Mokley

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Haha, nah I'll post again so you have something more to go by. Tomorrow. It's after 2:30 in the morning now. Why am I awake? Who knows?

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Woo! Welcome back Damiann!

Dharc: Absolutely! Please do feel free to post up a character application. :)

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Bump again!

Ragtag: Steampunk treasure hunting.

Head-over-feet, Simnia toppled against the wall of the engine room while the rotors hummed and the gears churned. She skittered upright again, stared around her wildly, and realized that she had indeed caused the machines to begin working. Now that the gears were running, it was easier to see what was connected to what else, where those lines were going, how the steam was moving through the pipes. As the engines warmed up the room grew hotter and louder, and Simnia pulled one last throttle which she was now confident would increase speed. The floor tilted under her, and the ship wobbled because of the damage in one balloon, but they were moving.

After a few minutes of checking the settings and ensuring that everything was running properly, Simnia rushed out and up the stairs to the deck above, where she crawled up the banister and leaned over to see the city disappearing behind them. The wind rushed all around, and ahead were only clouds and sky. Rightly proud of herself, she descended again to maintain the engines and continue her new duties.

And then, an order came down from the captain that they would be making a stop. Stop? Stop? She hadn't considered that, really -- but the logical and right assumption was that what she had done to make the ship move would also make it slow down, if done in the opposite way. And so, gently, she eased a lever down and released a button, so that whoever was driving this thing (who was driving this thing?) could ease into port. Wherever that was. Simnia couldn't see a damned thing down here.

She went above deck to watch the balloon being repaired, and to see the captain putzing around in the grass like he'd never seen grass before. She puffed her cheeks and went below deck again, not at all interested in the dirt, and waited there for orders to start the engines. The second time was a cinch, and while the ship was moving, Simnia even felt confident enough in the engines to leave them for a time, to seek out food and shipmates.

And then, Braelv. After easing the ship into the port, as soon as the engines cut out the captain's voice hollered down the stairs. Simnia was tired and aching from all the lever-pulling, her dress smelled like sweat and apricots, and her head was ringing from the constant noise of the engines. But she clambered up the stairs and stepped out onto the deck again, to immediately gravitate toward the port bow and the view of the strange and foreign city.

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Unless someone else from red team reappears (which is encouraged and welcome, if any of you are still floating around!), Red Team is no more!

Red_massa, you are now a part of Blue Team. You may want to go back and take a look at the last few Blue Team posts so you can get an idea of what you're walking into.

Green Team is already stuffing themselves with turkey, I imagine. ;)

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Simon said While still holding on to the old lady he turned his head but Simon couldn't see anything at all in the very small distance that he could see.

The beast in the dark smacked its mouth, and it snuffled at Simon's hair with great huffs.

"Don't mind Reus," the old lady assured Simon. "He's just a big puppy. Reus, cut it out, leave the boy alone."

The big dark wolf huffed again but backed away from Simon obediently. But then, suddenly, the wolf began to howl.

AAAAAAWWWWOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!

The sound was low and deafening at such close proximity. Yurei put her hands over her ears. The wolf whined pathetically, then ran off into the forest, bushes rustling behind him. "Who knows what that's about," the old woman muttered, and she shuffled onward through the forest, leading Simon even deeper through the woods.

Soon there were fireflies all around -- but the fireflies parted to allow the old woman to pass, and moved far away from her to avoid touching her. In the light of the fireflies, an old owl's eyes glimmered above. The owl sat on a tree branch, staring down at them haughtily. Yurei waved her hands at it. "Scat! Shoo!" she shouted angrily. "If I find you here again you'll be owl soup. Git!" The owl appeared to glare at her condescendingly before it spread its wings and flapped away through the forest.

"Damnnaggin kith," Yurei muttered, and she moved forward into a grassy clearing, where there was water trickling somewhere in the darkness. "They think they own the place. Boy! Simon, was your name? Boy, don't ever trust a kith, no matter what they tell you. You see an owl, or those damned fireflies, or anybody with a mask on, you put your hands over your ears and you keep on walking, you hear? Ah, here we are."

They had come to a small cottage -- which, in the darkness, was only visible because there was a very dim blue glow shining from inside the window. Yurei stopped at the door to the cottage, and she paused.

"Boy, something isn't right," she murmured. After a moment, she stepped aside and smacked Simon on the back. "Here, why don't you go in first? You can see, can't you? Make sure there's nothing amiss." She pushed him toward the door of the cottage -- where, inside, Arin was hiding underneath the table, and blood dripped from the counter.

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Hania said She turned back around to the pool at his mention of water and hobbled towards it, when she reached it's edge she fell on her knees and dipped her hands into the pool, she brought the water up to her lips, it was incredibly refreshing and sweet. Hania could feel it giving an edge to her focus. It was then that she saw the black eel-like creature circling at the bottom of the pool, she pulled back from it's edge quickly, "Wh- what's that?!" she said, pointing down into the pool.

The water indeed gave Hania a sort of energy and clarity akin to a good night's sleep; over time, it settled her stomach and strengthened her limbs. The fireflies flashed all around, and the eel far below circled and shadowed the light of the rosary.

Tyaelaem crouched beside Hania and craned his neck to see. "I dunno if there's a name for it. I call it a healyfish, because it's the only one I've ever seen and it's here, in the healing water." The healyfish swung around again, and in the faint light from below there were shadows of thin crablike legs.

Anise said She glanced around clearly displaying some impatience. She wanted out. She wanted to leave. She looked at Tyaelaem and nodded once. "I would be grateful if you helped us get home. You are certainly welcome to Riverforde if you help us."

The boy looked quickly up at the princess, positively radiating joy at her words. He hopped to his feet and skittered to the mouth of the long shimmering hallway, the glowing berry clutched in his fingers. He bowed low before the princess, and the long ears of his mask nearly grazed the floor. "Yes, Your Highness. Right away, Your Highness. I am grateful, Your Highness. I would be honored, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness." He got a thrill out of Your Highness every time he said it -- it made him feel as if he were already a resident of Riverforde, the magical place with castles and kings -- and he grinned wider.

While his head was below his knees, he noticed the walking stick that Anise was carrying. "Oh, Your Highness, you have a pirate's nightstick! I don't like pirates, but sometimes their things are useful. I bet you ordered the pirates to give it to you, Your Highness, and they had no choice but to hand it over."

Tyaelaem straightened, bowed again to Anise for good measure, and then he knelt beside Randold, who very obviously could not walk with them now. He smiled while he took Randold's hand and placed the glowing berry in it. The bright fruit was slightly warm in Randold's hand, and it was squishy and soft like an overripe tomato. "You shouldn't walk yet, but you stay here and drink lots of healing water and you'll be just fine in a bit. Come find us then. Be careful with this thingy, if it breaks it oozes everywhere." He patted Randold's arm and hopped away, leaving the older man holding the glowing fruit.

The boy spun around and bowed deeply to Anise again. "We don't need the glowy thing now, since Your Highness has a piratey nightstick and can lead us through the darkness. If you would lead the way, Your Highness, and allow me the extreme joy and honor of holding your hand, Your Highness," he stretched his thin hand toward Anise, "I will give my hand to the littler one," he offered his other hand to Hania, "and we will follow Your Highness through the dark."

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Thundercat said
Sorry about that Mokley. I'm in the process of preparing for a surprise thanksgiving visit :) should have something by tomorrow.

No worries, I thought as much! :D have fun and eat lots!

drewccapp said
Now that I think about it... pirates? Is this kid from Neverland?

That didn't even occur to me, but the similarities are uncanny.

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Great post Yandere! :3

I think I've gotten used to the Hania/Anise/Randold/Arin quartet filling up the thread with posts. It feels eerily quiet after two days!

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Too early to bump?