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 Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:45 pm
 Joshua sighed in relief when Tianara cloaked herself. He smiled, grateful that she'd done so - It made it easier to talk to her. "But how?" He repeated. "How does their power shape the body? How does it work? I was born and raised on land. There was no need to adjust to living there. Here though," He waved his arm in a gesture to take in eveything around them. "Here it's different. I'm not made for this, yet I still insist on it. Which is why I want to know about the powers that shaped you." In the back of his mind, Joshua noted that he was rambling again. 
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:45 pm
SilentShadowDreamer Katalina's eyes darkened slightly. " A wanderer from where?" she inquired, still mostly confused rather than hostile. " It is hard to get in here. How did you find your way in?" His offer was intriguing, but also worried her. What would he get out of this? More to the point, what did he want to get out of it? Adamantia looked forlorn. "Maybe," she said. "I don't really know - I think it wouldn't be very often, and probably not at all when she starts to learn to live like a human and not like one of us." When Joshua asked if he could meet Tianara, Adamantia considered for a few minutes, then turned and squeaked at Clirani, who let go of Katalina's hand and swam away at full speed. "She'll go get her," said the little girl calmly. "It'll probably be good for Tianara to meet other humans." Kicks shrugged. That was an uncomfortable question to answer, so many ways to slip up, but he went for the one that seemed the least clear. "I do not know. I am not an aqualogia like yourself, and am most likely the last of my kind." not technically a lie. He hadn't been back to Hell in centuries. For all he knew he was the last Kyton left. "I do not wander from any particular place, I just wander. And, honestly, I did not notice where I was going. I merely heard voices and followed the path my senses showed me." absolutely true. It was a minor point that his ninth sense, the one that let him sense whether a soul was alive and not damned or not, was the one he relied on the most. "Do not be so suspicious. My people were once battle-mongers, and though I do not possess their particularly violent streak i still rather enjoy a battle. I would ask for nothing in return other than perhaps a small piece of metal to add to my chains. Every link here holds memories for me."
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:53 pm
Katalina's gaze was still wary. She knew when something was too good to be true. All the same, she allowed herself to relax marginally. Perhaps he was just misunderstanding. "We don't intend for there to be a battle," she replied gently. "Although I thank you for your offer, we just wish to live in peace alongside the people on land."
His explanation of how he'd gotten here was clearly a lie - no one could have heard their voices from near the surface and come to investigate. But Katalina did not quibble the point. What mattered was talking him out of this idea of a battle before he spread it to the more...restless...merfolk.
Tianara worried her lower lip between her teeth thoughtfully. "It...I suppose it works its way in, gradually. I have lived here sixteen years - my mother tells me that I was lost overboard and left to drown, and there she found me. When I was young, I was kept in an area with more air than water. As I got older and their powers had more chance to work on me, my body - well, mostly my lungs - adapted to a life in water." She sighed. "I do not want to go." Cautiously, she approached Joshua and touched his breathing mask gently with one slim, long-fingered hand. "Must most humans wear this?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:48 am
Kicks smiled kindly. It was a smile often seen on a long, white shape in the water just before the screams started. "A commendable ideal, but my kind has been on the battlefields of eternity. We have all but been bred to see the signs of war, and this will turn into a war. Those who seek peace will either flee or perish if they will not join the warriors. I merely seek to take advantage of the impending conflict. Six months ago, perhaps, I would have offered to negotiate, but now the tensions are too great." He sat down with the air of someone who does not intend to leave. A sake bottle floating on one of his chains wandered into his hand. "Drink, miss?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:59 am
Joshua looked slightly disappointed. 'Well, I guess that rules out that idea. Whatever.' It was still interesting to know that the merfolk could even do something like that. He watched as Tianara touched his mask. He chuckled at the question. "Not most. All. All humans who haven't been changed like you have must wear one. Humans are not born for life underwater." He sighed the next part murmured to himself. "No matter how much some may wish."
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:44 am
Kicks heard the word 'wish' and immediately saw an opportunity. Ignoring the merfolk and the naked human, he strode over to Joshua, all smiles. "It just so happens that I am currently employed by a company that can assist with that particular concern." He whipped out a contract, written on what conveniently appeared to be waterproofed paper. "We used to do 'eternity' deals, but we've found that a timeshare works just as well. Basically, you agree that in exchange for any three abilities you care to mention, within limits, we will assure you receive them within sixty seconds of signing and thumbprinting the contract, in exchange for a few centuries every eternity or so spent working part-time for the Company. The Company is not liable for negative or fatal consequences that may arise from the granting of a wish. Wishes that deal with divinity are not covered in the warranty. The Company will not provide refunds for wishes that are rendered null and void via death, injury, or other consequences not directly arising from the usage or application of the wish. The Company will not provide refunds for defects in the wish that arise after implementation is in effect. Sound good to you?" He held out an underwater quill pen and gestured to the contract.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:25 pm
Tianara looked startled as the stranger approached them. Glancing at Joshua with cautious blue eyes, she inquired coolly, "Friend of yours? I don't recall seeing him before."
Katalina rolled her eyes briefly. Looking at Joshua, she gave the slightest shake of her head. I wouldn't, if I were you. Too good to be true. But it was up to him. So she looked back at Caralei and Nezik. The three of them had known each other since childhood, and rarely had to speak now to communicate.
Think he's right?
Maybe. But there will be no war.
Damn right. We'll make sure of it.
Right. Most of the clans don't even want to anyway.
So we'll work it out.
Yes.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:43 pm
Kicks waited eagerly for the signature and thumbprint. It was all the same to him, since this whole little dirtball would probably be destroyed when his... associate... placed a few hints here and there among the less level-headed human. He'd be right about the war, but he wasn't about to specify which side would fire the first shot.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:09 pm
Joshua looked startled when the stranger suddenly approached them. He glanced at Tianara, shaking his head. "Never met the guy before." He murmured, glancing back to the stranger. His gaze drifted to the parchment that was held out. 'To be able to live under water? Seems almost....too good....' He could see by Katalina's face that she was thinking along the same lines. Besides, he wasn't sure he liked this guy - whoever or whatever he was. Joshua shook his head, smiling slightly. "I get along fine as I am. Nothing ever comes of short-cuts. I'll work out my issues myself." To top it all off, Joshua was fairly independent. He liked to do things himself for the most part.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:00 pm
Tianara was keeping Adamantia and Clinari close. Neither girl seemed to mind sticking by their human - the stranger was weird. "Ask Sorry," she said, firmly putting the seal on Joshua's decision almost the instant it was out of his mouth. "She might know more about it than I do. Maybe she could help you figure out a way to spend...well, not your life, but more of it underwater." She smiled apologetically, shrugging one shoulder. "I don't really know enough of how it all works - all I know is that it happened."
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:00 pm
With a bit of effort Kicks controlled his temper. Bugger! This wasn't in his plans. The kid should have been so thrilled he signed over a very small fraction of his eternity to Baal-zebub, Satan, and Asmodeus, Inc. But noooooo. He had to listen to his "morals" instead of desires. Kicks turned and walked away, determinedly maintaining a friendly grin as he left. Damned 'ethics' hadn't been an issue in his days. Primal desires and whatnot. He left, looking for easier prey. Perhaps a political person... Yes, that sounded perfect.
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:50 pm
Katalina let out a slight breath of relief when the stranger left. She glanced at Caralei and Nezik.
Anyone else feel better already?
Their muted chuckles were enough agreement for her.
Tianara watched the stranger leave, lifting a brow slightly. "Why do I get the impression that that was not entirely out of the goodness of his heart?" she asked ironically, looking at Joshua. "Must say, I think you handled it quite well."
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:37 am
Joshua watched as the stranger left. He noticed the tension level drop immediately. He glanced up, blushing when Tianara complimented him. "Thank you." He murmured. "It just seemed.....too good. A little too convenient." Joshua shook his head slightly. He'd learned long ago that things that seemed too good, usually were. "Besides, maybe you're right. Do you know how it works?" Joshua glanced questioningly at Katalina. It seemed the merfolk had more abilities that he'd ever thought of. And each one was a fascinating mystery for him to unravel.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:08 pm
"That is because it was," replied Tianara with a little grin. "Anyone who says they can grant your wishes at a very fair price usually knows that within a week you would give anything to go back and say no." She started to push her hair out of her face, remembered, and let her hand drop back. "I don't really know. But Sorry might - she was here visiting when I was first brought here. Plus she's of the merfolk. She'd probably know more about how it works than I do. But then again, she's young," the girl mused. She didn't seem to realize the irony of a sixteen-year-old human girl calling an almost two-hundred-year-old creature 'young'. "She might not have the words to explain it yet. Perhaps if you asked Mother..."
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:23 am
Joshua chuckled to himself. It was odd to her Tianara call Katalina young, considering the differences in their age. He glanced at the mermaid. She seemed busy with Nezik and Caralei. "Alright. I'll ask her later, when she's not visiting. I'll just ask when we're back at the cove." He looked back towards Tianara. "Do you know if it was the work of a single mermaid? Or did it take more than one working together?"
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