Cast: Cirocco (Loyal) & Relgia (EyePierce)
TLDR: Cirocco's music attracts Relgia's attention. They speculate on the attack on Arbor Aurelius. Relgia drags Cirocco off forsinister purposes lunch.
Support Points Earned: 1
September 13, 2017
September 14, 2017
TLDR: Cirocco's music attracts Relgia's attention. They speculate on the attack on Arbor Aurelius. Relgia drags Cirocco off for
Support Points Earned: 1
[8:06 PM] Loyal: Later that day, a small crowd of people were gathered around Pachima's fountain. Anyone who got in earshot could easily see - or rather hear - why. From within the center of this crowd came the sound of music, low and slow, playing from a woodwind instrument of some sort.
Cirocco sat on the edge of the fountain with his eyes closed and legs crossed, playing his treasured silver flute for nobody in particular, and yet for everyone at once. His body was relaxed as he played, only his hands moving to manipulating the instrument expertly, and wings gave the occasional twitch. For anyone listening it would feel like the aches of the world were being lifted off their shoulders - or at least abated for the time being.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIkxKURyDtw)
[8:30 PM] EyePierce: Making her way through the crowds was easy for a large Kano like Relgia. Often, folk avoiding her would trouble Relgia a bit, but right now her mouth was set in a small frown and she was glad the crowd was giving her space. The interview with Saarva hadn't been what she was expecting and though she was confident in herself, she did blow up at Saarva a bit. If the man held a grudge there was no telling if she'd be stranded here for a few months. Her ship had left after all.
Relgia was shaken out of her introspection by the bustle of the crowd around her. Glancing up at the commotion, Relgia caught sight of a man performing near a fountain, the soft silky melody weaving unobtrusively throughout the plaza. She felt the knot of stress at her back disapate a bit and a welcome smile hit her face. It wasn't worth worrying about it. Right now, it'd be best to meet some of the locals. Setting two of her large hands against the shoulders of the folk in front of her, she began wading through the small gathering of people who had come to listen, her presence shaking some out of their contentment and making a few wander off to continue their day.
As she got to the man dressed in blue, Relgia's advance faltered. It'd be a bit rude to interupt him. So she stood there, hands quietly flexing their fingers, waiting for the song to end.
[8:43 PM] Loyal: As Relgia approaches and the crowd begins to falter Cirocco stiffens slightly, but only in having sensed the possibility of someone hostile. Once it's clear she's just another spectator, he relaxes once more.
His song continues for a short while longer, concluding only after a particularly long, wavering note, and Cirocco opens his eyes to gauge the crowd as he breathes deeply. The crowd takes a few seconds to break out from their spell and realize that the Hawk had stopped at all. He hums in approval, and spares a glance and a short nod at the newest arrival.
[8:49 PM] EyePierce: At the end of the performance Relgia may not be the first to applaud, but she she's the loadest of the lot. She claps all four of her hands enthusiastically, smiling widely. Noticing the man's eye on her she steps forward with the grin still plastered to her face.
"That was a great tune! Do you take donations? Are you here often?"
[9:08 PM] Loyal: "You are too kind, miss," Cirocco replies, smiling warmly as he lowers the flute to his lap, his voice even. "Donations are appreciated, but not necessary. Simply playing is its own reward, moreso if there are people to hear it." He inclines his head toward another part of the crowd.
"This is a new locale for me. I simply saw an opportunity to play for a new audience and thought to take it. I imagine if I played here too often people might tire of it quickly, hm?"
[9:18 PM] EyePierce: "Hah, fat chance of that! Good is good, no matter the port."
Her expression took on a curious tone and a hand reached into her vest and from one of the few pockets she owned she brought out a few battered leafs to hand to the bard.
"So you're not from around here then? Where do you come from that they taught you how to do this?" She gestured with her two backarms at the dispersing crowd around them.
[9:29 PM] Loyal: Cirocco carefully accepts the leafs, rubbing them between his fingers to test their authenticity. "Oh, thank you indeed," he says as he puts them into one of his pouches, and continues speaking with a note of fondness. "Lady Atena of Mytia took me in as her humble servant years ago, and is an excellent teacher of magic. Mana flows through a lot of what I do these days. The music is... merely a skill from my youth." The tone of his voice changes ever so slightly as he speaks of his past. "But if not for My Lady, we likely would not be having this conversation right now."
He pauses for a moment, regarding his own words, and then chuckles.
"Actually. Euphemism aside, that's exactly what would be happening, as I'm here on My Lady's assignment to begin with."(edited)
[9:40 PM] EyePierce: "For somethin' you picked up as a brat that's some talent you got. So does that mean you're out here ta teach some rich man's son?"
[9:55 PM] Loyal: The hawk taps his flute idly, and looks around again. Seems the crowd had gotten the hint and figured Cirocco wasn't going to play again right away - all but a handful of them had returned to their usual business by now.
"No, nothing like that, I'm afraid. Just because one can do does not mean one can teach." Cirocco looks to Relgia. "My Lady sent me here in response to the attack on the Arbor Aurelius - I'm sure you've heard the news by now. And My Lady had decided that she should not sit idly by and let this go without action. And since some of my skills should prove quite useful in an investigation..."
He taps his flute pointedly.
"Why, it seemed only natural that she would send her faithful agent in her stead. And so a ship was chartered here, and I took to the sky for the rest of the way, and I arrived in Pachima. A Dragon by the name of Saarva had been recruiting, and I just finished up with him not long ago... and now here I am."
[10:15 PM] EyePierce: Scrunching her face together in surprise, Relgia crossed her back arms over her chest. "Yeah, I did hear about that. 'S why I came into town in the first place. Though I wasn't told to come by any folk."
She took a good long look at the man, having only paid a modecrum of attention to the man behind the music. Strange, but she must have been good and entranced. Taking a second look at the man, he was small, though he did seem to be fairly well build. Compact, that was the word. Several moments went by as she put the pieces together. "So you're signin' up for the team then? Flyin' and whatnot, I suppose that might be..." No, it wasn't right to be irate at the man for signing up for the same job she did. She took a breath and held it for a moment, then exhaled a puff of hot hair. "Sorry, no. That'd probably be fantastic ta have on a team when you're lookin' for those scuttled rantallions. I just came from there myself, actually. Was a bit... stressin' though. Don't think I put my best oar forward."(edited)
She took a good long look at the man, having only paid a modecrum of attention to the man behind the music. Strange, but she must have been good and entranced. Taking a second look at the man, he was small, though he did seem to be fairly well build. Compact, that was the word. Several moments went by as she put the pieces together. "So you're signin' up for the team then? Flyin' and whatnot, I suppose that might be..." No, it wasn't right to be irate at the man for signing up for the same job she did. She took a breath and held it for a moment, then exhaled a puff of hot hair. "Sorry, no. That'd probably be fantastic ta have on a team when you're lookin' for those scuttled rantallions. I just came from there myself, actually. Was a bit... stressin' though. Don't think I put my best oar forward."(edited)
[10:42 PM] Loyal: Scuttled... Rantallions? Cirocco thinks.
"Yes indeed," he nods, beginning to stand up so as to keep his legs from falling asleep, quickly scanning her body in the process. She's obviously incredibly strong, and the cut of her muscles indicate no shortage of martial skill either. She's as immodestly dressed as any Kano who passed through Atena's halls, but he'd gotten used to that by now. Mostly. He is also unsurprised to learn she's a fair bit taller than he.
Cirocco dusts himself off to disguise his impromptu recon as he continues. "A Hawk's eyes are naturally sharp, and My Lady has taught me much about how to gather information efficiently. And if nothing else, music may improve morale as the task continues. Though I sense that's not your immediate concern. Did something happen when you spoke to Sir Saarva?"
[11:11 PM] EyePierce: "Ah, no. Nothin' ta worry yourself over. Just had a bit of a... misunderstanding is all. Thought he called me a pirate and I got a little hot in the head. Everythin' went fine."
The Kano's posture folded in on itself, her shoulders drooping and contracting a bit and though she still had a grin on her face it could be mistaken by some to be more of a grimace. The interview really did go fine. There wasn't anything to worry about. Saarva, Sir Saarva? Did he have a title? All she really caught was the name...
Glancing up, a thought occured to her and Relgia flushed a bit. "Ah, I've got a cod's head! The name's Relgia. Relgia Hildebrand, formerly of captain Avaline's Molten Larke. Sorry, I'm not used to introducin' myself. Usually I'm just one of the crew."
[6:56 AM] Loyal: A sailor, then, that would explain the dialect. And did she say something about a pirate? Cirocco filed a mental note for later to see if he could find out anything about this Captain Avaline... if the pirate remark was completely off base, wouldn't a simple denial have made more sense? Maybe it just really caught her off guard...
Cirocco shakes his head. "Oh! A thousand apologies, ma-miss, here I had gone telling you my pointless life story and we had not even been introduced! Barely a week outside my halls and I've already become no better than a child."
"You may call me Cirocco. As I have intimated earlier, I am a sworn agent in service to Lady Atena." The hawk puts his flute gently back in its holster and offers a short bow. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If it isn't too much to ask, Ms. Relgia, how did you come to be separated from your crew and end up here?"
[5:14 PM] EyePierce: "Well, a bit of chance and my own pig-headedness I guess. Our ship was scheduled for a trip ta Niciri regardless, we got trade deals all over Laqueos. Niciri's got a fair amount of open plains for livestock that Fotia doesn't have much room for, and it's easy ta grab what we need over here. Costs a lot less too, danger of the open water aside. Heck, I'd say we've dock here about as often as ever other place combined." A real sense of pride came off of Relgia's words, and her back straightened, adding a few inches to her.
"Eh, got sidetracked a bit. But yeah, we made port not two towns over near the outer ocean." A backhand jerked a thumb in the supposed direction. "By then we'd already heard about the spat at the Money Tree but it was the first I heard about the expedition. So, wantin' ta lend a hand, I took my shore leave and hoofed it down here. Cap'n was a bit sour, but she let me go. Supposed ta head back there in three months time if things don't hold water here."
[5:34 PM] Loyal: "Three months..." he repeats wistfully. "One would hope the investigation doesn't last THAT long."
Cirocco taps his foot, humming in thought on the subject, which gets the gears in his head turning. "There's no telling what other mischief the attackers could cause if they had a
whole three months to work unmolested. Then again, there's still no word on their motive, or how they attacked in the first place. Do you have any thoughts on the matter, Ms. Relgia? I myself wonder if perhaps the attackers could have sent one of their own to sabotage the investigation from within..."
[5:55 PM] EyePierce: "Pah, fat chance of that. If the priggers were smart enough to plant a man in their own investigation they'd be smart enough not ta try and rush one of the most heavily guarded ports in the world. It'd be easier to fish out a guarded flotilla comin' back with leafs than wade through the Florkana and whatever Dragon presence they got over there." The Kano shot down the idea of a spy, waving it away like a foul stench. She hadn't thought about the overarching goal much though, so she rubbed her neck in thought before giving a simple shrug to her new friend.
"'S probably just a daft 'Pirate King' hopin' ta cut the middleman out of his work. Maybe funded by some small nation getting too big for their breeches. It'll be some nobody thinkin' that they can do a quick'n dirty job ta get ahead in life."
[7:11 PM] Loyal: Cirocco rubs his head, adjusting the hair near his bandana as he thinks.
"Maybe there's no saboteur. But it seems unlikely that it's as simple as some... robbery. It is as you say, anyone who tried to just make off with a shipment of Leafs would be sunken before they made it halfway out of port. Nobody could be so... suicidal." He shudders slightly, unable to conceive of the level of stupidity required for someone to actually try doing that just for the money.
"No, there's definitely some greater play at work. The ploy is too expensive and the defenses of the Aurelius too great. There's just no profit margin here..."
He goes conspicuously quiet before Relgia for a moment, organizing his thoughts.
Notes:
- probably the work of another nation, not many known groups with the influence to fund an attack like this and then follow up.
- possible saboteur in the investigation team?
- Saarva himself? Seems strange to have an open recruitment for an investigation team when every nation in the world is suspicious.(edited)
[4:25 PM] EyePierce: "Well in the end, that's what this recruitment's for, isn't it? Find out what they wanted and stoppin' 'em from doin' it again."
Relgia scratched her head, a bit confused. Cirocco seemed determined to solve the mystery he saw even though he lacked all the pieces to do it. All he'd be doing would be running around in circles.
[6:25 PM] Loyal: "It is as you say," he admits. "One supposes it would be wiser not to waste one's time on idle speculation when we know only what the news told us."
Cirocco takes a moment to look around, trying to summon Aeolus's map in his mind from memory and match it to his surroundings. "Maybe I'm just too eager to do My Lady proud. Maybe I should see what the city has to offer, instead."
[6:35 PM] EyePierce: "That's the spirit!" Grinning, the large woman gave a slap of camaraderie to the winged man's shoulder.
" 'S pointless ta think about stuff you can't fix. On that note, I think I better go look for some grub. Didn't have much of a chance ta look for somethin' beforehand. Interview and all that. You wanna come with?"
[6:46 PM] Loyal: The hawk winces at the unexpected (and unexpectedly powerful) slap, barely avoiding the wind being knocked from his lungs. "G-gods, but you are strong..." he mutters, forgetting himself.
"I... that would be good. Yes, that is kind of you to offer, Ms. Relgia, I am feeling a mite peckish myself. And company makes any meal more pleasant, after all." He shakes his head, smiling as he extends a hand outward. "Lead on?"
[6:55 PM] EyePierce: With a grin, one hand curled comfortably around the man's shoulder and with a "C'mon then, buddy!" Relgia set off for where she had seen the crowds were the largest. That was generally where the best stuff was after all, and no crowd could come between the boisterous woman and what she wanted.
=== End RP ===
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