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"What do you mean by take advantage?"
"You know. Take advantage. Push him around. Treat him like a servant instead of a boyfriend. If I had a nickel for every time I've seen a nice guy getting pushed around by some dragon lady... but you won't do that, I know. It's not in you."
"Don't say that! You're embarrassing me. I've never noticed his, uh, that part of his body. Honest. "
Quasit inclines her head and makes a wry 'Are you kidding me?' look.
"Well, ok. A little."
"Uh-huh. You're such a bad liar." smirks Quasit in return.
"Your such a good friend. Thanks for telling me to talk to Fin."
"Always happy to deliver a little kick in the pants when needed." answers Quasit with a dopey salute and a gooey smile. "Lemme give you one more piece of advice. For the first few days here, don't go off following him around and hunting him down -- let him come to you. Let him be romantic and take the initiative. Guys love that, at least for a little while once they take the plunge. Plus it gives him a chance to work out his feelings of commitment and get used to the idea of being with someone. Believe me, he won't be able to leave you alone."
Quasit chuckles. "Of course, I'm not sure you should consider me an expert on men. I've fouled up every relationship I ever had. And half the guys were rats to begin with. What can I say? Daddy issues." She shrugs blandly.
"You just have to balance how much you have with how much you need to do," Kalchine says, nodding toward the mug.
"I've seen enough soldiers drown themselves in drink and then not be able to defend themselves or their comrades.
"You really like baths, eh? Perhaps it is a summerborn thing. Not that you're actually summerborn but you seem more like them than winterborn," he continues.
"When you're ready to leave, I'll come with you. Since we're all assigned together we should stay close. And, you're the most interesting people here, anyway," he finishes with a grin.
"Don't say that! You're embarrassing me. I've never noticed his, uh, that part of his body. Honest. "
"You should pay attention to his shoulders when he shoots his bow..." Maka's attention drifted before returning to the sisterly conversation.
"Always happy to deliver a little kick in the pants when needed." answers Quasit with a dopey salute and a gooey smile. "Lemme give you one more piece of advice. For the first few days here, don't go off following him around and hunting him down -- let him come to you. Let him be romantic and take the initiative. Guys love that, at least for a little while once they take the plunge. Plus it gives him a chance to work out his feelings of commitment and get used to the idea of being with someone. Believe me, he won't be able to leave you alone."
"And if you ever need help with...holding hands and kissing, don't be embarrassed to ask."
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"You just have to balance how much you have with how much you need to do," Kalchine says, nodding toward the mug.
"I've seen enough soldiers drown themselves in drink and then not be able to defend themselves or their comrades.
Fin nods. ”Aye, my friend, you are right. I can handle a couple of mugs of this and still keep my wits about me; it’s not as strong as the Centaur mead from our previous destination…but I will stop there. I take protecting my friends in combat very seriously…”
"You really like baths, eh? Perhaps it is a summerborn thing. Not that you're actually summerborn but you seem more like them than winterborn," he continues.
The Elf smiles slyly. ”Aye, we Elves are not only fastidious about our hygiene, but we have a long tradition of communal baths in the villages I inhabited. There’s just nothing like a long, hot, soothing bath to relax after an arduous journey…or before one. Our time in Irrisen, along with Maka’s arrival (she’s bathing enthusiast as well), jogged my memory, rekindling my fondness for them…”
"When you're ready to leave, I'll come with you. Since we're all assigned together we should stay close. And, you're the most interesting people here, anyway," he finishes with a grin.
”Of course,” he says, as he finishes that mug. ”We’ll leave now. Let’s just hope the girl talk is over or I might get my head taken off…but you accompanying me will help in that case…”
He walks back to their quarters with Kalchine, talking about their differing customs and the likely assault to come. When he gets to the door, he knocks it lightly, peering into the room, spotting the girls. ”Ahem…excuse my interruption…can Kalchine and I enter?”
Seeing Sakitu, his eyes flash warmly and he breaks into a sheepish smile. ”Hlao-roo…uh…I was thinking on heading to the baths to relax since an assault appears to be coming soon…thought y’all might want to join us. I k-know you might be…shy…about it…but I’ll close my eyes or you could wear your underclothes…like Q does…or we don’t have to go there…whatever you think…”
Fin blushes and then shrugs as he awaits a response…
"Bathing is more of a necessity than a luxury here. It can be difficult to find warm or hot water and being wet can often be a death sentence. You can survive cold temperatures for much longer dry than wet," Kalchine says.
His ears flick and he nods. "We can tell them it was my idea," he says when Fin voices his trepidation over entering the ladies' room.
His ears flick again then rise slightly as he sees the man's reaction to seeing Sakitu. They rise more at the mention of everyone heading to the baths and some of them stripping down. They're all so...naked all the time anyway with so much skin showing.
His gaze flicks to Q at the mention of her underclothes, though and his ears lower.
Selena wonders around, considering the fort's defenses and how the design has shifted to handle primarily aerial forces, and thus infer how the opposition might likewise design their forts.
What seems odd to Selena is how much the fortress *doesn't* seem adapted to aerial defense. The walls and towers seem similar enough to something she'd see on Golarion, in spite of the fact that Spurhorn sits atop a mountain whose sheer cliffs should serve as walls better than any structure. Though the fact that much of the fortress is actually underground may be the real defense against aerial assaults, and the ballistas on the towers seem built to be able to be aimed in any direction.
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”Ahem…excuse my interruption…can Kalchine and I enter?”
Head still on Sakitu's lap, Quasit looks over and smiles. "Well, you weren't gone long. Sure, come on in, doesn't look like I'm gonna get my chance to sleep in after all." she says with a little beckoning wave of her hand.
”Hlao-roo…uh…I was thinking on heading to the baths to relax since an assault appears to be coming soon...thought y’all might want to join us. I k-know you might be…shy…about it…but I’ll close my eyes or you could wear your underclothes…like Q does…or we don’t have to go there…whatever you think…”
"See, this is why I wear my small-clothes-- you're obviously peeking." teases Quasit. "I think this is the real reason he likes baths so much."
She sits up and starts pulling her boots back on, intending to make herself scarce. "I suppose I should find something more productive to do anyway."
It's only now that she notices that Kalchine is with him. "Oh. Hey Kalchine. Say, I wanted to ask you something. Do you think you could teach me a little of your Triaxian language? Just, like, enough to get by if we get separated from you."
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"See, this is why I wear my small-clothes-- you're obviously peeking." teases Quasit. "I think this is the real reason he likes baths so much."
Flushed, Fin stammers. ”B-b-but you had small clothes on, Q…y-y-you weren’t naked,” he protests looking to Saki, then Maka and Quasit, before catching Quasit’s teasing look…
Fin’s blush turns a darker red. She got me again…
"I think the fact that you knew that she had on..." Kalchine begins to explain to Findurel before realizing the same thing the elf does.
His ears rise then flick with amusement though he stifles a chuckle.
He nods to Quasit's question. "Of course. I'd be happy to."
He pauses and looks at all the people gathered there. "I can teach any of you who are interested."
"See, this is why I wear my small-clothes-- you're obviously peeking." teases Quasit. "I think this is the real reason he likes baths so much."
"It's one of the reasons I like it so much!" Maka chimed in with a toothy grin as she got up to join the others in the bath.
He pauses and looks at all the people gathered there. "I can teach any of you who are interested."
"Sure, it's pretty close to draconic,just more...wordy?
Eventually the group made their way to the baths, though not without several more faux pas. As the group settled in, Maka undid her long ponytail and began to comb it as she recounted to the group what Tez and her had discussed.
"...and that got me thinking, because Tez is smart is usually right, that maybe it isn't a good idea to let Baba Yaga out. But then I started thinking about what else we could do? Sure there are probably other people and things out there that can stop the winter spell, but how many people will get hurt in the mean time?" Maka gritted her teeth at thought of how many innocents had been and would be hurt by the witches evil deeds.
"But then that got me thinking about Hace. I think...I think that's why Hace left. Because we do have to find and release Baba Yaga, or in the very least stay on the path to do that. But we also need other options. Options to deal with the winter spell or options to deal with Baba Yaga."
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"...and that got me thinking, because Tez is smart is usually right, that maybe it isn't a good idea to let Baba Yaga out. But then I started thinking about what else we could do? Sure there are probably other people and things out there that can stop the winter spell, but how many people will get hurt in the mean time?"
Quasit seems... upset by this. Even a little angry. For the moment she just folds her arms and looks away.
"But then that got me thinking about Hace. I think...I think that's why Hace left.
Quasit snorts. "Oh really? Is that why he left Izzy behind too? Don't overthink things Maka, men leave for all kinds of reasons, but it's usually more about themselves than it is about anyone else. And I don't think it was because he was making a principled stand about Baba Yaga." she says with a sarcastic tang in her voice.
"Because we do have to find and release Baba Yaga, or in the very least stay on the path to do that. But we also need other options. Options to deal with the winter spell or options to deal with Baba Yaga."
Quasit is silent for a moment, then shrugs. "I'm all ears."
Quasit snorts. "Oh really? Is that why he left Izzy behind too? Don't overthink things Maka, men leave for all kinds of reasons, but it's usually more about themselves than it is about anyone else. And I don't think it was because he was making a principled stand about Baba Yaga." she says with a sarcastic tang in her voice.
"Hace loved Izzy! He wouldn't have left him if there wasn't a good reason...He wouldn't have left without saying goodbye if there wasn't a good reason!"
Quasit is silent for a moment, then shrugs. "I'm all ears."
Maka rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "I don't know, I was hoping you would have a plan? Why does everyone expect me to have a plan today? I set things of fire and make friends!"
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"I don't know, I was hoping you would have a plan? Why does everyone expect me to have a plan today? I set things of fire and make friends!"
"Yeah, and I'm a girl with a steak knife." answers Quasit. "Look, I'm not sure we even have a choice any more. That Hut is our only way home, and the keys are only gonna keep taking us closer to Baba Yaga -- we can't just have it drop us off in Absalom and then send it on its way. Not to mention that Elvanna is never going to let us live even if we could quit and go home at this point. It is WAY too late for this conversation. And if Baba Yaga screws us... I guess we just throw everything we have at her and hope we get lucky. Sorry, that's all I've got."
Quasit's neck and ears are flushed and she's trembling with adrenaline. Suddenly she turns and leaves the room.
"I'm sorry." she throws out as she goes. She bangs the wall with her fist and turns a corner, disappearing from sight.
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As they hit the baths, Fin looks to Sakitu, smiling shyly. "Hlao-rou, I'll get in first...you can keep on your small clothes or stay in your fox form, if you like...if you choose to disrobe, I promise I'll close my eyes...or if you'd just like to sit on the side and stick your feet in the water, that's fine. Whatever makes you more comfortable..."
Fin turns, disrobes quickly, and enters the hot water, submerging quickly, before bringing his head back up, releasing a loud relaxing sigh. With a content look on his face, he looks to Sakitu, grinning ear to ear. "Saki, the water is great...nothing helps me relax more than...uh...oh, well, never mind that..."
Seeing Maka and Quasit get in sort of a riff, Fin winces inwardly and, not wanting it to get worse, tries to split the middle...
"Maka, you know Hace better than any of us...I have no idea why he left...but I am glad he left Izzy, as he's helped me fill something that I never knew was missing. As for Tez, he is a wise old bird...but as for Baba Yaga, I'm with Q...
"Sure, she's evil, but I think the stories about her eating children area old mother's tales to keep their kids in line. The thing is, she's very rarely in Golarion...the way I hear it, she only comes around every 100 years or so, replaces one of her daughter Queens with another, and then pretty much leaves this world alone for a long while...
"Queen Elvanna is a persistent threat to us, not to mention all of Golarion; she wants us dead, and will turn our world to ice, having dominion over all. As I see it, if we rescue Baba Yaga, she'll take of Queen Elvanna, install another queen who can't be as bad as Elvanna, and then the old witch will run off to some other plane of existence or planet, hopefully after rewarding us for rescuing her..."
Fin then shrugs. "At least, that's how I see things...but I could be wrong..."
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Fin turns, disrobes quickly, and enters the hot water, submerging quickly, before bringing his head back up, releasing a loud relaxing sigh. With a content look on his face, he looks to Sakitu, grinning ear to ear. "Saki, the water is great...nothing helps me relax more than...uh...oh, well, never mind that..."
Sakitu tries to not watch while watching Fin get in the water. Things inside her stir more than she would have expected. But she was still enormously nervous.
"It does look nice. I mean, the water. Are you sure you don't mind if I just kind of stay dressed? I mean, I've never done anything like this, you know. I'm just a little nervous." Sakitu hesitates for only a moment then cautiously removes her outer layer of clothing. With only her underthings on she slips into the warm water and sits next to Fin.
As she adjust herself on the seat her hand bumps the outside of Fin's naked leg. Sakitu stifles a gasp and pulls her hand away quick hoping that no one noticed.
After a moment or two, she feels herself start to relax. Fin is right. The water is nice. She is too wrapped up in her own thoughts to really pay attention to the debate going on about Baba Yaga.
"I don't know, I was hoping you would have a plan? Why does everyone expect me to have a plan today? I set things of fire and make friends!""Yeah, and I'm a girl with a steak knife." answers Quasit. "Look, I'm not sure we even have a choice any more. That Hut is our only way home, and the keys are only gonna keep taking us closer to Baba Yaga -- we can't just have it drop us off in Absalom and then send it on its way. Not to mention that Elvanna is never going to let us live even if we could quit and go home at this point. It is WAY too late for this conversation. And if Baba Yaga screws us... I guess we just throw everything we have at her and hope we get lucky. Sorry, that's all I've got."
Quasit's neck and ears are flushed and she's trembling with adrenaline. Suddenly she turns and leaves the room.
"I'm sorry." she throws out as she goes. She bangs the wall with her fist and turns a corner, disappearing from sight.
In a burst of flames Maka launched from the bath and followed after Quasit. "Wait, Quasit come back!"
Yet despite Maka's speed, Quasit had simply disappeared. Not one to be deterred, Maka continued to jet around the keep looking for her friend. Flames nearly singed several triaxians as Maka dashed and lept around them.
Having searched the length of the keep, Maka finally found Quasit. Dashing up, Maka grabbed the human's hand."Wait Quasit! I'm sorry, I didn't mean that we should give up and go home or that I don't trust you or whatever else I said that upset you!"
The fire monk's glowing, golden eyes were wide and welling with tears. "I just thought maybe we could come up with our own trickety trick trick, but I'm not smart enough to think of one like you!"
Selena noticed Maka rush into a guard room, and decided to see what's up.
Entering the room cautiously, "Uh, something going on Maka?" looking curiously at the two of them.
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A look of concern comes over Fin’s face as Quasit storms off…seeing Maka follow shortly after, he thinks it better if they work things out without his likely poor attempt at mediation. Wonder what’s up with Q? I’ll talk with her later after she calms down…
"It does look nice. I mean, the water. Are you sure you don't mind if I just kind of stay dressed? I mean, I've never done anything like this, you know. I'm just a little nervous." Sakitu hesitates for only a moment then cautiously removes her outer layer of clothing. With only her underthings on she slips into the warm water and sits next to Fin.
The Elf gives a wry smile. ”Aye, Saki, whatever makes you feel more comfortable…”
As she adjust herself on the seat her hand bumps the outside of Fin's naked leg. Sakitu stifles a gasp and pulls her hand away quick hoping that no one noticed.
Fin gives Sakitu a gentle look as he leans over, putting his lips close to her ear, whispering lightly, ”Hlao-roo, you may put your hand on my leg any time you wish…or not, if it makes you feel uncomfortable…besides, no one could see your hand brush up against my leg in this hot, steamy water…”
With a quick wink, he says, in a normal voice, ”The water feels good though, yes? My father used to joke that baths were the key to the long lifespan of Elves, hence our fondness of them…”
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When Maka finds Quasit, she is in a sort of long hall that is being used by the inhabitants as a makeshift archery range. The young rogue is flinging knives at a target stand, with middling success, though she doesn't seem to be aiming too much. As she finishes with a clutch of knives, she moves to retrieve them, limping slightly.
Dashing up, Maka grabbed the human's hand."Wait Quasit! I'm sorry, I didn't mean that we should give up and go home or that I don't trust you or whatever else I said that upset you!"
"I know. Don't mind me Maka, I'm just a crazy b%!*! sometimes. I think you just caught me off guard. I'm not mad at you."
The fire monk's glowing, golden eyes were wide and welling with tears. "I just thought maybe we could come up with our own trickety trick trick, but I'm not smart enough to think of one like you!"
Quasit smiles weakly. "I think you give me too much credit, but I promise I'll think about it at least." The smile fades and she starts throwing the knives again. "Tezuzu is leaving us. I just talked to him. He says the spirits told him he has to. He's not even going to help us fight that army out there when it attacks." She starts throwing harder. "He says he needs to meditate instead. And then he's going to go back to the Hut and read and have tea with Zorka until we can take him home. Honestly, I'm so mad at him right now, I could spit."
Holding the last knife in the bunch, she turns it over in her hand as she stares at the target, and lets out a burst of her frustration. "Everything was going so well, you know? And I don't mean just today with the generals. I was getting used to the idea of all this. Even the fighting wasn't bothering me as much any more--in a strange way I was even starting to enjoy it. And I was starting to believe we might even have a chance. I thought maybe Desna was really actually on our side. I mean, things are going so well, Fin and Saki have time to moon over each other like they don't have another care in the world. And now ol' Feathers has to jinx us!"
She throws the last knife, and it hits the target hilt-first and clatters to the floor. "I don't know if you're a gambler, Maka. But when you're on a hot streak, you don't mess with it. You don't change clothes, or wash, or change anything in your routine. You just ride it and let the money roll in. And you don't think about the fact that eventually the streak will have to end, because that's just inviting fate to put the kibosh on it. You laugh and pay for the drinks and enjoy it, you coast along in denial of the fact that the odds against you are growing all the time. And then one day you bet it all on a turn of a card and lose your shirt and you know it's done. That's how I feel right now. Not to mention that he talks to me like a frickin' child!" She goes to pick up the knives again. "I was tempted to knock that silly hat off his head, but I had just broken a bowl of his by mistake and I felt bad about it."
Daggers in hand she turns back to Maka, calming a little now. "Actually I know exactly why I got so upset, now that I think about it. All the doubts and worries you and he have brought up are the same ones I've been wrestling with since we started this crazy little quest of ours. And because things were going well, I'd managed to beat them down and kinda lock them away safely. And now they've all come roaring back, and I felt like ... I don't know... like I was mad that I had to be the one defending the idea of saving Baba Yaga, because deep down I'm actually scared senseless that this is going to be a fiasco and we're all going to die. I don't have a huge problem with bending the truth sometimes, but not when I'm being asked to lie to myself. Anyway, all that just kinda suddenly jumped onto my back like Sakitu's monkeys when you mentioned your talk with Tez. Does that make any sense?"
Selena noticed Maka rush into a guard room, and decided to see what's up.
Entering the room cautiously, "Uh, something going on Maka?" looking curiously at the two of them.
"No time Selena, I have to find Quasit!" Maka nearly shouted before jetting out.
"I know. Don't mind me Maka, I'm just a crazy b$#++ sometimes. I think you just caught me off guard. I'm not mad at you."
Maka wrapped Quasit in a warm, back breaking hug. "You aren't a crazy b!@$!.
Quasit smiles weakly. "I think you give me too much credit, but I promise I'll think about it at least." The smile fades and she starts throwing the knives again.
"And I think you give yourself too little." Maka replied with a toothy grin.
"Tezuzu is leaving us. I just talked to him. He says the spirits told him he has to. He's not even going to help us fight that army out there when it attacks." She starts throwing harder. "He says he needs to meditate instead. And then he's going to go back to the Hut and read and have tea with Zorka until we can take him home. Honestly, I'm so mad at him right now, I could spit."
"Wait...he's leaving, but also staying?" Maka leaned against the wall as while she processed the revelation.
Holding the last knife in the bunch, she turns it over in her hand as she stares at the target, and lets out a burst of her frustration. "Everything was going so well, you know? And I don't mean just today with the generals. I was getting used to the idea of all this. Even the fighting wasn't bothering me as much any more--in a strange way I was even starting to enjoy it. And I was starting to believe we might even have a chance. I thought maybe Desna was really actually on our side. I mean, things are going so well, Fin and Saki have time to moon over each other like they don't have another care in the world. And now ol' Feathers has to jinx us!"
She throws the last knife, and it hits the target hilt-first and clatters to the floor. "I don't know if you're a gambler, Maka. But when you're on a hot streak, you don't mess with it. You don't change clothes, or wash, or change anything in your routine. You just ride it and let the money roll in. And you don't think about the fact that eventually the streak will have to end, because that's just inviting fate to put the kibosh on it. You laugh and pay for the drinks and enjoy it, you coast along in denial of the fact that the odds against you are growing all the time. And then one day you bet it all on a turn of a card and lose your shirt and you know it's done. That's how I feel right now. Not to mention that he talks to me like a frickin' child!" She goes to pick up the knives again. "I was tempted to knock that silly hat off his head, but I had just broken a bowl of his by mistake and I felt bad about it."
Daggers in hand she turns back to Maka, calming a little now. "Actually I know exactly why I got so upset, now that I think about it. All the doubts and worries you and he have brought up are the same ones I've been wrestling with since we started this crazy little quest of ours. And because things were going well, I'd managed to beat them down and kinda lock them away safely. And now they've all come roaring back, and I felt like ... I don't know... like I was mad that I had to be the one defending the idea of saving Baba Yaga, because deep down I'm actually scared senseless that this is going to be a fiasco and we're all going to die. I don't have a huge problem with bending the truth sometimes, but not when I'm being asked to lie to myself. Anyway, all that just kinda suddenly jumped onto my back like Sakitu's monkeys when you mentioned your talk with Tez. Does that make any sense?"
Maka silently watched Quasit toss knives and vent. Sometimes you needed someone to help you with your problems, and sometimes you needed a friend to listen. "Yes, that makes sense. And I'm sorry I put you on the defensive like that, I didn't think..."
Maka paused as she tried to gather the words to comfort and support her friend, the language barrier frustrating her once again. "I'm not much of a gambler, but my friend Admani is. He hates gambling with dice or those colorful turn tables or the like, but he loves gambling with patte or uh "cards"." Maka paused for a moment as memories of Admani ran through her mind. The Duegar's shiny, smooth head and immaculately clean and braided beard. She could almost smell the oils now.
"See with dice, he lost as much as he won, maybe even more. But with cards, he mostly won, at least over time. When I play cards I hope for a hand that beats the other hands. But Admani doesn't play with the cards, he plays with the players. He can read them, tell when they have good hands or not, draw them into making a mistake."
"I don't think we are tossing dice and waiting to lose our shirts, I think we are playing with cards and waiting for our opponent to make a mistake. I know it's a lot, I don't even understand the rules to the game we are playing. But I don't have a doubt that together, we can and will win."
"As for Tez well, I don't like it but Tez isn't a coward and I trust him. If he says it's for the best, well then I guess it's for the best.
Maka let out a deep sigh. A mix of emotions was running through her, but mostly she felt relief. Quasit was one of her favorite people in the world, and Maka had been terrified she'd pushed another important person away. Without thinking, Maka wrapped her arms around Quasit's waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
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"I'm just a crazy b$#++ sometimes.""You aren't a crazy b!!@+.
"Don't argue with me, or I'll cut you." deadpans Quasit.
"As for Tez well, I don't like it but Tez isn't a coward and I trust him. If he says it's for the best, well then I guess it's for the best."
Quasit sighs and begins juggling the knives absent-mindedly. "No, I don't really think he's a coward either. I think he sincerely believes he is being told by the spirits to go. But I don't think he was too disappointed either. I think he's glad they let him off the hook."
Without thinking, Maka wrapped her arms around Quasit's waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
The knives tumble noisily to the ground and Quasit's hands go up into startle position as Maka gets smoochy. Her eyes are wide open with surprise and she pushes back and away.
"What was that for?" she asks in obvious confusion. "Cripes, is everyone going nuts today?"
Maka's cheeks blushed scarlet as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry I just...I was so worried when you were mad and then happy when you weren't and I was thinking about home and we were talking and we've kissed before and it's so weird and frustrating to not be with people you love and I just...gaaah" Maka took a step back with a frustrated sigh.
"Ghar par chumban lagaataar theek hain phir bhee yahaan lagaataar pareshaanee ho rahee hai! Maka muttered to herself in Vudrani.
Unable to choose the fight option, Maka's every fiber was screaming to run. It was only a lifetime of training and dedication that allowed her to take a deep breath to steady herself."I'm sorry I felt...emotionally intimate so I moved to be...physically intimate. I just keep messing up today huh?" Maka did her best to find the words in common and gave a half-hearted laugh that hung in the air awkwardly.
Kalchine followed the group to the baths. He doesn't join them as they get into the water. He averts his eyes as Sakitu strips down and she and Fin have a moment.
His ears fairly vibrate at Quasit's outburst and then droop as she disappears. He is about to follow her when Maka beats him to it. Then, his ears rise and fall irregularly and he looks from the door to the baths and back.
Finally, he nods a good-bye to those who remain before ducking out of the chamber.
It takes him even longer to find Quasit than it did for Maka to do so and he arrives just as the two women kiss. His eyes widen and his ears flick forward at the display. Then they narrow and flutter, respectively.
Clearly, Quasit has other things on her mind and Maka is there to offer whatever support and assistance she needs so he turns.
He wanders for a bit then heads out to the stables, finding Chest Thumper in the nest he's made, Kalchine begins arming the frost ape for the coming conflict, muttering to himself and his "brother" in Triaxian.
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"I'm sorry I felt...emotionally intimate so I moved to be...physically intimate. I just keep messing up today huh?"
"No, it's ok, I know you're a very... physical person. No harm done." says Quasit carefully and soothingly, stealing a glance at the monk's fire-producing fingers. "Let's just forget it."
Then she notices Kalchine is also in the room, watching them. Defeated, she gives the druid a limp wave as her shoulders droop. "Funny. This place seemed so big when we first got here." she mutters to herself.
Silently, Quasit wishes for the enemy to attack...
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Sakitu smiles shyly at Fin. "Well, ok." Her hand drifts slowly and gently under the water till she rests her palm on his thigh. She feels the muscles moving underneath the skin as he moves his leg in the water. She looks up at him and smiles. Maybe a little less shyly this time. He is right. This does feel good.
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Fin has a nice, relaxing bath, enjoying both the hot water and Sakitu’s company. After a nice long soak, he turns to her with shy eyes. ”Hlao-roo…an attack could be coming soon, so we probably need to get you some food in the mess hall and then get some sleep…but first, I’d like to say something…”
He takes a deep breath before continuing. ”I’m not so good with words as Q, so I’ll speak plainly. I don’t want there to be any awkwardness between us; if you have any questions of me…or have any particular needs of me, you have but to ask. My bunk or bedroll is open to you when we sleep or, if you prefer to sleep near Q as you do now, that’s perfectly fine as well. I have no expectations and we can take this as slow as you like…”
Fin leans in and kisses her lightly before reluctantly getting out of the bath and getting dressed…
Later that night, back in their quarters, Fin’s nightmares continue despite the most pleasant day he’s had in a long while. He sits starkly up, looking around; he calms down a bit seeing Sakitu seems to be sleeping well. Not wishing to wake any one, he quietly gears up and heads up to the parapets to look out towards the enemy encampment and await the sunrise…
"No, it's ok, I know you're a very... physical person. No harm done." says Quasit carefully and soothingly, stealing a glance at the monk's fire-producing fingers. "Let's just forget it."
Then she notices Kalchine is also in the room, watching them. Defeated, she gives the druid a limp wave as her shoulders droop. "Funny. This place seemed so big when we first got here." she mutters to herself.
Maka also gave Kalchine a wave. Had she been in a better mood, the fire monk would have found it funny that the only Triaxian who could understand them was the one who had found them. "Well I'm going to run away now!" Maka said before dashing away in a burst of flames.
Quickly scaling the stairs of a bastian, Maka launched herself from the mountainside. Flying was great, but during her training Maka had learned a new appreciation for falling. The feeling of gravity and the wind taking hold of her, pulling her down, and knowing she could stop it whenever she wanted was quite a rush. And the mountainside of the keep offered quite a long way down. Long enough to lay back and enjoy the alien sky full of strange stars.
Eventually the sting of embarrassment had faded and Maka was able to recenter herself. Making her way back inside the keep, Maka made her way to bed. Snuggling up to Buvli and attempting to hide inside his armpit, Maka shared her romantic failures with her lover. [b]"And then it turns out Kalchine saw everything...agghhh it was so bad.
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As usual, Maka awoke early. Unusually, Maka did not engage in any training. Merely doing some light stretching and meditation. Maka expected a whole dragon army to be a fierce fight, and she wanted to be ready for it.
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He takes a deep breath before continuing. ”I’m not so good with words as Q, so I’ll speak plainly. I don’t want there to be any awkwardness between us; if you have any questions of me…or have any particular needs of me, you have but to ask. My bunk or bedroll is open to you when we sleep or, if you prefer to sleep near Q as you do now, that’s perfectly fine as well. I have no expectations and we can take this as slow as you like…”
Fin's green eyes are a trap. An oh so alluring trap that captures Sakitu's gaze. She's lost in the deep and mysterious windows to his soul and a palpable force draws her own soul in. Maybe this is what people mean by soulmate, she thinks. But what was Fin saying? Oh! Shivers and tingles race through her body at the thought of laying next to him, folded in his arms, enraptured in his scent.
As Fin leans in, Sakitu returns the kiss eagerly and embraces him. Then Quasit's words come back to her. Don't appear too eager. Make him want it. Make him think he has to try. "Fin, you know I can't leave Quasit to sleep alone. I have to sleep near her and so many times she crawls into bed with me, or me with her. It just wouldn't be fair to leave her alone. You know?"
She, while hiding her reluctance, releases the embrace and pulls away slightly. "But someday. Someday soon!"
The mood in the fortress is tense all day, but no attack comes. As night falls, however, the skies cloud over, and concerned whispers speak of snowfall coming. Still, nothing has happened by the time you retire to your rooms for the night.
Far too early in the morning, you're all awakened (those who sleep, at least) by the crash of a gong--apparently what Spurhorn uses in place of bells for alarms. You can hear shouting outside, but before you can leave the tower you hear Commander Pharamol's voice sounding in your ears.
"Dragon Legion drakes attacking from the west! Get to the westernmost tower!"
The corridors are in commotion when you leave the guest quarters, but it's an orderly sort of chaos, squads of soldiers hurrying to their assigned locations. One soldier guides you along the best way to get out of the underground passages near the western tower, and you step out into the dim morning light.
Snow drifts through the air, further obscuring your surroundings and dampening the sounds of combat, but even so you can already hear shouts and roars coming from the west.
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As Fin leans in, Sakitu returns the kiss eagerly and embraces him. Then Quasit's words come back to her. Don't appear too eager. Make him want it. Make him think he has to try. "Fin, you know I can't leave Quasit to sleep alone. I have to sleep near her and so many times she crawls into bed with me, or me with her. It just wouldn't be fair to leave her alone. You know?"
She, while hiding her reluctance, releases the embrace and pulls away slightly. "But someday. Someday soon!"
Fin smiles. "Of course, Hlao-roo, no hurry, no worries. I know you and Q are close friends and I would never stand in the way of that..."
"Dragon Legion drakes attacking from the west! Get to the westernmost tower!"
Having just left the parapets as the first quaint light hit it, Fin had headed back to their quarters; seeing just Maka up and about, he smiled and was about to greet the Mistress of Fire just as the alarm rang out...
Suddenly he was all business...he draws his bow and awakens those of his friends that had not yet waken. "To arms, my friends, the Drakelanders' attack is upon us. He runs to Sakitu's bunk as she rises; giving her a confident look, he says, [b]"Saki, stay close to me...or Q...in the coming fight...be most careful...
"Rise up, my friends, we must away, and quickly!"
With that said, Fin heads to the western tower...
Kalchine wished that he had not had so much practice at preparing for battle that it came as second nature. Not for the first time, he paused to check all the straps and buckles on both his own armor and Chest Thumper's. He'd donned it so many times that he couldn't specifically remember doing it this time.
As the offworlders gathered, he nodded a greeting to them all.
"Thank you for your assistance my new friends. Let us teach these invaders the error of their ways."
He reaches out and lays a hand on Chest Thumper. A translucent coniferous tree springs up around the ape. It expands to fully encompass him before collapsing down around him then disappearing, leaving behind a shell of thick, tough, flexible bark around him.
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Sakitu wakes immediately to the clanging sound and sees Fin standing over her. "Ok. I'll stay close to you or Quasit. What's going on? A battle?" Fin tells her what he knows in just a few words then runs off. Sakitu looks over at Quasit. "Ready? I mean, are we ever ready?"
She swings herself out of the bunk and pull on her outer clothes. Then she makes a quick gesture while speaking some magic words. A shimmer of light covers her for a moment then fades from view.
"Let's go. I don't want to leave Fin alone out there fighting."
She waits for Quasit to join her.
"Thank you for your assistance my new friends. Let us teach these invaders the error of their ways."
Sakitu nods and smiles only a little nervously. "We'll do the best that we can."
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Quasit had not slept well. Her mind had raced, flitting from thought to thought like a butterfly in a meadow, and even as weariness weighed down upon her eyes, she found herself flopping back and forth, unable to release herself into unconsciousness. And someone was snoring -- normally such things didn't bother her, but this evening she found herself listening to it, anticipating each rattling guttural rasp with almost morbid fascination, like watching wax dripping again and again from a chandelier onto an expensive rug. She felt as if she had only just dropped off minutes ago when the alarm rang and everyone started running around and shouting.
For a moment she considered slinking off into some private corner and hiding and going back to sleep. No, impossible, her companions would look for her, and the Triaxians considered her the leader-- plus guilt and worry would enfold her more surely than any blanket.
She pulled on her new cold-weather clothes and her armor, strapped on her sword and grabbed her pack. She felt queasy and empty and not afraid at all as she jogged off to the western tower. And as she emerged into the pre-dawn morning air, she found herself listening in keen interest to the howls and yells of the enemy carried on the wind, somewhere out there in the dark. It was menacing and brutal, and it made her feel lonely and out of place, but still not frightened. She found a cozy spot along the wall and crumpled down into a seated posture with her back to the parapet wall and began winching back the bowstring of her crossbow. She coughed a little and wished for something to drink -- coffee, whiskey, anything really.
She thought of her mother, somewhere on some past summer morning, milking a goat and singing while she had been lying in her bed and listening. She remembered the cramped, musty wagon, taking inventory of its familiar features in her mind, looking at the golden light pouring through the single tiny window. What would her mother think of all this? Her little girl in a battle on an alien planet? She conjured up her mother's spirit, and the woman immediately crossed her arms, cocked her hip and laughed at her.
"For this you ran away from home, Mina? Well I hope you're happy. Don't expect ME to save you."
Her eyes snapped open and she took a deep breath of frigid air, then rubbed her nose.
"I wish they'd quit yelling and just come so we can get this over with. I want to go back to bed." she announced grumpily to the group.
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"Thank you for your assistance my new friends. Let us teach these invaders the error of their ways."
Fin smiles. ”Aye, my friend. We’ll give ‘em a hot welcome…”
"I wish they'd quit yelling and just come so we can get this over with. I want to go back to bed."
Hearing Quasit speak, Fin gives a resigned sigh. ”You must have better dreams than I, Q…”
He turns to look back at the mustering enemy, strangely calm before the storm that was sure to break. He ponders briefly on how he feels more steady during battle than he does in most social situations…and then Fin shrugs, mostly to himself…
The Elf looks back to Quasit. ”But no worries, Q. We’ll get it done so you can get more shuteye and I can get more bath time…gotta save this world before we can save our own. It’s kinda what we do now, eh?”
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”You must have better dreams than I, Q…”
Quasit looks over at Findurel. "You should take off that ring once in a while and get some normal sleep. I'm sure it can't be good for you being magically kept awake all the time."
”But no worries, Q. We’ll get it done so you can get more shuteye and I can get more bath time…gotta save this world before we can save our own. It’s kinda what we do now, eh?”
"I suppose." answers the rogue vaguely, glancing over her shoulder at the roars in the distance. "Gah, I can't see a thing out there. Can these dragon guys see in the dark? I'm gonna be useless in this fight."
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Quasit looks over at Findurel. "You should take off that ring once in a while and get some normal sleep. I'm sure it can't be good for you being magically kept awake all the time."
Fin give a doleful smile and shrugs. "You may be right...but from what I was told by the Centaur merchant, I'm not sure it works that way. She said I can sleep as long as I like, I suppose, but it gives me all the benefits of eight hours sleep in just two; thought it'd give you and the others much more sleep as you wouldn't have to do watches every night. Plus, it saves us on food costs/gathering as I don't have to eat or drink any more. And if I take it off, even for a second, it takes another week to attune to it. As for sleep, I wasn't getting much beforehand any way..."
"I suppose." answers the rogue vaguely, glancing over her shoulder at the roars in the distance. "Gah, I can't see a thing out there. Can these dragon guys see in the dark? I'm gonna be useless in this fight."
"I can't make out much more than you...I'm working on some techniques that'll help me see in the dark much better, but it's a slow process. Maka has darkvision so I'd guess these dragon guys do as well...
"This weather will definitely affect my archery though...but I'll try not to shoot you again..."
Realizing his light-hearted attempt to lighten the mood was likely not as funny as intended, Fin gives a weak smile at Quasit and then turns to await the incoming attack, fingering his bow in anticipation...
As you approach the tower, you see a blast of frost wash over the defenders, who fall to the ground unmoving as a frost drake, two warriors dangling from its feet, comes in for a landing. The two drop off a moment before the drake itself lands and run towards the ballistas on the tower, while the drake lands on top of the large fire-spitting weapon in the center of the tower.
Maka had been silently meditating when the alarm went out. She had been waiting for this moment, and she was well prepared. No longer needing to hide, she had discarded her uncomfortable and unnecessary winter clothing; Instead adorned in her monastic garb, freshly cleaned and pressed. The sides of her head were freshly shaved and she had redone her long braid 3 times to ensure it was properly tightened. Her face and arms were freshly adorned with intricate lines of battle paint.
"I wish they'd quit yelling and just come so we can get this over with. I want to go back to bed." she announced grumpily to the group.
Pulling out her magic jug, Maka spoke the command word and focused on her desired effect, turning the cold water inside into hot Sake. Taking a healthy drink, Maka offered the jug to Quasit. "Sorry Quasit, this will probably be a long fight.." Despite her mental preparedness last night's embarrassing kiss still weighed on her mind, but so did their conversation.
"I suppose." answers the rogue vaguely, glancing over her shoulder at the roars in the distance. "Gah, I can't see a thing out there. Can these dragon guys see in the dark? I'm gonna be useless in this fight."
"It's okay, I'm useless all the time!" Maka replied with an overly wide smile, clearly trying to cheer Quasit up. "I was just useless during the council meeting. "We rely on you all the time, so rely on us yeah? Besides, someone needs to focus on keeping Saki safe."
"I'll keep in the air and blast things. Finn you back me up as best you can. Be on the lookout for any foes immune to fire, I'll rely on you to handle those. Bull, we'll need backup so just be ready to give it. Saki and Selena, keep back and magic at things. Quasit, you keep an eye on them and stab anything that tries to get them. Kal I don't really know what all you can do so just help as best you can." Maka did her best to be inspiring, giving the group a thumbs up and a toothy grin.
"And then just stay alive and don't get too far from each other!" Maka ended her inspirational attempt in a passionate kiss with Bulvi. A small ball of fire rose over the fighter's head as Maka pulled away. "Keep an eye on everyone yeah? I love you!" In a burst of flames Maka took to the air.
Selena grumpily remarks "Come on, I was just up there!", she flies up with Maka.
"Maka, can you make water while flying?" She asks quickly as they fly up.
Selena had cast mage armor as the alarm sounded, and now cast ironskin.
"Maka, can you make water while flying?" She asks quickly as they fly up.
"What!? No, but I can make fire!" Maka responded to Selena with obvious confusion. A condensed blast from her palms sent Maka hurtling forward. Maka spun as she flew threw the air gathering flames and momentum. The flames continued to build until they burned a bright blue. Another condensed blast brought Maka to a sudden stop as she sent the swirling ball of flames at the drake with a fierce kick.
Fin's arrow strikes its target, eliciting a snarl of anger and pain from the drake. It jumps off of its perch and hunkers down out of the elf's sight just in time for Maka to blaze into the sky and blast it with her flames. The drake shrieks in pain and rage.
Bulvi moved behind the group, keeping his eyes open and his sword and shield at the ready.
"If they come in for some revenge I'll be waiting Sakitu." Bulvi said to her lowly as he looked at the creatures over the rim of his raised shield.