set off?"
The captain nodded with a simpathetic look that had no pity in it, his own eyes had a trace of darkness in them, a faint sign of old loss and pain.
"Indeed they can. I'm Raltof Nomehto but while you're on my ship you'll all call me captain." He turned to survey the last of the loading as he spoke. "Once my men get the last of these supplies below decks we can set out. The weather looks good, a clear and steady wind. We could hit some storms further out at this time of year but we're prepared for that and this sea hasn't spat up a storm that my ship couldn't handle yet."
Nekcal nodded in reply and his eyes scanned the rigging and the practiced movements of the men. Good, his reputation seems deserved. This heat is not improving my mood or helping me put these memories behind me.
"Good. I'm glad to see that we're in good hands here Captain. I think that I'll head below and get a little rest after that walk." He moved steadily toward the door that led to the passenger cabins. His staff didn't touch the deck as he walked and he took a final glance at the open ocean before moving into the dim coolness without another word.
"Hmm... That boy has more weight on his shoulders than..." The captain turned his attention to the two women who he would be ferrying, pushing his exchange with Nekcal to the back of his mind for now.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:43 pm
Sachara, steamy in her bulky armor, was beginning to drag her feet. However, moving up the plank, she brightened and greeted the captain merrily, "Hello there! My name is Sachara. It is a pleasure to meet you." Her cheery voice cut the thick air quite easily, but it had a lag on it as well. She was naturally a morning person, but without any sleep, her energy would soon be lost. "It's a bit warm out here, so I suppose former introductions are unnessecery at this time. However, I am inclined to ask your name?" She grinned at the captain, waiting to read into his personality to the best of her ability to see how this trip might go on the social scale.
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