The Masters Market

A private Rp for me and Toadfoal!
I'll be using Alkyone and Iapto.
Toad will be using YOUNG MASTER BILL. Because he is adorable.


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“Don’t steal it.”

“I wasn’t going to!”

“Uh huh sure,” said the large purple mass of fur. She was looming over the skinny human watching what she was doing closely.

“You’re a thief?” the stall owner asked, now also eyeing the girl.

“Not today,” she said bluntly, handing over a few coins, before turning to the purple Shinlai, “I told you I wasn’t going to steal it, and did I? Nooo, I brought it fair and square,” she said defiantly.

“Do you even know what it is?” Alkyone asked.

“Nope,” Iapto said, and pocketed it anyway.

“Uh, would you mind leaving, before I shout for the guards,” the shop owner asked hesitantly, still eyeing Iapto.

Alkyone growled loudly, the deep reverberating noise making the stall and its trinkets rattle loudly. “Do anything of the sorts and it won’t be a thief you’re worrying about,” she snapped, before turning around, narrowly missing the table with her long tail.

Iapto stuck her tongue out at the now terrified shop owner and bounded after Alkyone, they were an odd pair and despite arguing frequently, their personalities matched surprisingly well. If needed they could co-operate easily, not to mention hold their own in a confrontation, sharp tongues along with sharper claws and knives made for a formidable pair.

Today however, they were in the middle of a market at Norport, and bickering as usual. It was mid afternoon and the sun was just beginning to sink, it was hot, but a cool sea breeze from the east took the edge off the heat. The market place was alive with activity, people rushing about, hawking their wares to any unsuspecting passersby, and Shinlai mingling with the crowd, their height and often colourful furs making them stand out from the crowd.

Alkyone was uncomfortable. She disliked crowed human settlements, especially all the human males wondering around, but the sight of other masked faces helped to sooth her. She was heading back to Tieto and had collected Iapto from Maia at Dagda’s request. She shook her head as they weaved though the crowds, her family’s relatively peaceful life seemed to be all over the place nowadays.

Iapto on the other hand, was enjoying herself, despite Alkyone’s watchful eye she had already collected three purses and brought the shiny gold... thing, she’d sell it later, probably for more than she brought it. She enjoyed seeing all the different people and Shinlai, guessing at what their stories were, what jobs they had, or even what their alliance was. Bounding along she drew level with Alkyone shoulder and thumped the larger female lightly. “I’m hungry, what we doing for dinner?” she asked.

With a little grunt of protest, the "Young Master Bill" as he was mockingly referred to by other labor workers, shouldered his way through a crowd of humans and other shinlai alike. He was trying desperately not to drop his precious cargo, and the baskets on his back creaked and shifted his weight tediously so that he was forced to swing his head around for balance.

It was a rather awkward affair, and Bill's size was not proving too terribly helpful. He was still no more than a pup, and when the crowds got thick his largest concern was being stepped on. It wouldn't be the first time. He'd done this for almost a year now, carrying baskets filled with food into markets not to sell so much as tempt possible customers. There was a way it had been described to him, but he couldn't seem to remember it in detail. All he really wanted was to do some looking around himself. There were so many marvelous toys in the market, soft furs and tempting sweets. To bury his nose in all those things!

But he would make the best of it. There was no one here to tell him what to do. He glanced around at all the brightly colored shinlai, and his naturally sleepy eyes widened slightly. He loved to watch them all, even if it was troublesome, having to tip his head up and risk getting kicked to catch a good look.

It was a rumble from some commotion that caught his attention suddenly, and he turned too fast, knocking a human down and receiving a kick to his hind leg at the same time.

Bill yelped and did his best to scurry away from the commotion. But the damage was done, and he felt as if he were being crushed under the weight of angry people, yelling at him and taking his food. Fruits, vegetables, the finest breads and salted meat carefully wrapped and packaged into the baskets. No no no! He needed those to be taken by happy business owners, not angry people with scary faces.

There was no one to protect him or stick up for him now, but he remembered something his employer had once offered as advice. Run like a bull. So he snorted and charged through the crowd, forcing anyone humans in his way to move. Unfortunately, the trick didn't work so well with shinlai. He looked up just in time to see an enormous purple shape accompanied by a smaller upright one, and skidded to a sudden stop. The food in his baskets jostled, and corn spilled out onto the ground. Bill could only stare blankly at Alkyone and Iapto, before offering a nervous smile.

“You’re not getting anything, punching me like that,” Alkyone snapped, lifting that arm in an attempt to shift away from Iapto, but in the crowded market she had no chance of moving away.

But Iapto was distracted, looking back the way they came as a human fell down and several others began shouting and snatching at something. Automatically she reached behind her back and slowly drew one of her long daggers, keeping it hidden beneath her coat as she shifted alongside Alkyone. “What’s going on?” she asked.

There were more yells and a small brown pup barrelled through the humans, skidding to a stop as he caught sight of Alkyone, staring up at her was wide orange eyes. Before smiling awkwardly.

“OIE SCRAM,” Iapto suddenly bellowed, stepping past the pup and brandishing her knife at the humans still shouting and snatching at the pup. “Back off before I gut ya,” she growled, in a voice not like her own, snatching back the pup’s cargo. The fruit and meats seemed to be okay, but the bread had been squashed and half eaten.

As she chased off any spectators Alkyone sank into a crouch, emerald eyes peering at the little pup with the big basket. To her it looked like it was crushing him, and she held out one paw to stop it from toppling over as he stared up at her. “Little one,” she said softly, “what are you doing by yourself, with this big heavy basket? Little ones should be happy and playing, not hauling heavy things like a mule,” she said, half noticing Iapto returning, her knife hidden and carrying a few of the pup’s goods.

((Sorry for the wait <3))

(OH MY GOD I'm so SORRy)

"Well... I gotta earn my place." The young male replied, as if it ought to have been obvious. His smile had gone, but he seemed to have regained most of his confidence, particularly since his balance was no longer compromised. But, just to be sure, he stood with his legs wide and toes pointing slightly inward in a deceptively defensive stance.

He certainly didn't see Alkyone as a threat. If she had wanted to do him any harm, it would have been easy for her to have done so already. But instead she... Well, she'd helped him. He subconsciously shifted so that he could see where the human had gone, and sank down to the ground, resting his head for a moment against the large female's soft fur.

She reminded him of a mother, or at least what he perceived to be the meaning of the term. "Mother", as far as Bill was concerned, had less to do with blood relationships and more to do with mental or physical ones. A "mother" was someone who offered protection, perhaps even guidance, and some form of comfort. It didn't matter for how long, and it wasn't something an individual could own. Mothers came and went, a simple part of the tide that one might dance around for a few brief moments.

When he then spotted the human returning, he blinked curiously. What an interesting duo. He wasn't foreign to the idea of humans and shinlai being friends, in fact, he knew some rather agreeable humans who worked in the fields. Peasants. But they were company enough. He wasn't sure about this one though. She didn't seem docile at all.
He stuck his neck out, mouth open very slightly to draw in her scent. The food was no longer his main concern, but rather the fascinating situation he seemed to have found himself in. He would take some punishment over his poor sales strategy if it meant a chance to have some fun. Meet new faces, anything to be able to enjoy pup-hood. "Are you adventurers?" He asked, eyelids beginning to droop as he relaxed into his normal state. Ah, much better.

Alkyone blinked, taken aback by his answer. In her mind, pups shouldn’t work, not one such as young as himself. However she grinned as he sank to the floor and rested his head against her arm, she tried not to move too much, not wanting to disturb him. She half curled around him, sheltering him from passing humans and Shinlai, despite the fact she was taking up a lot of room, no one dared tell her to move.

Iapto returned, crouching by them holding the food she managed to salvage from the mob. “You could say that,” she replied before Alkyone could, “we both travel all across Elaisha doing various things. So yeah, yeah I’d say we’re adventures,” Iapto said with a grin, setting down the retrieved food one at a time.

“I’m Alkyone, she’s Iapto, normally we live near Tieto. What’s your name young one? Do you have parents?” Alkyone asked gently, dipped her head and rested her nose on his forehead, she was hoping he wasn’t an orphan...

Real adventurers! He let out a little huff of air, sinking just a bit more into Alkyone's luxurious fur. It would have been very tempting to try and sneak a nap right there if they hadn't been in the middle of the market. His eyes scanned the people curiously as they walked by, heads turned, heals clicking wearily. It was true. They respected the big shinlai and the human who accompanied her. He blinked, scrunching his snout slightly in pleasure. Some day. Some day he would go on adventures too. Then no one would chase him and he couldn't be kicked. Then again, perhaps that also had something to do with growing...

"Alkyone. Iapto." He tasted the names on his tongue, looking them over again as if this new knowledge somehow transformed their appearances. In a way, it did, just by giving him something to associate them with. What good fun! The light fur around his neck puffed out a little, he must make his title a good association too. I am the Young Master Bill Thigpen Idlewar. He very nearly told them, but his ears began flicking as he suddenly became self-conscious of the length of his given name. It just wouldn't do. "Well, the other workers call me Young Master Bill. I think it's supposed to be a mean joke, but I like it anyway, so you can call me that if you want."

All this company was so much fun. He closed his eyes and could have purred under the weight of Alkyone's nose, which was nearly as soft as the long fur which covered the rest of her. He didn't care that she was nearly a stranger, or that associating with strangers was possibly dangerous. The human, Iapto, has brought back his food, and therefore they must be friends.
"I got parents," He explained, "But me and my brother take care of ourselves. Our parents don't live in the same place, and I know they're both pretty busy to have to be thinking about us all the time. We gotta earn it! But honestly, I think going on adventures sounds like a lot more fun."

Suddenly he squeaked, and his eyes shot open again. "Did you say you're from Tieto? Mr. Idlewar talks about it in all his speeches. That's where the Dailain Elites are, isn't it?"

“Young Master Bill,” Iapto repeated with a broad grin, “I like that,” she said, ignoring Alkyone’s raised eyebrow. However her face briefly fell as she registered that he and his brother had to work and look after themselves. She held her tongue though, remembering her early years of thieving on the streets, true not much had changed, but she had the opinion that children were to be cared for.

Alkyone laughed as Bill perked up excitedly at the mention of Tieto. “Yes, Adlai and Rondun live there with Lydia, I’m good friends with them. Although so so with Lady Lydia. It’s a very grand city, with humans and Shinlai living and working together. It’s a real safe haven,” she said.

“Aye, so long as you’re law abiding,” Iapto butted it,

“It’s a real safe haven,” Alkyone repeated eyeballing Iapto.

The thief ignored her and instead started stoking Bill’s fur, it was much wirier that she had expected and quite coarse. “You should come adventuring with me,” she said, “it’s such a big world and so interesting to see. The people, the Shinlai, all just beyond this city,” she said.

Alkyone watched Iapto with amusement, hoping her kleptomaniac tendencies weren’t stretching to Shinlai pups too. She had always been an odd human in that respect, being more comfortable around Shinlai than she was humans. Either that or she was picking up on Alkyone’s own mothering tendencies...

"I can believe it." Bill blinked his eyes one at a time, thinking carefully about what it must be like. He imagined grand buildings, politicians, books, rooms that echoed and sunlight that seemed to shine with Daila's light. But what good would that do? Bill didn't know how to read or write. In fact, he really harbored very little interest in the arts, or academics in general. He'd attempted to take some lessons from one of the humans (most of those he had been exposed to were tragically lacking in literacy as well), but he hadn't grasped much of it. Perhaps he wasn't smart enough.

Somehow, the thought didn't bother Bill much at all. He still loved the idea of traveling far and wide to places where snow touched the ground and gardens grew in plenty. Where buildings shone with age and the stories from his childhood took form. It seemed a grand destination for adventurers. And it was strange to think that, now, he spoke to those who had seen it, and touched it, and even spoken with heroes of a changing time.

He smirked inwardly, thinking of what he might do if the chance to go arose. He might not be much for academics, but Bill could work in the labor force, and that would be just fine.

"I wish I could get my brother to come too. I think he'd rather go to Sunset Peak." He tilted his head slightly to nudge Iapto, clearly enjoying this attention from the human. "You'd really take me though? I can't imagine there not being some catch. There's always a price."

Alkyone raised an eyebrow at the remark about his brother. “The Darklands are a dangerous place, especially for little pups. Even I don’t risk doing that far into their territory, not alone at least,” she said, sincerely hoping Bill wouldn’t follow his brother there.

Iapto on the other hand shrugged. “I made it into Velocifero once, nearly lost my life for it. It’s all tyranny and fear there,” she said. She shook her head slightly, trying not to dwell on the memory, she had nearly broken her neck leaping from roof to roof, and Echo had nearly broken his neck too. She wasn’t going risk that again.

“Why would there be a price on something you enjoy?” Iapto asked, “we travel because we want to, because we enjoy it. True sleeping rough gets a little tedious, and food can be hard to come by, but that doesn’t matter,” Iapto said, scratching behind his ear.

Alkyone sat up a little straighter and shook her fur out, almost knocking over a passerby. She wasn’t exactly paid to travel, but it was her job to do it, and so long as she went to Dailian or neutral towns she was usually welcomed. She gazed out through the crowd, mulling things over, mentally tracking where she had been and needed to go. She was meant to be heading home, but she was curious and a little concerned for this young pup, a pup that had to work to live...

“Where do you work?” Alkyone asked, looking down at him, eyeing the basket on his back with various fruits, meats and bread wedged into it. “Who’s your employer?” she pressed, her tone of voice changing slightly.

Iapto looked sharply at her, recognising the tone, demanding but wary. She automatically guessed that Alkyone wasn’t happy with The Young Master being forced to work. She knew Alkyone used to be a babysitter for young pups, and the mothering instinct often took over, especially when young ones might be in danger or treated unfairly.
However she held her tongue, not wanting to risk being snapped at.

Bill made a noise in the back of his throat that was thoughtful, though he honestly felt a little crestfallen. For one seeking adventure, no place should be off limits! But the pup was resolved not to argue, for it might diminish his chances of being taken anywhere at all. He could tell Tuk what he had learned later, and maybe his brother would be want to listen. Or else go anyway. Bill had always wondered about Tuk's fascination with the Darkbloods. He couldn't really say that he disapproved even, just found it interesting.

Of course, the thought of there not being a price for this adventure was surely exciting, but still Bill was quiet a moment longer. Maybe at the back of his mind, he found it hard to be believe. Impossible, even, no matter if he trusted the long furred female and the human who was kind enough to scratch him behind the ear. That in itself was worth a price.

"Work?" Bill looked up, catching some strange change in the atmosphere. He glanced back and forth between Alkyone and Iapto, wondering what might be happening. "I uh- er- home- my..." He stuttered, and his expression twisted slightly, mouth open in frustration. Finally, he pushed his head forward with a whop into the dirt. "Fort Idlewar is home." He mumbled, "No employer. Good home..."

He peered at them, eyes drooping slightly although his head was upside down. Then he smiled, just a little smile. Childish, for he was not asked questions often, and it was nearly an equivalent to being scolded, for which he should still smile, as a pup who had tracked mud into the house and thought it somewhat amusing.

Alkyone cocked her head to one side, watching the little pup thinking. She realised he had probably picked up on her change in tone. His stammering confirmed it. Seeing his small grin she grinned back, two could play at that game. She lent forwards and licked his head, hooking both paws around him so he couldn’t escape the grooming.

“Where’s your home? I didn’t know there was a fort round here,” she asked, still grooming him thoroughly, despite the coarse fur.

“Fort?” Iapto asked, “now that would be fun...,” she mused. She hadn’t been in a fort before, unless you counted sneaking into the Knight’s Tower. She was automatically wondering how many small trinkets would be lying around, just waiting for her to pick them up and liberate them.

Alkyone ignored her, continuing to groom the pup. “No employer? Do you just like carrying heavy baskets around then?” she asked teasingly, “maybe you could carry our bags for us toooo,” she added

Bill flinched, and emitted a series of short bursts of air from his nose in an attempt to keep from giggling. It felt strange to have someone lick his fur. Not bad, just strange. Usually it remained somewhat unkempt, but thanks to it not being silky, the problems this caused were limited. Still, he wriggled to no avail in Alkyone's grasp, finally giving in with a little squeak.

"S'aways away. South. Not a stone fort. Food fort, lots of food. Also buildings. Mostly food."

He opened one eye, glancing between them. The fort wasn't that much fun, not in his opinion. Sure, he loved romping around between vines and through hills of grass that shouldn't exist in such an arid place (and wouldn't, if it weren't for the generous shinlai who worked in return for what might be considered 'exquisite' food in such a place). But perhaps he could show them the way to the fort, out there in the remote wild. Surrounded by empty sands.

"Ahhhhhnnn that sounds heavy," He started to complain, then seemed to decide against it. "But I gotta grow up to be strong. How 'bout you lemme up and we trade?" Bill inquired, "I could maybe even take you to meet my father. He talks about Tieto lots in sermons. Probably give you good food too." He eyed them for a moment, as if suddenly considering that they might be thieves. "I'd give you mine, but then I bet you'd leave like all the others."

Iapto slumped a little, a food fort. It sounded more like a farm. She had been to plenty of them, they weren’t much fun. Unless they had chickens or horses, they made it a little more fun then.

“A food fort? Sounds tasty, do you have loaves of bread for bricks?” Alkyone asked jokingly, she stopped grooming him and instead stroked the fur of his head with one of her paws. Grooming had always been the answer to get information. Or at least with some.

“‘Got to grow big and strong?’” Iapto repeated, “I bet you could carry me if you tried!” she said, he already looked strong, and she was quite light for her height. Okay maybe not carry but tow a few paces. Either way he looked like he could shift stuff if he wanted to.

“And I bet I could carry both of you,” Alkyone said, she shuffled about so her legs were tucked underneath her and nudged Bill with her nose. “Come on, I bet you’ve been on your feet and carrying that bag about all day, time to hitchhike,” she said with a grin.

Iapto smiled but held back from scrambling onto Alkyone back. With Dagda she wouldn’t have hesitated, but Alkyone could be tetchy about humans climbing on her. Even if they were family.

"Hitchhike?" Bill blinked once, twice. That was something new. He'd been carried around by the skin between his shoulders (which hurt increasingly as he grew), but never gone piggyback. He could have been weary, after all, these two were still strangers, but he was finding more and more that he liked them. They were funny, and somehow different from what he would have expected, being as they came from such a sacred land. Relatively speaking, Alkyone and Iapto were not very strict.

So, he considered her offer to be a polite order, and came to stand on his hind legs in an attempt to climb on with the human. But the basket of food on his back began to slide, threatening to spill all of its contents. He dropped back down into a sit, and wriggled his shoulders wildly until the thing slid off and landed on the ground with a plunk, jostling the food but managing not to spill any.

"I don't know how to get the food up that high." He admitted somewhat sheepishly. But clearly that didn't seem to bother him too much, because he left it there to climb up, flinging the front half of his body over Alkyone's back, so that his hindquarters hung off the other side, and he could peek around her shoulder.

It was only then that he noticed the human hanging back, and he swung his heavy head around towards her, mouth hanging open slightly in goofy excitement. "Aren't you coming too?"

Iapto suppressed a laugh at the sight of Bill trying to get on Alkyone’s back, it reminded her of Pipistella attempting to get piggy-backs of Dagda and Alkyone when she was young. Complete with furious butt wiggling.

“Yes, yes I’m coming,” she reassured, but didn’t climb up straight away, instead she took of her coat, flung it over the basket of food and tied it over the top with some rope, creating an effective if a little impromptu lid over the food. Once that was done she pulled the basket onto her own shoulders and vaulted up onto Alkyone’s back.

Alkyone picked up Iapto’s bag, half tying it to her own bag about her neck. “Right then, Young Master Bill,” she said twisting her head to look at the pup, “which way?” she asked. And heaved to her feet.

Iapto was fully prepared for the lurching about that came with an eleven foot Shinlai climbing to their feet, with one hand she clutched the thick silky fur of Alkyone’s back, and the other hung onto Bill, hoping he wouldn’t slid off.

If there was one thing Bill liked most about humans, it was their hands. He watched Iapto cover up the basket, her fingers pulling the coat off as if it were something simple. So simple. Why couldn't any other species do that? Sure, his kind could control elements, make plants grow, move water, make the wind blow, but it was so much harder to create things without hands like the humans had. He wasn't sure what it was about the hands, but they were so wondrous.

Now that his cargo was secured, Bill reached out one leg and pointed outwards to the east. "That wayaa-nghhhmph..." He slammed his leg back down onto Alkyone's incredibly thick furred side, struggling in his start to keep from sliding off backwards. "East." He said, over and over as he clutched her side, staring ahead as if he wasn't really quite sure what to think about this entire situation.

Somehow it seemed to help that he wasn't alone, all the way up there. He'd never been so high up before, not in all his life. Not like this. He glanced at Iapto, eyes big and round. But he kept talking as though nothing had happened. "It's a few miles east, if you head into the desert. You should see a sign that says 'Fort Idlewar' and 'Enter with purpose.' under that."

Suppressing a giggle Iapto reached over Bill’s side, only just managing to get her arms round him, and with a great heave of effort scooted him about to face Alkyone’s front. “Grip her fur with your paws, she’s got thick fur so she won’t feel your claws. I’ll keep hold of you,” she said, encouragingly. “And if need be I’ll tie you on,” she added, ruffling his ears.

Alkyone had patently waited for them to settle again, before looking up to the sky and quickly working out which direction to go. The sun had past its zenith and was heading towards the west, she turned until it was at her back, and began walking.

“Pardon me! Coming through!” she said in a fog horn voice. People scattered left and right, eager to get out the way of the massive female barging her way through. She headed in a straight-line, only moving to one side when she encountered stalls, but she was quick to get back in line.

Once she began passing through the houses and along the streets she glanced back to see how they were fairing. Iapto, like whenever she was on the back of a Lai, had an elated expression. “‘Enter with purpose?’” she asked, “he doesn’t like people just wondering about on his land?”

She hadn’t even known about the ‘fort’, she could have easily stomped about without realising she was trespassing. Not that she cared too much, she went where she wanted, although the idea of being met with consequences did make her a little wary. Wary to the extent of being more careful, as opposed to avoiding it. Iapto on the other hand would probably charge about anyway.