Closed [The Great Harbor] Smells like Home (Tsukiko)

[Matthew]

19th of Summer, 513 AV. Slowly swishing a thin piece of dried beef around in his mouth, Matthew watched the daily ongoings of the Great Harbor with interested eyes. If he was looking to start a business himself, he figured the best way to start on some business skills would be to watch a large and successful business in action. The biggest and most well-known was likely the Harbor, so he had headed there, quill and paper in hand. He now sat upon an empty wooden box, sailors and knights running around like dozens of busy worker ants. They swarmed, carrying boxes here and there, helping ships dock over there, taking notes and Mizas over there, yelling and directing trafffic over there. It was all a bit much to take in, but he was barely managing, with glistening blue eyes loving all the information in front of him. He would study one little operation for several hours, taking mental note of how the leader of the group directed the workflow, and how the workers of the group managed to split up the work between themselves in an effective way. His first study was a group of knights and their leader who were merely counting the incoming cargo on a docked and unloaded ship. It was a small one, but there were dozens upon dozens of small boxes, making it a bit of a headache to accurately count. As Matthew watched, he tried to take notes, his horrible handwriting complete chicken scratch to anyone but himself. His hand was slow and shaky, his letters fumbled and messy. He had taken hours on his business cards and posters, so writing quick notes on the spot was practically impossible. He could read, but writing? Nonetheless, he needed to have some sort of study material. He watched the leader first, jotting down shorthand to help lessen all the scrawling he was going to have to do. The leadership role was the one he was looking to learn, so wouldn't it make sense to analyze it first? It only took the harlot about 15 minutes before his fingers wore out, clutching the quill much too tightly and attempting to write much too quickly. His overly-analytical mind had ended up being his bane, and his notes were all a scrambled mess of information. Half of the information was much too detailed, like a section where he had described the different tones of voice the leader had used to command his employees. Was it really something the leader did on purpose? Furrowing his brow, Matthew let out a deep sigh, gathering up his materials. Drying off the quill and corking the ink, he stuffed the items into his jacket pocket, hopping off of the box he had been on. Since he had somewhat failed in his studious observation, he figured it might be best to try and turn his trip to the Harbor into something productive. Wandering down the vast array of little shops, ships, and all sorts of stands, he tried his best to soak everything in. The smell of the ocean air was actually quite comforting, and he sucked it in, bringing back memories of his home back in Zeltiva.

[Tsukiko]

Tsukiko sighed as she walked down to her catamaran, the sun already somewhat low in the sky as she made her way down to the water. She had begged leave a bit earlier for the evening, and agreed to bring some fish the next day as a compromise. Her muscles were sore from the unfamiliar work she had taken up at the Rearing Stallion. One thing for was for sure; being a barmaid was harder than it looked. Rowdy customers were one thing, but the touchy-feely types were another fish entirely. That particular night, there had been one man that had been disgustingly persistent, and did not want to bring it up with Kevith, owner, for she did not believe that the scum was worth his time, and so when the flow of customers had lulled for a bit, she asked if she could have and early leave. Luckily, she was granted her request with the condition that she made up her time, and she promised that she would bring some fish in thanks.

It was a bit of a walk from the tavern to her home, but she did not mind the fresh air, smiling at a few shop keepers she had recently gotten to know on her way to work. It was interesting, living among land-dwellers for they had customs and routines of their own, some coinciding with what she already knew, and others that left her with curiosity, the knights of the city being one of them. Through her work as a barmaid at the Rearing Stallion, she had spoken with a few interesting characters, along with Kevith who was a retired knight. Along with this, she was understanding the concept of "ownership" which had not been entirely familiar to her prior to staying in Syliras. As she had been adopted into the Oceangem pod after her Fall, she had learned the ways of the Svefrans, in that they had an entirely different take on what it meant to "own" something. It hadn't been to difficult too adapt this way of thinking, as she herself had not spent too much time on Mizahar, only about four years, and had not been ingrained with her family's manner of thinking.

Walking to her ship, a figure caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. He stood a bit taller than herself, though he didn't seem to intimidate other people around him. Perhaps it was because he did not have the build of most of the men in this part of the city that made her wonder what he was up to, or perhaps it was the startling blue eyes that contrasted with his dark brown hair in such away that they reminded her of her own eyes at night. Pausing, she watched as he observed sailors and other folk go about their work, loading ships before nightfall, some fishermen already heading in for the day. He looked as if was taking notes, for a slip of paper peaked out from one of his pockets, and what resembled ink, making small smudges on his hands. 'Perhaps he is looking to join a crew, or looking for work,' she thought absently, before catching herself staring at the stranger. Shaking off her thoughts, she moved to pass by him, heading to her home before night fell. It would not do for her to get caught out in the open once she greeted Leth, and she had some fish to catch before Syna relinquished her hold on the sky.

[Matthew]

The dark mane of brownish fire caught his eye as she swept past, blue and intense windows slipping to observe her. He was caught off guard for a momnt, but not for the reasons that most men were. It wasn't attraction of any sort, even if the woman definitely had the curves and grace to draw those sort of stares. Instead, he was a man who could appreciate beautiful hair. It was part of his whole package. He himself was incredibly well-kept, with his own thick hair full and styled almost every day. Unaware of what he was doing yet, he found himself stepping forward to follow her, handsome face and deep blue eyes intent on the prize. He had found a new subject to study, though in reality, he was simply envious. He never though his hair looked as good as half the women he had ran into here in Syliras. It was silly, for he worked so very hard on it. Suddenly, he realized what he was doing, stopping short. Realizing it would be best to show some sort of politeness and not just creepily stalk her through the harbor, he called out, his voice soft and polite. Each word he spoke was very precisely spoken, pronounced carefully and properly. "Excuse me. I couldn't hope but notice your hair. It is gorgeous. Are you a Svefra?" He made the connection before he even really realized it. He had met them in this city, and he had met them back in Zeltiva. Very rarely did he see a red-head who wasn't one of the sea-faring race. He smiled politely, beautifully femine features hoping she would turn and accept the compliment. Running off and screaming for the Knights was probably the other option that would cross her mind.

[Tsukiko]

The thought of running to the knights did not even cross her mind, instead she turned at the sound of a light voice; one with a bit of husky behind it, drawn to the sound. Perhaps it was the part of her that loved music, for he had a voice that suited some of the most sultry songs, but when she turned, she realized that the voice came from the man she had been admiring a few moments ago; not that she would let herself admit that. To the compliment, she replied, "Umm... Thank you. Yours is quite lovely as well," then wondered if that was something a man would appreciate, absently touching her own curling mass of hair. She usually did not pay much attention to it, and was surprised when another did. "I suppose you could say that," she said, a wry smile playing across her lips. "and what of you?" she asked, curious. Though his eyes were quite obviously blue, he did not quite seem to fit what she had seen of her kin, though she could not entirely pinpoint why.

"Why have you come to the harbor?" she asked in a light tone, trying to not seem too curious. Something about him was out of place here, somehow contrasting with the sailors, though she noted that he was not as pale as some of the citizens of Syliras, though not as dark as one who spent much time out in the sun. 'Perhaps he is a scholar,' she thought, thinking back to the paper and ink stains she had noticed earlier. Just as she thought that, she discarded it, the occupation not quite seeming to fit this particular specimen. Recalling that she had not introduced herself, she added quickly, "Ah, I am Tsukiko by the way," smiling apologetically for her forgotten manners.

[Matthew]

Her reaction was a relief, to put it lightly. His method of introducing himself to her reminding him briefly of the other fire-heads he had met, back at the Herald. At least they had seen him wandering around before he came eagerly stepping up to them. They had been given a warning before he came running up and gushed like a little boy over their hair. This one had no warning, but still took it in stride, which Matthew thought was quite impressive. All of the Svefra always seemed to handle things with such a carefree ease. And then she complimented his hair in return, which took him a few seconds to register. When the words finally did worm their way into his head, something odd happened. The harlot paused for a moment, blue eyes searching hers, the simple compliment ringing in his airs. Even when she asked him a question, and then a second question, he merely stood there and stared. No one had complimented his hair before. He had obviously been told he was sensual, beautiful, handsome, sexy even. It was just something that came with the job. But complimented his hair? He didn't know why it shocked him and made him feel all weirdly warm. He wasn't sure if he liked it. Faintly, he realized his cheeks were hot, and that she had somehow gotten him to blush. How shameful. Silent angry words lashed out at him in his own head, and various gears of logic turned within his mind. It was like a bucket of ice water dumped itself on the man, and just like that, the blush was gone. Biting his lower lip and tugging it briefly as he forced himself to recall her questions, Matthew had to take a few more moments before he could answer. "What of me? I am native to Zeltiva. Nothing special." She meant his race, he assumed. What had she meant by her response to his same question? It was a yes or no question, so why had her answer been so wordy? "To study. I want to one day open my own business, I think. Currently, I am a harlot." The confession came out without his tone changing a bit, the profession apparently quite a normal thing to him. He then fished around in his trouser pocket, feeling about for something before snagging it and tugging it free. He gave her a polite smile, presenting her with a crudely-drawn card. "Let me know if you ever wish to purchase." Business Card : Moving on, he glanced back towards the ocean, taking a deep breath of the air. "In all honesty, I also like to visit just to be reminded of home. I enjoyed a lot of what Zeltiva had to offer. While I am not all that experienced on actually surviving in the oceans or forests, I still like to stare upon them every now and then. Breath them in." His eyes grew distant briefly, then he returned his stare back to her. "Matthew. A pleasure." The words were soft and smooth as always, and his hand slowly extended, toned arm gracefully reaching out to offer her a polite handshake.

[Tsukiko]

As she watched, an array of emotions slid across his face, at the same time seeming to search for something in her eyes. She vaguely wondered if she had done or said something wrong, though she could think what. Tsukiko saw his blush and got a sinking feeling when he appeared to become angry, until she realized that he might be embarrassed by her compliment. 'Perhaps he is unused to such remarks', she thought, pausing to wait for his answers.

"Zeltiva! Is that not the city where casinors are built?" she asked, eyes alight with excitement. It was common knowledge among Svefra that most of the best ship builders resided in Zeltiva, and that it was the city from which their ships came. She had secretly wished to live in a casinor, much like her adoptive family, but they were quite expensive, and she did not believe that she would always reside at sea.

'A... harlot?' It took her a few moments to register what he said, attempting to recall what that word meant. Once it had sunk in, she wondering how he could be so matter of fact about it, but then she supposed that he had been in that line of work for a while. It made sense when she matched his form with that of his occupation. In truth, she was more curious than anything about what had drawn him into his line of work, though she did not voice this, accepting the card politely when he offered it. As she glanced over the card, she asked,"To study and to open your own business? What sort of business?" she added, slipping the card into her pocket, just to be polite, knowing that she would never use it anyways. One of the other barmaids would perhaps be interested.

She smiled as he talked of his home, turning her own gaze to the waters, trying to imagine the large port city where casinors where born. It was then that she realized that the light was almost non-existent, and that she most likely had only a few more chimes until she took her nightly appearance. "A pleasure, I am sure," she replied, her tone slightly tensed. "I am on my way back to my ship. Would you perhaps like to take a look? Though it is small in comparison to those cargo ships, it may give you some of the insight you are looking for in your studies?" she asked, her gaze flickering between him and the sky. She did not wish to cause a commotion in such a public place.

[Matthew]

"Ah, yes, so you have heard of it? There are quite a few talented shipwrights within Zeltiva. I grew up near the harbors there, so I often got to stare as they crafted their ships." His voice had slipped back into a polite tone, with an edge of friendliness to it. He had seemed to completely regain his composure now, the blush having faded from his cheeks and his eyes no longer searching hers. He just seemed aloof, professional, confident. He was just standing there really, but the casual look of his pose and way he held himself spoke so much about what he was. A harlot, and apparently a harlot who held pride in his appearance to others. Not quite prideful, just aware of how first appearance could effect first meetings. "An escort service would be ideal. Most people see prostitutes as people you merely bed. I would like to offer a service where you can find a handsome date, or a beautiful woman to spend an evening with. People who are composed and seductive, and a delight to even just hold conversation with. Someone to sing you to sleep at night, or just someone to listen to your day as they weave your hair. Simple delights, really." He smiled slightly when talking about it, the topic obviously a favorite of his. She would soon learn that the smallest hints of emotion were really great shows, at least when it came to this particular man. If it drew the tiniest of frowns, it likely greatly displeased him. At the same time, if a little smile peeked out, then it probably pleased him. Always composed and always under control, or at least that is what he tried to be. At the mention of a visit to a boat, his composure was broken all over again. A slightly bigger smile than normal peeked through, and he gave a quick nod of his head, blue eyes ever-so-expressive in their delight. They sparkled and danced, betraying his great desire to take her up on her offer. He loved the sea and everything in the wild, even if it scared him. Politeness and caution soon took over though, and he narrowed his eyes at her, slowly stepping closer. "I would love to, but are you sure I won't be in the way? I wouldn't want to intrude. And..." He paused, brow furrowed, searching her eyes quietly before he leaned a bit closer and whispered. "Will it be safe? I can swim and everything, but only a doggy paddle. Do I need to be better than that unless we are... attacked?" The harlot had a very skewed view of the ocean, obviously. Much like that of a two year-old.

[Tsukiko]

His description of his ideal business brought another perspective to her original thoughts of escorts, one that she found likeable even, at least when compared to what people normally pinned on such topics. 'Someone who would keep you company by merely being beside you, rather than one who expects to bed you,' she thought in response to his words. His smile when he spoke of his aspirations did not go unnoticed, nor did the fondness in his tone fully escape her ears. These reminded her of the way her foster siblings had spoken of their favorite topics, and at the thought of her family picked up her spirits and lowered them like little else ever could.

Distracted as she was by her own thoughts, there was no mistaking the excitement that lit this man's eyes at the mention of visiting a seafaring vessel, and she contrasted his smile with a satisfied grin. She stood her ground as he stepped in closer, her smile widened at his following words, amusement playing in her eyes. Tsukiko was not quite one who hid her emotions; at least that was the way it seemed to most eyes. There were some things she left under lock and key. "In the way? It is not as if I have any crew, and perhaps you could even help me with somethings, since I promised Kevith that I would get him some fish in return for letting me leave early to escape that pushy littl..." she trailed off, realizing she had begun to rant her troubles to this man whom she had just met, embarrassment rising to colour her cheeks. "Anyways," she continued, clearing her throat after a slight pause, "you would not be in the way at all. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two," she added in a light tone.

Listening to his worries, she leaned back a bit to look at him squarely in the face, an arched brow raised as a crooked smile made itself apparent; she was greatly amused by his caution as she struggled to discern whether or not he was joking. Apparently he was not, and so she leaned in to whisper in a low voice into his ear, "Unless we are attacked by... ghosts," she paused for dramatic effect, "I do believe we will be fine," she finished, leaning back and giving him a playful wink before spinning him to face the direction she was headed, and giving him a light push, setting off to her home. Despite her playful reply, she knew that the waters were not something to be taken lightly, not if one wanted to live in them... and stay alive.

Taking a few quick steps to match him, she began to lead him through the crowd; weaving her way through the few stragglers on their way back to shore and ducking under planks and boxes carried by fellow seafaring men. It was usually a bit less busy on her way home, for she had been walking along the docks in the wee hours of morning since the beginning of summer, when most of the customers had taken their drunken leave from the tavern, so even if it was a bit busier at this time, it was a nice change of pace when compared to the sour smell of beer. Finally reaching her catamaran, nestled out of the way of most of the ruckus of the busy sea-goers. "Well, here we are," she said, gesturing to her ship before jumping onto the deck. The vessel was comprised of two hulls, connected by the deck, which was a platform between the two; the entire structure being about 30ft in length.
"Welcome to the Crescent," she added with a smile. Though she was perhaps not as large as her neighbors, the Crescent had her own charm, floating lazily in the light of Syna's last few rays. The sailor did not have much time before... well, she would wait and see if he had the guts to board her ship before she showed him anything else; either way, it was looking to be an interesting night.

The Crescent :

[Matthew]

He wasn't sure if he actually had passion for the art of Escorting or Prostitution, or if he just had passion for finding some sort of art and doing everything that he could to master and evolve it. Prostitution had been a quick and easy way to make money, to infuriate his parents and sully his name, and he had ended up being quite good at it as well. He did enjoy it, though not on a physical level. He enjoyed it as much as any man would, simply because the act of sex brought physical pleasure. The mental stimulation was the best part. Each customer was a puzzle, and determining how to best solve that puzzle was exciting. It was a unique sort of brainteaser. The mention of ghosts caused his sky-blue eyes to widen for a brief moment, a look of genuine boyish horror crossing his handsome features before he got his expression back under control. It was only her playful wink that made him realize that she was just teasing him, and he offered a hesitant smile and an awkward laugh, trying to play off like he had known it was a joke all along. While he was good at reading certain things when it came to his profession, there were other things that he wasn't so good at. Like reading any other sort of obvious emotion, like the sparkle in her amused eyes. He just let himself be pushed in the right direction and then guided along, giving little nods and waves to people as they passed. He was graceful in his ducks and weaves underneath oncoming planks and boxes, thankfully avoiding any sort of sudden blow to the head. They reached the ship and he put the little he knew about such a vessel into use. His first ginger step onto the boat caused his body to sway a bit as the deck rocked just a bit, and his hips automatically swayed to compensate. He almost looked like one of the erotic dancers that people could come and see at some of the more mature taverns, with his hips elegantly swaying back and forth to keep his balance. He stared at his feet and waist a moment as he focused on keeping the balance, and then slowly looked up to glance around the boat. His sharp gaze flicked from detail to detail, trying to commit what he could to memory, giving the nearby ocean a somewhat suspicious glance before turning his head to stare at her. He just stood there a moment, still getting used to the unsteady ground beneath his shoes, biting his lip as he dedicated a piece of his mind to focusing on just that. "Alright, I am on the boat. I haven't fallen over, we haven't been eaten by sea monsters, and there are no... ghosts." The last part came with a pause and a swallow, the topic obviously an uncomfortable one. "What can I help out with? Fish, you said? Do we actually jump in and try to grab them? That seems ineffective." He didn't know it, but he was rather stupid when it came to certain things.

[Tsukiko]

She watched with interest as the man slowly gained his legs. His movements were fluid, enticing even. It was a curious sight to her, as she had the opposite problem, being so used to the swaying of the waves, that land almost seemed terribly flat to her. Though she may be a child of Leth, she was also a child of Laviku, and was at home on the waters. Letting out a soft laugh, she ducked into the main cabin to gather her fishing supplies, leaving her guest to adjust his balance and look around. The sailor did not 'own' many things, which could be attributed to her brief, but invaluable, Svefran upbringing. They tended to have some difficulty in grasping the concept. Despite this, a few small pieces she had crafted with her family, mostly made out of colourful, smooth stones and shells, dangling here and there. Returning to the deck, she found that Matthew had somewhat accustomed himself to the rolling motion of the vessel, though perhaps still a bit on edge, as he bit his lip due to what seemed to be nervousness.

As she straightened, Syna's last few rays winked out, and the sky finally darkened. The Ethaefal wondered what sort of reaction she would obtain come moonrise, something she couldn't help but think about. The small sounds of hooks and lours clinking together brought her attention back to her guest with a thoughtful glance. Considering that he had not yet run for the side of the ship, proved that he had potential; seasickness could be a ghastly thing.
Tsukiko noted that he seemed to be somewhat disturbed by her comment of ghosts, and absently wondered what story lay behind it before she was distracted by his interpretation of fishing.

"Well... we could do that, though not only would it be inefficient, but such a silly stunt would scare away all are lovely prey," she replied wondering whether or not it he had been joking. He seemed to be the sort of man who liked to have control over himself, even though he didn't always succeed. Holding up her fishing kit, she gave him a slight smile, "I think that this would, perhaps, be more suitable?" quirking an eyebrow at the end of her question. The sailor glided with ease across the deck, setting the gear down, and crooked a finger at him. "Do you know how to set up a line?" she asked, pulling out the sections of rod and some fishing line. The kit was well worn, though it was treated with obvious care. More than once, she had been able to get by in tough spots due to her fishing, and had been one of her first purchases in her current lifetime, making it all the more precious.