Tales of Renaldi: From East to West.

Khanti - Norport express! William's ship, Lunae Madyna is taking Callandrea from Khanti to Norport for gem collecting, on a rare "business trip". William will be looking for protectors for the ship and Candy.

The "recruiting" for the trip will begin in the outskirts of the city, near the "wilds" outside of town... you know... where the shinlai play all day...

or something like that.

Rubisa is taking the position as lead bodyguard to Candy. As neither Rubisa nor Will know where the humans of the town are on the "friendly" scale with shinlai, they will go into port to dock at night, but will not leave the ship unless in pairs, or will disembark by huge-as-hell shinlai-sized dingy to shore outside of town. ))

Rubisa walked out of the inn and tavern, going to meet William. It was drizzling, rain coming off the ocean. The Madyna was across town, at dock... "No one was interested in the gold there..." she said... it was odd, considering that it was humans. Humans generally took the generous amounts gold, when offered...of course, in trade for a half-assed effort.

"Let's go back to our in, then.... We'll try again after the rain stops."

"It's not going to change our luck any..." Rubisa groaned, following Will.

"Maybe your mood will improve, then?" Will quipped, getting a quick smack.

The rain didn’t worry her. It never had. Be it down pour or drizzle. It covered her scent and made her tracks harder to follow. She peered out from under the large hood and meandered through the town, avoiding eye contact and sticking to the shadows. Now while she didn’t mind the rain, she refused to sleep in it if she could help it. She briefly lifted her head and scanned the signs, looking for an inn. A cheep one though, she didn’t have that much money with her.

With brisk quick steps she rounded a corner and smacked into someone.

“Ow, bugger. Excuse me.” She said, ducking her head and moving to scuttle around him.

She hadn’t meant to walk into the man, although she did use it as a chance to smoothly lift a wallet. Maybe she would be able to afford a place to sleep after all...

Rubisa could spot a thief--such as herself-- a mile away... but this one was sloppy in comparison. "I'm already wet miserable... give it back, and be gone." the girl said, catching the thief's wrist in a firm grip. "I have been hard up for money... but we are the beggars who have chosen better, and made a few changes with our given talents..." She said, handing the girl a gold coin... more than enough for a room at an inn, and supper... for probably two nights, if she played it right.

But she didn't release her yet.

"I am William, captain of the Lunae Madyna. This is Rubisa... we have come to look for capable crew and bodyguards for a friend... she awaits us at the inn, if you were interested. We are headed west, to Norport, on business... and there's plenty more where that came from." He said, pointing to the coin.

Rubisa let the girl go, offering "Good luck, and safe travels." The pair trudge through the dirty city streets to their inn, just inside the city's walls.

Candy paced the room she was in at the inn... waiting... waiting... and nearly dying of fright when the Captain actually returned. "How did it go?"

"Not as we had hoped..." he offered.

~~~~~~

Rubisa sat at the bar, waiting on their dinner to finish cooking... of course, at the rate the cooks were going, they had to hunt and slay the beasties, first...

When her wrist was caught she gave a slight hiss. Her arm was still sore from being crushed in a landslide. A gold coin was pressed into her hand. "I am William, captain of the Lunae Madyna. This is Rubisa...” The man said, he continued but she was busy stifling a laugh.

William and Rubisa, clearly didn’t recognise her, she grinned from under her hood and adopted an accent. “Mah ah apologise, sir, ma’am.” She said, nodding her head to them and making sure her hood didn’t fall back or give away who she was. William and Rubisa moved on, heading towards the inn.

Once they were moving away Iapto lifted her head and watched them go. “This could be fun.” She said to no one in particular, twirling the gold coin through her fingers. “Bodyguard...” She mused, they were probably referring to Candy, but she wasn’t sure. She dropped the gold into her purse and continued trekking though the town, sticking to the shadows and being very careful so not to run into anyone else.

The town wasn’t anything extraordinary, and due to the drizzle most the stalls and shops were closed. There wasn’t much of interest left behind either, some spare swatches of fabric that someone clearly no longer wanted. She took them anyway, her clothes were starting to fall apart, holes in the trousers, cuts and rips in the shirt, the only piece that wasn’t on the verge of falling apart was the waist coat and her vest top. She’d have to get enough money to buy some more clothes at some point. Although if Rubisa and William would hire her... That would help a fair bit. She stared across the port at the large ship. She tended to stick to one island for as long as possible, but finding ships willing to carry a thief was never easy.

“Eh screw it, might as well.” She muttered, turning on her heel, her coat billowing around her. She trudged across the town, noting the rain was getting heavier, and headed for the inn. Pulling her hood low again, she slipped inside and settled at the bar, scanning the inn, polishing away at her knives.

Breeze trotted down the cobbled streets, drenched by the rain. She stopped and turned, laughing at the sullen mumbling from the shinlai behind her, "Oh come on Ty, it's only a bit of water." She said grinning, and sending a fist of air into a nearby puddle, drenching her twin in yet more water.
Ty moch growled, "You are so dead!" Breeze took off down the street, laughing insanely, followed closely by Typhoon.

Panting, she slid to a halt in front of an inn, side stepping Typhoon as he slid past her. She caught her breath as her turned and trotted back to her, "I...could...have...caught you!" He panted, grinning. "Pfff, as if!"
"Why'd you stop here?" Ty asked after he'd caught his breath. "I'm hungry.""I don't think we're going to fit through the door Bree." He pointed out, answered with a pout and whine from his sister. He sighed "We'll see if there's a bigger door around the back, inns usualy have a door for carts to bring in food and stuff" Breeze grinned, and trotted after him.
Once around the back, they found said door. It was locked, but with a small flick of air, it was unlatched, and they pushed through it into the kitchen, greeted by allarmed yells from the cook and screams from the maids, two of which ran into the front of the tavern, screaming about horned monsters.

Rubisa notes the entrance of Iapto, and notes her clothes... and then resists the urge to pummel her for trying to rob them.

Candy comes from the inn part of the tavern, from around the corner of the island style bar. William is trying to quiet the fearful crowd in the tavern, making Candy sit down and wait for her food... which she does, though reluctantly.

The workers in the kitchen attempt to make themselves very small, and out of the way of the shinlai as they pass through. The cook sends them out to the tavern common room to wait for their order to be taken... that way they'd be "out of the good people's way," as the man had put it.

Rubisa watches the shinlai enter the common room, and grins widely... now they weren't responsible for being the most terrifying thing around...there was some competition for that title.

"Friends of yours?" someone asks, when Rubisa finally carries the tray laden with food back to the table Candy is hunched over.

"Don't you hope so?" she says, shrugging... leaving it at that, with the thought of the other shinlai possibly being rogue darkblood shinlai, come into the town to wreak havoc on the man's mind.

The crowd has thinned much since the arrival of the three shinlai. Candy is interested in the other two, but does not dare to approach them, being only a hop across the pond from the darkbloods.

Iapto glanced around and spotted Rubisa’s rather annoyed expression directed her way. She grins and shakes her head moving towards her. “If it’s any consolation I didn’t realise it was you two.” She said with a smooth grin.

There were yells and screams, as two maids burst from to kitchen screaming about monsters. “Ohh adventure time.” Iapto muttered, before hopping over the bar with her knives drawn. She wondered through into the kitchen, looking for the ‘monsters’. And instead found two familiar Shinlai. “Breezze. Typhon. What are you doing?” She asked smiling and putting her knives away. “Come on. In the front.” She said starting to chivvy them out of the kitchen.

In the common room she shunted some tables out of the way so they’d fit easier, before sitting on one and crossing her legs. “Sooo... What’s with scaring the chefs?” She asked, still smiling.

The Codfish had docked in port. The rain and waves becoming much to heavy to sail in, plus the extra time ashore would give the crew time to get a much needed rest and recover from the previous voyage. Deston and Uri made their way off the ship. Uri sat on Deston's back per usual. The two really didn't like to stick around when they docked, too much time on the same ship just got boring, aside from that you never know what or who you can find in town.

Deston padded slowly, Rain soaking even more his already saturated coat, a few scattered splashes from the occasional puddle formed in between the cobble stone streets. Uri scanned the place, covered in a cloak and hood pulled up over his head. Something insisted by Deston so the boy wouldn't risk catching a cold. Honestly if it were Uri's choice, he'd be out splashing in said puddles. A shake to the fur, careful enough not to shake Uri off alongside the water, followed by a light shiver. Despite being use to the rain while at sea, the blue lai really preferred to avoid it when he could, the thin coat not really offering much protection in such conditions.

"Where do you suppose we can sleep Des?" Uri asked with a slight sniffle. Not a good sign, could always be the start of a cold.
"I think there may be a barn somewhere. Perhaps we should take a look around, ask if worse comes to wor--" the shinlai was cut off by a cough. And he was worried about Uri. Deston cleared his throat "--Blimey." he spat from the sudden cough and continued walking.

Breeze backed up behind her brother, who laughed nervously at the Cook, the man gesticulating wildly with a large rolling pin. There heads turned in unison as a familiar voice called out “Breeze. Typhoon. What are you doing?” "Iapto!..." they both cralled with relief, “Come on. In the front.”, they went with out hesitation, as she chivvied them into the front of the tavern, shunting tables out of the way, and sitting on one.
"Sooo... What’s with scaring the chefs?”
"It wasn't intentional," Breeze said, feeling guilty.
"I was hungry..."
"...and their was no way we were going to fit through the front door..."
"...So we went around the back..."
"...And I guess our masks..."
"...Must have frightened the cook..."
"...And the maids."
They both finished, talking in turns like twins often do.
"How's you're arm by the way?" Breeze asked," It looked pretty horrible when you came out of the cave."

Rubisa rolled her eyes at Iapto's failure to recognize them. She helped Iapto get the two new, young shinlai out of the traffic pattern to the bar and the waitresses' way. She pointed to the back area, where Candy lay by a fire and a table, gnawing on a fairly rare steak... "We have enough room back there for everyone. It's Breeze right?" She asks the young female, with a smile. "We'll get you something to eat, too. And who is this?" she asks of the other pastel "horned monster".

"I was hungry..."
"...and there was no way we were going to fit through the front door..."
"...So we went around the back..."
"...And I guess our masks..."
"...Must have frightened the cook..."
"...And the maids." They replied, taking it in turns to speak. Iapto’s eyes flicked from one to the other as they spoke in turns, eventually giving up and looking blankly between them.

"How's your arm by the way? It looked pretty horrible when you came out of the cave." Breeze asked her.

Iapto glanced down at her arm. “Oh it’s fine now, still sore from being crushed, but it wasn’t too bad until William.” She said, raising her voice at William’s name. “Twisted it earlier.” She continued normally, she smiled sweetly at him, before letting Rubisa talk to the two Shinlai.

"Are you alright?" Uri questioned the blue lai "Dandy" he replied, not to worry the child "I think there was a barn somewhere around he--"
"Over there" he was cut off by Uri stopping when the pointed voices in the alleyway behind the inn. "What's ther--" He coughed again, shaking his head, then clearing his throat "There?"
"Iapto. I think that's her name. Don't you recognize the voice?" he tilt himself over a tad to get a better glance at Deston "Sorry child, my senses are shot" he closed his eyes to try and concentrate.

“Oh it’s fine now, still sore from being crushed, but it wasn’t too bad until William twisted it earlier.”
"Hmm," Breeze gently touched her nose to Iapto's arm, using her healing breath to ease the pain, "It shouldn't hurt so much now."
A white haired woman gestured to a smaller, blue and white female shinlai "We have enough room back there for everyone. It's Breeze right?" Breeze nodded in reply "We'll get you something to eat, too. And who is this?"
"Typhoon." Ty answered, imediately trotting over to the female, "Hi there, what is a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this." Giving her his most charming smile possible.

Breeze rolled her eyes and sighed, "And he's off," She said, turning to the woman. "He'll be bombarding her with terrible jokes and pickup lines all night."
She trotted after her brother, determind to make him behave, but stopped short by a shutterd window.
She could have sworn she'd heard a familiar voice from outside, but a rumble of thunder blotted out any thing she might have heard. She shook her head, she'd often found herself thinking about about him, she'd probably just imagined the voice.

Continuing to the fireplace, she sat down by the smaller female and Ty, grateful for the warmth of the fire on her still damp fur, "I'm Breeze." She greeted, "this idiot here is Typhoon."

Candy blushed at Typhoon's attention, and smiled back, thanking Daila for masks. She faintly heard Rubisa laugh at the other golden shinlai's mentioning of jokes and pick up lines... She was nervous around good-looking males, but knew better than to let herself fall for this guy.
At Breeze's brief introduction of herself and Typhoon, Candy smiled wider, already liking the sister golden shinlai. "I'm Callandrea.. you can call me Candy, though. That's Rubisa, and this is dinner!" she said, motioning to the plate heaped high with steaks. "Please, help yourselves until more comes along,"

Rubisa sat back down, rolling her eyes at Iapto. "You were robbing us, remember? In any case, do you need a job or not? Candy needs an escort in Darkblood territory, even though she doesn't take sides...you never know..." She took a drink, and continued. "I will go as well... but we need people on the ship and to help get the stones back securely."

"You as a body guard should be more than enough..." William joked. "You're a shinlai/pitbull cross hyped up on stimulants..." He joked.

"Hmm, it shouldn't hurt so much now." Breeze said, placing her nose of Iapto’s arm, and exchanging a few words with Rubisa.

“Thank you Breeze, I’ll join you once I’ve got a drink.” She said watching the female walk over to her brother, who was already flirting with Candy.

"You were robbing us, remember? In any case, do you need a job or not? Candy needs an escort in Darkblood territory, even though she doesn't take sides...you never know... I will go as well... but we need people on the ship and to help get the stones back securely." Rubisa said.

Iapto stayed sat up on the table. “I didn’t know it was you.” She said curtly. “That hood of mine blots out almost everything. But yeah, I could do with a job.” She said crossing her legs and fiddling with one of the holes in her trousers. She thought about suggesting Echo too, but he hadn’t met Rubisa and William as far as she was aware. And then there was the fact of actually finding him, unless their uncanny ability to run in to each other could happen on demand.

"You as a body guard should be more than enough... You're a shinlai/pitbull cross hyped up on stimulants..." William said jokingly.

She held her arms out to the side, almost like she was offering for a hug. “Twist my injured arm again and I’ll show you how much of a pit-bull I can be.” She said grinning up at him, baring her teeth slightly. It probably wasn’t a good idea to keep stressing her arm, but she could cope, she still kept a bandage wrapped tightly around it underneath her shirt and leather gauntlet.

There was in fact chatter coming from the back. Deston's brow raised. He looked up at the sky, then back at the alley. He crouched down "Why not go take a peek, yes? I'm afraid you're much more nimble than I am" he spoke to Uri, who did what he was told and slid off the blue lai's back. "Be right back then!" he grinned and ran over towards the still open kitchen door. Deston watched the boy who now tilt himself half way to get a better look inside. Hesitantly, he walked in, freezing when one of the maids scolded him and started to shake a spoon in his general direction "Ahhh!" he shout. The boy wasn't use to being shout at by anyone other than Deston. He fled through the kitchen doors and crash landed on the wooden floor with a large thud. "Oww..." he whined, eyes tearing up from the pain of the fall.

Uri's shout had gone unheard by Deston, who's head was in the clouds. Sick? Was he really getting sick? How pathetic. The blue lai sat and shook his head to try and shake off the dizzyness. It was worse than a storm on the ship right now.

"I'm Callandrea.. you can call me Candy, though. That's Rubisa, and this is dinner!" Candy said, motioning to the plate heaped high with steaks. "A pleasure to meet you beau- Ow, Breeze!" Ty whined, when his sister promplty stood on his foot. Breeze ignored her brothers hurt look, knowing he was being overly dramatic. "Nice to meet you Candy."
"Please, help yourselves until more comes along,"
"Thanks, we hunted this morning, but guts-ache here ate most of it." Ty stuck his tounge at her, before grabbing a mouth full of steak. She was about to grab one, when there was a shout from the kitchen, and a thud.
"Oww..."
"Uri!" She exclaimed, startled.... so I wasn't hearing things. She quickly went over to the boy, crouching down next to him, "Hey, don't cry," She said, nosing his shoulder gentley, and noticing his watering eyes, "What happened? Where's Deston."

Ty was equaly startled by the sudden appearance of the child, though he didn't know him, his twin obviously did. He debated whether or not to go over and help, but he'd probably just distress the kid more.

(I get the impression that this RP is dieing D:)

Silveera wrote:

(I get the impression that this RP is dieing D:)

(Don't worry, Rubisa said she'd post at some point tomorrow. She's got a job or something that needs doing.)

Rubisa saw the child fall just on the other side of the doorway. She approached slowly, and gently helped him up, wiping his tears. "I'm Rubisa. Breeze is gonna go find someone who takes care of you... and you're gonna wait here with me, ok?" She says with a smile. It was obvious she was good with kids, as she whipped out a chocolate bar, instantly recognizable to the boy by the smell, even in the wrapper. "I was gonna save this... but I want you to help me eat it! It's too much for me..." she says, breaking it in half, and giving it to Uri, adding "But you have to eat your dinner, too. The rest is for later." she re-wrapped the other half, and put it back into a belt pouch. Once there was no chance of tears, Rubisa let Breeze go find Deston.

"What's your name, kiddo?" She asks, adding "you're pretty brave, talking to shinlai at your age." Rubisa leads him over to the table by the fire, and scrapes a leg of a roast chicken onto his plate, with rice and potatoes. "Eat up, and more chocolate when you're done... This is William, and the lady 'Lai over there is Candy."

Once Uri looked over at Candy, she started making silly faces, inflating her cheeks with air, and crossing her many eyes... not just your average sillyness.... this took skill!

"Uri! Hey, don't cry, what happened? Where's Deston." Iapto heard Breeze’s voice exclaim, she looked past Rubisa and William to see a small brown haired boy being fused over by Breeze, closely followed by Rubisa. She gave a small smile and wiggled her finger at Uri in a small wave.

Iapto scooted off the table and brushed past William, heading for the bar. “Pint please.” She said, sliding a few coins across to the bar man. Once she had her drink she picked it up, carrying it over to the fire, putting the pint on a table, before shrugging off her bag and soaking coat, propping them up against the wall behind Typhoon. Picking up her pint again she wondered over to the window, and peered out through the fogged up glass. The occasional flash lit the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder, she could hardly see anything, the flashes disorientating her and not giving her long enough to see the street.

“Screw it.” She muttered, taking a gulp of beer she grabbed her coat again, turning to Uri. “Hey Uri, where was Deston last. I’ll see if I can find him.” She said, buttoning up her coat as Uri replied. “Rubisa, don’t let him out of your sight.” She said before sweeping out of the pup door, flicking up her hood as she went.

Outside was worse than she had thought, a strong breeze and heavy rain meant she couldn’t look up without squinting fiercely. That with the added fact that only one of her eyes worked, meant it was hard to see anything. “DESTON!” She yelled, hoping the blue Shinlai could hear her. “Where the heck are you!” She called, hanging onto her hood and shielding her eyes.

"I'm Rubisa. Breeze is gonna go find someone who takes care of you... and you're gonna wait here with me, ok?" Breeze nodded quickly, and headed for the kitchen, ignoring the swearing form the cook, and exiting through the door into the alley. She was imeadiately buffed by the torrent of rain, and wind. Spreading out her senses, and struggling to direct the air flow towards her, she faintly heard a voice calling for Deston, and recognised it as Iapto. Releasing her faint hold on the air she made her way, back up the alley she and Ty had come through.
"Deston!"

--------------------------------

Ty sighed as Breeze walked out through the kitchen, "So much for being hungry" he nearly choked on his steak, when he turned back to Candy, and saw the face she was pulling at the child. He swallowed, and gufawed. "Now that is a talent!"

"Uri!" Breeze shout. She quickly approached the boy, crouching down next to him, "Hey, don't cry," She nosed his shoulder gently, he pet her head silently and sniffled "What happened? Where's Deston."

"Outside, he just wanted to know who was in here." Uri explained. Soon another lass joined the conversation. She approached slowly, and gently helped him up, wiping his tears. "I'm Rubisa. Breeze is gonna go find someone who takes care of you... and you're gonna wait here with me, ok?" She said with a smile, he smiled back as she whipped out a chocolate bar "I was gonna save this... but I want you to help me eat it! It's too much for me..."

"Ahh, chocolate?!" He gasped "I haven't eaten chocolate in ages!" she handed the boy a piece, he grabbed it and pulled his head down in a half nod, half bow "But you have to eat your dinner, too. The rest is for later. "

"Yes ma'am. Thank you madam" he said politely and ate the chocolate right up, delighted kiddish smile ran across his features.

"What's your name, kiddo? you're pretty brave, talking to shinlai at your age."

"My name is Uri. And well....you could say i'm use to shinlai by now"

"Eat up, and more chocolate when you're done... This is William, and the lady 'Lai over there is Candy."

"Hi William, Candy" he eyed the shinlai curiously, not avoiding the laugh at the faces, then started on his food. Wasn't everyday you'd run in to sympathetic strangers.

“Hey Uri, where was Deston last. I’ll see if I can find him.” Iapto asked from the bar

"Uh--he was just outside..."

---------------//--------------------

“DESTON! Where the heck are you!” A shout

"Deston!" another shout.

"Argh..." Deston's head lift from the ground as he got back on his fours and padded towards the shouting "My, my, must we be so loud?" He spoke. At the moment looking like a lost puppy in the rain.

Candy chuckled, quite embarrassed that the attractive golden lai was watching her make faces. "Thanks... I used to play with other young shinlai before my apprenticeship... I was a little adventurous with facial expressions... and I still retain my "skill", I guess!" she laughs a little, hoping not to come across as too strange.

Rubisa watches Uri gulp his food down, and pours him a glass of milk, giving him the rest of the chocolate bar.

"When was the last time you saw your friend Deston, Uri?" He asks, wondering what was taking Iapto so long. He excuses himself... just in time to see and understand why Uri wasn't afraid of shinlai. He invited the soaked-to-the-bone shinlai in out of the rain, praying for enough room... and no 'mutiny' from the staff and regular patrons of the establishment. "You must be Deston? Uri's eating, and I'm afraid you're a plate behind the rest of us..." he says.

The Captain returns with a sopping wet, though friendly shinlai, and Iapto. He thanks Iapto, and leads her away on business stuff.

"We're leaving in a few days... if all goes as planned." He says, handing over a tiny satchel of gold coin. "thirty gold there, thirty more when we get back. You look like you need half now..." he winks, understanding the strain on a wallet in present times... had he not had his side job as a privateer, which was lucrative enough.

William grins to Iapto, asking "Any questions, then?"

(Quick! give it resufication!!! This rp is dying D:)
Breeze padded in behind Iapto and Deston.
"Come over to the fire Deston, you need to warm up or you could get pneumonia." As they approached the fire, She swirled the air around the flames and used the warmed air to dry them off, and nudged the depleated plate of steaks towards Deston. "You should eat too, it'll help to warm you aswell." She sat down between him and Typhoon, her own hunger forgotten.
Ty raised a brow, he knew Breeze knew the Lai, but she normaly distrusted males and could be pretty harsh to them.
"You going to introduce me to your friend Bree?"
"Wha-? OH... umm, Deston, this is my twin brother Typhoon." She introduced, flustered. "Ty, this is Deston."