Gambino Gasparilla Pirates on Parade!
With Dull Knives and White Hands, The Blood of a Stone
(title courtesy of Natchi 8D)
With Dull Knives and White Hands, The Blood of a Stone
(title courtesy of Natchi 8D)
Natsuki
Booming cannon fire! Acoustic jig music! Drunken dancing in the streets! Ah the sights of the Isle de Gambino's fabulous pirate culture. Authentic pirates, aficionados, and amateurs alike converged upon the Gambino Bayfront Park for the longest running celebration in all of Gambino history. Leaving the details of handling the festival traffic to her able-bodied staff, Natsuki took the day off to enjoy the local flavor with Sa'ida. As par the course, the cafe manager had been burning candles and both ends through the holiday season with the influx of snow birds seeking the sun worshipping solace of the island's highly reputed powdery soft beaches.
In the days leading up the flotilla parade of Gasparilla, the rainbow Frei poured of picture books in a valiant attempt to assemble the perfect costume. Luckily for her, she lived with one of the local costume goddesses, so she had an entire dress up wardrobe at her disposal. She had to forego her beautiful coral hair accessory in order to wear any of the eight different piretess hats in Natchi's possession. Why her guardian had so many completely escaped her because the cafe staff had custom ordered all their pirate wench uniforms months ago, and none of them, save their owner got a fancy hat . The hardest decision wasnot letting her chestnut curls loose for a change, but selecting the right hat with lace and a big feather. All of her precious bangles and jewelry stayed at home, so as not detract from her ruffled blouse and corset. The little genie wanted to steal hearts, not get robbed.
“There are so many people, Natchi! There has to be someone who wants to join us,” Sa'ida mused, looking through the scope she unearthed from the bottom of one of the trunks in the basement. She liked being able to see things far away, and it helped Natsuki keep and eye on her as she needed to hover in one place to use it.
Natsuki was thrilled that Sa'ida wanted to play dress up for a change, as it gave her a chance to play along (and forget all about all her stress). Long, orange red tresses framed her face, but a single black patch obscured one of the cafe manager's stormy gray eyes. Gasparilla was one of those rare occasions where the guardian donned trousers in lieu of a mini-skirt. The compromise was thigh high, heeled leather boots to give a feminine touch. At her eager raevan's request, Natsuki made sure they didn't match because was would be a pirate faux pas. Using her local business connections (and helping sponsor the event), the cafe manage scored four tickets for the VIP event areas. “I don't know what we're going to do with these two extra tickets, kiddo. I wish a familar face would pop up, but I don't see...”
“As you wish...” the raevan chimed in a deeper voice that was not her own, but of her soul's previous owner, Noor. Blank diamond white eyes started off in the distance, and the metallic scope slipped from her fingers and clattered on the ground.
In the days leading up the flotilla parade of Gasparilla, the rainbow Frei poured of picture books in a valiant attempt to assemble the perfect costume. Luckily for her, she lived with one of the local costume goddesses, so she had an entire dress up wardrobe at her disposal. She had to forego her beautiful coral hair accessory in order to wear any of the eight different piretess hats in Natchi's possession. Why her guardian had so many completely escaped her because the cafe staff had custom ordered all their pirate wench uniforms months ago, and none of them, save their owner got a fancy hat . The hardest decision wasnot letting her chestnut curls loose for a change, but selecting the right hat with lace and a big feather. All of her precious bangles and jewelry stayed at home, so as not detract from her ruffled blouse and corset. The little genie wanted to steal hearts, not get robbed.
“There are so many people, Natchi! There has to be someone who wants to join us,” Sa'ida mused, looking through the scope she unearthed from the bottom of one of the trunks in the basement. She liked being able to see things far away, and it helped Natsuki keep and eye on her as she needed to hover in one place to use it.
Natsuki was thrilled that Sa'ida wanted to play dress up for a change, as it gave her a chance to play along (and forget all about all her stress). Long, orange red tresses framed her face, but a single black patch obscured one of the cafe manager's stormy gray eyes. Gasparilla was one of those rare occasions where the guardian donned trousers in lieu of a mini-skirt. The compromise was thigh high, heeled leather boots to give a feminine touch. At her eager raevan's request, Natsuki made sure they didn't match because was would be a pirate faux pas. Using her local business connections (and helping sponsor the event), the cafe manage scored four tickets for the VIP event areas. “I don't know what we're going to do with these two extra tickets, kiddo. I wish a familar face would pop up, but I don't see...”
“As you wish...” the raevan chimed in a deeper voice that was not her own, but of her soul's previous owner, Noor. Blank diamond white eyes started off in the distance, and the metallic scope slipped from her fingers and clattered on the ground.
Kiretha
Crunching noisily on an apple she'd swiped from one of the many vendors that lined the streets (and the more open areas in the courtyard just off the port of gambino), Ki kept a wary eye on Tang--she had no objection to his occasional discreet snatching of sugary things, but the raevan was far more likely to get in trouble for his insatiable, indiscreet curiosity--he had no qualms whatsoever about grabbing a strand of hair from a random passer-by, if the color intrigued him, or of attempting to remove some article of clothing that caught his attention.
She was dressed plainly--at least, compared to the majority of the festivalgoers...aside from her wide belt, which was both unique and ornate enough to occasionally prompt comment, even her jewelry was relatively simple. It was the first time she'd ever been on leave when the festival was going on, and thus far she was finding that to be a pity--she'd picked up a few wallets already, and had found that the majority of festivalgoers apparently brought a fair bit of cash to spend on the many stands.
On the downside, she noted with a mental sigh, both Tang and Oberon were finding that there were a million and one ways to get into trouble. She'd already had to extract Obe from some unfortunate woman's hair (god only knew where she'd gotten the impression that fuzzy hair accessories were the thing to wear to a pirate festival, but that was neither here nor there), and had had to forcibly drag Tang away from some woman in low-cut medieval-style 'pirate wench' attire, trying to sell him a souvenir photo of the 'experience'. While the young raevan didn't have any urges (could he even have any, given his lack of even a lower torso?), he'd quickly picked up every man's curiosity for the female chest. Not that she was prudish, or offended by what she saw as typically male behavior--but it was damned inconvenient, since the raevan's aggressive curiosity made him bolder than most, in his interest.
Looking around, Tang's rapidly-moving gaze was the only indicator that the laid-back looking raevan was trying desperately to take in every iota of this particular experience...at once. While Ki hadn't said anything about dressing up, he'd managed to acquire an eyepatch and a spiffy hat, tilted rakishly on his head, from someone. (Okay, so he hadn't exactly asked...but if you managed to pick it up and make off with it without the previous owner noticing, they'd as good as given it to you, as far as he was concerned).
"Are all of these people really pirates?" he asked Ki, hovering just behind her shoulder as he waited for her answer. "Most of our crew don't dress anything like that..." As usual, he ignored the way Ki stepped forward, trying to put a few inches between them, with an uneasy look at his spiky fins. Floating closer again, Tangaroa ignored the grunt of pain (pricking oneself on a spine tends to result in that) that followed his being jostled by a slender man in an elaborate coat, complete with frills at the wrists. Intent on satisfying his curiosity, Tang laid his hand on Ki's shoulder.
Sighing, Ki shook her head. "No...this festival gives a lot of people a chance to pretend, for a day, that they're pirates--not the real we'll-kill-you-for-your-loot type of pirates that were the 'scourge of the seven seas' historically...but the romanticized freedom loving pirates that you see in movies and such...like the one you insisted on turning on the other night." This last was said with a moue of annoyance--she was still irritated by the money she'd wasted on the TV that Tang had insisted on...
Curiosity satisfied, Tang went back to peering at festivalgoers curiously. He couldn't help but wonder why some people would ever WANT to leave the house looking as they did--did they really think anyone in their right mind would have worn some of the outfits he'd seen already? Pushing his way through a particularly crowded area, he picked up a handworked silver bracelet curiously, unconcerned when Ki temporarily disappeared from sight.
Stepping around a tall man with shoulders so broad she wondered what sort've drugs he was taking, Ki almost tripped over Natsuki. She recognized the cafe owner instantly--it was hard to forget the person who'd nursed your lionfish-stung hand after you'd captured its soul...
"I see we're members of the same science-experiment-of-the-month club." she said, grinning broadly and hooking her thumbs behind her belt as she rocked back on her heels, forcing the crowd to move around her.
Wearing a newly-acquired bangle, Tang bumped up against Ki as he moved to hover close to Sa'ida, cocking his head to the side curiously, eyes bright with interest. As usual, he didn't even bother with introductions. "You know Ki?" Had his guardian been holding out on him?! More importantly, why did every raevan he'd met thus far look so different from one another?
She was dressed plainly--at least, compared to the majority of the festivalgoers...aside from her wide belt, which was both unique and ornate enough to occasionally prompt comment, even her jewelry was relatively simple. It was the first time she'd ever been on leave when the festival was going on, and thus far she was finding that to be a pity--she'd picked up a few wallets already, and had found that the majority of festivalgoers apparently brought a fair bit of cash to spend on the many stands.
On the downside, she noted with a mental sigh, both Tang and Oberon were finding that there were a million and one ways to get into trouble. She'd already had to extract Obe from some unfortunate woman's hair (god only knew where she'd gotten the impression that fuzzy hair accessories were the thing to wear to a pirate festival, but that was neither here nor there), and had had to forcibly drag Tang away from some woman in low-cut medieval-style 'pirate wench' attire, trying to sell him a souvenir photo of the 'experience'. While the young raevan didn't have any urges (could he even have any, given his lack of even a lower torso?), he'd quickly picked up every man's curiosity for the female chest. Not that she was prudish, or offended by what she saw as typically male behavior--but it was damned inconvenient, since the raevan's aggressive curiosity made him bolder than most, in his interest.
Looking around, Tang's rapidly-moving gaze was the only indicator that the laid-back looking raevan was trying desperately to take in every iota of this particular experience...at once. While Ki hadn't said anything about dressing up, he'd managed to acquire an eyepatch and a spiffy hat, tilted rakishly on his head, from someone. (Okay, so he hadn't exactly asked...but if you managed to pick it up and make off with it without the previous owner noticing, they'd as good as given it to you, as far as he was concerned).
"Are all of these people really pirates?" he asked Ki, hovering just behind her shoulder as he waited for her answer. "Most of our crew don't dress anything like that..." As usual, he ignored the way Ki stepped forward, trying to put a few inches between them, with an uneasy look at his spiky fins. Floating closer again, Tangaroa ignored the grunt of pain (pricking oneself on a spine tends to result in that) that followed his being jostled by a slender man in an elaborate coat, complete with frills at the wrists. Intent on satisfying his curiosity, Tang laid his hand on Ki's shoulder.
Sighing, Ki shook her head. "No...this festival gives a lot of people a chance to pretend, for a day, that they're pirates--not the real we'll-kill-you-for-your-loot type of pirates that were the 'scourge of the seven seas' historically...but the romanticized freedom loving pirates that you see in movies and such...like the one you insisted on turning on the other night." This last was said with a moue of annoyance--she was still irritated by the money she'd wasted on the TV that Tang had insisted on...
Curiosity satisfied, Tang went back to peering at festivalgoers curiously. He couldn't help but wonder why some people would ever WANT to leave the house looking as they did--did they really think anyone in their right mind would have worn some of the outfits he'd seen already? Pushing his way through a particularly crowded area, he picked up a handworked silver bracelet curiously, unconcerned when Ki temporarily disappeared from sight.
Stepping around a tall man with shoulders so broad she wondered what sort've drugs he was taking, Ki almost tripped over Natsuki. She recognized the cafe owner instantly--it was hard to forget the person who'd nursed your lionfish-stung hand after you'd captured its soul...
"I see we're members of the same science-experiment-of-the-month club." she said, grinning broadly and hooking her thumbs behind her belt as she rocked back on her heels, forcing the crowd to move around her.
Wearing a newly-acquired bangle, Tang bumped up against Ki as he moved to hover close to Sa'ida, cocking his head to the side curiously, eyes bright with interest. As usual, he didn't even bother with introductions. "You know Ki?" Had his guardian been holding out on him?! More importantly, why did every raevan he'd met thus far look so different from one another?
Natsuki
Talk about a blast from the past. Natsuki nearly lost her demeanor as some drunken baffoon nearly poured his stale, cheap beer on her nice, designer boots. Swarming masses be damned, Natsuki couldn't have been more relieved to have a reunion with an old pal after so long. People swirled and moved about them, but the redhead held fast, with one hand on her raevan to prevent any unnecessary wanderings.
"Woman, it has been far too long!! I was starting to think you'd got marrooned on an island or something," Natsuki grinned, crossing her arms in feigned disappointment. The cafe manager didn't even want to begin to count time from when they first met-- the numbers would probably make her head spin and cause Miss Manners to suffer a stroke. Grey eyes widened like full moons rising over the ocean when she caught sight of the young man beside the Pirate lass. "Sure does, looks like some introductions are in order. Sa'ida, I'd like you meet my friend, Ki and her friend. Who's this handsome fellow?" The lionfish fellow was quite different from the one she and Ki yanked out of the grotto that moonlit night, but she was quite excited to find out how different (or alike) he actually was.
"No, I don't know her. Do you?" Sa'ida quipped with a bemused smile, turning her head naturally to let the sun catch all her features the right way. It wasn't that she was intentionally ignoring her guardian or the lady she was talking to, but the genie's attentions were clearly set somewhere else. Colors have that effect on her. Emerald green eyes light up joyfully as she caught sight of the other Frei's brilliant amber eyes. Light bounced off her crystalline wings and costume jewelry, as he moved closer to her. She too, was not fully aware of appropriate personal space, so she welcomed the advance. Something about him was startlingly familiar, and upon taking a deep breath, she knew immediately what it was. The refreshing saline scent of the ocean-- Sevilin had it as did Varun, two of her favorite people in the whole world-- now this boy had it too.
"You smell like Crunchy Sea Salt and caramel. Salty, but sweet. I like the way your colors smell," she giggled, knitting her fingers together carefully. Natsuki warned her countless times about touching people without permission, but his colors are so enticing.
"Woman, it has been far too long!! I was starting to think you'd got marrooned on an island or something," Natsuki grinned, crossing her arms in feigned disappointment. The cafe manager didn't even want to begin to count time from when they first met-- the numbers would probably make her head spin and cause Miss Manners to suffer a stroke. Grey eyes widened like full moons rising over the ocean when she caught sight of the young man beside the Pirate lass. "Sure does, looks like some introductions are in order. Sa'ida, I'd like you meet my friend, Ki and her friend. Who's this handsome fellow?" The lionfish fellow was quite different from the one she and Ki yanked out of the grotto that moonlit night, but she was quite excited to find out how different (or alike) he actually was.
"No, I don't know her. Do you?" Sa'ida quipped with a bemused smile, turning her head naturally to let the sun catch all her features the right way. It wasn't that she was intentionally ignoring her guardian or the lady she was talking to, but the genie's attentions were clearly set somewhere else. Colors have that effect on her. Emerald green eyes light up joyfully as she caught sight of the other Frei's brilliant amber eyes. Light bounced off her crystalline wings and costume jewelry, as he moved closer to her. She too, was not fully aware of appropriate personal space, so she welcomed the advance. Something about him was startlingly familiar, and upon taking a deep breath, she knew immediately what it was. The refreshing saline scent of the ocean-- Sevilin had it as did Varun, two of her favorite people in the whole world-- now this boy had it too.
"You smell like Crunchy Sea Salt and caramel. Salty, but sweet. I like the way your colors smell," she giggled, knitting her fingers together carefully. Natsuki warned her countless times about touching people without permission, but his colors are so enticing.
Kiretha
"There have been times that I may have wished I'd been marooned on a desert island, but somehow I keep finding my way back," Ki retorted dryly, her grin widening as she rolled her eyes in Tang's direction. Predictably, the raevan ignored the implication that she'd prefer a desolate desert island to being responsible for his care. "And this is Tangaroa...or Tang, for those prone to using nicknames." She, of course, was one of those who was more likely to use a nickname (in Tang's case, on many occasions any four-letter word would suffice!) than the raevan's full name.
Tilting her head to the side curiously, Ki perused Sa'ida more thoroughly. "Are they all so colourful?" she asked after a moment, unable to resist.
Tang blinked. "Of course I do...I came with her, didn't I?" Taking her question literally, he looked at her as if wondering how it was that she hadn't figured that out for herself, but quickly shrugged it off, far more intent on discovering more about her than about discussing his knowledge (or lack thereof) of Ki. As the light revealed more and more of her colors as she moved, Tang edged closer, reaching out to touch her hair--was it soft and fluffy, or smooth and silky, he wondered.
Hand outstretched, he stopped as she commented on his smell. "Like caramel?" he queried, smiling. It was a rare expressHe adored caramel. It had some of the most pure sugar, most of the time. Sniffing loudly, he cocked his head (unconsciously mimicking Ki) as he debated her scent in turn. "You smell like...sand dunes, and one of those market squares that Ki and I went to in the desert." he concluded a few moments later, nodding his head in confirmation. It was faint, and had been somewhat hard to place, and he looked extremely pleased with himself for figuring out how to describe it as he wanted.
"So you can smell colours?" he continued, crowding a bit closer still, his fins brushing perilously close, completely forgotten in his curiosity.
Tilting her head to the side curiously, Ki perused Sa'ida more thoroughly. "Are they all so colourful?" she asked after a moment, unable to resist.
Tang blinked. "Of course I do...I came with her, didn't I?" Taking her question literally, he looked at her as if wondering how it was that she hadn't figured that out for herself, but quickly shrugged it off, far more intent on discovering more about her than about discussing his knowledge (or lack thereof) of Ki. As the light revealed more and more of her colors as she moved, Tang edged closer, reaching out to touch her hair--was it soft and fluffy, or smooth and silky, he wondered.
Hand outstretched, he stopped as she commented on his smell. "Like caramel?" he queried, smiling. It was a rare expressHe adored caramel. It had some of the most pure sugar, most of the time. Sniffing loudly, he cocked his head (unconsciously mimicking Ki) as he debated her scent in turn. "You smell like...sand dunes, and one of those market squares that Ki and I went to in the desert." he concluded a few moments later, nodding his head in confirmation. It was faint, and had been somewhat hard to place, and he looked extremely pleased with himself for figuring out how to describe it as he wanted.
"So you can smell colours?" he continued, crowding a bit closer still, his fins brushing perilously close, completely forgotten in his curiosity.
