Fantasy Sing me a Song of Silver and Gold [IC]

[thehighpriestess]

Athena​

The sea softly doused the beach Athena laid upon.

Port Royal.

The town buzzed with it's lively, often illegal, merriment. Leather brown men with mugs of beer and pipes of tobacco walked up and down it's tawdry streets, hollering and cat calling whatever woman they might see. Except for one who laid on beaches and wore a handkerchief stained in blood.

The Captain of Neptune's Revenge found serenity laying on the sand. After often weeks to even the occasional month, there was something to be said about feeling land hold her body to the ground. The sea was an easy dream to fall into, and many a pirate or Navy man would find themselves trapped in it's embrace. She sang her song and all the problems you'd find back home were but distant memories.

Tonight, serenity would be interrupted by the shrieking cry of a seagull. She winced as it flew far too comfortably down close beside her, letting out another petulant screech.

What? No food? It's small black eyes seemed to say, as she dusted herself off and let the sand fall from her clothes.

"Nothing for you here, except a nice bullet for interrupting my rest." She grumbled but made no actual move for the pistol on her hip. She was quite tall for a woman, but was neither muscular nor particularly dainty. Her long blonde hair was braided in two plaits, the tips teaching down just above her back side, the ends pointed just like a wasp's stinger. She was born with fair skin, but years under the sun's harsh light at sea had left her tanned like most other's.

The bird waddled away, picking up speed before it flapped off and she was left alone once more. Grumbling to herself, she made her way towards a path that lead off the beach and towards the city center. It did not take long for the smell of the ocean to be lost and Port Royal's filth to take it's place. Though she was used to it, anyone who was not might find the aroma of rotting garbage, ale, meats, and a variety of other things to fill their olfactory senses.

It took some getting used to.

Her nose wrinkled in familiar disgust, but her attention was soon grabbed by a familiar, booming laugh. A particularly round, jolly bar keep stood outside of a weathered pub. Time had not been kind to the sign that hung above it, and neither had it's patrons with numerous bullet holes shot through. However, if you squinted and looked hard enough you could make out the words The Loose Cannon in faded lettering.

"Barny, " the woman greeted, letting the corners of her mouth rise up with a grin. "Not enough business? What are you doing lounging about out here?"

The red cheeked middle aged man chuckled, and rubbed a hand up through a mess of quickly graying blonde hair. "I wish it was so, lass. I'd kill for a break." He glanced over to a set of seemingly drunk patrons, one of whom was laying on the ground, leg and arms spread open like a star fish. His friend had a dribble of vomit down his shirt.

"I see they enjoyed the drink," she teased, watching as the man on the floor began to wiggle his arms and legs, a delightedly drunk expression on his face. Barnabas snorted, shaking his head and turning his body to head back inside. "Come in, come in, " he called out to her, waving a hand to usher the woman to follow.

Carefully and with some amusement, she lifted her long legs over the lad and followed her longtime friend into his bar. Immediately, she was met with nearly having a full tankard of beer thrown quite close to her head. It hit against the wall, and a thunderous bout of laughter spread throughout the rowdy, age worn tavern.

"YOU BLOODY LOT, I'LL WRING YOUR FUCKIN' NECKS DRY, I WILL." Barnabas's neck and face turned a familiar bright red and he seemed to forget Athena all together as he moved to find the culprit who threw the mug. There were a few open tables still, and one at the very back of the tavern that seemed remote enough she felt she wouldn't be bothered. A few glances were cast her way, even a few tips of a hat in respect before she found herself seated on a wooden chair close by the fireplace.

It was unlikely she would be bothered. One rarely bothered a pirate captain unless they had a particularly good reason.


_____________________________

Sedna​

Sedna found human children incredibly revolting.

They leaked constantly, from every orifice. Were known to cough with wild abandon, and more often than not they had fingers stuck deep in their noses.

Despite this, they were the only tolerable part of their kind. She watched as a group of them appeared, having finished schooling or work. She found how quickly and erratically humans bred disturbing. A gift wasted on creatures whose main purpose seemed to be bent on destroying whatever they felt like. Oceans, forests, tundra's, anything that was not theirs to destroy.

The sun was getting ready to dip deep into her home, leaving behind it's warmth to let it's colder twin join the skies. Their tiny little mouths let out the highest pitched screams of amusement as they made their way to the pier she languidly swam around in her free time.

The mermaid woman gave a small sigh, swimming towards the edge of the pier. Long black hair spread across the top of the water, tendrils fanning out behind her.
She whistled, and quickly the group of brats moved to join her at the waters edge. Most were commoners sons, wearing threadbare coats and hand me down shoes that were two sizes too big. They scurried towards her, leaning in familiarly.

Their tiny bodies would have been the easiest to yank into the water. She'd have at least three pulled into the waters, before the rest realized what was happening. Not one could outswim her or out win in a battle of strength. She ignored the familiar hunger and instead let a small smirk play across her plump lips.

"So, who has the best news for me? Don't keep me waiting, I don't like to be bored." She wrapped a single lock of hair around her claw, her eyes lazily passing over the children's faces.

The oldest, a thin boy of eleven named Tim excitedly began to speak. "My Ma works in the kitchens, she says there's a new man gunning for leadership in the company. She said he committed paterhide to get his Pa's position."

"Patricide, " she corrected, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Why would I care about that?"

His little face lit up mischievously, and he ushered the rest of his group to lean in closer. The only sounds between them were the waves lapping towards the pier and ships docked nearby.

"Because he's coming here, missus. To meet the Governor and work with getting rid of more pirates." Her dark eyebrows raised and her curiosity was piqued enough for her to probe him further for information. "Did you catch his name, Tim? Or when he'd be arriving?"

The boy beamed with pride, nodding his head. "I dunno his name, but she said in a weeks time. They've got my Ma working until the sun rises." She gave him wider smile. "You've done well, I think you've more than deserved a bit of coin for your time." She lifted her hand, and inside several coins lay in her palm. She popped her body up high enough, and he held his hand out hungrily. This would likely feed them for a few days.

Once she dropped the coins into his palm, Tim swatted some of the other boy's hands away when they reached for the money. "Tim," she called, tilting her head to the side and waiting for the boy to make eye contact with her again.

"Have you ever seen anyone like me?"

The question hung in the air between them, and the boys all shook their heads as well. "No, miss. You're the only mermaid we've ever seen."

She smiled, and leaned in once more. Her smile no longer held the same amusement, but was replaced with a dangerously vicious intent.

"I've seen so many of you, " she began, her voice barely a whisper that gently bounced on the sound of the lapping waves, "so when I tell you that I could throw you into the water and drown you in seconds, I hope you believe me. You see, there's lots of poor little boys. The world won't remember you much."

Their small, pale and malnourished faces became white with fear, but she continued.

"But we won't have to worry about that, will we? You're good lads. You'd never tell anyone you saw me, would you?" Tim shook his head erratically.

"Good. Enjoy your coin. I'll see you soon. " The threatening mermaid swam backwards, lifting her tail up in a goodbye and flicking a good amount of water towards her little spies.

Everyone had their uses.

​

 

[Flame Demon]

Scarlet shakes her head at the weathered sign of the bar, she just finished getting the supplies to the ship, climbed to the crows nest and back down and jogged around town, so now she's looking for the captain, but of course, where else would she be? After searching every other logical place for the captain she remembered this place, although it reeks off beer and puke, she thought she'd be used to that by now, having lived above a bar.

Upon entering she swiftly moves to the side in case someone decides to throw stuff at her before making her way to the back "Hello there captain, supplies are all stacked away safely on the ship." she gives her report, her hair now hanging loose behind her instead of it's usual ponytail. "Anything else I can do?" she asks. She didn't mind doing job for the captain, it's how she earned her stay when she first snuck aboard, now that she thought about it, she still had that map tucked away somewhere.

 

[Vexumin]

'Why am I still on this ship?' Raury asked himself as his head peaks over the side of the ship, eyes scanning the deck as he reaches the peak of a pull up. His eyes are squinted as usual, but his sight was sharp. There wasn't much that he could miss when it came to things not in their rightful place. His attention was far more focused upon the deck and not the churning sea below him that threatens to swallow him up if his grip were to loosen. There did not seem to be much threat of that happening though. His near inhumanly large hands clung sturdily to the edge of the sea-faring vessel.

After a few more reps, he swings himself back on-board, stretching his arms. He wipes the sweat from his brow and then cleans off his hands with a towel. He can see crew walking along the deck, but spares no time to speak with them. He had a job to do, and people were likely going to get hungry soon enough. He still had a lot of preparation to take care of. He steps below deck, bringing his head really low. The kitchen was not too far from the steps to the top deck. After all, you want the kitchen close to where the work is done. Not only is it close to the stairs in the galley, but it's right below the captains quarters. Better to have the scent of cooked food seeping through the wood over sweat, piss and shit.

The tin sheets cover the floors of the kitchen bend and shift under Raurys' weight. He begins preparing a meal in a pot big enough for a family of men like himself, thus it should be more than enough for the numbers aboard this ship. As fresh water boils, he clicks open a small chest tucked in the corner. He pries a small chunk of the contents within free. It's soap, and it suds quickly in his wet hands. After a quick wash, he wipes his hands clean, ready for the day ahead.

 

[BittyBobcat]

Ven Labatt​

In the rapidly shortening distance, crashing blue waves gave way to a coast where people appeared as bustling specks against stark, light sand. Port Royal was full as ever, its inhabitants holding with them the sweet promise of a full evening. Even the wind carried with it the salt-tinged scent of civilization—a disgusting mixture of animal manure and smoke as dinnertime fires were lit, but a familiar one at that.

"Right then," the words came in an odd tone that began with brisk surety and dropped into a lingering final syllable that he relished the feeling of as the thin man behind him stiffened in the corner of his eye. Ven turned from where he leaned against the taffrail to face his close-lipped uneasiness full on. "Inform the crew below-deck that we'll be in-port by last light. Those that finish their duties before we dock are released to pursue personal pleasures as they see fit so long as they return by sunrise—yourself excluded, of course."

"Yes, captain." Gray's teeth were scarcely visible through his mumble, but with Ven standing so close, it wasn't hard to catch a glimpse of their too-sharp tips.

He leaned in closer, grinning with a flash of his own teeth—threatening, he knew, not for their own danger, but from the fear of what the grin could entail. "You seem reluctant, Lu."

His attempt to hide a small flinch backward was hilariously obvious in Ven's eyes. "I— I mean, yes captain!"

"That's better." It was hardly any louder than the last, but there was a terror-strengthened firmness to it that deemed it acceptable enough for Ven to allow him one footstep of space. "Be on your way, then."

"As you wish."

Luca Graymin​

Gray turned just as the captain passed on the message to the rope-monkeys and others on-deck with a booming shout that left the hair on the back of his neck prickling regardless of the fact that it wasn't addressed to him. Or, at least, not directly. It wasn't hard to guess that he did it on purpose, right when his back was too him, all so he could watch the wince.

He was not the only one to be tormented by Ven, not even the only one to be maimed. No, the cane in his hand was a blessing compared to the lost limbs he'd seen before. All things considered, things could've turned out a hell of a lot worse than getting free food in board in exchange for services to Ven. That's what he told himself. He was lucky, really. Lucky to not be the one sitting in the keep right now. Not this this time.

Perhaps that made him a coward, but that was hardly a new realization.

"Um, excuse me. Raury?" His cane clicked quietly on the tin sheets across the floor as he entered the kitchen, ringing louder than his voice. The looming shadow of the cook was enough to keep him from stepping within arms reach and a little farther (it was hard to tell with the mountain of a man that was Raury, and he'd really rather too far than too close). "The captain wanted me to tell you that we're docking soon, anybody who doesn't finish up with their duties by then are to stay on-ship with me." His gaze moved frequently while he spoke—to the nearest blades (there always were so many knives in a kitchen), to what he could see of Raury's eyes (it was polite, after all), down to the bottom of his cane (it was wearing down, he'd need to replace it soon before it got slippery)—but they never strayed far from the chef's hands, darting back especially quickly whenever they got close to any of the knives.

 

[Tapfic]

The room was dark. It was stuffy. It smelled like preserved fish, and it made him want to gag.

More concisely; it fucking sucked.

The skin around his wrists, and freshly aquired ankles had been rubbed raw in a feeble attempt to free fimself. Now they stung against the splintered rope that tied his limbs together.

" Don't you have something better to do with your tiny- miserable little human life? "
Despite the multipul hours Lan had spent thrashing and biting at anything that moved- he still seemed to have the energy to insult the crewmate tasked with guarding him.

The man did not reply from his place on the rickety chair. A worn Cutlass held loose in hand glinted in what little light the room allowed, as he shifted his grip. Squeezeing the handle.
The old man had been at this post for the past seven hours, and even Lan could see his constant yapping was past the point of starting to wear on the nerves.

Good. He fucking deserved it, the prick.

" Oh no he has a sword! I'm sooo scared- gee fucking golly, I should probably shut the fuck up before you get mad , huh?"

Make no mistake, they had tried to gag him. His sharp teeth bit through the cloth in half an hour.

" You want some fuckin' peace and quiet, ya musty bitch? Why don't you try? Take that rusty sword you have there - walk yourself over here - and just stick it right through the scar right there, that'll do it, "
The scar in question lay on the boy's chest, marking the space over his heart, and running the length of his sternum.

The old man made no move, not even a change to his blank facial expression.
It was expected.

" Yeah, that's right. You fuckin can't- do shit without asking Captain Cocksucker; so why don't you put your toy away, stop pretending you're dangerous, and go munch some sea snow like the... bottom feeder you are,"
His voice was finally loosing it's bite, becoming quiet and breathy.

Lan had to have been caught just about two days ago.

He had yet to sleep or eat since then, but only now, as seconds ticked into minuets, ticked into hours- ticked into a day spent scowling at the man in front of him- was the pace of his thoughts beginning to lag back with the energy in his body.

He had still been sitting up, locked in a staring match with the guard tasked to him- but it was getting difficult to do even that. Stay up. Keep his eyes open.

With gritted teeth Lan let himself fall back onto one elbow, as he fought himself to keep from lying down.
He didn't have a plan, but if he did- it sure as hell would not include going to sleep here.

" What's wrong with you- human- fucks," Lan muttered.
He shouldn't have gotten so comfortable. He shouldnt have gotten so close- god he's such an idiot- now they're going to- well. He didn't know what they wanted actually. He had been to busy trying to bite fingers off when they had tied him up to pay any mind to the motives.
Maybe they'd cut his tail up and eat it, or keep him in a zoo- like in the stories Lee told him to scare him away from the shore( it really was too bad they didn't work).

Regardless of what happened to him, the result that mattered was the same. His brothers would worry, and they'd miss him.
And he would never see them again. And he would never be able to tell them " I'm sorry, but look- i'm okay". And Lan would just be a problem. And he'd just be an unpleasant memory.

The boy blinked two large gold eyes. Damp, yet stinging as though they were dry.
He wasn't crying obviously, and he wasn't about to; not now, and not when they (probobly) chopped his tail off for supper.
But he did let himself lie on one shoulder and curl in on himself , face pressed into his knees; still glareing across the room.

" I won, asshole," he muttered.
The man tasked with watching him had finally fallen asleep in that rickety chair. What a wimp! Lan must have been on hour 48 now, and he was still hanging in- probably not for much longer, despite his best efforts- but he was.

There wasn't any use in antagonizing someone that couldn't see him, so Lan shifted his gaze to glare at the door past him.
If he could just. Get these stupid feet unbound- he was sure he would have enough energy to swim deep enough- or even sink- whatever was needed to get away.

 

[ScatheAriiasqDrayceon]

Ariiasqthylinh

Ariiasq sometimes wished they'd never have to make landfall. They wished that the sparkling, azure waves could just whisk the ship from ocean to ocean, floating in the endless chanting of shanties. They wished they never had to leave, just as they wished they never had to come down from the crow's nest. Unfortunately, it was rare Arii got what they want, and even rarer that they could escape below deck before the reek of landbound cities hit the ship.

In fact, they were cursing that the moment the ship hit the miasma of reek that cities produced. Disgusting. Puke, piss, and shit all rolled into a ball of sea-rotting wood. "Land bastards," they hissed to themself, hung by their heel in a seething line of suspended misery.

But, they had a job to do, as so eloquently shoved in their face by the oh-so-handsome-and-powerful "Captain Venison" or whatever the fuck his name was.

The resident rope-monkey reached over their shoulder and tugged themself out of the rope strung around their leg. It was easy enough to flip over themself to drop the last few feet to the deck. They landed with a too-light thump, bare feet immediately pittering off toward the brig below deck. Anything to attempt an escape from the hell that was the smell of the top deck.

Granted, that also meant waking the old man up, because no doubt he'd been down there far too long not to have passed out... but whatever. Better than the smell of unkempt cities.

Rather than risk the hallway (and subsequently maybe being stepped on by the giant below deck they didn't think they'd met, yet), they simply tucked their arms across their shoulders and dropped between the wooden bars of the ladder, landing behind it with the easy grace that came from running around up on top of the mast all day. A single left turn later, and they strode into the brig.

A lopsided grin stretched across their face with all of the cruelty one would expect from a Greedy Dagger member... though, it was mostly out of habit than anything. Overwhelming cruelty wasn't Arii's thing. They could leave that to Captain Vendetta up top.

"'Aight, up with ye, old man," they ordered—quite loudly for someone in a confined space. It was swiftly followed by a kick to the rickety chair's leg, a dangerous creak filling the room. "My turn to watch the Fish Bitch while you go get steamed or whatever the feck ya' bastards do."

Jet

Jet was... anxious. Partly for himself, but mostly for his brother. Lan hadn't been back for days—as much as Jet could tell time with how deep he stayed. It wasn't like him to vanish for this long.

The... not-quite-mer-at-the-moment huffed, rubbing his arms with a jittery, inharmonious hum. Lan liked bars, didn't he? Bars would be a good place to start. Yes. Lots of people went to bars, anyway. Even if Lan wasn't there, someone had to have seen him. Yes. Yes, this was good.

Or, rather, it would be if Jet had any idea what a bar looked like.

Unfortunately for the barely-able-to-stand-on-two-legs mer, he had no idea what a "bar" looked like, nor did he know where to even start looking for one, aside from the vague idea that it was probably within the humans' wooden reefs, somewhere.

Bare feet met wood and the oldest of the Clementines cringed. Jet, decidedly, did not like the texture of wood. But he wasn't here for him; he was here for Lan. He was here to get Lan and drag him back to the shoal before he got his fins shredded even more than they already were.

Right—back to searching for his violent little brother.

Jet padded his way down the dock, the abrupt loss of the slippery sand he'd grown used to causing him to falter just a bit in his already-shaky gait. He was getting the hang of walking, though! Not enough to attempt running—no, no, no—he was getting good at walking.

If Jet had any better sense of smell, he might have noticed the reek of rot and waste... but Jet had a particularly horrible sense for scent, even within his species. So that little detail went unnoticed. Instead, he decided that looking for one of the wooden reef parts with a top was a better plan. Maybe he'd just find the loudest one. Lan was loud.

Maybe half a dial tick later, Jet decided that looking for the loudest fake reef in the middle of one of the loudest places he's ever been might have been a bad idea. It took even longer for him to realize that he was hopelessly—likely helplessly lost.

 

[Teltex]

Hunch

"Raise ya thirty," Hunch said, splashing a set of silver coins against the uneven planks of the tavern table. One landed on its side and rolled lazily around, before clattering into the small pile that had been made in the table's center.

"Yer dreaming, son," came the hoarse reply of the man directly opposite to him. Voice like dried seaweed and skin as cracked as the eastern plains, Hunch knew a experienced player when he saw one. The dark, tanned skin and low brimmed hat only confirmed it, but in a way gambling veterans were Hunch's favorite. They played hard and they played fast. They stared you down and offered a challenge you wouldn't forget. They were tough opponents... but when you won, they wouldn't complain.

"So?" Hunch replied, leaning back in his chair. "Prove it."

"Thirty five," replied the veteran, splashing his own coins on the table. The two other men on the table nodded their agreements, setting their own bids down. One of them, who was younger than the veteran but a few years older than Hunch, stared him down intensely. A glass-eye gazed off in a direction unknown.

"I hear you lot just came in," the glass-eye man said, playing with his cards. "Greedy Dagger, eh?"

Hunch grunted and tossed in a gold coin.

"So..." continued the glass-eye man. "Is it true what they say about the captain? He a vile bastard?"

The table seemed to stop for a moment, all looking for Hunch's response. He kept his head buried in his cards, rolling his tongue around in his mouth.

"Hah. Kid can't bad-talk the boss, can he?" said the veteran, who accepted Hunch's bid with a gold coin of his own. By now the other two men had pulled out of the bet, but the glass-eye man still looked Hunch down, laughing and pointing to the stub where his left pinky had once been.

"Did he do that to ya? Take a little bit out of ya for gamblin'? Surely a Captain don't like his crew wasting valuables."

Hunch grunted. "Oh, he don't mind me spending a little coin..."

He flipped over his cards. Full house. The three men gawked. As Hunch scooped the winnings into a leather bag by his side, he gave them all a wink.

"...supposin' I make more back."

***

Later, Hunch walked by the sandy beach of Port Royal towards the pier, trying to spot targets as they walked by. You needed a mix: someone who was rich enough to be worth gambling with and clueless enough to agree to a bet. Eventually, his eyes caught the shape of an absurdly tall man who didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the crowd. He looked lost, Hunch thought, and not without a valuable or two that could come in handy.

Happy from previous winnings and eager for the next scam, he sauntered over to the man. Hunch wasn't short, but this man easily towered over him. Hunch looked up.

"You right? I can spot a lost sailor from a mile off."

ScatheAriiasqDrayceon

 

[TheForce]

Kappu & Meeko

Once more Kappu would peek through the Gunport at the civilization beyond the dock. A snort of disapproval would escape his nostrils as he let the hatch close once more and Eeked a few words to meeko. The little white monkey head popped down from the ladder opening and it would eek its reply. “Still no tresspassers…do i get my surprise now?” Of course the little guy was thinking of only his stomach, it was always that unless something shiny caught his eye. “No Meeko, your surprise comes when the others return. That’s what standing guard means…we watch the ship the whole time they are gone.” Kappu responded in his own Series of Eeks and Oohs. Earninng a raspberry from Meeko as it climbed up the mast in a huff. With a sign Kappu would pull the long coat over his shoulders and button it shut before donning a face covering bandanna and a wide brimmed hat that would his nearly every inch of him, best to not draw attention to himself but still his presence on the upper decks would show any would be thieves or stowaways that there was at least a man on board and he hopped it would deter the less dedicated.

As he walked the upped deck he took thought about his current situation. Pirates had ruined his life, pirates had sold him into bondage, then different pirates purchased his freedom, and again different pirates Saved his life. They even had enough trust in him to let him guard the ship, though admittedly he knew that he couldn’t steal a ship like this by himself, and he was more than likely asked to stay behind due to them not wanting to be seen walking with an apeman, after all most would see him as some kind of freak and the last thing a pirate crew needed was another reason for them to have eyes on them with suspicion. A slight creek above him caused Kappu to shift his gaze up only to see meeko smiling sheepishly at him with the coats shiny middle button of the coat in his tiny hands…“Give Back…NOW!” Kappu Eeked to the tiny monkey while holding out a hand to catch the button as it fell. “What did we agree on Meeko?” Kappu said with obvious disappointment. Meeko tried to look away but a low growl from kappu would catch his attention again “Meeko will not steal anything on This boat…” The monkey eeked quitely and kappu pointed back at the crows nest spurring the tiny monkey to climb back up the mast. “One more time and you swim with the sharp toothed fish.” Kappu said again in Eek. I really hope they remember to bring those damned Tangerines Kappu thought to himself as he watched the hustle and bustle of the port workers with a little less disdain than he had mere moments earlier. ​

 

[thehighpriestess]

She was comfortable in the noisy, filthy environment of Barny's old bar. Occasionally she would make eye contact with a man or woman she knew, but usually that was all that came of it. A nod of acknowledgement, tip of a hat, or a wave if either felt particularly friendly.

The Port was a home away from home.

She spotted Scarlett's familiar head bob it's way carefully through the mob of patron's before she came towards her table. Taking a large drink of her ale, she let the young woman speak as the liquid slid down her throat easily.

"Hello there captain, supplies are all stacked away safely on the ship. Anything else I can do?"

She smacked her lips, rubbing the edge of her sleeve across her face and let her mug hit the table. "Not that I can think of. It won't be too long of a trip this time," she leaned back, balancing on two legs of her chair," although, I say that all the time." She looked up towards the ceiling, mentally ticking off all the boxes of things to be done before she and so many others ventured back into the sea.

Quite suddenly, she pushed herself forward and the two feet of her chair would connect harshly to the ground. "Tangerines!" she demanded, turning to Scarlett with a worried, and slightly panicked expression.

"Make sure you get enough for Kappu and his....friend." She pressed her tongue against the side of her cheek and tired groan left her. "I don't think I can handle another trip with that little chittering creature complaining. Even if I can't understand what it's saying."

Kappu. It felt like years had passed since she, unknowingly, lifted the creature from it's nets. His expression of gratitude had turned into him offering himself to the ship. Not one to turn down help (foolish or not), she had happily accepted. Considering he rarely left the ship though, she often felt compelled to make sure he at least had a comfortable home on the Neptune.

She licked her chapped lips, debating buying another mug. "Other than that, we should be fine to leave in the morning. If I can stand." She flashed the young, reliable woman a grin.

Her long, thin fingers tightened around her mug once again and her other hand lifted, signaling a passing bar maid to bring another round. There would be a few more of these before the night would end.

_________________________________________________

When Sedna felt the sea convulse, sparkling with a lively energy only one of her kind could feel, she knew. The wind had picked up, shaking the sails of ships littered around the Port, causing skirts of maidens to be raised and gentlemen and pirates alike hats to tumble off their heads. The sea would always know first; the wind would slowly come around, alerting the land of danger approaching.

Something was coming.

She dove through the waves, falling underneath the cold arms of the sea's embrace. She enjoyed the dance of a storm, and how her body would be thrown left to right as it ventured towards the port. The tangled tendrils of hair lifted from her scalp underneath the water, ballooning behind her as she swam. Her body moved instinctually back to the Port, knowing she would find most of the humans in a tizzy and a rush to take shelter from the sudden change in the weather.

Even she had to admit, it had come on rather strongly. Dark clouds amassed from the western sky, filling the air with ominous rumblings of thunder. There was an anger to the air, one that was nearly palpable.

"What angers you, Gods of the Land and Sea?" The woman called out, her voice washing away with every ebb of the tide. "Why do you tremble and shake this night?" It was an eerily comforting thing; to yell into the void without judgement. This time though , she seemed to receive her answer.

A crackle of lighting struck down, hitting a soft patch of sand on Port Royal's shores. Another strike, oddly swift and close by soon followed. The unnaturalness of the storm left even the misanthropic mermaid feeling slightly uneasy, and eager to find safety. There would be no rest in the waters or land this evening for the people of Port Royal, that was certain.

 

[Flame Demon]

Scarlet chuckles "Don't worry captain, I managed to get triple the amount that I got last time." she reassures her "And if you can't stand I can always carry you back to the ship." she jokes with a grin "And I got some palm leaves so we can give Meeko a bed." she adds. Well now that she's free she can do several things, wander around, practice, go for a jog around the port.

There were enough choices anyway, but she would most likely head back to the ship to practice with her rapier "Just don't try to emberrass yourself too much kay?" she asks heading to the door "Enjoy your night!" she calls before leaving the bar, free time for her was the sorst, she could never figure out what to do, maybe Meeko and Kappu wouldn't mind teaching her a few more climbing tricks.

 

[Tapfic]

"'Aight, up with ye, old man, my turn to watch the Fish Bitch while you go get steamed or whatever the feck ya' bastards do."

Lan stirred from where had fallen asleep on the floor, but didn't wake. He curled into himself more tightly. A small lump of pale clothes and long hair on the dark wooden floor.

" Eh, right; g'luck brat," the old man's voice was still laced with annoyance, trailing under the much more potent drowsiness as he stood, stumbling slightly when his rickety joints protested.
" Maybe yer' obnoxious will cancel its' out," he muttered as he left the storage room, not a moment spared to look back.
-

Lan was locked into a staring match as the noise around them elevated. Jeers and hollers rang behind , in front , and to the side of him. Warm blood trickled down the dips in his knuckles.

The human before him was tall, dark eyes pricked with spite as he glared down. The human was also loud, annoying, and in an unusual turn of events; he had been the one to initiate a brawl this time. Knocking Lan's innocent glass of cider onto his lap as he reached to take another mug of beer from the bar maid.

If he didn't want to fight, he would have payed the two coins that glass had cost him and fucked off; but no. The man puffed out his chest and leered down to where Lan stood. The shorter man's own shoulders squared in indignation as the cider (that he actually hadn't planned on finishing- because this human drink tasted fucking disgusting ) dripped off of his shirt.
Gods, humans were so fucking stupid- getting them riled up and violent was almost too easy.

" What, d'you wanna try and make me pay for it then? Doesn't quite look like ya' can," that had been the sentence. A few slurred words and a rough hand shoving against his shoulder had all it had taken to start a fight. That, and the fact that Lan had already been looking for one.

Maybe the short temper was a trait he shared with the land locked assholes, maybe that's why he enjoyed wandering up to the surface so often. Or maybe he just needed to be away from the others.
He loved Jet; but-
He had to do this. For some reason that Lan was not self aware enough to comprehend; he had to.

Ether way this particular human's face was much nicer with a broken nose .

And suddenly, it was dark. His shoulder hurt, and his stomach ached. His legs must have fallen asleep sometime ago, the buzzing sensation felt like a school of minnows swimming through the fiber of his muscle and- wait. Legs?

It took a moment of staring into the dark, before the boy realized his eyes were covered by his own knees.

"....will cancel its' out,"

Lan jerked at the voice, righting himself and turning just in time to see the door click shut.
There was a new human standing where the old one had once been. This one younger, but taller.

The mer's brows furrowed, his teeth grit, and his nose wrinkled in disdain. A noise- almost like a growl- drew itself from his throat in warning as the boy righted his posture and snarled.

Ft. ScatheAriiasqDrayceon