Eternal Rains (IC) [M] - Closed

[Paladin Sheppard]

As Keaton stood up and made to leave Paige followed, only pausing to grab her traveling cloak from the rack by the door.

She hurried to catch up with the yellow and black Jackal.

"Excuse me, Keaton was it? May I ask where we are headed? Although I'm quite capable of fighting with out it I would prefer to fetch my equipment from the inn I'm staying at." Paige asked sweetly as she walked alongside Keaton.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Refastening her dark raincoat tightly against the almost sentient permeating powers of the island's rains Penny headed out after the group, but not too close. She was still trying to talk herself out of this mad notion.

[Sunblink]

...Keaton:

Keaton didn't answer Cross immediately. Instead, she simply stood there, one hand on her chest, deeply inhaling and exhaling in a steady, synchronized pattern. A valiant effort to dispose of the residual buzzing still whirring about her brain, but the noisy pattering of the rain against the buildings, the streets, the people, still persisted despite her attempts to cleanse herself. Removing her hand, Keaton looked over at Cross, then at Sheabus, who had addressed her as well. Cogidubnus was taking too long. Why was he taking so long? They needed to move. Every second could be spent concocting ways to murder Kytharion Sabanethei. She would not tolerate seeing them casually wasted.

If that backwards little dipshit is off sniffing scented markers or something, I'm going to drag him out here and - Keaton curbed that thought with another, shaky breath. Then she opened her eyes and tried to look more focused. "We're going to the docks," she explained. "We can afford a boat. I have the money..."

Behind her, she could hear Cog finally exit the bar, along with the bear. Apparently he seemed to have some vendetta against Kytharion and the Sabanethei Family as well, judging by Keaton's analysis of his previous actions. So what if he was a bit violent? That wasn't her problem. It could be used. Manipulated. All that violence could be channeled towards a much more worthwhile purpose.

Speaking of violence... Keaton noticed Witt was walking away from the group. After Cog called to him, only to receive a rather crude rebuttal in return ("Twit," he had said), Keaton inhaled sharply through her nostrils and attempted to be polite to the hedgehog-like-individual. Exercising force hadn't proved to be a very productive action, so she tried to appeal to him in a different way, despite the fact Keaton almost felt her stomach burn as she swallowed her pride and whatever irrational, emotional luggage accompanying it. Signaling for Paige, who had asked her a question, to wait for a moment, Keaton spoke.

"C'mon, Witt. The sooner you come with us, the sooner we can pay you, alright?" Keaton tried to keep her voice pleasant. Her eye threatened to twitch, but she managed to resist that urge. She wondered how long she could use the promise of paying Witt as a way to ensure (yeah right) his compliance. "The docks are this way. We have a boat."

---

...The Queen Wasp (Unknown):

Under the cover of darkness draped over the ship's hold, a faint buzzing thrummed from seemingly nowhere in particular before silencing abruptly, succeeded by hideous, rasping sounds - the sound of claws raking the aging wood. Heavy, chitin-plated feet shifted and thumped together, grating razorbladed claws against the creaky and mold-encrusted floorboards with each step they made. Determined from the weighty sound of each footstep, the creature approaching from the depths of the hold was undoubtedly large, perhaps titanic.

What stepped out from the darkness vaguely resembled a wasp - its chitinous, rugged exoskeleton was colorized as such, in poisonous shades of waxen yellow and oily black, and it possessed the customary stinger on its protuberant insectoid abdomen - only anthropomorphized and armored, an insect forced to develop on its hind legs. Whether or not the aforementioned development was a pretty process was debatable, but it certainly produced power, as the wasp-creature's barbarous physique and immense height of nearly seven feet demonstrated with each step. Almost nothing about the creature was soft or serene - every curve or contour was accentuated in jagged outcroppings of exoskeleton-armor; what flesh that wasn't contained by the armor sinewy and irregular. The wasp-creature was abnormally proportioned, with heavy, weighted limbs adorned with hooked, clawed digits, its only graceful features consisting of two attributes: the long, coiled antennae curving from its scalp, their lengths reaching its waist, and the giant, gossamer wings folded against its back like a sweeping cape.

Where its companion in crime had freely embraced the taste of salt-laden air and the opportunity to finally be liberated of the ship's confining hold, the wasp-creature merely scowled and swatted at the falling droplets of water with an irritably-swung claw, throwing its compound gaze back and forth. At the unabashed presence of the wasp-creature, many of those loitering about the docks were shocked into simply standing and staring at the spectacle. Insectis. Never saw those around Holiday... they were supposed to be solitary, isolated creatures, limited to their chthonic tunnels and networks. Despite this aberration, everyone knew better than to confront the intimidating beast of an insect.

Startled out of smoldering silence by its partner's comment, the Insectis swerved its head around so it could glare openly at the milky-eyed jaguar. "Was that supposed to be some kind of crack, smartass?" snapped the Insectis in an unnaturally distorted, yet somehow feminine voice - not feminine in the sense of that it would attract serenity, but feminine in the sense that it was reminiscent of a banshee. It was a good indicator of the Insectis's gender. Something dangerously vicious flared in the pits of her compound eyes, somehow spreading to each, individual sphere centered among the cluster of ocelli between her larger eyes. "What's that supposed to mean, fuckbucket? Got something funny to sa - hey!"

Before she could further interrogate the jaguar, however, and consequentially garner the attention of even more of those working on the docks, he evaded her, and slipped away. Sighing a sound which resembled both an exhalation and a snarl, the Insectis rested one of her immense, clawed hands on her forehead, then slipped it back, smoothing down her antennae. She looked contemptuously around the dock - though she didn't seem capable of exerting any emotion other than a negative one, or a variation of such, judging by her activity thus far.

"So this is Holiday..." she mumbled. The Insectis lolled her head to the side, the sinewy muscles in her neck stretching taut, and then straightened her head again, sighing. She didn't bother to hide her next remark, "What a dump."

With that, and summarily neglecting the collectively fearful, curious, and stunned stares of the Beings populating the dock, the Insectis trudged away, following the same path her companion had taken.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Witt raised one eyebrow. "You have a boat already? Well, why didn't you say so." He lowered his brow, and, grumbling imprecations, and muttering profanities, he stumped after Keaton, shaking water from his spines.

"Damned inconsiderate obstinate stupid gods-forsaken bloody leaders." Stump stump stump. "Couldn't organise a piss-up in a gods-damned brewery, I swear." Stump splash stump. "Don't know where they're going, don't know where the hell they're from, aren't sure what they're doing, can't be bothered letting us know useful information prior to too late, probably don't even have a bloody plan." He gazed up at the sky for a moment. "Can't even pick a fine day to go on their random stroll around the vicinity." Stomp stomp stomp. "Not that there are any on this bloody swamp." Then glared at the rest of the group. "Picking this random mob of misfits to do their dirty work, I bet. Gods." Stomp stomp stomp splat stomp. "I'll just bet we're all gonna die. Horribly. Painfully. And for what, thirty pieces of damned tainted bloody silver, I reckon. And then we'll be totally unable to fence the blasted stuff." He shook his head, spraying water off in all directions. "Gods-dammit, I bloody hate the rain. Gods, what I wouldn't give for a decent bloody drink." Stomp splash stomp. "And that unstable mother-raping junkie will probably spend any profits we get on shooting up." He glared, briefly, in the appropriate direction, before shaking the water out of his eyes again. "Gah. I gods-damned hate the father-raping rain."


Grumbling his way along behind the rest of them, he kept up the steady stream of complaints, gripes, moans, and profanities, sotto voce, as they wended their way down towards the docks.

[bill]

Navarro trailed the others slightly, walking silently. Every sign said that this mission was completely doomed, but...", Navarro stopped, and looked at the ground. He heard an argument a while off, but didn't pay attention.

Worst case, I cut and run. Best case...

Navarro kept walking.

[Sunblink]

...Keaton:

Keaton sighed aloud amidst Witt's tirade, relieved that her desperate attempt to gain his cooperation had succeeded. That went more smoothly than she had anticipated. She supposed she'd have to start asking "nicely" more often in order to get what she wanted from these people.  Not once had she used any words which could be interpreted as begging, although the effort was still tremendous. Keaton was used to taking, not giving, both verbally, physically, and emotionally. In every aspect. It was how she survived. With that out of the way, Keaton turned back to Paige, who she hoped had remained patient throughout that momentary ordeal.

"As I said to Witt" - Keaton refrained from calling the hedgehog something unpleasant - "we're heading to the docks. The local inn is probably on the way there. If you want, you can go ahead and pick up your stuff, then meet us back on the way."

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Aisha deCabre]

Will there be no end to this small army?  Aisha rolled her eyes after she stepped out, observing that the bear was intent on coming too.  I knew the guy's head was valuable, but...

The rain was as a refreshing break from the kind of crowded air that a tavern had, no matter how well it was run.  No matter what the weather, Aisha liked being outdoors.  Judging by the fact that she wore no boots, the panthress was no tenderfoot either.  She loped quickly after the others, not bothering to shield her head from the cool downpour, until she caught up and managed to hear snatches of conversation.

Her eyebrows quirked when she heard Keaton reply to a couple of answers as to where they were headed.  A boat?  Well, she certainly approved.  It was hard for anyone to follow anyone else over water.  Maybe it would also be a time to get to know the fellow party members in the small army.

...Yeah, right, chica, memorize faces.  You never know how many of them are gonna stick around anyway.

"Oh, shut up," Aisha muttered when she passed the hedgehog uttering curses.  "This is only the beginning.  Don't use your best words before the fun begins."

As she started to wander to the group's sides a bit, just to make sure that it didn't look like they were all together (though they probably gave that impression anyway), it was hard to see the typical assassin's grin on her face afterward.  A dangerous expression.

[Lushin]

Sheabus walks along listening to the others speak but said nothing. He just chewed on his cigar and moved it around in his mouth. He pulled it out and looked at it and spit off to the side, away from the others.
"Hrmm I think I can keep this thing lit"
Sheabus put the cigar back in his mouth and pulled out a lighter. He walked for a bit trying to keep the lighter lit.
"Damn must be running low on fuel"
The lighter finally lit and he put his hand over the cigar to get it lit. He finally got it going and took a few drags off the cigar.
"There we go"

[Paladin Sheppard]

When Keaton turned back to her Paige hid the slushball she had been forming in her hand (with every intent of hitting the hedgehog). "Thank you, I'll meet you out front then?" Paige said before quickening her pace to get to the inn before the group.

After a slog through the mud and rain Paige made it to the inn. Stepping inside after scraping her boots clean the rusty brown wolf made her way to the small room she had been renting. Closing the door, she striped down and packed her clothes into her backpack before pulling out a black padded bodysuit and putting it on. Unrolling the leather wrapping Paige put her armor in when she was not wearing it, she began attaching and strapping the armor to the bodysuit.

Satisfied that it all was in place and strapped properly, Paige grabbed the scabbard of Winters Bite and slid it through straps on the back of the armor, as well as her fighting claws which she strapped to her waist.

Finally she picked up her backpack and threw it over one shoulder and walked out. As she passed the front desk she handed in her room key to the bored clerk there.

Under the cover out the front of the door the wolf waited for the group to come into view.

[lucas marcone]

Dani caught up with Keaton. His hat was tilted so the rain poured off the back. "What's up with the druggie?" He asked. "Doesn't want to talk much." Dani truged through the swampy mud he was familiar with. Something underneath his coat bounced funny as he did. "Why are you after Kytharion anyway? What's your motive." A spark of deep thought shone through his features.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Without breaking the flow of the invective, without even skipping a beat, Witt muttered something like "Gods-damned waterproof bloody cheery felines give me blasted hives." and stomped, entirely coincidentally, in a puddle.

Just in time to splash mud up at the black feline's legs.

[Tapewolf]

Ignoring the hedgehog entirely, Cross cast his eyes over the docks.  As usual, there were many ships of various sizes and configurations.  One of them, he hoped, carried a consignment of the soul-gems they used in their 'dairy'.  Shipments of those had been reduced and delayed of late.  While they had devised a workable substitute using milled fragments of glass in case their supply dried up entirely, Daryil feared that the Family may be responsible.

"Did you have a particular boat in mind?"

[Boog]

Ty smiled and dusted his hands off. It really was amazing, the results you could get with a nice word and a smile. And to think, he used to solve such matters so inelegantly as to bodily hurl the offenders out of the area they weren't supposed to be in. He couldn't help but marvel at the polite age he was so fortunate to live in.
"Ah, good barkeep," Tyrannus grinned at the lizard, remembering a couple seconds after the fact to display less of his dagger-like teeth, "Those individuals have been ushered out. You said that would cover my drinks so far, yes?" He laid a ten and a five down on the counter, "One more, before I leave. And do tell me, out of curiosity," the mythos' gaze grew contemplative, "who was it they were speaking of?"

[Tezkat]

The blond jaguar, the last to "join" this ragtag group, raised the collar of his trench coat to provide a modicum of protection against the unrelenting downpour and opened the door to leave. A mottled brown mutt--one hand on his head to prevent his hood from blowing off--ducked into the bar and nearly collided with the well-dressed feline. The dog stepped aside and apologized profusely. The cat merely smiled and waved him off before strolling off into the rain. His golden locks were soon plastered to his head, occasionally whipped up by fierce gusts of wind as he made his way to the docks.

+ + +

Rainwater flowed off his heavy work coat and pants as he made his way to the bar, but the floor of the Verdant Cuff was too soaked to notice a few extra drops. The canine pulled down his hood. Like many dock workers, he was rugged and worn. Not particularly handsome. Although not a small man, his shoulders slumped slightly with the look of someone who didn't want to cause trouble. Quite unremarkable and easily forgotten. Certainly less interesting than the huge saurian standing next to him.

"Rum, please. Spiced."

His voice was hoarse and gravelly. He muttered thanks to the barkeep and forced a polite smile as he fished some money out of his pocket.

There was an empty table by the door. He wandered over. A plastic sign lay discarded behind the chair near by wall. He shrugged, pushed it aside, and sat facing the bar. He let out a long sigh and raised the glass to warm his innards with booze.

+ + +

Fang nursed his rum and observed the patrons of the Verdant Cuff now that the crew of would-be assassins had left. Camouflaged among the crowd, he opened his mind and ears to the chatter in the bar. People would talk. That couldn't be helped. A nutcase and a junkie announcing plans to kill the world's most dangerous mobster would have been dismissed out of hand as utter lunacy, but they'd displayed enough firepower to at least entertain the possibility of success. Some of that talk would be heading for the wrong ears.

With any luck, he might get to kill the messenger.

+ + +

It's like she wants Sabanethei to know we're coming for him. Hardly good news for her new troops.

That may figure into her plans, if she even has any. Do not discount the possibility of another player pulling her strings, either. The insane are pitifully easy to manipulate.

Fuck. With out luck, he's involved.

[Aisha deCabre]

As they approached an inn, most of the group quite eager to get in out of the rain for the time being before they were to hopefully catch their boat, Aisha still wasn't too quick to do any running.  Nor was she quick to reply to Witt when he muttered something back.  He was only half right about her amount of "cheeriness", but who was she to go correcting anyway?

That was when, before she could walk any further, the panthress felt something splash at the back of her leg.  Being a water cat, she wouldn't have minded if it was just water.  But the viscous texture also hinted at mud.

With a hiss, Aisha looked at who could have done it...perhaps completely by accident, though she doubted at the force it would take for a single step to spray heavy dirt.  A step made by the diminutive hedgehog at that...her eyes narrowed.  "I'm going to pretend that didn't happen," she said slowly, her voice at the warning level, and haphazardly kicked the stuff off...not caring where it landed.  "The rain does well to make everyone act like children."

Children with an interesting vocabulary.  Same principle.

[Sunblink]

...Keaton:

As Paige left, Keaton sighed to herself for the umpteenth time that day and ran her hand through her dirty-blonde mane of hair, unsuccessfully and mostly-methodically trying to smooth down the aerodynamic bangs with her fingers alone. She continued to walk, her heavy combat boots thudding against the street, effortlessly treading through the puddles of collected, muddy rainwater and flinging them about beneath the weighted soles of her boots. Seemed the buzzing had completely diminished despite Witt's persistent curse-laden tirade. At least for now. That was good.

Around the time Keaton reached that realization, she overheard Aisha hiss, but didn't let it trouble her. Instead, Keaton simply walked ahead, hands in her pockets, fingers fishing for something in particular. Beside her, Dani seemed to catch up to her, apparently with the intention to strike up a conversation. Keaton blinked, surprised by this suddenly less-intimidating front, and then listened attentively. She shrugged.

"Druggie's name is Cog. He isn't much of a talker, I guess... usually stoned off his ass on those drugs he shoots himself up with, but he's useful when he isn't off his fucking rocker," Keaton explained with an almost cordial sense of noncommittal. The understatement at the end of that sentence slid off of her tongue effortlessly.

However, her reaction to Dani's next question garnered a much more different reaction, judging by the sudden tension in her features and the way her pupils seemed to contract for a split second. Unconsciously, Keaton gulped and reached up to rub at her neck, which was still hidden beneath her outfit, at first beginning as an ingrained effort to curb her mounting anxiety, but then accelerating in speed and force.

Amidst the darkness marring her features, Keaton smiled in a way which was not at all mirthful or sincere. "I want to absolutely ruin him," Keaton went through her malediction with a strange reverence to each word, as though she was cherishing the bloodstained thought behind every syllable that slid off her tongue. " I want to break him and rip him into pieces for everything he's ever done to me. I'm going to fucking murder him."

In-between that tangent, she seemed to take an almost misty, faraway look, even as the insane smile cracked and shuddered. For a moment, Keaton wanted to cry, or scream, or break something into pieces, or kill someone. "He ruined my life, so I'm going to ruin his... and when I've taken back everything he took from me, I'll be better again." Keaton closed her eyes, pausing. Her fingers clenched around something spherical nestled in the bottom of her pocket. Something serene and cooling flourished over the seething hornet's nest Keaton's heart had become, defusing the tension bound and wriggling within her chest.

Dead and gone within a few seconds. That momentary lapse of composure was forgotten without a thought as the remnants of soothing suffusion bathed Keaton's insides.

She opened her eyes, comforted by that feeling, and then noticed the shape of an unknown object jostling beneath Dani's coat. As though nothing had happened, she pointed innocuously to the bouncing figure and asked, "What's that?"

---

...Garrett:

The fringe-fingered lizard was in the middle of depositing a pair of amber-filled mugs in front of their recipients when Ty returned, cheerfully announcing that he had disposed of the unruly individuals who were once loitering in the bar. Raising the ridges of skin over his eyes which compensated as his eyebrows, Garrett nodded impressively to himself, spinning back around and trudging like a well-trained soldier back to his customary position at the assortment of drinks arranged behind the counter.

"Looks like you did. Well-done," Garrett complimented Ty absently. He immediately fetched a fresh mug after Ty took his seat, habitually thumbing the ostentatious golden stud ornamenting the flesh around his ear-hole. "You're right, by the way. Next one's on the house. Fair's fair."

Filling up the mug with Ty's drink, Garrett slid the mug underneath the saurian Mythos's muzzle in a smooth, practiced motion. The lizard sighed, checking the clock resting over the bar, idly listening to Ty's question. He answered indecisively. "You don't want to know." Realizing that, in fact, Ty did want to know, he rectified that statement. "Kytharion Sabanethei. Crazy lunatics... gonna get themselves killed."

Murmuring a few obscenities under his breath, Garrett rolled his eyes, scooping up Ty's proffered money and counting through the change. Deciding the money was adequate, he stashed it in his pocket, and then retrieved the newly-arrived, sodden canine his rum. Strong rum, preferably. Poor fellow didn't seem in a talkative mood. "The two who set up the sign didn't even order anything."

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Witt kept stomping after Keaton, a brief smirk crossing his face. "Surprising how well you recognise the activity. Almost makes yer think, dunnit, that yer might be one yerself?" He snorted.

Expecting to be ignored - even preferring it - he shook the water off again, and glanced around, sniffed, and kept going.

"Two down, ten to go" he muttered to himself.

[Lushin]

Sheabus continues to walk and listen to the others. His cigar managed to stay lit so he seemed happy. He listen to Keaton's little speach. Once he heard her talk about how she had every thing taken away from her seemed to strike a major nerve with him. He actually stumpled a bit. He didn't think anyone had noticed, he kept walking but had a very sad look on his face. He also seemed he was far away from the others. He spoke but rather softly, not careing if anyone could hear him.
"I'm sorry. If I was there you might have lived"

[Cogidubnus]

Cog walked just a bit behind Keaton, slogging through the mud with the practiced ease of someone who'd lived with it for many, many years, and spent more than one night sleeping soundly in it. His feet made a sucking sound as he walked, and the lanky wolf kept his head looking down, only occasionally looking at Keaton and the bear she was speaking with disdainfully. He coughed.

"Hey, Keaton." he said, shuffling closer to the yellow jackal, his movements deliberately slow. "You said we have a ship. I...I didn't think you had any money. I don't have any money. How are we going to get these people there?" he said, looking over his shoulder at the assorted party behind him. He kept his voice low.

In front of them and getting larger was the entrance to the Harbor - the docking area itself lower and closer to sea level than Holiday itself. A concrete ramp led down into the veritable jungle that was the floor of the harbor proper. In front of it stood two guard huts, one on each side, and a ticket booth standing off to the side. Few people seemed to be in line.

* * *

The milky-eyed jaguar stood just outside the main loading ramp that led down into the harbor, staring with sightless eyes at the countless dozens of both beings and creatures making their way up the ramp. Long black hair beginning to mat down in small braids over his face and neck, the jaguar suddenly took a seat on a nearby crate and unslung the guitar from his back, setting the instrument over his legs. The rain seemed to barely touch the instrument, somehow, and he looked around carefully at his surroundings.
Dockworkers of all races and species milled about busily, loading and unloading giant cars and platforms of goods and carrying them to who-knew-where - giant orange tarps covered most of the items, in an attempt to keep them somewhat dry despite the bad weather. The ground beneath them was concrete, slick with thin mud and water, and marked here and there with orange tape in an incomprehensible attempt to communicate something. Giant containers stacked high one atop another, grey skies, and the looming presence of unloading machines seemed to give the place a closed-in feeling despite the open air and undeniably large space.

Producing a pick from seemingly nowhere, the jaguar began to play his guitar, the twelve-stringed instrument audible despite the incredible bustle around him. He played for a few seconds, the tune mournful and infinitely out of place, before looking up suddenly in wide, bright-white grin. His sightless gaze was fixed on the giant, sloping ramp.

"Just in time, then." he said. He didn't have to look over his shoulder to see his companions catching up behind him - even if he couldn't already see them, he could practically feel the Queen Bitch making vibrations through the concrete.

[lucas marcone]

"Just a tool of the trade. I was actually supposed to collect some 'protection money' from the barkeep, but I couldn't risk you guys leaving me behind and SOL for an opportunity like this. The Marcos will be GRAND again, and you will help make it happen. In more than one way if you're feeling generous after we do our job." Dani sounded as if a fire was lit in his heart as he spoke. His muscular arm bent as if flexing a muscle to accentuate his point. A sheeny cylinder popped our of his jacket long enough for Keaton to identify his "tool of the trade" When Cog spoke with Keaton Dani overhearing said "Don't worry even if she doesn't, I got this. The Marcos don't pay their successful strong men cheap. If only this part of the Docks were Marco turf I could 'negotiate us one cheap or free." By now Dani's ankles were caked with mud, but he didn't seem phased. He still seamed warm with the pride of his speech.

[e_voyager]

they had reached the docks with little incident it seemed as Epyon followed in more or less silence. some how he practically blended into this mish mash of creatures and beings assuming that even half of the beings here were really beings but some how he doubted that. it was fine however as long as they led the way and didn't challenge him then he had a chance to search for his own treasure. his objectives might not alight with theirs very closely but if they were going to open the way anyway who was he to turn down easier access. Still as he walked with them he wondered if Witt could be persuaded to reclaim what was left of his belongings from the hotel. Ah well they probably didn't have enough time for it anyway. If he survived this he could always come back and search for what was left behind. But for now onward to either riches or death, either way it was sure to be and adventure. He chuckles his brother was right he should have been and adventurer if only he had not been so scared of it before he died.

[Tapewolf]

Cross' ear flickered in annoyance.  He was walking quite close to Keaton, and although he couldn't hear much of what the junkie said, he seemed to be wondering how they were going to pay for the ship to wherever the hell they were going.
Hardly surprising given the piece of cardboard they had at the tavern, he thought.

"A larger turnout than you expected, hmm?"  He murmured to her.  "If you need assistance, I can probably help."  He was, after all, the number two in a relatively successful drug operation, and in any case he had not fled Ha'Khun empty-handed.

[Snuggles]

Anton was happily not much walking but hopping to keep pace with everyone else. He liked this group except for a couple of people. They all seemed to get very well as far a he could see. He eye caught Sheabus trying to light and keeping the cigar lit. Hmmm... big, strong, looking at him a little more. this might be the fellow that i want to be making friends with as soon as possible. Then his eye caught Aisha. She seemed to be pretty determined to be on this "crew" as it were if he remember correctly. She seems to be very nice and will always want to get her objective done. This might be very good in what i think we are about to go and do. He continued to do is walk/hop to keep up with the group.

[SpottedKitty]

As he walked along towards the docks, avoiding (as best he could) the worst of the mud, Fal'taq watched the rest of the party carefully. He still knew very little about them, particularly the jackal and wolf.

At first Keaton had struck him as just a silly little mad girl, even if she had revealed herself to be a 'Cubi. Then he remembered an old book of lore he'd read years ago, describing many kinds of dangerous Creatures. The chapter on 'Cubi had included a warning about the ones with heads on their tentacles; they were particularly powerful and dangerous. Cogidubnus certainly seemed to be a hopelessly drug-soaked idiot, but there was something about the way he'd perked up back in the bar when he was just about to have an amusing bout of DT's. That merited careful attention.

As for Witt — the mole just couldn't stand the constant muttering and moaning for much longer. If the hedgehog got too annoying, he might find himself removed from consideration for a job later, not to mention breathing, in explosive fashion.

Aisha had a competent and dangerous feel to her. She was the real thing, a veteran adventurer, and possibly a trained assassin. So was Navarro, although the leopard had an unsettling air about her that the canine lacked. And Pettersohn was a near-total enigma. What was he whispering to Keaton back in the bar?

The other wolf, Paige, appeared to be merely decorative. Did she really have a spellsword, and know how to use it? A pity, if so: she might object to spending time with Fal'taq afterwards, and he'd always thought splashes of blood looked so pretty on that colour of fur...

As for the others, some he hadn't seen enough of to make any sort of judgement, some he dismissed as most likely totally useless. He continued to watch them, making a mental note of anything that might be interesting or useful later.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Paige spotted the group as it passed on the other side of the street from the inn, readjusting her hold on her backpack she made her way over.

She saw the wolf wearing a trench coat, that felt 'of kind' to her in her head, whispering to Keaton. He seemed to enjoy whispering she thought, as every time she had seen him he had been leaning in to say whatever it was.

Paige wasn't sure that this job would be that well paid in the end, but the chance to wreak a little mayhem and not get put on the spot for it was too good a chance to be given up.

[e_voyager]

Epyon watched as the various  members of the party gathered into smaller groups two to five it seemed with the most around the imitate vicinity of the jackal and the wolf. well they were the leaders of this little coup d'éta  so be it. not wanting to be singled out again she moved closed to the hedgehog who had come back after heading the wrong way and wondered if he should speak to the hot tempered little brawler.

[Sunblink]

...Keaton:

Rolling and playing methodically with the spherical object in her pocket, Keaton listened attentively to Dani's harangue, her ears slanted back and her angular eyebrows furrowed. Marco family? So she was attracting likeminded people from crime families viciously entangled in conflicts with the Sabanethei Family? Most of these people she had dismissed as simple adventurers who were desperate for a quick buck and a bit of glory, not anyone with notable backstories or involvements with unscrupulous organizations. This made matters much, much more interesting, she concluded with a slight smirk, concealed behind the long, disarrayed locks of her hair. Seemed this fellow was quite vehement about upholding his particular family affiliation, too... though in Keaton's near-four hundred years of living as Kytharion's servant and assassin, she couldn't immediately recall a Marco family.

Then again, she was starting to lose recollection of many incidents and events in her life.

Keaton's hand squeezed and wrung at the globe, then with a sharp flick of her wrist she surfaced her hand from her pocket. Pinched between two fingers was a small, iridescent orb, its sleek glass shell housing a perpetually-churning myriad of chimeric colors and harmonic hues. Admiring the colorful sphere, Keaton once more seemed entranced in a suffusing serenity, blankly detached from Dani and Cogidubnus's brief exchange. Then, for a moment, Keaton stiffened and swept the orb back into her pocket, re-registering everything that had occurred during her mental absence. In the background, she could hear Paige returning, apparently clad in a skintight bodysuit and fortified with armor on top of that scanty suit.

"Money?" Keaton repeated quizzically. Then, nonchalantly, she shrugged and said, "Don't worry, we have enough to rent a boat or ride on one."

Without a hint of concern or remorse in her features, Keaton turned her head towards Cog and sighed in a way which indicated she was going to regret the unnecessary trouble that would follow her confession. "I guess it's time for me to come clean," Keaton shrugged carelessly and opened her eyes, staring Cog down. Her expression was tense, but infuriatingly lackadaisical. "I sold your drugs to pay for the boat ride."

---

...Unknown:

"Hold up! Hold up, will you?!"

Quite unexpectedly, the jaguar seemed to comply with the Insectis-woman's demands by abruptly stopping in his tracks. Emitting a chitter-snarl under her breath, the Insectis-woman grated to a stop behind him and thundered up to his side, her wings irritably buzzing behind her. Resisting the urge to clock him behind the head, the Insectis woman merely directed a scathing glare in the jaguar's face, then swiveled her head in the direction of the congregation of figures she could see from the dock. Most of them she couldn't make out, considering the elevation of the dock in comparison to the rest of the isle, but among the crowd she could barely make out a somewhat identifiable figure - one smudge of saffron and sable, clad in black.

That distinguishing color combination was nearly enough to make the Insectis-woman smile wickedly, regardless of the fact she could barely determine gender and species (she assumed it was a canine from the vague facial structure, but the voluminous tail, more befitting of a vulpine, was quite off-putting).

Nearly was the key word. It took a lot to make the Insectis-woman feel satisfied, and she still needed confirmation regarding that aforementioned figure's identity. Glowering down at the jaguar, she inquired, "Can't see shit... you sure that's her?" Behind her, she could hear the scuffling of her other companions as they caught up with the pair. "Can't be any fuck-ups. Otherwise Kyth'll have our heads."

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Tapewolf]

Cross, with his usual paranoia, had kept up a low-level mental probe.  Not enough to confuse or distract him, but enough to tell if there was someone creeping up behind him.  And there was.  It felt like the other wolf, the one he suspected of being a succubus.
With Keaton's question of the financials sorted out, he glanced around to face Paige, and smiled.

"Hi there.  What's your sign?"

[Cogidubnus]

 At first, after Keaton spoke, Cog simply gazed at the saffron-hued canine with something akin to a blank look, the drug addict obviously in disbelief. The Jackal hadn't just taken a few things here and there - Cog had amassed something that he'd planned to last him a very long time. More than he could afford, really. He suspected it was one of the reasons that Keaton had been sent after him in the first place. If the wolf hadn't been kidding himself, he knew there wasn't any way he could ever pay that much smack off. But...
Cog took a shuddering breath, his eyes suddenly expanding in sheer terror.

He seemed to simultaneously freeze and panic, completely immobilized by this sudden revelation, and yet seeming to be racing at a thousand miles per hour. His breath came in gasps. His hands shook, and one of them dipped into his left pocket. A shuddering hand took his hat off his head, and licking his lips as he brushed the hair back over his head, he looked back up at the jackal in front of him. His eyes remained blank for a few moments more, not quite clicking yet, before locking with the Jackal's chocolate orbs.
A light flared within Cog's yellow eyes. "You...you..." Cog said, words failing the distraught canine. He swallowed hard. "YOU BITCH!"

The wolf screamed at Keaton with all the intensity and venom that his emaciated frame could muster, looking down at the assassin that could surely tear him limb from limb and shaking with anger. His eyes were murderous, and without saying another word, he simply stormed past her, tromping for the ticket booth in front of them all.
It was impossible to see the wolf's expression from where the party stood. But as he walked away, in his face, there was a more than rage in his face. His eyes looked at the ground with what could only be called despair, the wolf only stopping abruptly once to glance at the eternally grey sky above him.
There was terror in his eyes.

*  *  *

The jaguar continued to pick at his guitar, picking at each at the strings idly. The dockworkers around the group were starting to give them strange looks, and the melanistic feline changed his tune to what could only be described as background music, soothing and somehow unintrusive. The glances at them decreased, somewhat.
"You Bitch..."

The word carried on the wind, loud enough that even his illustrious companion would be able to hear it. The jaguar grinned lazily, picking at his guitar with renewed intensity. He seemed unconcerned with the glances anymore.
"Oh, yes, I think so. Quite certain." he said, his voice not a little amused.

[Paladin Sheppard]

"Oh you can't tell?" Paige asked smirking as she walked up, but lowering her mind shield in a test. 'Clan Ba'than. And you?' She thought at the light grey wolf.

She glanced at Cog when he screamed at Keaton. "Whats up with him?"