Furrae Chronicles: Webs of Destiny (IC) [M] {3}

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel's relaxed posture didn't change. Obviously if he had to make up crimes to ascribe to her he didn't have any legitimate complaints. "You might have been following a trail of corpses when you came across me but they were none of my doing. They were dead when I arrived. For all I know you got there first and had a little snack." Her eyes went to the necklace he wore to show what she meant. "Prove you were not doubling back when you found me releasing prisoners. And I was not among the ones torturing the demon or asking for a live victim to put his soul in just in case his body wore out before you were done breaking him. Then it was off to the bar just one street over, still wet with blood. People who get loud and chatty when they drink should not hit the bars during a mission. You were loud enough to attract Mr. Mithome's attention and who knows who else walked off with all the information flying about?"

[Tapewolf]

Jakob sighed.  "I had hoped we could paper over our differences, but evidently I was wasting my time.  Look.  Someone frozen to death in the middle of a backalley in record temperatures usually indicates an ice-mage.  Ignoring that fact that the victim was a Demon, the only person I have seen in the last few days using ice-magic, is you.

"So, heading to the area where this anomaly was found, we ran into a couple of guards left standing dead, killed by some kind of magic that doesn't leave marks.  The sort you'd get if you froze someone's brain, for example.  We went inside that building and promptly found you, happily casting ice-spells at us!  Now I was always taught that the simplest answer was usually the correct one..."

"Yes," he continued, with a slight growl.  "I got vicious back after the fight.  I wasn't in a normal state of mind, which by the way is also why I fell apart in the bar afterwards.  Of course part of it was a damage-limitation exercise after your fine friend opened his mouth.  What were you saying about getting loud and chatty when drunk?" his lip curled slightly at the memory and he glanced involuntarily into the gloom of the hold.

"But I'll have you know I'm through with soul-slaying.  The problem is, how to prove it."

He tapped the side of his head.  "If you want proof, I could let you look inside.  For the purposes of your inquiry, you are quite welcome to see anything within the last 48 hours.  I have but two conditions.  Firstly, you can look, but you can't touch.  I think that goes without saying, and we have to have some level of trust if we are going to be comrades, which was the bargain, after all, wasn't it?
"Secondly, we set aside our petty squabbles, or try to ignore them as best we can.  Certainly, comrades should not antagonise each other."

He paused.  "Would that be proof enough?"  I hope you know what you're doing, he thought to himself.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel shook her head and looked the wolf straight in the eye, "I do not need to check your memories because I do not really believe you did it. But it is not very comfortable to be accused of something you never did, is it?"

She went over the events of the attack in her mind. True, she had killed the assassin who had tried to execute her in the alley, but after that no blood was on her hands until the very end of the battle in the throne room. She was positive that Ignatz was the one who had cleared the way but revealing that would do nothing to help the overall situation. Three assassins in kill or be killed situations had met their ends but everyone else she had dealt with in the mansion had either taken a nap or received a little mental nudge to go to the kitchen and not return until they had eaten a snack. She shook her head, they had her pegged as a deranged serial killer and all she could do was persistently not be one. "I am willing to be as polite as I can be but until your people can pretend to meet me part way I do not know how successful this effort will be." She glanced up at the vixen peeping through the hatch. "As I stated before I can live either up or down to expectations."

[Paladin Sheppard]

Eph was silent for a few minutes thinking on what Gareeku had said. "So what do we do when the ferry docks?" She asked finally, Her voice squeaking a little. "The maps didn't say anything other than north..."

'I wanna hug damnit...why do I want a hug?' Ephrael thought sighing.

[Tapewolf]

"So if it wasn't you, it must have been Ignatz," Jakob said.  He'd never seen the two of them apart, and if it had been the work of a third party they would have met them inside the manor.

"Shit!  I should have realised he would be the problem.  In that case I apologise for casting aspersions, incorrectly it would seem.  As you point out I can hardly complain about one corpse given my behaviour last night, but... did he really have to die at all?  Hundreds of years ended just like that doesn't seem right..."  His ears drooped.

"Very well.  If I can trust you to be discreet, can you please try to impress this on your friend as well?  Perhaps it's just the way my kind think, but as a rule people who go around parading that they're special come to a sticky end.  That is his choice of course, but I'd rather he didn't drag the rest of us down with him as well.

"And as for getting along, can we at least agree to try?"  Jakob gave Mel a faint smile for the first time.  Part of it was relief... the demon was a problem, but the snow-leopard, whatever she was, was the one he had truly feared.  While he still didn't quite trust her, it was nonetheless something of a burden off his mind.  She was, after all, the one who had insisted on joining and that in itself was a lever they could use against her if, gods forbid, it proved necessary.

[Gabi]

Gabi sighed when Mel looked at her, finally deciding to speak.

"Live up or down to our expectations... that's the second time I've heard you say that," she replied. "That's what I can't take. You seem to be putting on an act all the time. Sorry if I'm too honest, I'm trying to fix things, not to make them worse; but nothing about you seems real. It's hard to trust someone you don't know anything about. Or worse, when all you know are little pieces that don't even fit together. Who are you?"

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel shook her head at the vixen, "Do you think I should extend trust to you? You know as much about me as I know about any of you."  She fiddled with the parasol that was still beside her.  "No one in this group is without their masks, including you, Miss Gabi. Who are you? It is a little unfair to ask for what you do not return."

[Sunblink]

Shortly after her shaky, insincere apology, Keaton leaned back and breathed as though an enormous weight had been alleviated from her shoulders. All metaphorical, of course - not to mention the issue wasn't actually concerning her, it just made her feel like she was one step ahead of Ignatz in their unofficial contest. Regardless, the output of ambiguous relief Keaton undoubtedly emitted would probably keep Jakob from assuming otherwise - probably, she assumed.

Then Jakob confronted Mel on some... actually, Keaton hadn't the foggiest clue what their exchange was about, nor the morals which were lurking behind either side of the debate. Both Jakob and Mel were rather unconcerned about their spectator, however, and probably for good reason - Keaton didn't really care what was going on. It became confusing to the point it simply petered out any interest she had with an unceremonious fizzle. Frowning a little, Keaton stood up, stretched her arms outward, and scooped Catastrophe off the ground, walking to the entrance to the hold. On her way, she edged around the vixen woman from before - Gabi, was it? Damn, the group was too big for Keaton to keep track of. She'd have to start listing people, and observing what would and wouldn't irritate them so she couldn't accidentally say the wrong thing at the wrong time which she was so undeniably prone to doing.

Putting a little too much thought into this. She was getting that obsessive competitive streak again.

Oh well. Humming lightly to herself, Keaton finally ascended the final step and walked into the sunlight, pacing about the deck in search of some other place to occupy.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Gabi]

"You think we can be compared?," Gabi shook her head in disbelief. "Maybe everyone you've met so far has deep dark secrets, or maybe you just think we all do. I don't. I'm a healer, I know some other kinds of magic, including defense magic, and I'm learning to use a sword out of need as you've obviously noticed. I got a letter saying someone I cared for had been kidnapped, but oddly enough no names were mentioned. So, as naive as you may think I am, I'm here to try to rescue all the kidnapped, whoever they are, and also to help my friends because I care for them. And it's not all that hard for others to get me to care for them, I end up warming up to most people I get to know... except those that are hostile. So, there. Is there anything else you'd like to know, or are you ready to start giving what you demand from us?"

[Tapewolf]

"Ladies, we are all entitled to some secrets," Jakob said.  "As a rule I don't go around blabbing about who or what I am to just any old passer-by.  If I did, I'd probably have someone trying to collect a bounty on my head, and that goes for most of us.
"There are Beings who would pay good money to see one less 'Cubi, Angel or Were, and there are Demons and other Creatures who would gladly pay for the head of Aisha or Gareeku.
"Mel here may have a very good reason for not revealing her race, although to be fair it won't help her integrate with the rest of the party.

"Personally I have few reservations about revealing my nature to other members of the party - after all, knowledge like that can be vital in times of crisis, but I can understand someone's reluctance."  And we might not like the answer when we get it... he added mentally.

[Gabi]

"Her race?," Gabi asked, puzzled by Jakob's assumption. The thought hadn't crossed her mind before. "I don't care about her race. I'd like to know what her intentions are."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Addressing Gabi first, Mel said, "I am not as deep and dark as you have built me up. I am Mel, decent mage, part-time creator of enchanted objects, and often an errand girl for my grandmother. My intention is to help you find the demon who was the master to the ram who tried to kill me. Not as romantic as your reason, but a simple and clear one."

Turning back to Jakob she looked at him quite seriously, "You believe knowing everyone's race is that important? I think just the opposite. Race divides more than it unites. If you are going to insist on mistrusting me have it be for my own unique personality instead of the fact that you have seen me in feathered wings."

[Tapewolf]

"I believe that it can be important to know the capabilities of a team's members in advance," Jakob said.  "I have long outgrown stupid grudges against others on grounds of their race, if that's what you mean."

Turning to Gabi, he looked at her thoughtfully.  "Do you trust me?"

[Gabi]

"Hold on a moment," Gabi told Jakob.

She took a moment to reflect on Mel's word. They sounded like they could be true. She'd need time to get to know her anyway, and she still wondered what her connection to Ignatz was, but at least she didn't seem that hostile now.

"Alright," she addressed Mel. "I'll try to treat you better... as long as you don't attack or threaten me or my friends, which I'd like to assume you won't. There are things on which I think we will never agree, and I'll stand my ground if they come up, but don't see that as an attack because it won't be. As for you..." she now turned to Jakob, "I trust that you mean well, and that you'd never actively try to hurt innocents. But my trust isn't transitive, if that's what you're asking. I trust Gareeku too, but I wouldn't trust everyone he trusts."

[Tapewolf]

Jakob was slightly put out by Gabi's reply... it wasn't quite the answer he was expecting, but it should still work for the purpose of his example.

"No, that's not what I meant.  But simply put, you do trust me, even though you are aware of my past.  If we had just been introduced, and you knew all the evil things I did long ago, would you still have trusted me?

"What I'm saying is that Mel here may have an equally dark past, and like me, she may have grown out of it.  Would it be fair to judge her on that?"

He paused, "That was my point anyway.  From the sound of it it came too late," he grinned.

He turned back to Mel.  "Well, Ignatz notwithstanding, it looks like we have some kind of truce, thank the gods.  Can we agree to be civil to one another as well?"

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha could have looked out at the ocean for hours on end, her hands carefully and tightly gripping the rail and keeping her balance.  Below her feet she thought that she could see a few shoals of fish swimming about in the clear silver-blue water.  But after a while of peace, the panther could hear some of the others speaking.

A few had gone down into the hold and back up again; namely Mel, Jakob, Gabi, and somewhere along the line, Keaton.  As far as she could hear, they spoke of acting civil towards each other, as well as the issue of trust.  Well, so long as nobody takes actions against us again, I dare say I'll trust newcomers as far as this journey will go, she decided to herself.  Except for the past "copycat" instant, nobody had done anything to Aisha personally.  It was her friends she worried about.

She flipped back off the railing and stretched, strolling across the deck and passing that group with a nod, nothing more.  She wasn't going to get into that conversation.  But then, Aisha spotted Gareeku and Ephrael pondering over their maps.  Tilting her head, the huntress came into eyeshot just as Eph had asked what to do after docking.

"My guess is we'll probably just keep going that way," Aisha voiced, glancing over their shoulders.  Just as Gareeku had thought, it was funny how the maps were the only things that gave them clues to the directions.  Talk about trusting shadows.  "The thing I wonder is if you're not being led into some kind of trap.  If it was indeed the kidnappers who went to the trouble to send the maps and messages to you."

[Gareeku]

Listening to what Ephrael said, Gareeku was about to reply when another familiar voice spoke first. Glancing to see who it was, the wolf saw Aisha leaning over them, also studying the maps that they held in their hands. Listening to what she said, Gareeku nodded his head slightly.
"I know what you mean." the wolf replied. "But as I just said to Ephrael, it is the only thing that even remotely qualifies as a lead. It may very well be a trap set up by the kidnappers. I can't speak for anyone else, but I personally am prepared to take that risk."

[James StarRunner]

A buzzing of multiple conversations from the ship ran through James' head. He almost wished he didn't hear as well. He sighed and pulled out a deck chair, book, and earplugs from his backpack. He wasted no time in setting up the chair and lay back in it. He popped in his earplugs and pulled open his book, "Advanced law and regulations of the world".

[Stygian]

Had it been the sensible thing to do, Ignatz would have actually settled back and tried to get some sleep. But not overhearing what the others at the entry to the cargo hold were all saying would have been impossible, and so he moved around them and observed the group in their conversation. What they said, he could easily have guessed. What they did and how they moved though... Such things could tell one many, many things about someone. Even 'Cubi were sometimes careless with their subconscious hints and gestures.
   Truth to tell, the bat was adept at reading people just by watching them, not just by talent and experience, but by profession and studies. One who knew - which meant no one, really - would have been surprised at the sort of educational background he had. And just from what he saw on the adventurers right then, he could draw some conclusions. Both Mel and Jakob restrained their movements and language somewhat, and seemed to be thinking of other things aside of the immediate subject. The wolf appeared a bit stiff and tense, standing defensively and, like Mel, deliberately taking very clear turns speaking and probably was not so sure of what he had come down there to do in the first place. And Keaton, who was just leaving, seemed mostly just emotional and sulky. Considering how she seemed a visually-focused person, and her body language seemed to hold a high tempo, that probably meant she wasn't thinking deeply about anything at all. Of all of them, only Gabi seemed to act naturally and as if she were speaking her mind. This of course meant that she sent out clear signals of agitation, but muted ones, and had a quite defensive stance as well. Her looks, the way she actually formulated her statements as commands and terms...
   They are still worried about me. Heh. To the bat, it seemed almost ridiculous. I have much bigger fish to fry, he thought, and more importantly, I hold to my word.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha watched the map in thought, unconsciously memorizing a few locations as she listened to Gareeku's reply.  She wondered how far away from the coast they were by now, looking at the sea portion, but glanced up when he finished.

Her nod was one of agreement, a light grin on her face.  "I wouldn't have expected anything less.  And I think the others involved would agree with you," she said with a glance to Ephrael too.  "After all, it is everyone's family we're talking about.  Hard for someone to back down when there's possibly something they could do about it."

The panthress was remembering her own family.  When they were lost, back then, she was too young to be able to do anything.  She wondered if helping her friends regain theirs could help her to feel some redemption for that.  But moreover, it was about the fact that she promised she'd do what she could for her comrades.

She nodded her confirmation.  "I'm certainly prepared for the risk as well."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel hopped up from her box and held out her hand. "I have no grudge against any of you. I will use my company manners."

[Tapewolf]

"Thank you," said Jakob, bowing slightly.  "Now, I suppose I should see what the others are up to, so if you'll excuse me..."

So saying, he headed back to the upper decks where Gareeku and the others were.  It looked like he'd caught the tail end of a conversation.

"I couldn't find Ignatz," he said, "But Mel and Keaton seemed to agree to the proposal.  The basic code of conduct thing," he added.  "Is there anything new afoot up here?"

[Gabi]

"Maybe we should all go," Gabi suggested.

She turned towards the door, stopped for a second and looked back, then headed out to meet the rest of the group.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel let her hand drop back to her side unshaken. Civility was certainly subjective. This was going to be a test of her patience. Mel also noticed that no one else had agreed to anything. She would be watching them to make sure they didn't try to pull anything. She picked up her staff, disguised as her parasol, and made her way back to the deck to see if there was any of the cheese and bread left in the food hamper.

[Gareeku]

Listening to Aisha speak of her willingness to take whatever risk to help them, Gareeku smiled appreciatively and nodded his head slightly, thankful of her commitment to helping them.
"Thank you Aisha, that truely means a lot." The wolf replied, the grateful smile smile on his face as he spoke.

It was then, however, that Gareeku noticed that Jakob had appeared, apparently listening to the tail end of the conversation that he, Aisha and Ephrael had just had. Listening to what the lupine incubus had to say, Gareeku nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment.
"Good. That should hopefully keep things quiet for the time being." the white furred wolf replied. "After all, the last thing we need is to cause raised eyebrows. I think it goes without saying that it would be best to remain inconspicuous as much as we can."

A little while later, on the flat line of the horizon, something was slowly creeping into view. If one were to keep looking, they would that what on the horizon would soon become clear.
"Ah. So we finally reach land." Gareeku said as he noticed the land on the horizon. Looking on as the land crept close as the shop moved through the water, his eyebrow began to raise slightly. "Doesn't look at all familiar, though...at least, not the land around where we need to be..."

[Tapewolf]

"Nothing's ever easy, is it?"  Jakob said, with a thin smile.

"How far away from our destination do you reckon we are?  And indeed, how are you faring?"  It was never easy to speak of Gareeku's condition, but it was not something he could overlook either.

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha smiled back when she caught Gareeku's grateful words.  "Anytime, amigo," she replied to his thanks, for she certainly meant it.  Whatever trouble they were to come across from that time forward, the huntress hoped that the others as mentally prepared for it.  Still there was a part of her that wished to slow time down, for she still knew all too well that time was running short.

She quirked an ear, followed by a glance, as soon as Jakob came at about the end of their conversation.  It was found that the panther had as much relief as the white wolf when it came to finally having certain members of the party getting along.  If it was going to last, all the better.

For a while, she hung out on that part of the deck with the others, keeping her eyes out for anything interesting on the expanse of blue that surrounded the vessel.  When in fact something did seem to rise out of the horizon, she perked and squinted.  "Well, finally," she smiled.  They were getting closer.  I wonder if we should rouse the others.

But as she caught Gareeku's words, her head tilted, observing the scope of the waters and the slowly-growing strip of earth.  "Hm, we do have the map.  Hopefully we'll be where it'll be easy to get our bearings.  Still..." she mused, her hand laying carefully on the pommel of the Dragonblade, "Good to be cautious."

[Gareeku]

Listening to Jakob's comment, Gareeku said nothing, but secretly hoped that this would be some sort of simple mix-up. Knowing his luck, however, that would be unlikely. Listening to the lupine incubus' question, the white furred wolf turned towards him.

"I'd say we're about half an hour away from that land up ahead." Gareeku said in reply to Jakob's first question. With his mind switching to Jakob's second question, the wolf merely gave a short "I'm fine" answer, before looking away again. Of course, he wasn't fine, but Gareeku had pride, and was going to try all he could to fend off his condition for as long as possible, though the strain of it all was starting to appear somewhat. Since the beginning of the journey, a difference could be seen. Compared to how he appeared at the start of the journey, Gareeku did not look as lively or energetic as before. Indeed, he looked more tired, more stressed, more strained. Though Gareeku wouldn't admit it in a hurry.

"I suppose we shall soon find out where exactly this land is supposed to be." the wolf commented, looking on as the land in the distance crept ever closer. The water that the ship sailed through was now much calmer than before as they neared the land ahead. Everything seemed less bright, more dull, a haze in the air beginning to grow stronger by the minute. Noticing this, Gareeku's eyes narrowed somewhat.

[Stygian]

As it was still evidently light outside, Stygian was reluctant to go out of the cargo hold. But the short nap that he had taken had been all that he needed to revitalize himself, and he hadn't been able to stop thinking about things. This made staying down in the cargo space and laying against a pile of barrels seem quite boring. Then again, he wasn't sure but he thought that if he were to go topside the atmosphere would rather turn hostile instead.
   In the end, his irritation with the boredom won out. And as he knew himself, he understood that he would have far more pleasure darkening the mood and disposition of one of his traveling companions, or at least become energized with tackling a dispute. So, getting up, the bat adjusted his coat, and fumbled inside of it for a couple of seconds. Taking out a pair of round, pitch black sunglasses, he put them on, adjusting them over the bridge of his muzzle, and then walked over to the stairs, walking back up and undoing the hatch to step out.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel had packed away the mostly untouched food and was just watching the water when land came into view. Something felt wrong. As she carefully watched the land come closer she allowed the brilliant red to drain from her jacket. This didn't seem like a good time to stand out. Much like the air around them the color faded away until she was once again wearing the soft grey suede of the day before. She leaned on her staff, no longer disguised as a parasol, trying to sense what was happening.