[Real RP!] - Have Party, Will Travel

"Whoa, hold up a sec." Raz put grabbed Aaron by his shoulder. "Tali has had it, guys." She nodded her head at the exhausted elf, slumped against the wall wearily as they talked. "Someone help her on Berhu. Cerden, help her out."

Reaching past Aaron, Raz snagged a torch from its holder on the wall. She handed it to Aaron and grabbed another for herself. "Okay, we got light people. Aaron..." She gestured toward the dark stairs courteously with the torch.
 
The worst of everything has passed, and since everyone got their share of the loot that would serve them as travel money for the time being, they made their way out, and following that, Ryan guessed that Aiden was long gone, and he had gotten the hell out of this place. It didn’t matter to Cerden, but a part of him still wonders where that guy went. He just shrugged it off, and continued with the group.

When they got to a part of the castle that was out of the tunnels, Ryan thought it would be a good idea to collapse it. Before anyone could object, Ryan played his guitar in a very loud, and very bad chord. Thankfully for Cerden, he had covered his ears as tight as he could. Though some of the noise still entered his ears, the majority of it was contrasted from the cave coming down.

“GIVE US A BETTER WARNING NEXT TIME!" Cerden shouted loudly. Surely he knew Ryan had some good reason behind it, but he didn’t have to do it with excessive loudness.

The group continued as Tali looked to be struggling to even walk. She was too stubborn to admit that she is that tired, but Raz wasn’t gonna stand by and let her walk herself into unconsciousness. She asked Cerden to help her on her creature..pet..thing.

“Gotcha” Cerden said as he not only helped her, but he picked her up by putting her over his shoulder, and manually helping her on her pet.
 
Tali managed to look up from her sleepy inner ramblings for a few brief seconds as Raz mentioned something that involved her name. Something about someone… Cerden, she thought she heard, lifting her up on Berhu. She had forgotten all about Berhu. She turned her head to see if he was there, and much to her surprise he was right beside her. It almost startled her. “N-no… I do not need help. I will be fine, really.” But before she could do or say anything, Cerden was already nearby.

He grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Gotcha,” was all he said as he did so. She was so light that he probably didn’t even grunt in the slightest. “Put me d-down this instant. I said I was,” she interrupted herself with a yawn. “I said I was fine.” But as she finished, she was already on Berhu. His familiar warm fur only made her even more tired. “I suppose this will do,” she said. She placed her head down and started to rest on Berhu’s back. She wasn’t planning on going to sleep, but she wanted to rest her eyes for sure.

She was so tired she didn’t even pay attention to the fact that someone had touched her. Tali hated being touched, but being in the state that she was… she couldn’t really complain. As she started passing out, she wondered how long it was going to take for them to get out of the castle. Raz still owed her drinks at the bar.
 
Aaron took the torch from Raz He held the torch in his left and carried his sword in his right hand,he proceeded down the stair's back into that dank dark hell they walked through before,he looks around the room of flesh covered wall's and see's nothing at the moment.

"It's all clear for now,let's go before we get any more surprises.."

He figured if anything attacked he should be able to handle it as long as the others didn't get in front of the attack,he stood at the bottom of the steps waiting on the others to come down the staircase.
 
(( <_> I'm sorry it's taken so long to post. Anyway the final details for the next arc are all in place and I'm dropping the name of our next destination so you know what's what! I'll also update it on the map for us. It wasn't in the original one because I intended Wispton to be the next target, but I've got plans for that place... :3 So... on to STURMHALTEN! mwahahaha--*coughcoughcough!!* ))

Ryan grinned at Raz after Cid's explanations. "I think traveling with you should be pretty fun, Razzie," he chuckled, then eyed up the group. "Man, looks like we're all bushed. We better bail from the city. Come on, people!"

He walked into the tunnel leading to the kitchens first. The tunnel was still pretty full of demonic parasites attached to the walls, but the removal of their source of power was already diminishing them to little more than ugly and disgusting but ultimately harmless fleshy protrusions on the walls and ceiling.

"Oh wow, I wasn't expecting this," he said casually, looking at the passage. "It reeks of demon shit down here. If I knew it was like that I'd never have told you guys to go through it," he muttered.

As they walked towards the kitchens he pondered a little. "We should head north. There's a town called Sturmhalten a day's travel from Hag's Point. I know the people there, we should be pretty okay for a couple of days to rest up and see what we'll do next. Personally, I'll head through Hag's Point and go on to Valentia. I'm pretty sure the King will have fun knowing what really happened back here and I'd rather not get there with an escort of uber-suspicious Valentian Royal Guards. It's not like I can freely travel with paladins, hehe. Anyone who wants can come along."

He looked at Tali sympathetically. "I feel you sweetheart, I'm about bushed too, and I'm starving," he groaned. "I hope I can find my damn ride somehow... Oh, hey Ty, you wouldn't happen to have a Door of Wind that goes to Sturmhalten, would you?"
 
Last edited:
Raz nodded agreement to Ryan's plans. "I have no jobs lined up so I'll come with you. Best if I make myself scarce in town for a while until it cools off here.... maybe a month or so..."

She trailed off, gazing into space as she planned what had to be done and how best to do it. After a few moments, she spoke.

"Okay, here's what we should do. I'm guessing Ty here snuck in an got you out, right Ryan? Then he must've used the Rumrunner Jump, a small tunnel under the castle the leads into the dungeons. We can all sneak out the back that way. Then..."

She paused gathering her thoughts, taking in the state of their group. "Cid, you should stay here."

The big man grunted. "How much time ya need?"

Raz shrugged. "The usual."

He chuckled, a deep rolling sound in his chest. " 'As much as I can' then."

"Right. We have to split up, we're too conspicuous alone much less together. Things are gonna be hot here for a while, so I wouldn't advise hanging around here for very long." Her red eyes scanned the group, assessing. "Okay, me and Tali are going to my place. Ryan, you should probably come too. Tals, I hope you can tell Berhu to wander out the city by himself, because he'll draw too much attention. Everyone else, split up, grab what shit you need and meet at the Troll Gate. You know you're there when you smell coffee. Any complaints?"

Raz paused a split second. Hearing not so much as a sniff, she shrugged. "Alright then. The tunnel is down here." Jogging lightly, she made her way to the stairs and climbed down, leading the way to the dungeon and the smuggler's tunnel that she'd learned of during her training. Once in the dungeon, she took a sharp left turn, kicked a rock aside and smirked as the wall swung open to reveal a dark, breezy tunnel leading away from the castle. Up above, Cid started bellowing in outraged tones, demanding an explanation for the state of his kitchen.

"Come on people," Raz motioned toward the tunnel. "On the other side of this tunnel awaits a cold beer."

She gestured for them to go through impatiently, so she could close the door behind them. She wanted to check on Jazz.
 
Last edited:
At least someone understood just how tired Tali was. She was drifting in and out of sleep on the back of Berhu as they neared the exit. It was about time, she was rather tired of being in this place. She had her gold in her pouch and she was drained and tired from casting spells all day. If there was one thing she had learned from this place it was that she really needed to work on her endurance. Some Mages could cast spells for what seemed to be hours before stopping. Tali had hardly managed to go that long for an evening, and now she was paying for it.

It was then that Raz spoke up about splitting up. It was a good idea, but a bloody obvious one. Anyone with half a brain could have figured that one out. Then she mentioned that her and Raz would be going back to her place. Since when did someone make her decisions for her? Tali was just about to open her mouth to say something, but figured that it wasn’t worth the effort. As long as there was a couch and perhaps mead involved, she didn’t care.

However, the next sentence caused her to groan aloud. She was going to have get off Berhu. His warm inviting fur was amazing and comfortable… and now she was going to have to walk on her own again. With that, Tali slid off of Berhu and landed on her feet. Using her staff to help her stand, she simply nodded at Berhu and spoke, “Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva” (Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet). Berhu knew what that meant, and with a slight rumble in his throat he took off on his own.

Tali kept on walking behind the group at a slower pace, but not slow enough to fall behind. “It is about time we are out of this place. Now, Raz… what were you saying about beer?”
 
(( <_> I swear I didn't forget to post. I'm just busy. <3 ))

Ryan graciously offered his arm, now clear of all indication of his armor, like the rest of him, for Tali to support herself. "<Here, you can lean on me,>" he said in Elven. "I'm not sure how the hell Ty came to find me, but your idea sounds good, Raz."

He followed along at a reasonable pace, given that he was pretty tired as well. "Will you mind if I use the shower at your place? I need to clean up, I can't look like a hobo or any tom dick or harry will know I was a prisoner," he huffed. "And bit of general advice: Until we meet up, it's probably best if we all dodge any questions about where we're going or where we came from. I know that it might sound fun to claim the deed of bumping off a warlock staging a coup... but any bard worth his salt will tell you that revolutions eat their heroes."

Then he sighed. "And man...I need to find a messenger sphere..."
 
((OOC: ...See the SU/D thread for my totally good excuse for not posting...even if I'm a twat for it.))

Tysorai had heard Ryan, but did not immediately reply. Yes, his Door of Wind could take them to Sturmhalten, but Tysorai was really beginning to question whether he wanted to continue in this escapade or not. Of course there was the money...and though he generally abstained, Ryan was quite comparable to an incubus when it came to sex. His companions generally weren't all that bad either, but...

Ty's ears picked something up in Cerden's tone, and he growled. Then he snapped. It wasn't his fault...not really. He was just pissed. His writer hadn't seen him for weeks - the span of seconds for him, but it was the principle of the matter, dammit! - and here Ryan was making decisions, and Ty had finally started to slip character a little. Nothing major, but then he read Cerden.

"...Good. Fucking. God. What does it TAKE to work with professionals around here!" Tysorai pushed his face close to Cerden's and snarled. "You'd better grab your writer by the pair - assuming he has a pair, that is - and tell him to write better. I can hear the present tense. Jesus fuck!"

Having deigned to slide out of character somewhat - something Tysorai attributed to his growing tiredness and lack of use in previous weeks - Tysorai pushed forward and reached into his pocket. He withdrew his hand and threw the Door of Wind. The little coin clinked and whirled on the ground, gaining momentum until a bright white light opened above it. Not that Ty could see it - what told him the Door was working was the rushing sound of wind emanating from the portal. Tysorai said clearly, "Morris, Chigi's Alley", and the wind slowed a moment, then the light flashed and the sound returned. To those with eyes, Tysorai knew that the image of a dark, dank alleyway would present itself. "I didn't use the Jump to get to the castle, but it is an excellent way for escaping. Here is a distinctive marker in Morris city, known as Chigi's Alley. My banker lives there, but now that we have our own personal bank I'll have to relieve him of his services. The Door will take us there, and we can all go wherever we need to from the Alley."

He 'looked' back at his companions and said, "In. Now. Unless you want to stay behind here. And by god, if one of your writers acts like a git about this I'll spike him myself. Now in." Without further ado, Tysorai leapt through the Door, feeling the now-familiar sensation of being lifted up on a thermal and carried through the air, though that had not actually happened at all.

Make up your bloody mind, you bastard! Ty thought.
 
Last edited:
Raz's lips quirked into a smirk at Tali's question. "First round is on me," she assured the shorter elf.

She glanced at Ryan as they emerged into rapidly falling twilight. The tunnel let out quite a ways from the castle proper, well into the city itself, hidden in the factory district. The left, a crumbling building with faded word, "Seeds" on the side loomed over the empty streets. The rest of the title had been obscured by time and neglect. Raz could feel the hum and ping of magic nearby -- they must be close to a protective wall.

"You can use the shower, but I got dibs," she said, with a wink. Then, turning the the rest of the group, she gave them quick instructions to the market area, and once again how to get to Troll's Gate. "Grab what you need, steal if you must, then be at Troll's Gate by midnight. It's best if we get out of here before the guard have time to search for us. And for the love of Athena, try to not look too conspicuous, will you?"

Without waiting for a response from any of them, she checked the empty streets once more -- an old habit, that -- then swiftly led the way down the winding streets, trusting Ryan and Tali to follow.

In short time, they had made it halfway to Raz's house. She stopped in an alleyway, her back pressed to the wall. She held up one hand to silently stop Ryan and Tali in their tracks.

Edging ever so carefully to the corner of the wall, she slowly peered with one red-black eye down the dark alley.

About five guards were at her front door. Only one of them stood on the stoop, who once more lifted a mailed fist to pound on the door. The other four were arranged to the sides, spears held at the ready to impale the first thing that stepped outside.

So much for trust of the people.

"Raz Seventeen, this is the guard," shouted the one, apparently a sergeant to judge by his stripes. He waited for an answer, then banged on the door again. "Raz Seventeen, please come out. You are wanted for questioning."

Raz watched, silent, calculating how long it would take to kill them if they broke into her house before they could blow their damn whistles. Shouldn't be too hard, with only five. Thirst had drunk deeply tonight -- she could probably stun them before they even had time to bring their weapons to bear.

She carefully, quietly, drew her sword.

At that moment, four more guards came around from the back of her small house. Shit! Their armor was padded for stealth and they moved with the exaggerated care of well-trained warriors. One of them shook his head at the sergeant, who grumbled, "Must not be here. Head back to the castle, she may be still trying to find her way out of there."
Idiots, she thought, watching them jog away, feet striking the cobbles in perfect time.

She waited a few more minutes to make sure they were gone, then motioned for Ryan and Tali to follow her. She quickly jogged across the empty street -- everyone was trying to find out what had happened at the castle -- and unlocked her door, holding it open for Ryan and Tali to enter, ready to slam it shut the minute they were inside.

Behind her, nearly scaring her out of her skin, Havoc meowed imperiously at her late arrival. He was hungry and wanted to be fed.

"I'm gonna make a fur coat out of you yet!" Raz snarled. Her heart was still racing from the fright he'd given her.
 
Last edited:
By the time the plan was set to go to Hag’s Point which was a location where Ryan had connections, so that’d obviously be the place where everyone can meet up and reconcile and stuff. Cerden whistled for Gary who was just taking a quick nap. He came over, and just seconds before he reached Cerden, Ty just went bonkers. Whatever had him by his furry balls seemed to be irritating him beyond comprehension. Cerden didn’t know what to make of it, so he just slowly took a few steps back in case Ty decided to take a bite of his skin. Okaaaaaay…

Gary made his way over to Cerden’s side, which now Gary was now very glaring at Ty in case he fell off the handle again. “It’s okay boy, he’s just grumpy…I hope.” Cerden rest assured that Ty was no one to be wary about.

Ty threw something, and soon a portal-like think formed in front of the group of Cerden(and Gary), Ty, and Ryan. After the ….door formed, Ty pretty much demanded that everybody jump into the Door of Wind or they will get left behind.

Cerden hopped on Gary’s back, and then the two of them jumped into the door right after Ty did. “Let’s hope he goes back to being the semi-normal werewolf.”
 
“First round is on me,” Raz said, as she took up Ryan’s offer to lean against his shoulder. As she did so, she couldn’t help but take mental notes. Just as expected, his arm is rather strong. Is that due to working out like most people do, or is it due to whatever those tentacles are? She shivered slightly as she thought about the tentacles. She had read enough dirty comic books in Threepwood to know where that could be going. The last thing she would ever want was to be on the wrong end of that.

As she leaned against his arm and her staff she wasn’t quite paying attention to things around her. She was far too busy thinking about the comforts of a bed or a couch. Even more so, she wanted a shower. But it appeared that both Ryan and Raz would already have dibs on that. “Hey, save some hot water for me.” Odds are, she still had enough energy to heat water, but she didn’t want to take any chances at all when it came to that.

Raz gave out orders to everyone else to be at Troll’s Gate by midnight and then started going down the winding streets. Luckily, they were mostly empty. Tali simply followed along and stopped when motioned at to stop. She really was far too tired to be cautious. She simply just followed Raz and did as Raz said. Normally, she wasn’t one to take orders… but she could make an exception… just this once at the very least.

As it turned out, there were men waiting outside what Tali assumed to be Raz’s home. Raz was quite ready to strike, but they were leaving. As Raz opened the door, Tali stopped leaning on Ryan’s arm and went in first. The first thing Tali did was plot herself down on the couch. “So… comfortable…” She quicky folded her arms and started kicking her feet… which did not quite touch the ground. “This is not half bad for a house.”
 
As everyone went their separate ways Aaron scratched his head in confusion..

"..Troll's Gate...? I guess that's the exit to this town..." He sighed and looked around, He figured if he was going to travel with these people he'd need supplies, He spent hours getting medical supplies,Repairs on his weapons,and having his clothes resew.

Once done he decided to check up on Sirocco,He left the City and went into the closest forest, He took the Dragon flute from his shirt and blew into it, Minutes later Sirocco arrives and lands at his feet rubbing his head on Aarons chest.

"Easy there...So you know, I will be traveling with a group of people for now so I won't be able to check up on you often but...When I do call I pray that you will hear it.." He spoke calmly as he pat Sirocco's head.

"Do not worry I can always hear the flute no matter where you are, If you play it I shall come to your aid. I wish you good fortune in your journey with the group." Sirocco Responded

"Heh...I keep forgetting I can hear your thought's thanks to this gemstone...Alright then I'll keep you in my thought's Sirocco just be care-" He stopped and laughed he knew Sirocco disliked it when Aaron was worrying too much.

Aaron patted his head once more before making his leave Nighttime had come and he decided to head back to the Troll's Gate and wait for the others to arrive, He makes it back to the gate and lean's against the edge waiting for the others to arrive.
 
((OOC: Sorry for the long post guys, I'm just trying to cover as much as possible as fast as I can so we can move with the story!))

When Ryan hesitated on the doorstep, Raz reached out, grabbed a handful of his shirt, and yanked him in. She carefully closed and bolted the door behind him.

“This is not half bad for a house.”

"Hey, thanks." Raz smiled a little at the compliment. "I'm not much of a decorator, but I know a good couch when I see one."

'Not much of a decorator' was a vast understatement. Her small house was spartan in the extreme, only containing the necessary furniture a house required. A few mismatched but fairly attractive rugs served to keep bare feet from freezing in the morning. Exactly one large metal sculpture of a dragon, wings spread as it strove for the heavens, sat on a low coffee table in front of the couch.

On one wall hung various banners, military sashes, and frame upon frame of medals, many from foreign countries, kingdoms and far-flung cities.

Raz was busy rummaging through the refrigerator -- a neat thing she'd found in the elven lands, and kept food cool by means of enchantment. "We've got time to cook something up, but I don't dare start a fire. That might bring them by again to ask questions if they see smoke. So candles only. Ah, here we are."

She tossed the items from the fridge with a practiced flick of the wrist, all the items landing neatly on the kitchen table. Several pieces of jerky, cheese, bread, and a few random pieces of fruit all flew through the air to land with delicate precision on the table a few feet away. The fruit wasn't even bruised.

"Help yourselves. Won't be back for a while, so may as well eat as much as you can." Feeling a little peckish herself, Raz grabbed a piece of jerky and started chewing on it. At that moment, Havoc nearly knocked her over in a bid to get her attention. "Alright, alright, you bossy little idjit, I'll feed you!"

With great care, Raz removed a bowl of freshly sliced salmon and chicken, all cut to appropriate cat-sized bites. She scooped out a generous portion into his expensive, personalized bowl and laid it on the ground for him. Havoc went at it with gusto, purring loudly. Smiling fondly, Raz scratched his head as he ate -- he was a big cat, larger than most small terriers, and at 22lbs was a force to be reckoned with if he put his mind to it. He wasn't fat in any way -- just BIG.

"Okay, water here," Raz pointed to the tap, "Get your tea there," she pointed to the teakettle on the stove, "and alcohol up there." She waved her hand to the cabinet next to the fridge. "I'll be back in a few."

As she passed the elf on the couch, she added, "Oh and Tali, if Havoc tries to get on your lap, just push him off. He's just a big, fluffy love-muffin."

Before either of her guests could reply to the odd phrasing, Raz vanished down the hallway leading to the back of her house. In her room, she stripped off her armor, sword and boots. Then, grabbing up a set of clothes, she went to the bathroom and stepped in the shower.

Five minutes later, she stepped out again, dragging a towel over her hair. Her days in the military had ingrained fast and efficient bathing habits into her that had never gone away. She dressed and exited, tossing another towel Ryan as she came out. "You're turn." She indicated the bathroom with a tilt of her head.

A glance at Tali proved her suspicions: Havoc was cozying up to the elf, purring loudly and looking very comfortable, like the little attention-whore he was.

Raz wandered into the kitchen, opened the largest cabinet entirely dedicated to medical supplies and selected what she needed. Sitting down at the table, legs sprawled wide and feet braced against the table-legs, Raz began attending to the long, but shallow cut on her left arm. A little alcohol swabbing and a quick bandage was all she had time for.

"Tali, before you get to comfortable there and fall asleep, we're gonna move as soon as we can go. Can't stay here for too long. We'll move to my-my..." She stumbled over the words, quite at a loss to describe her relationship with Jazz. "....My friend's place," she finished lamely. "It's just down the street, so it isn't a long walk. You can rest there, sound good?"
 
Tali wasn’t lying when she said that the house was nice. It wasn’t extravagant, like she was used to, but it was nice in a cozy kind of way. Besides, it wasn’t as if she could complain at all. They were on the run, Tali was exhausted, and they had nowhere else to go. All in all, things weren’t bad at all. There were much worse places she could be… such as a ditch… or in a prison somewhere. Just to think, if the demon had won back there, she could very well be a slave right now!

She watched as Raz placed some food on the table. There was jerky, cheese, bread, and some fruit there. While Tali first thought it would be spoiled or rotten, it was all rather well. There was no funny smell, and nothing looked out of line. Tali stood up as soon as Raz said “help yourselves” and took a couple of pieces of jerky and an apple. As she bit into the jerky, she could have cried. She was so tired she hadn’t realized just how hungry she was.

As she was distracted, a large cat appeared next to Raz. She had never seen a cat so large in her life! The mere sight of it made her jump a little bit. However, as Raz fed it, it appeared to be just a cat… and not some kind of miniature lion. Raz then pointed out the water, the tea, and even the alcohol. “Oh and Tali, if Havoc tries to get on your lap, just push him off. He’s just a big, fluffy, love-muffin.” Tali simply nodded in reply.

Turning around and sitting back down on the couch, Tali continued biting at her piece of jerky. It was rather tough… but she didn’t mind. However, it was at that moment as Tali was just starting to make herself comfortable that the cat had started to ease up towards her. Cautiously… perhaps too much so, Tali reached out to pet the cat. From the looks of him, he meant no harm. However, he was just so huge that Tali could have sworn it would try and eat her hand.

“Tali, before you get too comfortable there and fall asleep, we’re gonna move as soon as we can go. Can’t stay here for too long. We’ll move to my-my…” For a second, it appeared that Raz was having trouble thinking about what she was going to say. “…My friend’s place. It’s just down the street, so it isn’t a long walk. You can rest there, sound good?” Tali couldn’t help but sigh out of frustration. “I suppose… but I am so tired… and more walking sounds horrible,” she whined.

“I just hope there is a comfortable place for me to sleep. I refuse to sleep on a floor… or a springy mattress.” Before she could stop herself, she went into full “whine” mode. “And my head must be pointing towards a wall when I sleep, I cannot sleep with my head facing a door. The blanket has to be thick, but not overly so, or I cannot sleep. And I hope none of you snore… I am a very light sleeper… and although I do not snore, when I am sick, my own breathing wakes me up…”

She could have groaned on some more, but she quickly realized that Raz probably wasn’t the type of person to accommodate her every whim. “W-well… I suppose I could deal with that stuff… for one night at least…”
 
(( Hey gang, I LIVE! Despite my respiratory infection doing its best to keep me out of action, I'm alive ^_^ ))

Ryan had hesitated a little at Raz's doorstep, mostly because he momentarily felt the protective ward against demons, but when she yanked him in, all it did was prickle a little.

He straightened himself out with a smirk. "Nice place. Better than many I've been in," he said casually, slinging his guitar off and gently putting it down against the wall. "Hello there fuzz," he said to the cat with a grin. "God I hope my own ball of fluff is alright, I haven't seen him in a month."

He smirked at Tali a bit. "Catch a quick nap if you can. If you need it, I could play a sleeping tune for you. I've got an interesting lullaby specifically designed for power naps," he chuckled.

While Raz went in the shower, Ryan attacked the food she brought. While in the Duke's prison, he hadn't been properly fed in weeks; they only gave him proper food after they'd bled him for his precious liquid to make demon soldiers. And even then, it was only enough to make sure he'd recover. So presently he stuffed his face with bread, jerky and cheese, yet still with absurdly fine manners. He ate strangely quietly, and before long, much of the jerky, the bread and three apples had vanished.

As soon as Raz was out the shower, he stood up. "Right, my turn. No peeking from you ladies!" he jested.

He snatched the bag of clothes he'd stolen from the Duke's secret stash and went in the bathroom. He took a little bit longer than Raz, but he had good reason to; he hadn't bathed in all the time he was captive and had quite a lot of grime to scrape off himself and his hair, to say nothing of cutting them a little bit and shaving.

But when he did come out, there was something to be said about bards and their impeccable manner of dress.

He was clean shaven, his hair trimmed and more matted instead of the wild trusses he had earlier, and he was dressed in a fine pair of breeches and fine boots. He wore an expensive white shirt with slightly baggy sleeves under a black, V-neck vest and a handsome short cloak. The elegant red scarf around his neck was ready to be tied over his eyes to hide the gleaming red irises. Now he looked like the bard he claimed he was.

"Bless the muses, finally. I feel like a fuckin' human being again," he groaned, stretching.

He eyed Raz. "So you're taking the cat to your boyfriend. Good idea," he quipped casually.
 
Raz had paused in examining her armor (all in good shape, thankfully) and simultaneously brushing her hair to listen to Tali's long list of sleeping requirements with a small smile and a delicately raised eyebrow.

As Tali trailed off, looking sleepy and flushed, Raz just laughed quietly. "Indeed. I think we can find something to accommodate you," she said. Her voice bore the most subtle hint of teasing sarcasm in it. "Would a hammock do? It doesn't have many holes in it since he took care of the rat problem."

Grinning, Raz turned to greet Ryan as he entered the room and she did a double-take, blinking at him. "Holy shit. You do look human. Neat trick, man."

Just then, his words suddenly registered.

Raz felt her face go incredibly, embarrassingly hot. "He is NOT my boyfriend.... I mean, he's my friend and..... like, a really good friend.... not..... that way; well, sorta -- Imean, Imean, no, not like...." she was rambling and she knew it and she shut up, instead favoring Ryan with a glare.

Sure, she liked Jazz a lot. More than anyone else, really. And yeah, he meant a lot to her. More than anyone else ever meant to her. But they had never gone that far, or even acted like that toward each other. Well, maybe at times they kinda walked that line, but with her being a freakish, bloodthirsty super-soldier and him just being.... all.... perfect and kind and funny and normal and....

It can just be complicated, okay?

And dammit, why did thinking about Jazz as a boyfriend always make her blush and stammer like a schoolgirl? Damn bards and their effing perceptiveness!

"Ryan," she said, her voice carefully neutral, never breaking her glare. "Please drop dead."

Then, she turned to Tali, all considerate politeness. "Tali, if you want to wash up, now's the time. There's more towels in the cabinet in the bathroom. I'm going to pack."

With that, she strode out of the room into her bedroom, throwing an apple at Ryan's head as she passed by. In her room, she started packing a small duffel bag with clothes, mostly sensible, utilitarian kinds, but at least one 'casual' shirt made it in there. What other people would consider outlandishly loud and exotic clothing, Raz considered going 'incognito'.

Before she left the room with her things all packed up, she made sure to grab her pistol, Fluffy, and to retrieve the jewels from her pant's pockets. Especially the emerald that reminded her so much of Jazz.

She rolled the rough emerald between her fingers, thoughtful.

Jazz.....

Damn. Last time she showed up at his place this late, she'd had a nightmare and had run down the streets in her nightclothes just to make sure he was really okay, that he was still alive. She still blushed like mad whenever she thought of that night. She hoped he'd forgive her for showing up so late this time, and with two complete strangers and her cat besides.

Raz shook herself out of her reverie and shouldered her bag, hoping Tali had already finished washing up and was ready to leave.

((OOC: Exo! If you want to skip describing Tali washing up or anything, you can just have her out there all squeaky clean when Raz walks into the room, OR you can just ignore all that and detail it anyway. I'm sure it'll be immensely entertaining either way! Havoc likes Tali and will probably pounce on her lap and start begging for attention the moment her butt hits the couch. ^_^))
 
“No, but thank you… I would much rather fall asleep on my own terms than being ‘forced’ to sleep by a bard.” Tali said. She couldn’t help but be a little rude, and in all actuality, was unaware that she was doing it. However, when it came to sleeping, she would rather not be put under even her own spell or even a potion that she had made herself. It always made her feel right weird waking up… as if she had just been violated or something.

“And what do you mean rats?!” Tali exclaimed. She would never be able to fall asleep in a hammock as it was, but to have to sleep near rats… that was an all new low. However, Ryan seemed to be rather quick on teasing Raz (rather successfully) about her “friend”. As far as Tali was concerned, it more than made up for any theoretical hammock she may or may not be sleeping in later. As those two exchanged their banter, Tali went to the shower.

She was going to have to make it short… and she would be lucky if there was any hot water left. There were other ways for her to get clean, however. She went to the restroom and took her staff. Surely just a little bit more magic couldn’t hurt? As she walked in she noticed the floor was a bit wet from both Raz and Ryan getting out earlier. She turned the hot water on and waited until the water filled the tub. Most people would assume she was getting ready for a bath.

However, most people were completely unaware of how quick Tali was capable of taking one. “My clothes will need to be washed too…”, she thought. Which was the truth, her clothes were as dirty as she was, and she didn’t bring extra. As the tub filled with water, she turned the hot water off and felt the water in the tub. It wasn’t cold… but it wasn’t hot. It was going to have to do. Without taking her clothes off, she simply jumped in the water.

It would have been an odd sight for anyone else to see, but Tali knew what she was doing. She took some shampoo and started putting it in her hair, and the shampoo started getting all over her clothes. This was a good thing. Because as she made sure every inch of her was soaked, clothes included, she jumped out of the tub. Picking up her staff, she tapped it on the floor three times and whispered “expel” and every spec of dirt, blood, sweat, water, and shampoo washed themselves off of her. In just two minutes, she was completely clean and dry. It looked as if she never needed the “bath” in the first place once she was done.

With a smug smile on her face she walked out of the restroom and back in the living room. “I am…” she paused for a brief second. She had forgotten just how tired she was before she used that spell… now she was really tired… “r-ready to go…” She sat on the couch where she completely forgot about a rather large cat that was ready to pounce on her.
 
Tysorai turned his head and growled over his shoulder at Cerden as they materialized through the Door of Wind. "Be glad I'm not a normal werewolf, twit. Otherwise I would have mauled you long before now."

Once everybody had filed through the portal, Tysorai crouched down and picked up the restored coin. After pocketing it, he said to Ryan, "I'll find you later. Business and all." Without waiting for anybody else, he leapt up and grabbed onto a hanging eavestrough, levering himself up. "Be off with the lot of you," he called down. He heard the group begin to disperse, caught up as they were in their own conversations. When Tysorai could no longer smell the group nearby, he sniffed the air, hoping to locate Chigi's chimney. Sure enough, he could smell the tell-tale wafts of venison and hassenpfeffer - Chigi's favourite pre-bed dinner - coming from a chimney several yards away. He took off at a run towards the scent, his claws making little more than sharp clinks and tiffs as they propelled him over the rooftops.

When Ty arrived at the chimney in question, he crouched down and wafted the scent towards his nose. He was in luck; the fire was not burning, and the meal was being served, if the clinks of cutlery were anything to go by. Tysorai pulled his cloak about him and dug his claws into the inside of the chimney, slowly and silently making his way down the stack. It took nearly a full half hour for him to make his descent - short as the drop was, he wanted to get through it without spraining a tendon or making too much noise - and the soot made the breathing difficult and the stench stifling, but he landed softly on the ashes below. Through the ash he could smell no fire; the coals were cooling, and no candlelight burned. They were in total blackness. Dinner had been finished and Tysorai could smell the pungent odour of cast-iron pots soaking in well-water.

Ty grinned as he padded softly out of the fireplace. He made his way across to the bedroom, and slid his knife-point into the space between the door and the jamb. The latch gave way and opened smoothly, but Ty had lost the element of surprise: the hinges creaked. With a swift movement, he shot into the room and pressed himself against a nearby wall, only to hear a frightened gasp come from somewhere nearby. Tysorai shallowed his breath and stayed perfectly still, his claws gripping a dagger beneath his cloak. A person stood up and walked to the door, muttering about damned rusty doors. As the man moved, Tysorai silently walked across the room and seated himself in a chair near a desk. When the person had latched the door and began making his way back to bed, Tysorai struck a match and lit the candle. The person yelled aloud in fright and fell backwards, backpedalling from what Tysorai knew appeared to be a werewolf bathed in flickering candlelight, scars thrown into relief and a sightless blindfold.

"Hello, Chigi. I want my money."
 
Ryan grinned at Raz. "Ah, I see my deductions are correct. I love you too sweetie," he cackled at her fluster.

I love being a bad and...well, me, he thought cheekily. Oh Muses, your servant loves you ladies.

He then eyed Tali and shook his head. "Man, should we stop at an apothecary and get you a power potion? Or some mana biscuits?"

He was honestly quite concerned about the elf, who looked about as tired as a slave laborer.

He stepped outside Raz's house and eyed the streets up and down. He could hear a lot of commotion from the city center, but fortunately the particular residential area was fairly quiet. Knowing the crowd mentality in such situations, Ryan calculated that about two thirds of the residents here had flocked downtown to see what the hell was going on. The remaining third was probably locked up in their houses, afraid of burglary. Of course, some of the braver ones peeped out of windows or craned over balconies trying to see what was going on beyond the sea of rooftops.

Standing beside the doorway he tentatively raised the carefully chosen scarf up and fastened it around his eyes, making sure his slightly pointed ears were covered by his hair and the scarf. With the tumult going on around him, it'd be wiser for a part-fiend to stay out of sight. Now he was just a regular ol' blind bard.

"Hurry up ladies, we've got a cat to deliver and--"

He stopped because of a strange noise. He head the thump of feet on cobblestone but it was no human pace; it wasn't a mob. It was a single thing, heavy and very agile. He looked straight at the darkened street where the noise came from and tensed, dropping into a stance, ready to unleash blood armor against any attack.

"Raz, Tali, stay inside, something is--YERF!!"

A bulky, low and slinky form charged out of the shadows and practically mowed the bard down onto the worked cobblestones. The creature chirruped and let a silly clucking sort of sound that Ryan recognized as dooking. A slightly damp nose passed over his face. He felt a lot of warm fur and a very familiar smell. When the daze from the tackle passed Ryan laughed heartily and grabbed the creature about the neck.

"Plato!" he exclaimed. "You silly weasel, where've you been!?"

The bear-sized ferret squeaked happily and nuzzled him while wriggling his tail madly. He backed up to let Ryan stand up, who proceeded to grab the cream-and-brown ferret about the neck and gave him a good vigorous scruffle-scratching.

"Who's a good weasel? Who's a good weasel?!" he cooed in a completely silly manner. "You are!!!"

He ran his hands over the excitable giant mustelid, feeling the worn and damaged riding harness that allowed Ryan to use him as a mount. "Even your damn harness is still intact. Damn, Plato, you really bolted when the Duke's troops jumped me. Have you been in the woods all this time?"

He pressed his face close to the bear-sized ferret's fur and sniffed a bit. "You smell like pine and dirt and wolf piss--have you been scaring wolves off their dinner? Tch, crazy ferret. I bet you heard all the hullabaloo going down and thought your batshit crazy owner finally got springed huh?"

The giant ferret stared back with beady eyes and an almost happy expression, chirping, almost in confirmation.

"Well I'm glad to see you too, fuzz. And guess what, we've got company!" Ryan chuckled. "Hey Raz, Tali! Check this out! Look who found me! My silly ferret mount!"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top