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It's an ideal I'm working on, if it goes anywhere I don't know but since drawing it will take too long, I'm writing it down to be sure I remember it. But it's very much a loose setting to run free with ideas and my favorite characters.
******************************************************************************************** It looked like an enormous blue marble. It was breathtaking but Nerissa was just a little too homesick to care about the view. She wanted to be down there, at the prow of a ship in that great blue expanse, feeling the wind in her face. That was the worst part of this great metal ship in space, the air never moved. She stared grimly out the window at the little blue planet she had spent her entire life on and expertly willed away the thoughts that were threatening to make her emotional. It would not do to let him know she was homesick. He would just insist upon going home that very second. "But Mother of Oceans it would be a little easier if he wasn't instinctively trying to cheer me up." Julian sensing that his life long friend was not nearly as enthusiastic about spending a season studying at the huge space station university had spent the last several minutes reading off classes and clubs that might interest her. "Don't you have unpacking to do?" she said turning on him as she walking into the bedroom portion of her room making a pretense to unpack. "Aye, but I'll do that latter. Have you seen the decorating options?" He had taken to scrolling through the decor personalizing program on Nerissa's tablet. The room morphed a couple times as he experimented with options and finally settled on a likeness of a rustic cabin as Nerissa came back into the main room. She gave him a wilting glare, which of course did not work, as he sat there with his boots propped shamelessly on the table and that terribly charming grin. "Bet you I could use this thing to make this place look exactly like the Moonstream." he said waving the tablet and grinning even wider. "Then it would be as if you already where the second Captain Morcant." "Give me that." She barked snatching it away and actually looking at it for the first time. Julian was right, there where options to customize everything that was hers. "Look I know coming up here was practically forced on you and its my fault. I'm just trying to show you that it could be fun for you." She sighed; almost expected to accompany Julian everywhere, she had actually not even been asked if she wanted to go in the first place. "Nonsense, besides why would I ever want to pass up a chance like this one!?" When I could be home, and have some peace and quiet for a change. Imagining her life with out Julian was difficult and a tiny voice told her she would miss him. "You mean it?" Somehow her reply was too much of a surprise and Julian was suspicious of it. "Sure, I'll be able to claim I've traveled beyond the limits of the world. Them's be braggin rights if I ever saw any; I'd like to see the Pirate King himself claim better." Julian nodded happy to hear her being herself again, then a moment latter he was on his feet. "Come on! There is some special event that sounds like fun and you have to come with me." He was out the door before he had finished the sentence. Sure why not. she thought rolling her eyes.
************************************************************************* The location on the holographic interactive decks was called Merchant's Bay and was designed as a port city built out of spare boat parts among a collection of rock outcroppings and sand bars. The city was rustic, haphazard, and sections could only be reached by boat. When Julian and Nerissa arrived it was absolutely bustling with people. The shops and restaurants where crowded but most people had come to watch or participate in the event. "What is this?" was the first thing Nerissa could think to say once the setting had materialized around her. "Is it not incredible?" Julian replied with a grin. "I have no idea how they make it work. It is some sort of sorcery that does not use magic but the effects are spectacular." Nerissa reached out to tentatively touch a nearby crate and was surprised to find that it neither gave way nor vanished, it instead felt very much like an ordinary crate. "So you think you might want to enter this event, it involves racing a ship?" He had taken on a passive manner to ask the question. "Oh all right!" She said begrudging his nack for getting her to do what he wanted. "We'll go win an event." And she walked off in the direction of the nearest sign up booth. For a moment Julian stared back at her as she walked away head high and shoulders back looking for all the world like she owned the whole dock, then he shook his head smiling and followed her.
********************************************************************************************** "Don't go Kitty!" "Stop following me." Milkyway hissed at the girl who had been following him since he had entered a shop at the center of the city. Being a kemonobito or beast-human always attracted some attention but this particular girl was crossing the line. Every inch of fur on Milkyway's body stood on end as he tried to contain his growing furry, he really wanted to turn and scratch her. But there was an event going on at the docks and he was hoping to loose her in the gathered crowds. "Come on Kitty let me pet your tail!" The girl called falling behind just a little as he leaped a few crates to get a head of her. Leaping down from a crate Milkyway looked back and could not see his pursuer. He figured he had finally lost her. And then it happened a chubby hand shot out and squeezed his tail. He yowled and hissed at the indignity. He was already aiming a clawed paw at the girl's face when a hand came down on his shoulder and a face appeared between them. "Pardon the interruption but I was hoping one of you could offer me some assistance." They gave him blank stares but he went on before either could think of a response. "But I am being rude" he said flashing Milkyway a wink and turning on the girl. "I must introduce myself." He gathered the girls hands and made a flashy show of blowing "I am Julian Tyds." The silly girl giggled in reply which caused Milkyway to snarl quietly as he hugged his liberated tail. "And," Julian continued drawing the girl to the edge of the dock, "I am looking for a companion to sail with me up there." Two pairs of eyes rose to the crows nest he was pointing to, while he watched the girl visibly blanch. "What exactly are you pulling?" Milkyway, asked eyeing him. But he held up a hand motioning him to wait. "Just think of the wind in your face and the clouds rolling past your feet..." Julian said grandly, but the girl swayed visibly as she backed away from the water's edge "I ...I don't think..." "And then the deep water the waves start rocking the.... I say you don't look so well" Which she didn't as she wobbled backward a little more. Julian went to her looking concerned. "Perhaps we should get to one of the ship's doctors?" But she turned even paler at the word ship and shook her head violently. "No no I think Ill just go home and ... and lay down..." She said before turning and fleeing through the crowd.
Milkyway impressed and curious nudged Julian. "How did you do that?" "What?" was his mischievous grinned reply. "Know she was scared of heights." "I didn't I just guessed since she made a point to go round about to catch up with you when you climbed that last stack of boxed." The cat was not convinced however. "That was it, just a guess?" Julian's grin was sheepish this time, "Well, I might have had something to do with her suddenly feeling like the world was swaying underneath her with all the strength of the high seas in a storm." Milkyway studied him carefully. "Well." Julian said rubbing the back of his head after a moment "I upset a lady, albeit a ridiculous one, but I wasn't really lying. We need at least one more crew member for this event. You know the directions used on boats?" Milkyway made a show of considering the question, "Well, I do owe you the dignity of my tail..." "Then its a deal." He offered his hand. "And I am called Milkyway" he said putting his paw in the other's hand.
******************************************************************************************* "All right mates now that Prince Charming has decided to join us we can get this contest won." Nerissa was directing the members of her new crew when Julian and Milkyway arrived on board. "And you have brought with you a cat.?" She gave Julian a disapproving frown. "I am here to be your look out Captain." Milkyway said standing his ground before she could have a chance to say anything more. She might command respect and be twice his hight in her heeled boots but he had decided he liked Julian and was not about to be thrown out without having the chance to repay him. "Are you now." Nerissa was impressed but wary, the ones that stood their ground to her only came in two varieties in her mind, the truly competent and the utterly full of themselves. She was convinced she had already accepted the latter in the man who had collected some of the crew. "And why do you think you should be my look out?" "I may be small, but I am agile and benefit from my species' naturally superior eyesight, balance and clawed hands." Nerissa did not look impressed. "I have also sailed up and down the Great River countless times on what you would call drift wood compared to this mighty ship." Nerissa actually looked interested at this, but he figured he'd have to tell her of his greatest ability in order to impress her. You may also find my telepathy useful. Nerissa started a little wide eyed at hearing his voice inside her head. But it lasted only for a moment, her reaction to the knowledge was real anger. "Do not think that a trick like that will make me choose to have you abroad in and of itself." She told him leaning down close to his face. "I value serious work and disciplined group effort. Magicians tricks can not save you on the merciless seas. Tell me, do you think you can handle the work?" Milkyway wanted to tell her that his ability was nothing like a magician's tricks but she clearly would not tolerate an argument on the subject. "If you give me the chance, I will show you that I can." It was almost a snarl since he was angry but apparently it satisfied Nerissa because she gave him one last dark look and turned pointing to the crows nest. "You climb up there and get your superior eyes spotting everything that could cause us trouble or be useful. You will have to help with the top sails. Julian will be up there as well, you do whatever he needs." Then as if he had ceased to exist she went back to giving orders and directing the other crew members. "That means welcome abroad in her tongue." Was Julian's response to the cat's confused expression. "You get right to work and she might actually remember to praise you for it later."
Elcia · Mon Jun 29, 2009 @ 10:11pm · 0 Comments |
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