Fire Emblem Dawnward Song IC

[RedArmyShogun]

Alena
Location: Verguld City - Daybreakers Mercenary Guild Base - The Castilian
Month of Velvenius, 5th day.
​

Listening to all of the rest in order, Alena tilted her head as William snickered at the question imposed by Maxtla, leaving it up to Alena to answer, or to respond in general. Likely wanting to have fun at her expense, or resting his voice from the extensive tour, she did note he didn't go over the almost closet like rooms in each room, meant to be used as toiletry, nor about the need to bring water from the mess or storage for the purpose of cleaning one's hands and face with the aid of soap. But there were other things she sought the need to address, first off;

"I too am from the Empire. William is from the Republic, Yurick, I... hmm... I suppose there is no harm in mentioning I was a Prisoner of War converted to the company after being left with the expectation to die in a Cavalry Force some years ago. I may in fact know of your Village, but it is possible I do not. Many of us have circumstances in being here, things we seek, hopefully this Company will be what you wish for."

Turning her attention towards Maxtla and sweeping over those that decided for sure, she gave a nod of affirmation. "Indeed, either William or I are options. However, at least one member of the Company will have a room all to themselves regardless of what we do. That's not to say they'll have free space, we also use that room for partial storage, so they will get the same half as anyone else.

I should also add that there is a toilet stall in each room, a basin of water and a bar of soap is kept for cleaning your hands and face in each room, and another basin is in the mess hall. You'll have to fetch water from the mess hall with a bucket or from the supply tanks. Normally only one of us in a rotation needs to bring down two buckets a day. You could also get water from the animal troughs or it's plumbing, but we don't for obvious reasons."

With the request of two women wishing to room with Zhu, she snorted back what seemed to be an attempt at a laugh, while William said something to the effect of "Popular isn't he?"

For her part, the silver haired woman nodded. "You three figure this out. If some of you are loath to choose just let me or William know. The room assignments need not be permanent either."

Interactions: All Gundam Watcher 27 Nellancholy ReaperMelia EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Landsharks @Tellussoil Aura Of Twilight Carolyn Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Shotgunpenguin IG42

 

[AnonyMouse]

Vierra Vientiane

If Vierra had any reservations about choosing a male roommate, at least some of them were washed away by Xunlei's hearty laughter. Not only did he have a healthy sense of humor, it was of the self-deprecating variety. And he was the son of farmers, a good working man, not a pampered noble... though she could have guessed as much already.

"I consider that a 'good upbringing,'" she said, nodding agreeably as he released her hand after giving it a proper, firm shake. "I was going to guess fisherman or blacksmith, but I was never any good at this game," she added. She had learned a lot in only a few words. She wanted more, but didn't want to pry, so she filed those inquiries away for later. People were often so interesting and fun, she never tired of this. When he joked about being a snorer, she considered returning in kind with a joke of her own. Maybe one about sleeping nude or needing to be tucked in every night.

No, dear. Let's not get carried away, she thought. Perhaps she was having a little too much fun, too soon.

She also couldn't help but notice the way he assessed her, as if wondering what this meant, why would this woman make a beeline for him in a crowded room. He was probably thinking, why me, what is she after? Unfortunately, Xunlei was a difficult man to read. Although she saw him pause, she couldn't quite read the outcome of this mental dilemma, however brief it had been. Was that disappointent? Resignation? He didn't seem thrilled, but wasn't exactly bothered, either.

Hmm...

Her only conclusion was, He probably thinks he has something I want. Good. I would rather he think that than think he is something I want. To be honest, either option was fine by her... and they were both at least a little true.

Fortunately, the people around them were beginning to choose roommates as well and it quickly became clear they were not the only co-ed situation. Vierra wasn't sure if she had broken new ground or if their comrades had had this idea all along. She didn't care either way. She was just glad they weren't a bunch of prudes.

"Oh, a wyvern?" she said, rocking on her heels as she gazed up at Xunlei. "And here I thought you were a pegasus man. That is excellent news. Pegasi always take a while to warm up to me, but they usually come around. Horses, too. But wyverns..." a devilish little smirk began to invade her face. Her headwings twitched. She was about to go on when something caught her ears.

Fiona wished to share a room with Xunlei? Now, this was intriguing. Vierra turned toward the pint-sized girl with such a swiftness one might think she was about to sweep her up and give her a toss. However, the look on her face was one of pure delight. The joy one gets from making mischief. The pure, unbridled ecstasy of knowing you are about to either make someone's day or ruin their life, simply by giving them what they want.

"At ease. No need to make a scene, sweetheart. As I said, if you require something of me, you need only ask," Vierra said, bowing her head toward the girl. She did not simply string flowery language together for fun and profit. Vierra always tried to be a woman of her word and succeeded more often than not. There was no greater pleasure than supporting a would-be friend. "Though, if I may, you seemed like such a cute pair and I thought you were quite enamored with her earlier... but a fickle heart is the privilege of youth. And I suppose even those who chase the Sun must seek the shade once in a while."

And now would be a good time to shut up, lest she begin to sound her age. Fortunately, their commanding officers got a word or two in, giving all involved parties a way out, which Vierra was swift to pounce upon.

"Indeed. I would hate for all of this attention to go to his head," she made a teasing glance at Mr. Popularity. "If this is what you want, Fiona, you shall find no opposition from me. And, if there are no further objections, I suppose I'll have that spare room. I was unironically called a 'dragon' in a past life. Seems only fitting I preside over the treasure chamber," she looked to William and Alena, "Or 'storage room,' if you wish to be pedestrian."

Perhaps this was the best outcome. She got a room to herself without seeming like a loner and the fact that half of it was storage would dissuade anyone from saying she was receiving 'special treatment.' It was a win-win-win. And, as an added bonus, she could receive visitors without question... in case Fiona ever wanted to talk about what's really going on.

Interactions: Landsharks (Xunlei) | Gundam Watcher 27 (Fiona) | ReaperMelia (Krista) | RedArmyShogun (Alena / Will)

 

[Aura Of Twilight]

Yurick

​

Once everyone appeared to have finished introducing themselves, the two lieutenants proceeded to give a brief tour of the various amenities available on the ship without missing a beat. Although he had been on many a ship beforehand, Yurick had to admit he was still somewhat impressed at this one’s design, its economical layout allowing for all the basic necessities to be present and still look homely despite a lack of decorations. It emphasized practicality over flashiness, a far cry better than some royal vessels often were. Though he’d be lying if he said his body didn’t ache at the sight of the ladders. Even now he was reminded of his brush with death, ouch. His youthful appearance aside he felt like an old man.

It didn’t take long before the group reached the rest area where their dorm was. Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t enough space for each person to have their own room, meaning they’d all be getting roommates. It took no time at all for the chatter to start again as individuals took the initiative to find their own bunkmate. With the way some of them were sizing each other up, Yurick couldn’t help but feel as if he had accidentally walked into a horse auction. He sighed, knowing he was just being irritable but unable to shake the feeling aside. It wasn’t that he wasn’t accustomed to having to share a room (and with a woman no less), it was having to do it with a stranger that bothered him.

But who ever said that the life of a mercenary was easy? He had known from the beginning that in a occupation like this one, personal comforts weren’t the number one priority. If Artemis, one of his childhood friends and retainer, could see him now they’d no doubt roll their eyes at his behavior. “Is milord so uncomfortable at the thought of having to mingle with us common folk? Perhaps we need to take you back to the palace so the servants can spoil you some more.”

It was then that Alena approached him. "I too am from the Empire. William is from the Republic.” She paused, seeming to choose her next words carefully. “Yurick, I... hmm... I suppose there is no harm in mentioning I was a Prisoner of War converted to the company after being left with the expectation to die in a Cavalry Force some years ago.” Yurick’s eyes widened slightly. Her words didn’t make sense, especially with how young she looked. A typical 18 or 19 year old could only have a couple of years of experience on the battlefield and here she was talking like a hardened veteran.

It was as he thought, her appearance didn’t quite match what was beneath. How peculiar.

Whether or not she noticed the brief look on his face she continued, adding, “I may in fact know of your Village, but it is possible I do not. Many of us have circumstances in being here, things we seek, hopefully this Company will be what you wish for."

“For someone so young you sound as if you’ve been through quite the ordeal, Lieutenant. The Empire maybe mighty but so many people have suffered in the process. I’m sorry.” He said quietly. “But for what it’s worth, I’m looking forwards to fighting alongside a fellow countryman.”

She turned, her attention now elsewhere. A part of him wanted to learn more about her, his curiosity peaked, but another was wondering why he even cared in the first place.

With some reluctance he scanned the small crowd for a roommate of his own. Onibi and Levi seemed to be well mannered, but they appeared to have already found partners of their own. There were some others available, but…

His thoughts ended abruptly, his attention now on the young woman who was now standing in front of him. “Hey.” She greeted casually as she looked him up and down. “Wanna bunk? Promise I wont disturb ya, or mess with your stuff.”

Judging from her attire she looked to be from Izmir and a commoner if her manner of speech was any indication. Though she acted relaxed, her gaze was sharp, blue eyes glinting with a hint of mischief as she studied him. He couldn’t get a full read on her but at least her words sounded truthful at least.

Time would tell. Besides, its not like he carried anything worth stealing.

He gave what he hoped was a welcoming nod. “You’re Shula, correct?” He asked, arms still crossed. “As long as we respect one another’s personal boundaries, that’s fine by me. I’m a bit of a night owl though, hope that wont be a problem.”

Interacting with: RedArmyShogun Serei2477
Mentioned: Nellancholy Shotgunpenguin

 

[Serei2477]

Zain

Interactions: Levi Shotgunpenguin

Mentions: N/A

Zain, admittedly, was expecting at least one person to raise eyebrows that he wasn’t going to bunk with Shula. It would have made things easier, really. They’d already been traveling together for a while now and they knew each other’s roommate habits. So why risk getting a bad roommate? Well, the answer was simple.

“To put it bluntly, I’ve grown sick of Shula. And I’m certain she shares the same sentiment.” He said to Levi, gesturing towards Shula who had gone straight for Yurick. Even if he had decided it would be best to room with her, he was certain she’d make a show of rejecting in front of everyone just to embarrass him. It's just how they were with each other.

Still, did he need to room with Levi to learn more about Amaria? No. But Levi seemed to be one of the more collected people here. Usually the holy people (or at least the ones he’d met) had a moral code to abide by, which included minding their own business. If the priest kept his hands to himself and didn’t talk in his sleep like a certain somebody he knew, then they would get along just fine.

“I’m aware, but I think you’d respect my privacy and be able to keep the room clean better than the others here. I’ll be offering the same courtesy in kind.” Zain said before adding. “And just so you know, I’m not looking to convert or become a holy man myself. I just want to understand you and the other followers better. Hope I didn't disappoint you.”

~~

Shula

Interactions: Sunshine Aura Of Twilight

Mentions: N/A

Shula could practically feel his eyes study her demeanor, sizing her up and eventually deciding that she was worth rooming with. Thank goodness, the thief would hate to get told no and have to scramble for someone of her choosing to room with or let Ma and Pa choose her battle buddy. Not that the other options didn't look decent, but she'd rather not have to keep asking around if she could help it. She also didn’t have much room to talk about sizing someone up either, considering she did the same thing to Sunshine before approaching. He was dark and broody, but he didn’t smell terrible and his clothes looked like he took care of them. Two good signs right there. The fact that he was handsome was a bonus too.

He gave her a nod, confirmed her name, and stated his approval as long as they respected each other’s privacy (and so long as she didn’t mind a night owl). Easy enough. There was no reason to go snooping around his stuff nor did she want to. And she wasn't going to tell him how to live his life either.

‘A night owl, huh?’ Shula thought to herself, recalling the times where she’d have to stay up until the wee hours to nab the coin of drunk tavern dwellers, to rescue slaves with the nameless rebels, and to start traveling at the opportune times when she and Zain were making their escape.

“I think we’ll get along just fine.” She answered. “I’m usually awake at odd hours cause I don’t need much sleep. But don’t worry, I’ll only bother ya if ya ask or if I need ya to reach something for me. ‘Kay?”

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Jin Reiner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​

The next to follow was a fire mage who opted to perform a little show using her magics. There was some talk about nicknames, though Jin could only wonder if it would be something related to setting the place on fire rather than an actual epithet. She seemed a bit cocky too, but then again, she was a mage. Most aggressive casters seemed to be uppity in one fashion or another--a byproduct of being able to blow someone to pieces by snapping your fingers and reading from a book, he surmised.

The knight known as Will spoke next, giving a sentiment most known in the East. He was well-travelled, it seemed. Jin gave him a brief nod, choosing not to interrupt before the tour began. Though his eyes did turn to Onibi as she spoke. The monk let out an amused huff through his nose as his lips stretched into a small smirk. "Oh, I assure you I didn't mean it like that, priestess. I meant more of in the case you have your hands full." Which was a more subtle way of saying there were too many injuries all at once. Things could turn ugly fast.

Then there was Yurick. Less noteworthy, a village kid on the border of the empire that wanted to see the world. It was a tale he'd seen plenty of times. Here's hoping the reality of that world didn't knock the guy on his ass.

As the tour began, it was interesting, to say the least. All of it looked like a commodity to him. Then again, he was more accustomed to dirt and peasantry. Even the ships back home he didn't often utilize, so something like this was basically a legend, though his face didn't shift much.

Leaning onto his staff as he held it with one hand, they would be sharing rooms. Not unexpected, though he also didn't really have a preference. Most of the girls were nice to look at, but that didn't mean he wanted to jump to moving in with one. Glancing around, everyone was a socialite it seemed, whereas he simply sort of stagnated about. "Long as the roof isn't leaking, I'll be just dandy," He stated simply.

Interactions: Nellancholy @PeopleAround
Mentions: All

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Alena
Location: Verguld City - Daybreakers Mercenary Guild Base - The Castilian
Month of Velvenius, 5th day.
​

The others were finally picking partners, as Alena's attention was slightly returned back upon Yurick. What he had said about the Empire, and that he was sorry... That had her jaw twitching, more so at the somebody so young... There was likely one other person in this team as old as the Branded. The Laguz woman, she carried a certain air about her that made Alena so locked in on this resolve, this idea, this opinion. She too, wished to speak to him when time allowed, curious about his words. Though there were plenty of others to learn about this time around too.

Sooner or later her secret would be out, it was one she shared with the Mage, of that she was certain. It was nice to see most of the rest setting off on their own, to pick their own roommates, but there was one who really didn't have that option, one who short of writing could not ask. And it already seemed at least a couple on the ship couldn't read. "Mella, would you mind rooming with me? If there is no problem, we'll do that. Ah, also there was an idea I had with this mission to helping you, well, talk to most of the rest. But a portable chalk slate, would you have interest in me acquiring that before we leave?"

While she did not know if her fellow veteran would do the latter, if not, then Alena would simply teach the others the hand sign system that the company used to communicate when at a distance or operating in stealth.

Interactions: (Mella) Carolyn - Mentions: AnonyMouse (Vierra) Aura Of Twilight (Yurick)

 

[RedArmyShogun]

William
Location: Verguld City - Daybreakers Mercenary Guild Base - The Castilian​

With all but three remaining including himself, things were simplified, turning to the Knight Krista, Will was quick to bow his head slightly before speaking up, motioning for Jin and Sevin to join him, with Alena asking for Mella, there was but one simple solution. "Knight Krista, I would ask to room with yourself, but ultimately the choice is yours, Jin and Sevin are also possible. In fact, I would go as far as to say, Sevin may be a good choice, mostly as he tends to sleep on the deck underneath the Stars if I recall correctly."

Looking at the two men, and giving a nod, he continued, offering an open plate mail hand towards the other two. "Maybe one of you have a preference in Company?" With matters all but decided, provided one did not wish to accept the offer given to them, the Heavy Knight was keen to get this all over with. Whoever spoke next or decided, would settle matters between the four of them. If neither wished to do so, then he would keep to his request.

Interactions: ReaperMelia (Krista) EmperorsChosen (Jin) Gundam Watcher 27 (Sevin)

 

[Carolyn]

MELLA​

Mentions: RedArmyShogun , Gundam Watcher 27 .

Mella dips her head and examines the lot under her lashes. Priests and captains; braggarts and wallflowers. New faces, new voices. She thinks it is a question of time. Like pickling olives, you don’t take them raw. You brine them instead. Let what’s queer develop into the mundane and throw out those that fail to.

She walks over and knocks her knuckles on the purple armor of Sevin. Here was a successful result of the process. And the motion is thanks for his introduction. Below the brim of her hat was a faint smile. He’d find a cut or two of his favorite meal later.

Aboard the Castilian, she nods at Alena’s suggestion and pats the silver-haired woman on the shoulders. Her palms have a thick callus to them. But the sharper end of muscularity is on her fingers. They are a litany of past cuts, burns, and sicknesses: a touch by them is never soft.

Then she motions toward the cargo she hauled up. The line between killer and cook thins. She needs to slot them in the right locations, and she seeks the permission of Alena to do so.

 

[Landsharks]

Zhu Xunlei​

Alright, this was becoming downright strange. Even Xunlei could admit to himself that he really shouldn't be this popular. At the very least, both of these people weren't asking to room with him for, well, himself. He resisted the urge to sigh and just shrugged his shoulders at all the constant back-and-forth about the topic, leaning against a wall.

"Sure, sure. I'm fine with this, kid. Really, I was just going to say yes to the first person who asked me, anyway." He replied easily to Fiona, returning Vierra's teasing grin with a crooked one of his own.. At the end of the day, none of this was really his issue. If he had a bad roommate, he'd just sleep out on the deck until the situation was resolved. Or in the stables. Sleeping next to his angry bitch of a wyvern wasn't the worst idea. And speaking of...

"Either way, I'm off down to the stables. Any of you fliers care to accompany me, it might be for the better. Like I was saying, my Xueying's just a bit temperamental. Best to get her used to the rest of you sooner rather than later so she doesn't cause any issues in the air."
___

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Five minutes later, Xunlei busied himself shushing and soothing his white wyvern down in the airship's stable, who was busy screeching and thrashing. Partly from an unfamiliar environment, partly from the scent of pegasus in the air, and partly from proximity to unfamiliar faces he was with.

"Come on, girl, don't give me this." He sighed, reaching into one of her saddlebags and pulling a stick of jerky out to mollify her with. "You're going to have to get used to it. This's our home now for the foreseeable future."

The snack helped some, and Xueying settled to a low grumble, shooting any new faces with a beady-eyed glare.

AnonyMouse Gundam Watcher 27​

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Sevin
Interactions: RedArmyShogun (William), ReaperMelia (Krista), EmperorsChosen (Jin)

​

She walks over and knocks her knuckles on the purple armor of Sevin. Here was a successful result of the process. And the motion is thanks for his introduction. Below the brim of her hat was a faint smile

Sevin smiled back, although his helmet concealed his expression. He gave Mella a pat on the head, before the tour began.
Everyone except for himself and 3 others had found a bunkmate. William amongst the remainder suggested that Krista paired with himself, or Jin or Sevin, but he also mentioned that Sevin liked to sleep on the deck. Sevin brought his right hand up in a fist and struck his own chest plate in confirmation and pride.

"I prefer sleeping on deck as it helps build my resistance to the elements! Throw wind, snow, or Rain, I shall endure it all!" Sevin replied heartily, before continuing. "But I have no qualms against having anyone sleep in my room. Just make sure you don't leave a mess or misplace anything. I just finished organizing it yesterday evening."
-----------------------
Fiona

Jin did not mind if Fiona shared a room with him, as he replied to her request with a calm voice. Fiona breathed a sigh of relief, before noticing Vierra was approaching her.
​

Vierra turned toward the pint-sized girl with such a swiftness one might think she was about to sweep her up and give her a toss. However, the look on her face was one of pure delight. The joy one gets from making mischief. The pure, unbridled ecstasy of knowing you are about to either make someone's day or ruin their life, simply by giving them what they want.

Fiona had flinched. This woman had a smile on her face as if she wanted to mess with her.
​

"At ease. No need to make a scene, sweetheart. As I said, if you require something of me, you need only ask," Vierra said, bowing her head toward the girl.

"Eep!"
Fiona closed her eyes, knowing something was gonna happen, but then she heard Vierra whisper to her.
Causing Fiona to open her eyes with surprise.
​

"Though, if I may, you seemed like such a cute pair and I thought you were quite enamored with her earlier... but a fickle heart is the privilege of youth. And I suppose even those who chase the Sun must seek the shade once in a while."

Fiona looked away with sad disappointment. She didn't want to explain her situation at the moment, although Vierra definitely seemed like she wants to hear her story. Fiona made a mental note to talk with her later, even if she is gets nervous at that time.
​

"Either way, I'm off down to the stables. Any of you fliers care to accompany me, it might be for the better. Like I was saying, my Xueying's just a bit temperamental. Best to get her used to the rest of you sooner rather than later so she doesn't cause any issues in the air."

Fiona chose to follow Zhu, Hector steadily trotting along beside her as they went to the stables.
----------------------​

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Fiona was taken aback by how beautiful the wyvern was. The Wyvern's scales were as white as Hector's hair. Fiona looked to Zhu, wondering where he got such a pretty Wyvern, as he was calming it down. In the stable behind her, Hector snorted in laughter. Fiona had to smile, because she agreed that the Wyvern and her rider seemed quite similar to them, when they first started training.

Once the Wyvern had calmed down, Fiona asked her question. "How did you two first meet? White Wyverns are rare where I'm from."​

 

[AnonyMouse]

Vierra Vientiane

"Well, that settles it," Vierra commented when it seemed all parties were in agreement. She punctuated the statement with a small round of light applause, as if to say 'show's over, folks. Move along.' Xunlei appeared to have the right idea already. "Go on. I'll catch up," she added with a fluttering wave of her hand as he departed for the stables.

The serpentine Laguz gathered up her bags, which had been resting at her feet, and pushed into what would be her quarters. The room was small --cozy, really-- but she had made do with less before. With some mild redecorating, it could be great. At the bare minimum, the "stuff" stored there could use some organizing. The room had two beds, just like the others, but one had no cushions or covers and was merely a place to stack crates and boxes of gear.

She had no intention of spending much time in her room, which is why the fuss about who is rooming with whom seemed rather odd to her. We have an entire airship to ourselves. I'll be damned if I'll spend my days between these four walls, Vierra thought as she took a seat on the bed and ran her fingers along the stiff, coarse sheets. However, home is home and she was of the belief that she ought to leave any place she frequents better than she found it. And that starts right here.

But not now. She needed to check out the rest of the ship. The stables. The lounge. Meet the crew. Introduce herself to the captain. So much to do....

Vierra left her belongings on the bed, including her two musical instruments. As she exited her room, humming a melody under her breath as if she were the happiest woman in the world. Her long scaly tail shut the door behind her. Her fellow airmen had already departed, but she easily caught up with them at the stables, where she found Xunlei soothing his fussy wyvern while Fiona and her steed, Hector, stood by.

"My, oh my, why screech and howl when we could make beautiful music together?" she teased the screeching wyvern.

Vierra caught the beast's eye the moment she entered the stables and the skills she had learned serving with the Mounted Brigade kicked in immediately, along with her own natural Laguz talents. Despite her pleasant demeanor, the serpent met the beast's gaze directly, one predator to another. She refused to show weakness in front of this creature... but also approached slowly, with her hands in plain sight, to indicate she was a friend. Each step was carefully placed in front of the other as she closed the distance between them. Every movement, precise and practiced.

She stopped at the edge of Xueying's enclosure, just as Fiona spoke. Xunlei had a handle on it, they didn't need a third party butting in. Still, the fact that Vierra had gotten this close without the wyvern balking or snapping was enough of a victory. She leaned casually on the edge of the enclosure, caressing her own tail as her gaze slid to Fiona and Hector. To his credit, the pegasus did not seem perturbed by the presence of a venomous serpent, even if that serpent was in the form of a woman. He was either quite intelligent or very well-trained. Possibly both.

"Rare, indeed. I, too, wish to know," she commented. "I mean, who doesn't love a good tale?"

Interactions: Landsharks (Xunlei) | Gundam Watcher 27 (Fiona)

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Alena
Location: Verguld City - Daybreakers Mercenary Guild Base - The Castilian
Month of Velvenius, 5th day.
​

In the coming minutes and even beyond, Alena made good on her offer to get Mella that portable chalk slate with a cleaning rag and a couple sticks of chalk, designed to be portable the unspeaking Archer would have little problems carrying it in either a satchel or upon her belt. Alena did not pretend to understand the girl's preference and would not make a gear choice for her in the carrying of it. Giving a brief nod and starting to make conversation she quickly had cause to frown, more than she usually did as all around the ship bells began to ring, mechanical in origin and powered with manatech circuitry, it was an invention found aboard some warships but not to the extent here as nearly every part of the ship had one upon the captain's insistence. The klaxon of the ringing did last but so long, as messengers ran up to the upper decks and docks to hurry along with provisions or to relay the order verbally.

Those who had been here for a while knew that it signaled and those who did not would learn in the immediate aftermath that this was a summons by the Captain, typically it meant gathering in either the mess hall or on the deck depending on weather conditions or the state of alert the ship was in. In this case it would be the upper deck, and it universally meant one of two things, either there was a job, or there was some form of boarding action happening. The Captain rarely gave calls such as these to have basic trivialities, that was what runners were for.

For her part Alena was quick to leave the room while William busied himself with helping load the final supplies, both of them weren't needed for this and he would get the details in short order as the old Captain walked the deck with a missive in his hands,

​

"Ready the men, read this. We have a bit of ways to travel, share it with them you are the Commander after all."

Doing as instructed, Alena would take the time to read the letter herself before allowing some time for the rest to join her up top, with the exception of William she did expect to see all, or at least most of them, the rest she could talk to in passing, but there were two missions on the missive. One which was the ultimate goal and the next which was a request from the Chancellor's office. It was addressed to the Main Company rather than to Alena herself, which wasn't too surprising. It also explained why two different missions being part of one missive. The first bit would likely illicit some groans or interest depending on one's point of view as Alena spoke up;

"We'll be leaving within the Hour, two missions for us, one, bandits have been raiding the route between Morriston and Tavin the last couple weeks, as well as between Morriston and the Border with the Empire. Given how successful and speedy they have been, it is suspected that they are Imperial Soldiers rather than some criminals in the woods. They mostly are attacking traders on the roads and harassing small Militia and Mercenary formations. Needless to say, the Chancellor wants this handled and handled yesterday. We'll not be investigating this directly at least, but we will be reaching out to the Scout Company and investigating a couple of supply dumps. Without question we are to find them and to eliminate the bandit formation. Taking prisoners is allowed..."

Then there was the second matter, arguably the most important, even if not from the Chancellery. "Secondly, once this mission is done, we'll be headed directly for Reantel. Details on the job are sparse but it is noted to be from an influential person in the Kingdom's society. Course this means running down the gauntlet of the Imperial and Izeri Border, we'll cross over the commonwealth border as we are given to do before making the usual run. Correct, Captain?"

Giving a simple nod, the man seemed engaged with other matters as he spoke with a Yeoman off to the side, before turning his attention to the group. "Correct. I should like to add that the Imperials are known to play a game of cat and mouse if their ships can catch up to us, the Izeri do the same, though their ships are trash compared to ours. While you won't be confined to quarters, be ready to join battle stations. For now, the focus is on those barbarians, we have a few supply caches and suitable landing sites. If you have business in the city, do it, in one hour I'm taking off, with or without you."

"Are there any questions? Details are sparse, so do keep that in mind."

Interactions: All Gundam Watcher 27 ReaperMelia EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Landsharks @Tellussoil Aura Of Twilight Carolyn Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Shotgunpenguin IG42

 

[Landsharks]

Zhu Xunlei​

The wyvern calmed at last and Xunlei patted her on the head, chuckling. Xueying let a low rumble loose as Vierra approached slowly, eyeing her but making no further actions. Meanwhile, her rider took a brush from her saddlebag and began grooming her as he spoke.

"How we met? Well, if it's not obvious, she's wild-born." He inspected her scales carefully, looking for any sign of poor health. "Long story short, I'm a conscript, and they were in most need of flyers where I was. No extra wyverns, though. Especially not for some poor peasant brat offered up so his family could keep their land. Old Xiyan tradition, don't worry about that part." Xunlei didn't seem particularly bothered by the thought as he continued on.

"Little fifteen-year old Xunlei wanted the prestige of being in the air cavalry and not some footslogging spearman. So I did the stupid thing and asked if they'd put me in the air corps if I brought a wyvern. Went up into the mountains, and the old girl damn near killed me before I got her to settle down." He chortled merrily, nodding in satisfaction as he concluded his grooming and inspection.

"Now, only fair I get a story back in return-" Xunlei was cut off by a runner yelling at them to get their asses back on deck, and he sighed. "Another time, then."

AnonyMouse Gundam Watcher 27​

___

Minutes later, Xunlei rested his poleaxe against his shoulder as he listened to the briefing. Suspected imperials, eh? Well, it seemed he'd finally get that fight he'd been looking for all these years. If his luck was holding, joining up with the Daybreakers was paying off dividends already. And speaking of pay...

"Aye, question:" Xunlei raised his voice from where he stood on the side. "Say we do get imperial prisoners. What's our cut for their ransoms?"

 

[AnonyMouse]

Vierra Vientiane

Vierra noticeably frowned at the sound of the blaring alarms as her relaxed posture shifted to one more action-ready. Despite appearing to be fully engrossed in Xunlei's story, she didn't even flinch at the sudden interruption. Such a thing seemed rather excessive for a docked ship. Were they under attack? Unlikely. What fool would attack the Daybreakers's flagship while it is moored at the Daybreakers' headquarters, in the center of Verguld's capital?

"Another time," Vierra said, her fingertips tracing a line along the stable's woodwork as she turned to leave. "But beware, I won't be tamed so easily, friend." She departed the stables, with a fluttering wave of her hand.

The other members of their company were already springing into action. Alena headed topside while Will busied himself with the loading of supplies. She joined the former; whatever was happening on deck likely wouldn't proceed without him and she preferred to keep her hands busy, rather than rush to the briefing only to wait. "A leader unafraid to do the important work?" Vierra commented, casting an amicable grin at her CO as she joined him, lifting the opposite end of a long crate. "I can already tell I am going to like it here."

Despite her teasing tone, she truly was glad to see some of her concerns about the Spearhead Company laid to rest. They were the Daybreakers's best and a small part of her feared they might be... elitist? Arrogant, perhaps? Thankfully, that does not seem to be the case, though only time will tell.

Minutes later, she found herself on deck, where all had gathered to hear the latest missive. Vierra stood near the Captain, though he was so engrossed in his work he might as well be on a different planet.

"Bandit-flavored Imperials as the appetizer. Izmiri trash as the main course. Touch down in Reantel for dessert," Vierra commented under her breath, with a sinister smile, baring a hint of fang. "It seems I am going to eat good this day... not literally, of course," she added, in case anyone overhead that and got the wrong idea. In a markedly more professional tone, she added: "No questions here. Let me know where and when you need me."

Her gaze slid to Xunlei as he asked about ransoms, but she held her tongue. For her part, Vierra had no intention of taking prisoners for profit. If you need money so badly, just sell their shit, she thought. Unless they held specific strategic value or she was explicitly ordered to do so, the dirt is where an enemy belongs. The idea of putting a price on a life cut too close to home. She said nothing, nor did she judge him too harshly, for she knew how commonplace the practice was, but perhaps her distaste for it was written on her face, a rare moment of aesthetic honestly from one who typically conceals all.
Interactions: Landsharks (Xunlei) | Gundam Watcher 27 (Fiona) | RedArmyShogun (Alena / Will)

 

[Shotgunpenguin]

Levi Grantz
Location: Castillion/Upper Deck
Interactions: Serei2477 (Zain)
Mentions: RedArmyShogun AnonyMouse Landsharks​

Levi listened as Zain explained his reasoning for not bunking with Shula, nodding his head as he mentioned having grown tired of her presence. Personally, Levi had never traveled with another person for longer than a day or two at most, mostly other clergy members when they would be sent to villages seeking assistance for festivals or burials. As such, he couldn’t quite relate to Zain’s reasoning, but he supposed he didn’t need to in the long run. The two of them were simply sharing a room, not learning about each other's life story.

“I will try my best to respect your privacy, as well as your faith.” He responded, not at all disappointed with the man's assurances that he wasn’t interested in converting to the goddesses faith. Amaria was not a god that would force others to follow her, and as such it would be tantamount to spitting on everything she represented if he were to ignore Zain’s wishes. Still, while he had no plans to convert, Levi would answer any questions he may have had. If he found that the message of Amaria resonated with him, he may find himself converting in due time.

As far as his concerns for privacy went, Levi doubted that it’d be much of an issue, outside of his daily prayers to the goddess. During his time at the church, his days would begin very early at the first sign of daylight. Between prayer, studying scripture, cleaning, and tending to the garden, his body had grown accustomed to early days and early nights. If it proved to be an issue however, he could just seek another place of refuge to perform his prayers. He doubted that many would find themselves on the deck of the ship at such an early hour, and if not then there was certainly enough space for him to not disturb anyone else.

“Although I must ask, how are you with flowers?” Levi asked the man, before quickly adding onto his question. “I ask as I am hoping to keep some inside of our room. While I am sure that nothing large or obtrusive would survive given the small amount of light we’d receive, I won’t do so if you have any objections.” Hopefully, he’d be able to find a suitable flower in time before their departure. Something small and resilient, that could survive without much sun, but wasn’t just a colorful weed.

His thoughts on the appropriate flower were cut short however, when a series of ringing began to echo through the hallway. Seemingly called to action, multiple crew members began to run to and fro, ascending and descending to the upper and lower levels in a hurry. Confused, he looked towards Alena and William for an explanation, only to find them breaking away from the group as they were ushered up to the upper deck by one of the crewmates who were running around.

Alena would eventually regroup with them after a few confusion-filled minutes. She would then inform them of their double-sided mission, one to suppress a group of bandits, with the second objective being quite unclear. Although from the sounds of it, that was more on the part of whoever they were going to assist than on Alena's. He briefly wondered why they felt the need for secrecy, but brushed it off as he focused on the issue at hand.

Levi was quite apprehensive about their first objective, the prospect of being thrust into battle so quickly causing a slight weight to settle in his stomach. While he knew that he would eventually have to engage in combat, training in drills and strategy wouldn’t be the same as actually facing down someone who wanted to harm him. He found himself clutching his staff just a bit tighter than usual at the prospect.

He also found himself shooting the man, who had previously introduced herself as Zhu, a look of dismay at her ransom question. While it may have been a genuine question, the fact that his first thought when it came to captured prisoners was random did not speak well to his character, in his opinion. To put a price on a person's life for their safe return wasn’t anything he believed was moral or fair. And from the looks of it, he wasn't the only one who thought that, as the snake laguz also had a rather dismayed expression at the prospect.

Regardless of his own feelings however, he wasn’t going to speak out against her. Instead, he turned to find Zane once again, approaching the man and asking. “Um, I’m planning on running out quickly to try and find a florist before we depart. Would you happen to have anything you would need in the market?”

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Jin Reiner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​

Jin's head tilted slightly, his eyes looking up at the walls as the bells reverberated through the hallways of the flying fortress. He wasn't a soldier, but it wasn't that hard to put two and two together. It either indicated a summons or emergency. Either way, it meant 'move your ass', he knew that much. Watching the others begin to scurry off, he lightly sighed. "The slavedrivers are already putting us to work," He mused with some levity, tossing his bag in a random room before following along.

As they reached the deck, however, it became clear that there was no emergency. However, they would be put to work within the coming hours. Jin's hand rested on the staff as the Commander briefed. It wasn't particularly interesting for the man, though his eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of the Imperials. Attacking travelling merchants could be either or. Bandits would be interested in the goods and money while the Imperials would merely want to disrupt trade and commerce routes. The attacks on militia or other organized groups were odd for banditry though, unless it was with an alternative target of a village or caravan. A fight for the sake of a fight didn't result in long-lasting bandits.

His eyes then glanced to Vierra, raising a brow mixed of caution and intrigue. "Maybe... be careful with that wording, sweetheart," He commented, not fully sure if he shouldn't take her words on their face.

Regardless, he glanced up at the Commander after. "They're prone to do that over the Dynasty's border. Either way, if they're imperials they'll have some insignia or medallion on'em for identification." A successful raid didn't mean much if you went back home and were taken as bandits as well. "Other than that... I'm good."

Interactions: RedArmyShogun Anonymous , Everyone around

 

[Gundam Watcher 27]

Fiona

Fiona was moved by Zhu's story. The way he and his wyvern met sounds almost similar to how she became a Pegasus Knight and met Hector.
Zhu would ask for their tale, but was interrupted by the alarm. Fiona would have to tell both him and Vierra about her past later, and she would also have to talk to Vierra about what was going on between her and Krista at some point to. Fiona felt her heart thumping against her chest as the trio ran up to the Upper deck.
--------------
Fiona was listening to what was going on, and she had no questions to ask. However, Vierra mentioned eating the barbarians, who could actually be something else entirely, which made Fiona wonder in concern as to what she meant by that.

Sevin on the other hand laughed heartily and struck his chest plate with his right hand closed. "Glad to see someone else is excited about going into battle! We're gonna get along great!"
​

“Um, I’m planning on running out quickly to try and find a florist before we depart. Would you happen to have anything you would need in the market?”

Fiona looked towards Levi, and quickly spoke up. "May I go with you? In case you need help with transporting something! I can bring Hector along too so if we are short on time, the ship can go ahead and we can catch up after we finish the errand!"

Interactions: Shotgunpenguin AnonyMouse​

 

[Serei2477]

Zain

Interactions: Levi Shotgunpenguin Fiona Gundam Watcher 27

Mentions: N/A


There was something strangely comforting about these holy people that Zain had noticed during his time traveling. Every time he'd spoken to someone of the faith they'd always been so mellow and considerate. Of course there were the young fools who threw their God's name around to try and assert authority or a holier-than-thou (literally) attitude over others, and then there were people like Levi, who seemed incredibly respectful of others regardless of their status or teachings. It reminded him of the older, wiser servants back when he was still in Izmir. The same individuals who'd shown nothing but kindness and compassion to the new slaves and did their damnedest to protect the younger ones from the wrath of their owner. It was strangely... comforting, in a way.

He just wished he could have done the same for the children of the house before it all went up in flames.

Before his mind could wander too far into his thoughts, Levi had asked him about flowers and if he would be alright with keeping some in their room.

"You're good to bring in whatever flowers you want. I can help take care of them too." It was Zain's way of saying he'd be very happy to have flowers in the room. "Be wary not to bring in too many or I'll never leave the room."

Though he said the last part in jest, Levi would be able to tell that Zain was actually half-serious. What could he say? He was a man of nature.

Their conversation was interrupted when they'd be called to the top deck and given their mission briefing. They'd have an hour to get ready and then be prepared for battle. Vierra's comments did earn a side eye from him, but he saw no need to outwardly comment on it himself. He'd have to be a little more weary of her, just in case.

He'd need to get himself sorted... mentally, that is. Zain was no saint and his hands certainly weren't clean . It was best that he prepare for the worst.

Levi grabbed his attention, and a young blonde woman volunteered to go with him and offer help transporting the items. Zain would have offered to tag along, but he wasn't so sure if all three of them would fit on "Hector" if they didn't make it on time.

He did a quick check of himself. Quiver was fine, arrows plentiful, bow in working order, and clothes looked and smelled fine.

"I don't need anything, but thank you for the thought." He said to Levi then turned his attention to Fiona. "Fiona, was it? That would be a good idea. Wouldn't hurt to have a back up plan in case you get left behind for whatever reason."


~~

Shula

Interactions: Sevin Gundam Watcher 27

Mentions: N/A

The entire crew had been called to the top deck and Shula had gone ahead and followed the crowd. The thief quickly realized a problem within the crowd when she was in the center of it and had an incredibly difficult time trying to see the captain as he spoke. She was able to follow along with the briefings well, but she'd actually like to see the man while he was talking!

"Can't see with all these fuckin' trees in the way." She muttered to herself as she squeezed her way to a more suitable place.

Now that they'd been briefed and the snake lady made her weird comments, Shula would have an hour to get ready for the whatever skirmish was sure to come their way. Knowing bandits, they wouldn't leave until all their stuff was theirs, or they were all dead on the floor. Who "they" were depended on how ready everyone was to cut some people.

Shula herself wouldn't hesitate.

Speaking of cutting people...

Shula took the opportunity to do a check up on her daggers and, needless to say, they were in need of some attention. The blades that were supposed to be sleek and sharp enough to slice through paper looked to have some nicks.

She'd learned before with the Nameless, but... she couldn't remember anything except that it had involved a rock. Ugh, why couldn't she remember when she needed it most?! And Zain would surely not want to since he'd tried to teach her before but, well, Shula didn't take it as seriously as she should have.

Maybe someone around would be willing to show her?

Shula did a quick look around, very obviously looking everyone up and down for a bladed weapon and in the end, she decided on the pink armored monster man himself.

Why? Well he seemed pretty polite in his introduction and the most likely to have patience with her.

Shula approached the man, who she had to strain her neck even more than Sunshine to look up at him, and gave his shoulder armor a light smack to try and get his attention. Given Shula's strength, or lack thereof, in the smack it would've felt more like a pat. "Oi, you know how to sharpen weapons?" She asked him. "If you do, could ya teach me how?"

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Little Bee

​

Bee had been examining the ship, wandering around to her liking, looking at this or that. Inspecting the ship more personally, to mark the little intricacies of the great metal bird that would be good to know for the future. When the alarms began to blare. She glanced around, viewing some the staff indicating something was going on. It was easy enough to understand. She followed the commotion upstairs, up onto the deck with the others.

Apparently they were going to be fighting bandits, and imperials, or what have you. Some voiced their opinions on the matter, causing her to flick her golden orbs to them. Someone mentioned ransoms, then a couple others showed their negative feelings on that matter. Bee had no feelings towards it one way or the other.

Bee picked up on the comment from the laguz woman, about eating their quarry. She seemed to make it in jest -or at least, was trying to pass it off as such to others. But Bee was quite familiar with laguz anatomy. Their jaws were one of their biggest and best weapons, in her eyes there was no doubt a laguz would shred a bandit in two with its sharpened jaws. Frankly, Bee always felt so small and weak -and worse -ineffectual when compared to such powerful weapons. Her own little knives and swords just didn't have the same type of killing power, but what could you do. Despite the names she had had over the years, she wasn't actually part animal like her laguz brethren.
interactions:
mentions: AnonyMouse

 

[RedArmyShogun]

William
Location: Verguld City - Daybreakers Mercenary Guild Base - The Castilian​

Returning a bit later, and in time for the question, William would look at the Wyvern Rider from the east, giving a quick answer to the question, though he seemed to want the attention of Alena as he motioned her over towards himself; "60/40. 40% of the ransom or bounty goes to the Company in general and the Taxman, 60% is split up to those who had a hand in the capture of the soldier in question and those who kept watch and took care of the prisoners." There seemed to be something a little off with the man, a bit of fatigue was evident on his face, yet he said nothing more, leaving Alena to say what else need be said.

Alena
Location: Verguld City - Daybreakers Mercenary Guild Base - The Castilian Velvenius, the 5th.
​

With a curious look at the former's movements, she mostly went along with him answering the question, before quickly adding on; "They don't always pay the ransom. Those cases are normally just given an offer to join the Republic or being relocated to a region of choice, minus the Empire." A twitch of some sort was visible on her face the 'They don't always pay the ransom." Remark, then again she did make it known she was a prisoner. The unspoken rule of this fact, meant that her people did not pay for her, be it the State or her own family. Something that clearly stung, if but briefly.

What was to follow was a discussion between the two officers briefly as Alena sighed, turning to the rest to speak one final time. "It seems there will be a change in our effective duties, for reasons of why, well that you'll have to get from the man yourself, but in short I will be the only one to take the field of the two of us."

"Correct." William said in quick order. "I don't have the same youthful vigor of a few of you, I'm going to take up the duties of logistics and training, and functionary duties. As resources allow it may be possible to specialize your skills. I also stand ready to give advice or teach you more about the Company. In practical terms I'll also defend our Shuttles, camps, or the ship."

With that said, Alena took charge of the conversation once more, short and terse, "We leave in one hour, you have till then to do as you please."

~~~~
Date: 7th of Velvenius - Midday
Location: Supply Cache Base - Verguld, Tavin Region

In the hour that was to pass the mighty Airship would rise with the hums of prototype machinery and magic generators whirled to life, the bulkhead doors shut to the ground contingent the passage of time would continue, hours would become days, or a day and a few hours to be more precise, a couple hours past dawn The Castilian would find smoke on the horizon, bellowing on the road between the hilly land and nestled into a partial ravine. A trade caravan was hit, but it wasn't as if the airship could just land here, a wider area in which they could have the tactical high ground would be better, and a supply depot was on the way. A small crescent lake with a shallow shore, the elements of the recon team would be here, or should be. In place they found a rather empty camp, though one undisturbed from an outside party, at the very least the camp did not seem discovered.

Alena for her part unloaded from the ship's boarding ramp and walked across on her mount, silver armor gleaming in the sun as old eyes scanned each and every hill and dip, an ambush could be anywhere, or a place to spring them, though there was more relatively flat land around them, this position was hidden away on purpose, a sanctuary that they could leave from to investigate, to rest, or to plan an attack from. Looking at William as he crossed his arms to peer over the camp, Alena extended her right arm in a circular motion signaling the for the three fliers to take off, to report what they could see if anything, as she cast an eye back at her fellow mercenaries, at the least she had taken point rather than hid behind them. Someone had to have known what was going on here... Not all of the scouts would have left, would they? "See anything?! Spread out! We'll head for the burning caravan if nothing turns up here."


Interactions: All Gundam Watcher 27 ReaperMelia EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Landsharks @Tellussoil Aura Of Twilight Carolyn Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Shotgunpenguin IG42

 

[IG42]

Maxtla
Despite spending the intervening time roaming the ship and significantly increasing the demand for 'DO NOT CLIMB' signs onboard Maxtla was still visibly brimming with energy when he joined the others at the briefing. "So warm up on some bandits then beat on the Imps? Sounds like a good time to me!" He smirked and bumped his fists together, the Empire wasn't quite the active bogeyman Izmir was but from what he heard it was the next worst thing for Laguz on the continent.

"Ransoming prisoners...huh." He hummed curiously at the idea. Any invaders he'd seen captured in the Free State were generally bound for the chopping block, some had suggested using them for hard labour but nothing ever came of it as many refused to match cruelty with cruelty despite the karmic justice of the idea and any Laguz taken prisoner could only be 'ransomed' if they showed up on the auction block. "Just sounds like a good way to have a more experienced enemy come back for you with a grudge."

Bounding down the ramp Maxtla sniffed the air experimentally and wrinkled his nose at the whiff of an unfamiliar musk. "Some kind of beasts around here, something shaggy." Approaching the abandoned camp he picked up remains of the presence of Beorc but not much else useful.

 

[AnonyMouse]

Vierra Vientiane

After the meeting was adjourned, Vierra returned to her room to begin redecorating. Some of her comrades had chosen to go into the city to procure supplies or souvenirs, but she had seen enough of the capital over the preceding days. Everything she needed was already here... and everything she wanted would come to her in due time. Patience, she reminded herself. It is one of the few virtues I have left.

While she worked, her door remained open in case anyone wished to drop by. It wasn't long before things were spilling into the hall -- temporarily, of course. Some of the 'junk' was airship parts. There were many strange widgets, gadgets, and wazoos, as well as pipes, valves, and levers. No precious treasure, unfortunately. If she didn't know what it was, she simply left it alone. But the things she could identify were prompty sorted into crates and marked. By the time the Castilian lifted off, Vierra had most of the things repacked and was in the process of bringing it all back into the room. When it was all said and done, she hadn't actually freed up much space. She still had only half a room, like everyone else. But she took solace in knowing the contents of the mystery crates.

Vierra briefly interrupted her work when the ship's engines hummed to life. She headed to the upper deck to watch the Castilian depart Verguld City. With the wind in her hair, she leaned over the railing, peering down at the city as its buildings shrank beneath them, before the view was eventually obscured by hazy low-hanging clouds. A coastline of rolling green hills and cliffs passed beneath the ship's belly, but as a flier, there was little of interest to her and the company still had a full day's journey ahead of them.

After finishing her sorting and repacking, Vierra spent the remainder of the day making herself useful wherever she could and preparing for what lay ahead. Idleness was simply not her way... though some might mistake her behavior for restlessness. By the late afternoon, she had changed into more comfortable attire to do some cardio on deck. Vierra had a routine: jog for thirty minutes, then stop for stretches and breathing exercises, to acclimate herself to the high altitude, and then back to jogging. Although she wasn't trying to make a scene, an attractive woman doing splits and putting her ankles behind her head was certainly the highlight of any crewman's day. One poor fellow nearly tripped over his own feet while crossing the deck.

I think that's enough exercise for one day, she concluded, playfully wagging her finger at the embarassed young man as he shuffled away with his chin buried in his collar. Perhaps I'll do some training in my beast form tomorrow. Let's see what they think of that, she mused as she headed below decks to wash up and find somehting to eat.

As the sun set, Vierra finally made her way to the lounge, where she played soft lute music until nightfall and entertained anyone willing to listen. She had intentionally avoided this part of the ship until now, choosing to treat it like a little gift to herself after a long first day. Although the lounge wasn't exactly fancy, its quaint atmosphere reminded her of her time in Lyon and Bordeaux. If this mercenary thing doesn't work out, they could hire her as an entertainer, just like old times. She could certainly see herself becoming a fixture here but, with the Castilian drawing ever-closer to its theatre of operations, she opted not to partake in any alcoholic beverages or revelry... yet.

The morning of the 7th, she rose early, washed and made her way to the mess hall. The airship was well into western Verguld by now and, in her opinion, 'vigilance' and 'readiness' were the words of the day. She dressed for battle. Although Vierra owned no armor, her combat attire consisted of a form-fitting tunic and jerkin, short trousers, with leggings and comfortable boots, all in earthen colors. She wore things she could move easily in, to flow in and out of encounters or meld into the wilderness. And the long hunting knife, sheathed on her right thigh, ensured she could defend herself when stealth and agility weren't sufficient defenses.

She spotted the thin column of smoke on the horizon around the same time the Castilian's lookouts did. As the airship drew closer, Vierra could see movement on the ground, but from this altitude, she couldn't make out if these figures were survivors gathering themselves after an attack or if she was witnessing a crime-in-progress. Or wolves picking over what was left. Her brows furrowed at the lack of information, but she ultimately pulled back from the railing to await orders. Vierra expected the fliers to be rallied first and sent to investigate the scene. However, it seemed there was also a recon squad camp nearby, which slightly changed the situation. Had the Daybreakers' camp been hit? Did they know more?

She wanted to transform RIGHT NOW and fly straight for the wreckage... but doing so might mean flying into a trap.

Or saving a life.

Or losing yours.

A small price to pay.

Patience. You are destined for more.

I don't believe in destiny. I believe in taking fate into my own hands.

The dull rumble of the Castilian descending snapped her out of her mental conflict and back to reality. Vierra quickly made her way to the pole. Her scaly tail looped around its smooth metal shaft and she descended to the lower decks with such stoic grace she appeared to float. She touched down and joined her comrades, who were gathering there to dismbark, just as the Castilian hull touched down on water. Gone was the playful Laguz woman so fond of flirty smiles and teasing smirks. She was all business now. There was work to be done.

She was one of the first down the landing ramp, following close upon the flanks of Alena's mount. "See anything?! Spread out!" the silver-haired woman commanded from atop her steed, after signalling for the fliers to take to the skies. "We'll head for the burning caravan if nothing turns up here."

"Understood. We'll fly overwatch," Vierra said as she gripped her Laguz stone and backed a short distance away, to avoid spooking the horses. The transformation was done in the blink of an eye, with only a brief flash of light and the subtle 'pfft' sound of air expanding to accomodate the sudden existence of a twenty foot-long serpent where a mere woman had once stood. Even with over two thirds of its body slithering along the ground, the snake's head still stood taller than most of her human comrades. Her forked tongue briefly flicked forth, tasting the air, however her sense of smell was nowhere near as great as that of the lion Laguz.

"I don't sense anything... yet. Taking off. Left spiral," she said, indicating a formation commonly practiced in the Air Cavalry, where a flyer follows a widening circular pattern to survey an area from above. Normally, it is done by two or more fliers, with one traveling counterclockwise (left spiral) and the other going clockwise (right spiral) to ensure overlapping sight lines.

The feathered serpent lowered herself, coiling her long body into a tightly-packed mound, and even tucking in her wings before suddenly exploding upward. This sudden leap put Vierra nearly eye level with the Castilian's bridge. At the peak of her jump, she spread her wings and began to flap them. Snakes, even feathered ones, were never really meant to fly. But with each powerful beat of her wings, she bullied the air into submission and began to gain altitude. After a few seconds, she was slithering through the air, moving in a majestic undulating patern, like a ribbon on the breeze. Her wings and the broad feathers of her tail worked in unison. She flew the way eels swim.

Once she reached sufficient altitude, she began to bank to the left, circling above the abandoned camp and adjourning lake, while scanning her surroundings for any signs of life or suspicious targets to dive upon.
Interactions: RedArmyShogun (Alena / Will) | Gundam Watcher 27 (Fiona) | Landsharks (Xunlei)
Mentions: IG42 (Maxtla)

 

[Landsharks]

Zhu Xunlei​

Alena gave the order to take off, and for a moment, Xunlei feared he'd have to go right back to issuing commands if neither of the other two was the organizational type. Considering half the reason he was even with this mercenary outfit was because he was sick and tired of being an officer or even a field leader, this wasn't shaping up to be the most fortuitous start to the mission for him.

Thank the gods that Vierra evidently knew something of air cavalry tactics. And...a feathered serpent? Huh. He'd been expecting some form of avian. Below him, Xueying looked to the now-transformed laguz with greater interest, sniffing briefly. At the very least, something in the wyvern's demeanor eased up in Vierra's direction, as Xunlei noticed his mount's posture unstiffening slightly.

"Told you it'd be worth easing up, girl." Xunlei whispered down briefly, patting his wyvern on the head before nodding to Vierra as they took to the sky, calling out towards her and Fiona.

"Heard and confirmed! Right spiral!" He yelled across the distance, starting to bank right and look downwards at the surrounding area. Beyond the obvious, Xunlei was searching for the telltale glint of a metal arrowhead, or of sparks of magic being cast. The last thing he wanted was to be shot out of the sky by anyone alerted to the Daybreakers' rather unsubtle arrival.

AnonyMouse Gundam Watcher 27​

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Little Bee

​

The girl steadied herself, holding her arms out, as the large mechanics underfoot whirred to life, shaking the entire structure, just before the ship took to the air. After the ship took off, the small girl found herself up on its deck. Little Bee grabbed ahold of the railings, and leaned up and over on her tippy toes to view the passing world below. Her large gold orbs absorbed as the world passed below. She stared endlessly down at it, even as some clouds began to appear in her vision.

A sight that that one beheld, that she had never imagined.

At some point the laguz woman had joined her up on deck to do exercise. But even so, nothing tore Bee's attention away from the world.

That was until the ship landed sometime later. The girl departed with the ensemble, walking calmly behind the woman on the horse. Setting foot on the ground once more Bee glanced around. They were once more on the earth itself. An unusual feeling after having spent so long in the air. Especially for one such as Bee, who had never imagined being airborne before. Still, she didn't miss a beat and fanned out with the others, to survey the ground, no falter in her steps, hand clutching the grip of her sword at her waist warmly. If any of this bothered Little Bee, it wasn't noticeable. She was all business, as per usual.

That is, until the laguz woman transformed, drawing Bee's gaze. A winged serpent launched into the air and flew off. Bee had never seen such laguz. So there were laguz like that in this world?? Laguz not even she was familiar with. Her eyes followed the flying serpent as it streaked across the sky, hand still on her sword. Deep down, Bee realized that that woman was familiar with the odd sensation of flight. No, it wouldn't be odd for her. The sky was probably that woman's home, and being grounded was what would be considered odd for her. Once more Bee was faced with her own weakness and mortality. Such magnificent creatures the laguz were. And here she was. Wielding such a trifling little slip of steel to even match a fraction of their power. The large ship behind her, built by many many human hands, over an age. Was what humanity had to do to even reach the same plane that woman could from birth. Bee's hand gripped her sword harder. Her grip heating up, straining her knuckles and wrist.

interactions:
mentions: AnonyMouse

 

[Carolyn]

MELLA
​

The writing instruments are accepted gracefully enough. Mella scribbles a soft ‘thanks’ in the common language. Despite the speed of her writing, the letters are refined. Paced beautifully together as if she’d practiced them just yesterday. Then she puts it away and smooths the wrinkles in her hat for the summons.

Two missions. A real deck of cards to sort out. Not that Mella complains about it. Action is her work, and she’s a consummate tradeswoman, flying an arrow hither and thither. The hour of grace fails to find her wanting: all her cargo is stored neatly in places meant to guard against the whims of gravity. And the yawning day after is spent cooking.

She still smells faintly of the ingredients used for dinner. A dash of herb, a hint of cinnamon, and blood that boils the nostrils. Mella is proud to wear it like another layer of her clothing. Though it’s not time yet to bend the bow, she eyes the deserted camp and loops the weapon by her shoulders to carry. She descends down to join the investigation.