Placeholder Touch the Waves

[Sunette]

Date: 29th of Spring, 514
Location Riverfall Docks

The second full day of exploring Riverfall for Sunette involved the docks this time. She'd been close before when she had her brief visit to Alements, but now she had something she wanted to do besides eat. She wanted to touch the water. In Kalinor, they got their water through ducts in the ceiling their city hung from. They didn't have water like this. Was it different in taste? In touch? She had to know.

She trailed down the streets of Riverfall, but the closer that she got to the dock, the faster her feet moved. By the time she passed Alements, she was practically sprinting toward the bay. Heart racing, her curiosity running wild. She knew it wouldn't be spectacular, so why was this exciting her so? Quickly reaching the dock, she pulled herself to a screeching halt at the edge of the water. For a moment, she just looked out at it all. The sun was high in the sky, causing the water to shine and sparkle, each shimmer giving her shivers. It was like moving glass. Beautiful, moving, blue glass.

Sunette finally crouched down, moving to lie down flat on her stomach. Now that she was closer to the water, she could see down into it. Suddenly, her focus changed from wanting to touch the water to simply wanting to stare at it. Fish swimming in schools back and forth, species she didn't know, but they were so… beautiful. It was all beautiful. Everything about this experience was blowing her away completely. Her legs lifted up behind her, her stance almost like a child. The more she saw, the more she realized she knew so little… Isn't that the best part about the world? There's always something new to learn.

Able to finally break from the aquatic ecosystem flourishing before her eyes, she reached an elongated arm down from the dock and toward the water.

[Tydus Tempest]

What to do. What to do. The day had been of negligible productivity for Tydus, seeing as he had in the past week, forsaken all sort of amusement in the favour of gathering contacts and information for the Pod. The Tempest decided that he deserved a day off, so unlike his podmates that so took everything for granted. All of them, so content in the mediocre condition we're in...

Part of the Tempest scion longed for the few days that he had been staying in the Suvan Suites, in the lap of luxury in a room with only Adney to keep him company, but there was no returning. He had a duty to help preserve his pod, but there was no reason to let it consume his entire existence. No, that honour, the privilege of dominating Tydus' existence was given and fully taken advantage of by that which deserved it most: drink.

It gave to him the blissful forget of life, it bestowed upon him the resolve that he needed, for all that he did was in the pursuit of what he needed to reach the fog of forget and the cradle that was drunkenness. It protected him from the hurt that encompassed his life, his recent past, and the pressure that the Lia, in her incompetency, put on him. It was unfair, but Tydus coped.

The night before had ended in a drunken haze, leaving Tydus to wake up in Callipsia's ship before her, and the confusion that spurred from this melded with the grudge that he held against her. His memory was obscured by alcohol's fog, but obviously the drink held his best interests at heart. He forgot for a reason, right?

The mug in hand was not as cold as it would be were it in a tavern, but he didn't care. It was here, where Laviku's blessed tides and the gentle sway of the ship he rested upon could spirit him off, in the calm of an isolated day, into the lull of peace. It was, of course, a lie, but a lie he was oh so eager to believe.

A pint. And then a second. A third. The barrel of ale that he siphoned the drink from was extremely heavy with the ale, which was in truth a fallback, but it was not yet time to arrange the details of business with Caelum. That would happen tomorrow. Or, perhaps, if Tydus decided to sober up later, it could happen today. But, he lay content on the gunwale of his ship, maintaining a balancing act upon it in his comfort with the ship, a hand pressing into the dock's wooden scaffolding as a safety measure.

It was when he reached out to the scaffolding that the Svefra's gaze directed to the port itself, a curious glance cast about as he heard the movement of feet upon the dock. Is it Kavala? One of the pod? We're the only people who dock here...

The rest of the dock was a way's off, but when the Svefra caught a glimpse of the being, albeit it upside down due to his posture. She was disturbingly close for a new sight, but he didn't mind once he became accustomed. There was no need to greet her. Yet, he found his lips parting, his head tipping back over the edge of the gunwale so he could get a better look.

The woman was lying down upon the wooden surface of the pier, hair obscuring the view of her face, though her hand and by extension her skin ('Less she's suffered some horrible deformity. But, lessee' first.) was of a pale white.

"'Lo, lass! Yeh comin' to get a look at teh casinor? A rare sight, 'ndeed! Step aboard, if ye'd like."

As the Svefra spoke, he placed his head upon the gunwale to support his body better, then pushed himself back onto the deck, the world spinning around him as he rested against the wall of his quarters. Buzz must've rushed to yet head a bit faster this time, eh? Well, you're okay.

[Sunette]

"'Lo, lass! Yeh comin' to get a look at teh casinor? A rare sight, 'ndeed! Step aboard, if ye'd like."

Fingertips moments from skimming the surface of the bay, a male voice raised above the pounding in her ears and effectively scared she absolute piss out of Sunette. She jumped with the first word he spoke, a loud squeak escaping her crimson lips. If any more of her had been hanging off the edge, she would have fallen in. Lucky she didn't-- She had no idea how to swim, and that would have been a disaster.

She quickly pulled her arm up from over the dock, pressing both palms against the wood to hoist up her upper half. She craned her head back, scanning the area trying to find the source of the voice that disrupted her near moment of discovery. She'd thought she'd be alone around this time of day, assuming that anyone in the ships would be out and about in the city. Apparently she was wrong.

And, there he was. It took her a split second to find him, seeing as he was the only one around. And on the boat right next to her. Had he been there long? How did she miss that? How did she miss him? She stood up slowly, her eyes glued to him during her transition of stance. He looked so... familiar. Had she seen him before? Of course, there was a chance she'd seen him before in passing. All she had done for the last few days was walk around Rivefall. With so much diversity in the faces around here, you'd suppose she could remember someone.

But, none the less, he'd invited her over. Whether that was a good idea or not for her to go, she wasn't sure. Whether or not it was a good idea for him to have her on board was also up in the air, but she'd done well with keeping her occasional homicidal tendencies in check, so it would be fine for him...

...Probably.

Yeah, okay... I guess...

She moved toward the ship cautiously, not quite knowing what to expect. Why were people so friendly when they weren't in large numbers? The general public of this city seemed frightened of her (as they probably should be, honestly, not that they would really know why,) and yet this is the second man to initiate contact. And she was in no position to refuse. She placed one foot on the boat, leaning into the step only slightly. Immediately, she felt the boat move with the waves under her feet. Subtle enough to be ignored by anyone knowing it was present, but just enough to be noticed by this Symenestra that lacked her sea legs. Unfortunately, she wasn't prepared for that movement. Her knees buckled and she tripped forward onto the boat with a slight scream, hands extended to grab something-- anything-- to catch her fall.

[Tydus Tempest]

It was always amusing to see those that didn't have sea legs try to balance themselves on the ship's deck. Of course, they were close to shore, and the tides were small, but it was irrelevant. Regardless of the distance and the strength of the waves, to step upon the deck of a ship as small as this one was to dance a waltz with the deck itself. It required a grace that landlubbers did not understand, walking the rigid earth and Semele's domain of unyielding terrain with not a worry. It fostered a rigidity in their step, as well, and bode ill for them at sea.

The Svefra had, for several days, had problems walking on dry land when he arrived at Riverfall. It was something he was consistently unused to in his previous life with the Pod, but he had been moored at Riverfall for long enough that he had become accustomed. He had learned their ways, but those of the land failed to learn his. The woman fell forward with a particularly large wave setting the ship off-balance, the Svefra stepping forward to catch her, keeping his footsteps quick, choppy and close to the floor as he walked forward, his shoulders arched forward in order to stabilize his weight until the wave passed.

The woman fell directly into his arms, the Svefra acting almost entirely on instinct, his body swaying weakly under the woman's weight, though his right foot moved backwards to support the change in weight. A chuckle escaped the Svefra's lips as he pulled the woman closer for just a moment, the woman would be able to feel the Svefra's bare chest against her before he let go, chuckling.

In his drunken state, the Tempest's powers to see the smaller things, finer details, already a rather weak thing, were completely gone. He missed the claws on her hands, the red in her eyes, the natural pigmented red of her lips. He had not yet seen her speak, so the fangs were not yet presented, but the Svefra was completely out of the loop. To him, the woman in his presence looked completely normal, if with a strange mystique about her. She, like other women who had been invited to come aboard the Tempest ships, was likely to be pulled into the ploy of his distraction.

A bright grin and a chuckle escaped Tydus' lips as he extended a hand forward in offering, "Go'ta be careful there, lass. Teh sea's a harsh mistress. 'Er waves are 'ard to get used to. But, ye'll get over it." He chuckled, winking at the woman before he moved to the barrel, pouring himself another mug of ale from his tap before looking over to her once again, "Would ye like a mug? T'is merry to drink with a lovely lass such as yerself."

[Sunette]

Without a moment of hesitation, the sailor caught her as she fell. He pulled her close for a split second, his chuckle soft huffs of breath in her hair as she took note of the body against her own, the feel of her pendant pressed between them. She also took note of the scent of alcohol on him. The situation could have gone much worse, and the fact that it didn't made her very thankful. Even more thankful that an attractive man caught her. Maybe this would go well for her. Sunette quickly found her footing on the ship when he released her, looking at the ground as though that would somehow help. Her hands ran over her body repeatedly, straightening back out her clothing.

"Go'ta be careful there, lass. Teh sea's a harsh mistress. 'Er waves are 'ard to get used to. But, ye'll get over it."

In her peripheral vision, she noticed his hand outstretching toward her, her gaze flashing back up to his blue orbs as her hand slipped into his grasp.

I'm really sorry about that. I'm normally much more graceful, I promise.

Then, the wink. Her heart fluttered slightly, not yet familiar with this type of attention from other races. But two could play at this game. Her red lips upturned at the corners in a smirk that made a single fang visible as he walked away, offering a compliment and a mug of ale. "Would ye like a mug? T'is merry to drink with a lovely lass such as yerself." She responded almost immediately, a tinge of laughter in her voice. Her gaze never left him.

We haven't even exchanged pleasantries, but what kind of woman would I be to deny a drink offered by such a handsome man? I wouldn't want to steal the merriment from your experience by not participating.

She began to examine him more in depth now that she was far enough to see all of him, but not so far to miss the details. His big picture was, indeed, handsome, but it's always better to examine a piece of art if you plan to really understand it. She'd already caught the blue in his eyes that matched the water that she had already come to adore, finding a certain comfort in them because of that. His body told a story of years of labor, leaving him lean and cut in a way she could respect mentally and admire physically.

I'm Sunette.

[Tydus Tempest]

Her remark regarding the lack of an exchange of pleasantries was valid. He had not considered it in his haste to ensure that she hadn't fallen. A bloody floor was a problem to clean up, but more so, a woman in pain, physical pain, at least, was something he wished to avoid. Emotional pain was something he did not mind. He lived it, breathed it. It was far easier to bypass the boundaries of the emotional than it was to deal with physical deformities. The latter was far more prevalent. He'd noticed it with Adi in the recent past, but it was easier with her. Less complicated. He had not a clue why, but it was irrelevant.

The Svefra grinned at the woman, Sunette as she introduced herself, as he approached her with two mugs of ale, holding one out for her to take. When she did, he responded to her introduction in kind,

"A lovely name, lass. Never 'eard another like it. M'name's Tydus Tempest. T'is a pleasure."

The Tempest moved forward to press his lips to hers in greeting, thinking nothing of the contact, for when he was intoxicated, personal boundaries were the last thing on his mind. When sober, things such as space and personal property, virtues regarded and heralded as fact by the normals and other societies of the world were ignored, when drunk, boundaries were pushed beyond this. Sensation was craved while emotion was suppressed. Pain was erased while pleasure was magnified. While Tydus was not yet fully intoxicated, it was the first step, the one that he liked most of all, yet he found no limit there. More.

The taste strengthened with each drink to the point where ale become a viable way to quench the thirst. Of course, rum was preferable, but not every night could be spent with the elixir that the Svefra considered his true poison. His one love. No, one had to sleep in the pits in order to truly enjoy the bed. One had to make nice with the inferior women before making with the lovely one. It was how life worked.

He then remembered that the woman had referred to being graceful. Eh. An eagle can be graceful in the air, doesn't mean it knows how to swim. Same with a lubber on a boat. The Svefra kept his thoughts to himself, a mere chuckle pointing to the fact that they existed, though he quickly masked it with words, "Jus' takes gettin' used to, lass."

Now that the Tempest could see the woman in her entirely, he noted her appearance. He had already pressed his lips to hers, and by their taste, the pigment was artificially bestowed; her skin was a porcelain white, smooth and intriguing. The Svefra would, ordinarily, wonder why it was so purely white, but he didn't care at the moment, his gaze instead rising to her head, platinum hair streaming from her scalp and framing her face. Eyes of blood red stared at him. Normally, Tydus would be unsettled by the colour, but his experiences with the Vantha, Adi, and his relaxed, partially inebriated state allowed him a relaxed approach that he enjoyed. It felt familiar, this exchange. It seemed like the beginning of a game he'd played before. And it was.

[Sunette]

Sunette couldn't take her eyes off of how easily he walked across the ship. Not that it surprised her, but she was a bit envious of it to say the least. She was standing there simply attempting to get accustomed to the feeling of nothing sturdy under your foundation. Just... water, constantly in motion. The friendly sailor held the mug of ale out to her, and she accepted it as it was offered.

"A lovely name, lass. Never 'eard another like it. M'name's Tydus Tempest. T'is a pleasure."

Tydus Tempest. What an interesting name. She didn't really figure that he would have heard a name like hers without meeting another of her kind, which didn't seem to be common with the sheer lack of numbers they sported these days, and that many of them didn't seem to leave Kalinor often. And, as these thoughts raced through her mind, he leaned in and kissed her. Nothing lengthy, nothing intimate, but a kiss none the less. Any thought she had had previously was gone with that gesture. How long it had been since she'd been gifted with that sensation.

She couldn't help but chuckle, though. He seemed to have no consideration for his own safety, kissing a Symenestra like that. It's that or he was simply ignorant of the possible danger he'd just placed himself in. Perhaps it was the ale getting to him. But, if he wasn't going to worry about it, neither would she. She wasn't in the mood for feeding, anyway. But, if he wasn't careful, she may not be able to control herself. No one turns down a free meal. Or, maybe she could get something... else out of him.

"Jus' takes gettin' used to, lass."

What does? Being kissed by strangers?

Lifting onto her toes, she pressed her lips against his in return. She upped the ante just a bit though, holding the kiss for an almost negligible few seconds longer than his. Her face lingered close to his as she spoke in a hushed tone, her amethyst eyes watching him. Some of her red pomade had been left on his lips after their second contact.

Though I must say, thus far, the pleasure... has been mine.

She backed away quickly, finding her balance on the ship finally, and lifted the ale to her lips for a sip. The splash passed her tongue, an unfamiliar sting in her throat. Her face gave away that sting, her brows creasing and her eyes closing tight as she let out a quick huff.

Whoo-- Sorry, I haven't had alcohol in some time.

[Tydus Tempest]

Kissing strangers? Everyone's a stranger til you get to know them.

It was always an amusing thing to find how women were so shocked, at times appalled, others enthralled by the Svefra nature. It was one that took personal space out of the equation. Living on a ship with fifty other people had the tendency to alert a man that personal space was nonexistent. It was a myth believed by landlubbers and perpetuated by prudishness. There was little need to assign oneself such a large expanse when the sea was open for one's time away from others. If Tydus ever felt overwhelmed while on the Fist, he simply jumped overboard and enjoyed communion with his All-Father, Laviku.

But, others lacked this connection, and thus, it was understandable. A chuckle escaped the Tempest's lips as he parted his lips to reply to her, though his words were stolen away by her kiss. She held it for ticks longer than he had, the contact allowing him to feel was what behind her lips. The imprint of her fangs pressed into her lips, the Tempest's eyes widening with the kiss. The taste of her lips was also rather unpleasant, off-putting, though the Tempest blamed it instead on the alcohol that he ingested, not bridging the connections to a race he didn't understand.

"Kissin' strangers? Not so much anymore, aye, lass? Yer' Sunette." He winked at the woman a second time, allowing a hearty chuckle to spill into his tone. A hand rose to his lips in an effort to cleanse them of the taste, another sip taken afterwards, pomade smearing on the Svefra's hand as he allowed a smirk to grace his features, "The pleasure is yours, eh? Glad ta be of assistance, Sunette."

When the woman raised her glass to sip, the Tempest scion did the same, bursting out in good-natured laughter at her comment, "T'is always a pleasure to serve a lovely lass teh' air that fuels the lungs of a pleasan' evening. Te some, t'is wine. An' others, ale. For me, t'is rum, but that's fer another day."

His flask was emptied in the events of the opening of the Alements, and in truth, Tydus was excited for his work for Caelum to begin. Rum was a staple for the Tempest, just like the salt water and fish he feasted upon with Laviku's blessing.

[Sunette]

"Kissin' strangers? Not so much anymore, aye, lass? Yer' Sunette."

As he spoke, Sunette had begun moving toward the boats railing, leaning against it and looking back down into the bay. The small waves brushed up against the side of the boat, a gentle spray hitting her face with a sweet scent of salt water. She brushing the hair on the side of her body facing Tydus behind her ear, unintentionally flashing her long, black claws. A small smile was still painted on her ruby lips brought about by the water, but that extra wink of his increasing its longevity.

But, is a name alone enough to claim someone as more than a stranger? We know the names of our rulers, but do we consider them even acquaintances? I don't make it a habit of sharing something as intimate as that innocent kiss with someone so new... But I suppose there are exceptions to everything.

Sunette brought herself to an erect stance again, turning around to face him while pressing her back against the siding. She lifted the ale back up to her lips, taking a bit of a larger drink this time around. The only way the burn was going to stop was if she numbed it with more burn, though she would have preferred a fruitier spirit. A nice wine, maybe. Her gaze lowered with her mug, one finger circling the rim of the cup. A light red imprint of her lips lingered on the glass still.

"T'is always a pleasure to serve a lovely lass teh' air that fuels the lungs of a pleasan' evening. Te some, t'is wine. An' others, ale. For me, t'is rum, but that's fer another day."

Another day, huh? Her smile grew wide once more, her eyes meeting his again. Do you already plan to have me back? Or is that only a figure of speech?

She looked back out to the water, giving him a chance to reply without the pressure of her gaze. Besides, it gave her a chance to look back out at the water. The bay had a wall surrounding it, an entrance out to the sea. How much sea was out there? How many fish? Her smile slowly dissipated and her eyes glossed over, unfocused for a split second before she snapped back and realized-- he's a sailor. He would know! Immediate ear to ear grin, her stare flashing back to him.

You're a sailor. Teach me about the sea. What's it like to be out there? What does the water feel like? What are the fish like? You can eat them, right?

[Tydus Tempest]

The Svefra witnessed the woman's hand as she waved it about, noting the presence of what looked to be sharp claws. Lass doesn' cut her nails, or what? It was a single intimidating factor, though combined with the fangs that he felt pressed to his lips earlier, it, in a sobered condition, would have put him on edge. At the moment, it was mere intrigue, paired off with amusement at the words that spilled from her lips. Regarding rulers and strangers, and some overly thought out philosophy that was, in his mind, of almost no interest to him. What was a stranger? What was a friend?

Who the petch cares? If you're offered a drink, you're obviously no stranger to me, anymore. What he did find intriguing, however, was her regard to the kiss she pressed to his lips.

"Not ta everyun', lass? Must be special, then. What an honour." He smirked at her for a moment before he moved to join her at the gunwale at starboard side, Laviku's vast oceans presented to them, reflecting Syna's light and shining with the radiant glare of Spring's light. It was not so harsh as summer's, nor was the water as warm, but the Svefra never cared. The ocean was his home, his ship his residence. Laviku's holy blood provided all for them.

But, she asked a different question. His earlier words regarded with what he interpreted as excitement, her smile making it clear. She seemed to enjoy his company, which was a plus.

A woman's smile is a light that only intelligent men got to see. A woman's scorn is the end result of a night with enough smiles in it.

Her words spoke of a desire he had never put into her, the insinuation that he'd invite her again aboard his vessel, but of course, whatever thoughts she had were free for her to imagine. Reality would shape itself as a direct result of what transpired in the context of the evening. Rather than answer her question, he waited, and was rewarded with questions that were far safer and more interesting to answer.

The Sea.

She asked about it as if everything that was possible to know about it was held in the Svefra's gaze. He held the ocean in his eyes and Laviku's blood in his veins, but the very nature of the ocean was a grand tapestry that only Laviku himself could understand. No amount of study or dedication would allow a mortal soul to understand what it was to live in Laviku's realm. Only those that could live forever had even the barest hope of knowing what Laviku's creation was in its entirety.

"I won' pretend ta know every'tin, lass. But, I've been 'round ta sea all me life. The Sea is more than jus' water. More than jus' creatures. The Svefra reached into the water, his fingertips caressing the surface which rippled at his touch before breaking the surface tension and submerging. The ripple effect was present, small circular ridges forming in the water at his hand's submergence as he felt his eyes close of their own accord.

"Teh ocean is Laviku's domain. He owns it, rules over it. He holds it dear and punishes 'ose who don' respect it. He tests us, blesses us, loves us and challenges us." Each sentence he spoke became clearer as the fog of intoxication surrendered to the depth of Tydus' reverence for Laviku.

"If yeh' wan' to know what the water feels like, jus' dip your fingers in, lass. As for the fish..."

Tydus allowed his thoughts to gather and focus, his ocean's sense narrowing its focus to that of a particular breed of fish, a gathering of five salmon heeding his call as he willed them to part from their collective. They broke at the surface of water, splashing about in unison as if begging to be taken into the Svefra's hand. Tydus chose the smallest of the lot, grabbing hold of it with both hands and pulling it from the water. Rather than fighting for oxygen, the Svefra willed it to relax.

"I'm not sure what these fish are called. We call them redflesh because of how 'tey look when skinned. Wonderful fish, they are. Jus' gotta be careful not teh' call too many. Laviku doesn' appreciate those that take more from him than they need. Tasty, too."

He added the last part for her benefit, for she had asked if fish were edible.

What do you eat? What are you?

It was utterly unbelievable for him to meet someone who knew nothing about fish, but then again, the Svefra had never been inland. Perhaps the landlubbers ate something else.