Completed Down and Out

[Aladari Coolwater]

82nd of Summer, 516 AV It was a gorgeous day. The heat of summer had dulled into a soft autumnal breeze, which was infinitely more comfortable for the Vantha. She lay back on the ground, allowing her hair to spread out above her like a halo, sending the shimmering green light onto the grass. It was all heavenly...except for the curse. Aladari sat up abruptly, hacking and coughing as though she were trying to eject a lung. This interruption, of course, set her nose bleeding, the thick red, paint-like liquid dripping to the ground in a steady leak. She knew she should go to the orphanage to let them work on her, but after seeing the man die beneath her hands, and the doctor's cold feelings, she had no desire to be anywhere near the makeshift hospital. No, her best bet was here, with the pond. It was crowded there, with other people desperately hauling buckets to their loved ones and lapping up the water themselves. Word had spread around town that the water from the pond would put off the effects of the curse for a few days, and most were willing to try anything, now. Aladari had adopted the same philosophy. At least, if she could delay the effects, she would be able to eat something and get some meat on her bones. As it was, her body felt unnaturally thin, and her skin felt as though it were too baggy for her. She was weak, her muscles unused, and her mind tired. By the time she had clotted the blood from her nose (she always forgot, was it head back or forward?) and found the strength to sit up, there was an opening around the pond's edge. Aladari practically crawled to it, afraid that if she stood, she would faint as she had earlier. By the pond's edge, she hesitated. Her own reflection frowned back at her in the murky, dark water. Is it really safe? It looks like it'll make me more sick. Again, she knew it was her only choice, and so she dipped her head to drink like a deerling. Unfortunately, the tipping of her body sent her head spinning, and her whole body tumbled into the water as she passed out. She floundered around in the water for a moment, unconscious and uncaring. By the time she came to, her lips were blue and her lungs burning. She hurriedly tried to swim to the surface of the shallow pond, finding that she only needed to stand to come above water. She coughed again, spitting a chunk of dried blood from her nose landing in the water and dissipating. Eww... She closed her eyes as she lowered her head to the water. Hopefully, if she couldn't see the dirty water, she wouldn't gag as hard. While she was slurping the dirty water, she could already feel her body relaxing its tensed muscles, her headache clearing to a quiet pulsing, and the faint feeling fading to the back of her mind. She waded to the shore, where she threw herself down on the wet grass and waited a tick for the water to work its magic. It was miraculous, how quickly it worked, and Aladari could only laugh as she sat on the bank, feeling loose for the first time in many days. Around her, irritated folks pushed through and growled at her. She paid no mind. She felt too good. Word Count571

[Aladari Coolwater]

Once she had gathered her senses, the girl scooted back out of the way to lean against an old, gnarled tree. A vibrant-colored toad blepped from beside her, disturbed by her attempt to relax, and hopped away. While she waited for Syna to dry her clothes, she looked around at all the people there. Aladari wondered at how accepting they were of the water. It was clearly magic, and yet no one questioned it. Was this still Sunberth? Surely no true-blooded Sunberthian would willingly engage with the water. And yet, here they were. Perhaps, she thought, she could take advantage of this. Clearly, the Sunberthians were desperate. And that meant that they would be willing to spend money. But what could she do to profit from this? Looking back into the pond, she caught sight of one, tiny, miraculous thing that stopped her brainstorm in its tracks. A fish! Unconscious of her movements, she clasped her hands happily. Because everyone was so unfamiliar with the workings of the pond, she would easily be able to sell the fish under the pretense that they, too, would provide relief from the curse. Hai, perhaps they really would. Either way, it was no matter to her. Aladari moved to her feet and took a last glance at the pond. It was still incredibly crowded, and she could not imagine how she would have room to fish there. She knew she had to make it work somehow if she wanted any business for as long as the curse was active. So, as she walked back home to grab her supplies, she began to think once again. My pole won't work. There's too many people, and if they saw me taking up space for casual fishing, I'd be killed. I could try to get up there and fish with my hands. That way I wouldn't need to haul anything through the crowd. But it would be far too slow. I wouldn't catch enough to make a profit. Or I could get my net. Then if I toss it in and drag it out once, I might have enough to get by. She paused to pull open the weak, greenish door of her home. She was greeted by a furious barking, and a large black muzzle pulled back over rotting yellow teeth. "Relax, Tar. Down."She instructed in Vani. Upon hearing the language of his owner, the dog tilted his head curiously, then eased back to let her in. He gave one last huff, then trotted back to the bed. He gave her one last ugly look, and then circled around in his spot to flatten the blanket for sleep. Word Count444

[Aladari Coolwater]

Aladari followed her dog, reaching under her bed for her tools. Tar opened a single eye and mustered up a weak growl, warning her not to take his stash of fishy-smelling sticks. She ignored him, taking her pole and net anyway. As she hiked them over her shoulder and grabbed her backpack, Tar begrudgingly stood and lept down from the bed. He shook out his black curls, arched his back, then sat patiently as he waited for directions. Usually, Aladari would take him along for protection and companionship, but today it would be a hassle. He didn't do well around crowds, let alone angry crowds, and she couldn't trust him to behave. He might scare away innocent folks. But then again... "Come on, Tar. We're going to go fishing." The pair travelled back to the pond together, net and pole in tow. Both were in a good mood, though for very different reasons. One was excited to be working while the other, she was just enjoying her health. When finally the pond was in sight, Aladari could tell that the traffic had slowed down slightly. There were fewer people, and in between them there was visible water, splashing gently against the rocks and dirt. It was still slightly dirty, but the idea that was cleaner, and had somehow purified itself nagged at the back of her mind. She brushed away the thought, focusing on the task at hand. When she reached the edge of the pond, she set her things down beside her. Tar plopped himself next to them confidently, settling in for a nice sun. Aladari on the other hand, took up her net slightly nervously. Would someone become angry at her for doing this? The mage who had created the curse and the water could certainly strike her down for meddling, as powerful as they were- and they had to know what she was doing. Regardless of the risk, she grabbed her net and shook it open. She couldn't let fear of a little magic stop her; she couldn't be intimidated by anyone when there was coin on the line. Foot shaking only slightly, Aladari kicked off her boots and waded into the water. The drop-off was steep, plunging her in before she was truly ready, and she squealed a little at the suddenness of it. Her arms flailed frantically, causing the water to splash up and in her face. Panting, she managed to back up and throw herself down on the shallower end of the pond. Even back in safety, Aladari's heart was racing, and her breaths came in short bursts. Tar meandered over to her, licking the droplets from her face in a there, there, gesture. She sighed, hugging his fuzzy face from the side. "It's okay. I'm fine. I just need to be more careful. That's all." As if to demonstrate this, she slid back into the deeper waters gradually, letting it creep up to her waist. Then, with a sheepish smile at her pet, she lowered the net into the water. Word Count507

[Aladari Coolwater]

The water was cool around her, brushing her legs welcomingly. The fish were not as numerous as in her usual spaces, but there were enough that she could see them lip at her feet through the murky waters. She flexed her big toe, and the darted away, only to return ticks later. Must be easy. She reasoned, If they keep coming back. Not too bright. She pushed the net under the water gently, holding on to one side as the weights pulled the other under. Even as it unfolded, fish skirted about it. She felt as though they were almost eyeing it with suspicion, though she knew that couldn't be. She stood still then, waiting for the time to pass. Despite the cool temperatures outdoors, the water had retained Syna's summer warmth, but as warm as her legs were under the water, her upper half stayed chilled. Her arms were exposed to the breeze, goose bumps rising on her skin that begged her to rub them away, but she tried to stay still. Eventually, her waiting (although it couldn't rightfully be called patience) paid off. The small fish butted into the net and surrounded her nearly without fear, close enough to be captured by the fall of the weighted net. She dropped it then, letting it bury itself in the murk of the pond. A few fish were small enough that they managed to flee through the holes, but enough stayed stuck to justify a good catch. The water was only waist-deep, so Aladari was easily able to bend over and retrieve the net while only wetting her arms. She grathered the corners and scooped them up from under the sand and dirt. The net, despite being scarcely filled, was surprisingly heavy with water weight and the lingering muck. Her muscles started to strain as she drug it to shore. With a last heave and a grunt, she threw the net up on the shore next to where Tar was laying. He cracked an eye, examining her lazily. Are you quite done? He seemed to ask. Aladari followed the net onto the shore silently, wringing her clothes as she went. Once she was no longer wet- only damp- she sat to tie her boots back on. At last, she stood up and stretched. "Time for the real work, Bud." She laughed, poking the dog with her toe. Although she enjoyed fishing the most, she knew that there was much more to the job. She still needed to finish cleaning them, and then selling them would be another story entirely. Tar stood and stretched his back like a cat waking up from a nap, then obediently moved to her side. He watched expectantly while Aladari emptied her catch into the bucket piece by piece, his eyes begging for his portion. She shoved him away gently, but he came back again with a snort. You really thought that would work? "Fine, if you're so eager to work.." She stood and tossed her wooden pole at him playfully. He barked in excitement at the big stick. "Carry that home." Word Count516

[Aladari Coolwater]

It was when the pair was nearly halfway home that they were stopped by the man. At first, he grabbed her shoulder, harsh and aggressive. Aladaridared not move, for his strong arms were evident through his actions, and she had no protection but Tar. But then, he retracted his hand, clenching it into a fist as if in frustration. It was then that he looked at her. It had been a long, long while since she had been able to read anyone's eyes. The people of Sunberth rarely had Vantha blood, and their eyes stayed dull and unrevealing. This man's eyes were indeed monochromatic, but they also had a certain expressiveness that even Aladari could see. They were watery, but squinted, as if frustrated to the point of tears. They searched Aladari for answers, and must have found some, because he stayed to speak to her. "You been down at them magic waters?" He asked bluntly. Aladari looked down at her still damp clothes, then back up at him before answering. "Ya..." Relief flooded his face, and he leaned in close to her. People on the street moved around them uninterrupted, as water flowed around a rock. They paid no mind to the scene unfolding. "You gotta help us." He whispered. Aladari raised a brow- not in disbelief, but curiosity. How could so strong and clearly powerful of a man need her help? He went on. "My boy...he's only two, ya see. He's sick. Wife too. They're stuck at home. I can't leave them to go get the water, but ain't no way in Hai I can get them there either. I...I need help." He looked uncomfortable asking, but the pain on his face may too have been from the discomfort of living in a dying home. Aladari glanced down at Tar, who waited patiently, gumming the fishing pole in his mouth like a child teething. "I cain't be sure it'll 'elp, an' I'd need coin..." She began. He interrupted her with a firm hand on her shoulder. "I'll do whatever it takes." He assured her. "These fish. They's of the pond of healin' waters. Maybe yous could try eatin' 'em?" She offered. The fish were produced from her bucket with a shaking hand; one of them even managed to throw itself on the ground into the dirt. Aladari cursed softly in Vani before picking it up. The man hardly seemed to notice. Hurriedly, he shoveled a few Mizas out of his pocket. "Worth a shot, kid." He exhaled slowly, almost sounding relieved when she handed him two of the still-flapping fish. They were small- no doubt smaller than he had paid for- but the man clutched them close like they were more valuable than a novel, pure gold, or life itself. "Laviku bless, kid." He muttered as he turned around. And then, he was gone, hurrying away without another word. Aladari looked at Tar again, almost expectantly, but he just looked up at her with the stupid, drooling grin of a happy dog with a stick. "I guess we're gonna need more." She told him, glancing at the handful of fish left. "We haven't even gotten to market yet and we're already almost out." Tar ignored her blissfully, ruffling his curls and then standing up to continue his trot home. Aladari followed him slowly, gazing off in the direction of her customer. I hope that stuff works... Word Count559 Total Word Count2963

[Rufio]

C A T 'S G O T Y A G R A D E

xp

Medicine +2
Endurance +1
Swimming +1
Observation +2
Tactics +1
Fishing +1
Animal Husbandry +1
Persuasion +1


lores

Medicine: Dealing with a nose-bleed
The Curse of the Temple of The Unknown
Medicine: Drinking healing pond waters to ease the ‘Unknown Curse’
Endurance: When you can’t walk, crawl
Swimming: One can still drown in shallow waters
Tactics: Choosing the method that will maximise pay-off
Aldari: Won’t be intimidated by anyone when there’s coin on the line
Animal Husbandry: A working dog is a happy dog
Fishing: Staying still & playing the waiting game
Persuasion: Offering hope to make a sell to a desperate man

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