Kel ventures out and discovers the Aquarium but he isn't the only one...
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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]
He watched as the range of emotions moved across her face from disbelief to awe to skepticism. Mainly skepticism. He wasn’t really worried if she didn’t believe him to be some all-powerful man but he most definitely enjoyed showing off. He had traveled the world, seen many different wonders in his journey before Riverfall and knew there were crazier things out there than the few tricks he had performed.
But apparently this girl had not experienced those same sights as he and was incredibly naïve. Which came to him as a Laviku given chance to make her life a living hell. His first rule in business was, if someone knew less then you, make fun of them until they snapped. So far it hadn’t let him down and led to incredible amount of enjoyment on his end.
“I’m Shijara.”
Shijara. The name almost seemed familiar but he could have just trying to place memories he didn’t have. He tried to roll the unfamiliar name across his tongue. Common was one thing and he could tell the name definitely wasn’t that.“Yehr’ name, it’s not a normal name and yehr’ deeefinitely not human, not wit’ those crazy eyes…Where yeh’ from?”
He watched her face as she stared at the moving tattoo in disbelief. He let a wide grin cross his face. She couldn’t resist placing her hand across his smooth chest, fingers trailing the outline of the swirling colors. “You have a few redeeming qualities after all. I still hate you so…”
Kel burst out laughing. He had to clamp his hands to his side to keep his abs from aching from his mirth. After a few moments, he was able to collect himself,“Yeh’ have spunk. I like that.”Their eyes bore into one another in challenge, both trying to get the upper hand. Kel broke the battle of concentration, feeling the restlessness start to boil to the surface. He was dominant anyways, he had nothing to prove.
Kel winked at her and smiled at her coyly. He turned on his heels and waved at her to follow.“C’mon! There is much to explore!” There was a swagger to his step as he made his way through the intricate hallways of the aquarium. The path slowly started heading upward, winding its way to the second floor. Kel burst from one of the doors and stepped into a large room.
Catwalks crisscrossed a few feet above the water, each one held suspended by chain links. The clear waters were made murky by the shadows. Blurred shapes could be seen darting to and fro in the open topped tanks. Kel stepped onto the catwalk, feeling it give a little beneath his feet, causing it to sway slightly. He jumped up and down on it.
“See? Stable.”He gestured for her to follow,"Yeh’ comin’?”Kel leaned out, far over the railing, peering down into the water. He could almost make out the shapes underneath. One in particular seemed like a pretty large shadow.
“Hey, Shi! Do yeh’ see that? I can almost make it-“ Kel leaned farther and farther over the railing trying to get a better look through the murky water.
Suddenly Kel’s center of gravity jerked and he found his feet above his head, aimed straight for the cold waters below. He shouted in surprise as his body flipped over the railing, headed straight for the waters below. His shout was abruptly cut off as he hit the water and disappeared below.
There was silence and the water calmed. An explosion of water erupted upwards as Kel’s face broke the surface. His hair was plaster across his head and he ran a hand through it, pulling it back out of his eyes. He looked up for Shijara, “Hey it’s okay. I’m fine. I just fell…”The Svefra trailed off as something caught his attention in the corner of his eye. A large fin, slowly rose out of the water, aimed straight for him.
A look of panic crossed Kel’s face and he began desperately swimming away from it. He began shouting in fear, “Shijara! Hel-“Water splashed into his mouth as he urgently tried escaping the shark that had honed in on him and he choked. Jenkins ran back and forth across the catwalk, chittering madly, unable to help his best friend.
The shark’s fin disappeared as it dove under the water. Kel looked back terrified not seeing the shark anywhere. “I can’t control him, Shijara! I can-“
The Svefra’s words were cut off as he dragged under the surface of the water. The water churned and boiled as the two forms struggled in the murky seawater. Nothing could be seen from above.
A few chimes later, the water went still and there was silence.
Last edited by Kel Tempest on March 7th, 2014, 9:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Shijara did not follow him immediately, but then chased after him like, as if they were children playing tag. She was smiling, but her mirth didn't last long, because soon the glimpses of Kel turning corners became his full form deciding on a new game. A dangerous one. The catwalk he was jumping on made her stomach drop as she watched.
A sense of impending doom clenched in her chest, and Sonnet's voice echoed in her mind, the spirit's sarcasm replaced with actual warning. 'Careful. Water holds mysteries.'
"See? Stable. Yeh' comin?"
Absolutely not. Shijara looked at him like he was crazy, mouth slightly agape as she watched him move. It didn't look stable. Not to her. "He's a fool, there is no other explanation." She looked down at Jenkins, muttering to the sea otter in her own language, watching their companion.
"Stop it, Kel!" Were they even allowed to do things such as this? She felt guilty, the worry on her face increasing by every second. Her brows furrowed and she tried to coax the Svefra, "Quit it." Her voice was clipped with growing anxiety. She gulped as she watched the shadows move unsure of what they might belong to. "Will stop showing off! You're-", her words were cut off by a splash and her black eyes became round circles and she had to stop herself from not running onto the platform herself.
Fear gripped her, and she waited for him to come up, shooting her the grin of his that showed he was messing with her. He did surface, but he was assuring her, not smiling. Was he not playing? Shijara had known him for a short period of time, but already believed him to be someone who enjoyed his teasing. She felt a moment of relief but the horror on her face mirrored his own when she watched him. "Kel!" Every muscle in her was tense, and she moved restlessly where she stood, "Kel!?"
The sea otter began chittering wildly, and she ran onto the catwalk after the animal, gripping to the sides as it jerked back and forth, "Kel!" She couldn't breathe. Her own terror of being in water mixed with someone being in danger amplified her hysteria. His calls for help were faint despite being so close. The beating of her own heartbeat in her ears drowned out most of the scene. She couldn't do anything. She couldn't help.
She looked around desperately for something, anything to help but found nothing but nautical decorations on the walls she couldn't reach. When she returned her attention to the water, the room had grown quiet. It took everything Shijara had not drop to her knees. "Come on," she whispered. "Please..." Her muscles felt weak, and her breathing came out heavy; burdened.
"...Please?"
She began to cry, her fear and regret for being unable to save someone releasing in hot tears that streamed silently down her cheeks. She was no longer in the aquarium, no longer next to Jenkins or the water that held mysteries. She was in her own mind, which was perhaps the scariest place to be of all.
A chime went by. Nothing stirred. The only sound to be heard was the faint sobs of the Chaktawe. The water rippled but was otherwise still. Jenkins stared at the water, shifting on his paws. A quiet mewing sound came from the small mammal’s throat. He looked up mournfully at Shijara and rubbed the top of his head against the woman’s leg.
Two chimes went by. The water remained flat. The silence had grown eerie. The light reflecting off of the murky water, casting blue shadows onto the ceiling, their forms dancing wildly across the walls. A bubble slowly roiled to the surface of the water. It rumbled as it met the open air and popped. Jenkins peeked his head over the catwalk and stared at the waters below, nose twitching.
Suddenly the water exploded upwards and a five and a half foot reef shark shot through the air, with Kel on its back. He whooped as he flew through the air, one hand wrapped around the shark’s fin and the other in the air. The two crashed back into the salt water sending a cascade of water up into the air. Mist slowly descended down upon the catwalk and Jenkins chittered excitedly.
Kel’s head and shoulders broke from the surface of the water again and rose until his waist was seen straddling the shark as it swam in circles. The Svefra grinned up at the two looking down at him from the catwalk.“I gott’cha good didn’t I?”Kel couldn’t contain himself any longer. He roared with laughter as he saw the tears streaming down her face.
“In case yeh’ wanted to kno, this feller ain’t gonna hurt me.”He patted the shark fondly and then thumped his chest where his gnosis lay under his black shirt proudly. Jenkins chittered at him loudly and Kel burst out laughing again.
“Well done Jenkins! I think yeh had her fooled! Great performance!”Kel stuck his hand in the water and summoned a fish to swim into his hands. He tossed it up onto the catwalk and it flopped on the dry land madly. Jenkins pounced on it and dug his teeth into the dying fish.
“He-ya! He-ya!”Kel urged the shark through the water and it sped off towards the end far back of the room. A short ladder connected to the catwalk. The shark streaked towards it. Kel snatched at it just as the shark passed. The Svefra wrapped his hands around a rung and was left hanging there as the shark disappeared into the water.
Kel climbed to the top and hopped over the railing onto the catwalk. Water dripped from his clothes onto the metal grating. Kel strode across the platform and stopped in front of the Chaktawe, grinning broadly.“Well, what’d ya think? I should perform on a stage, don’tcha think?”He bowed gallantly, waiting for her response.
She hated everything about him. His voice, his smirk, his eyes, his arrogance, his tattoos and abilities. She found nothing appealing after that moment, too caught up in her own fury and distaste. There were things you joked about, and things you didn't. Shijara realized she was gullible, she knew that she was inexperienced in a lot of things outside the sands of her home land, but to feign your own death for a laugh?
Shijara stood purposefully, her tears still flowing, but slower now. Her heartbeat had eased up and the adrenaline leaving her body left her weak and shaking. She wiped away her tears with unstable hands and tried to stop them from moving so erratically. She crossed her arms over her chest to hide the fact.
Deep breaths.
She said nothing, not entirely sure what to say. Waves of relief washed over her, but they were wild, like a storm at sea. Tainted with an unspoken anger, offended by a stranger taking advantage of her weakness. Finally, she spoke, the sound soft as it left her lips, but loud enough to hear as it bounced off the open room and settling water, "I'm glad you're okay, Kel."
And then she turned and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest. The embrace was strong, desperate. Furious. She inhaled shakily, a few last tears mingling with the water on his skin and shirt. The liquid soaked through her own outfit, and she breathed in his scent, tasted the salt on her lips. And then, weakly, she let her arms fall, whispering, "Do not do that again."
Shijara looked up, the light flickering off her eyes, creating white flashes that swirled in her dark orbs. She smiled weakly, and took a step back, "Or I'll kill you myself." And then her hand shot forward like a viper, wanting nothing more than to connect with his jaw.
Water drops slowly dripped from his clothes, the only sound to be heard in the room. Drip. Drip. Drip. His Laviku blessed eyes flickered with amusement as he looked at the state of mind he had put Shijara in. Convincing someone to believe another’s life was in danger, forced the person to rethink their mortality. Anyone could die at any moment. It caused many to pause for a moment and reflect on their life, were they doing what they wanted to be doing? What was their purpose? Why were they alive?
There were two types of people. The ones that could stare death in the face and laugh as it dragged them into its cold embrace and then there were the person who crumbled under the stress and broke. As a warrior, the Svefra had stared death in the face more times than he could count. None of them were pleasant. But he learned a valuable lesson from the experiences. He had to make the most of every chime, because it could be ripped away from him at any moment.
Kel may have been a shallow individual but he understood how to live life. He gripped it by the teeth and made the most of every opportunity. He learned to stare his fears in the face. It hardened him. Fear still struck him in the gut but he knew how to deal with it. It didn’t cripple him like it did others.
At some point or another, every person needed to experience death looming over there. It made it easier if death wasn’t actually present. Kel had given her that opportunity. Though if he were honest with himself, which he rarely was, he just did it because he thought it would be funny.
Tears streaked her face and he squelched the momentarily pang of guilt.
“She’s fine…she’ll think it’s funny when she calms down.”A look of surprise crossed his face as Shijara crashed into him and wrapped him into a hug. He smirked,“Totally knew she had a thing for me. She can’t keep her hands off of me.”
He winked at Jenkins and gave him a thumbs up. She pulled back and looked up. The empty depths of her black eyes clashed with his ocean blue ones, once again, each trying to overpower the other without a word being spoke.
“…Or I’ll kill you myself.”
Mirth bubbled to the surface and he couldn’t hold back the chuckle.“Yeh’ can try but I’m pretty quick on me fee-“His cocky statement was cut off as her hand lashed across his face. The blow left his jaw stinging profusely as it was jerked to the side.
Kel blinked, startled.
“Well…”He coughed, the closest thing to embarrassment he would get. “I stand corrected.”He rubbed the side of his face, a red welt slowly forming from the corner of his eye to his chin. He looked at her with an ounce of new found respect, bemused.“Maybe there be more to yeh’ than me first thought…”
Kel took a step back and held out an extended arm mockingly, gesturing for her to walk in front of him.“After yeh. Shall we continue da tour?”
Seeing him somewhat taken aback did enough to quell Shi's anger well enough. She shoved past him, ignoring his words regarding continuing the tour of the aquarium. Still cautious off the water, such a fact was no longer as dire as it once was, at least not at that moment, and she confidently moved off the catwalk and into the next room.
She did not wait for him, nor was particularly interested in where he was standing. Shijara looked down at her damp corset, and scolded lightly. She had lived out both of her emotions in that moment with Kel. Thankful that a life was not lost, which justified the hug. The slap was for her anger. Shijara struggled often with her emotions, torn between immediate actions and not getting herself into more trouble. Usually the first one was the winner, but she was trying. Trying so hard to watch her tongue and not push her luck.
She shot a look over her shoulder, a glare, testing to see if the male was still following her. She huffed and when coming upon the next tank, went straight to the information stand. And then she remembered that she wasn't very proficient with actual reading. Still, she did not miss a beat and flipped through, hoping to find illustrations. She did eventually, of a creature that resembled a deflated water skin, with... eight legs that looked like snakes?
Shijara stared for a good minute, and slowly turned. She made a mental note to ask what it was, only able to recognize a few of the symbols for written common. But then who else could she ask? The only person she really saw was... Kel. And she didn't want to give him any thing else against her then he already had.
This creature is... unfortunate. In fact, it confused her greatly.
She spoke up, loud enough to get his attention, "This creature reminds me of you," a ghost of a smile tugged at her lips, "Because I would not want to be alone with it either." Her tone was sharp, biting, but most of all, amused. She thought her joke was funny.
He grinned as she strode past him, angrily. People only got upset at others if they already had prior emotions regarding that other person. Kel patted himself on his back congratulating his abilities to woo the ladies. The Svefra leaned up from his bow and looked at the sea otter. He twitched his nose at Kel.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. You went along with it too.” Jenkins sneezed. He ignored Kel and pattered out of the room behind Shijara. The Svefra scowled at him but followed. The woman moved quickly through the adjacent room and forced Kel to quicken his step until him caught up with Jenkins. He saw her shoot a glance over her shoulder to see if he was still following and he smirked.
“See Jenkins. She’s just playing hard to catch.”He sauntered after her.“Look, she just looked back at me, if she didn’t like me she wouldn’t have bothered looking to see if I was following her. But she DID. She so digs me…”Kel chuckled to himself as he talked to his tavan companion.
There was a swagger in his step, wherever he walked and there was no exception this time. As Kel approached, she remarked scathingly that the creature reminded him of her. He smirked,“I dunno, I’m sure it be a very friendly beast, full of good cheer and love.”
Kel wandered up to her and stood incredibly close, nearly touching her as he stood slightly behind her, looking over her shoulder. She was squinting at the pictures that depicted an octopus. Kel looked up at the tank, trying to see the disguised sea creature.
“That’d be teh’ octopus.”He looked at the tank critically, looking for the tale tell signs of the sea animal. “Look, there.”He pointed towards a rock in the tank, a dark brown color from the plant life that lived on its surface. There was a slight discrepancy in texture and color, otherwise the octopus blended in perfectly with its surroundings.
“They can camouflage into their surroundin’. Whatever they be layin’ on, they can turn in’na it.”The octopus shifted slightly in the water, tentacles moving in a fluid manner across the rock. It separated itself from the rock, making it even more evident before shooting off into the dark water.
Kel grinned and wrapped his left arm around the side of Shijara trapping her in between both arms. He rolled up his sleeve revealing his right forearm. A tattoo of an octopus wrapping around a small pocket watch and sea urchin coiled around his arm from his wrist to his elbow.“This here be me pod tattoo fer teh’ Tempest pod.”
It represented his new family and the bond he had with his podmates. The now deceased Lia of Tydus’ pod had an octopus as her paradisa when she as the leader, which formed the pods tattoo. The Tempest pod was still a little uneasy with Kel though. He may have been a fellow Svefra but they didn’t know him in the slightest. They had to accept him based on the declaration made by Tydus.
They might have initiated him into the pod and given him the tattoo, but the guarded way they looked at him, he could tell they were still unsure. So far, Kel hadn’t done anything to prove his worth. All they saw in him was a cocky, rude and selfish man with a loud mouth. He was all those things, he couldn’t argue with them there. But he knew he was a valuable asset to the pod, he just needed the opportunity to prove it.
Shijara was watching the octopus, head cocking to the side as she took in its appearance. What an unusual thing. How does it eat? She contemplated a few more details about the creature when she felt Kel's body heat behind her, his arms trapping her. She pulled her arms close to her, and tensed, not wanting his body to touch her. She made a face, and looked up at the glass.
She could see their reflection bouncing back at them, imitating the scene. Her, a petite girl with a dark locks and an annoyed expression. Him, towering over her as he lifted up his sleeve. Shijara found herself looking at his face, glaring at the copy of the male behind her. He was grinning. He was actually happy with himself. That smug look irritated her, and a sharp sigh escaped her lips before she glanced down at the tattoo. At the time, she gave it little acknowledgement. She barely gave it so much as a glance. It was his proximity that sent her into another fit.
"What is wrong with you?" She spun around, "Does the water in your eyes cloud your vision? Or are you... Are you..." Her anger was rising again. It felt like every time she saw this man, her emotions were constantly at battle. Always fluctuating between annoyance and pure fury. She stopped talking, her lips pressing into a thin line as she searched for the right words in common.
Shijara closed her eyes for a second, so she wouldn't have to look at the Svefra. He made her too angry, "You are just a mean person." The last statement was probably the biggest understatement of the year. She resisted the urge to shove him backwards, "Now move."
The woman’s body heat warmed his slightly chilled form as his sodden clothes stuck to his body. He looked up from his tattoo and saw her staring at him through the reflection in the glass. He cocked an eyebrow at her, a grin creeping across his face.
She whirled around and glared up at him.“She digs your eyes. Thank yoooou Laviku, for these beautiful blues. The ladies can’t stop starin at ‘em…”She stuttered, she was so nervous she couldn’t get the words out. Her eyes still weirded him out. He could never read her expression. Not that he actually cared what she was feeling. It wouldn’t change his mannerisms much.
Her scathing words bounced off of Kel as she brushed past him. Kel reached out a hand pretending to be aghast, "But Shi Shi!"A small grin tugged at the corners of his lips as he watched her unperturbed, rolling down his sleeve. He looked down at the sea otter,“Way to go Jenkins…look what you did. You pissed her off.”The otter rustled his coat and huffed.
The Svefra shook his head and snorted. Shijara had stormed off angrily through the tunnel, leading towards the exit of the Aquarium. Kel sauntered after her, enjoying the beauty around him. Colorful schools of fish swam lazily through the waters, their colors dancing off of the glass. Kel felt at home. It would have only been better if he were in the water with the small creatures, but this would have to do.
The Svefra wandered through the exhibits, vaguely sad that Shijara ran off. They were having so much fun together. He didn’t know why she took off like that. It was quite rude. But he wasn’t one to hold a grudge. He’d see her again and he’d let her apologize for abandoning him like that.
Finally, his wandering through the Aquarium brought him to the doors at the entrance. He glanced over at the desk where the Charodae had sat, pouring over her book, but she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. He shrugged to himself and stepped through the doors, into the open.
Kel looked up and down the streets but Shijara was nowhere to be seen. He sighed and looked down at his sea otter.“Well, buddy. It’s been a good night. Made a new friend…again apparently, and got a few good laughs. I count that as a win in my books.”
The two strode down the street, a friendship so strong that nothing could ever be break it. It was something he wouldn’t take for granted because if he were honest with himself, he wouldn’t be making too many friends in his life.
This thread had me cackling and concerned. Kel is a lovable jerk and you play him quite well. Can't wait to grade more of your threads in the future. Don't forget to edit the request in the grading queue!
Shijara :
Skills
Skill
Points
Socialization
4
Observation
4
Rhetoric
2
Flirting
1
Unarmed Combat
1
Lores
Tattoos can Move
Watching Someone Fake Their Death
(Briefly) Mourning the Dead
Water Holds Mysteries
Characteristics of Octopi
Kel: Fish Magic?
Kel: Jerk, Even When Sober
Kel: Vain
Kel: Has a Mark of Oceanus
Miscellaneous
Occasionally, Shijara might find herself dreaming of Kel from now on. These dreams will always involve water-and will sometimes turn to his stunt in the tank, though he might not always come out alive.
Comments
Shi is a very genuine, likable person and you do a fabulous job of writing her. Her reactions to extreme situations are very realistic. Can't wait to grade more of your posts!
Though I try my hardest to award you what you deserve, I may occasionally mess things up! If there's something you'd like to discuss about your grade, then please don't hesitate to send me a PM and I'll be happy to work things out with you.
Riverfall - Behind the Waterfall - Mod Request Thread - Codex - OOC Because of RL issues and a lack of energy that I can devote to Mizahar, I've decided to step down as an AS. I'm sorry to leave so suddenly, but it's truly been fun while it lasted. Hopefully I can come back some day.
