Cuddles is all ready to haul some more rope when his job is called. Today he is to swab the decks? He's done this once before, but not since he was found to be a natural bipedal pack-mule. He frowns, trying to remember how. It involved water, brushes, some kind of sudsy stuff and a lot of time on his knees.
He takes a little longer than normal, but he manages to gather his supplies and get to work. The grime of the ship stands no chance and deep set stains yield under his brutal assault via scrub brush.
Enya begins doing repairs as will as she can, while trying to pick out someone to talk to. Making friends is the most important thing right now...
Once repairs are finished, she walks up to a tall woman who she believes us called Badger.
She smiles at the lady. Nice hair style. Looks good. Any reason for such an interesting style?
Tao makes his way out to the deck, his brain still mulling over last night's event. Oddly enough, He is still thinking about the bird he tried to befriend earlier. Shaking away the thoughts he gets to work. As he goes about repairing the lines, he leans over to Samms in hopes of getting some insight on "Ratline" Rattsberger. After getting any helpful information from her, he decides to catch up with "Ratline" in an attempt to strike up a conversation.
[dice=Diplomacy ("Ratline" Rattsberger)]1d20-1[/dice]
Tao's inquiries and socializations have obviously effected his work on the repairs. He seems to be distracted by his banter and lags a bit in his duties.
I begin to recast my previous spell, shooting bubbles down into the bilge, some of them popping on the rats noses and causing them to grow weary.
Aldous arises and follows his normal morning routine. Prays for his spells and gives a quick prayer over the group among them all, leaving Alain out of the boon for the time being since it is largely built around melee combat.
Follows the job assignments, he returns to the galley to find his 'boss' drunk again. Apparently him doing the cook's job has made him worse than before on his drinking, thus giving him an excuse to start drinking earlier. Grumbling, Aldous once again grabs the harpoons and nets and heads out onto the decks, as he steps out of the galley, he looks back to Kroop, "Maybe tomorrow you can be sober enough for us to have a talk...if I don't die from messing up this stew."
Going out onto the deck, he whispers a quick prayer as he begins to fish.
Gathering up his turtles, he drags them back down to the galley and begins to clean, keeping the book opened and consulting it several time despite having done all of this the previous day. Hopefully his persistence and his luck will pay off again.
Tasting his finished product, he nods. Still edible, but the turtle must not be as good as the day before. Regardless, he feels confident he will not face the whip over this meal. Looking over to Kroop, he simply shakes his head as he pours the bowls for the officers and carries them out on a tray to be delivered.
On it's turn
Once work is over and her interesting conversation concluded, She sits by the main mast whistling a tune.
She tries to hide the fact that she is actively looking for Aldous. Every now and then scans the deck for his golden hair and easy going stride.
Her hum turns into a song:
If you were mine,
I'd sail the seas
To prove to you
My loyalty.
Its only been
a few short days
but sadly passion
has its ways...
If I were yours,
Id prove to thee
that you were meant
for only me.
If you were mine
Id break the land
I'd fight the earth itself
to hold your hand...
But, oh, alas!
you do not see
how very much
you mean to me..
How very much...
you mean to me...
Poor Aldous gets nary a moment to stop to listen because he is having to work so hard since he is doing people's jobs for the second day in a row. Something he is very poorly trained for, but he does make a point to catch her eye as he is rushing about delivering soup to the officers and catches a few words of her song.
Enya blushes as he looks at her, smiling back as he rushes off. She is thankful for that glance, that moment they shared. After her song, she threw her head back and smiled, letting the sun warm her body, it shimmering and glowing, showing the happiness within her. Her hair flares like lava as it falls to her shoulders and down her back.
She felt like singing more, but knew it would bring attention to herself. Instead, she stroked Mica, as they sent feelings to each other, each understanding the others mood. Mica waved at Aldous, and chirped and squeaked as loud as she could, a greeting and encouragement.
She walked over to the side of the ship and looked at the water. "Oh Besmara, hear my prayer. Allow me to serve you, allow me to follow your creed. I will do the best I can to please you. But please, let me have Aldous... If only for a while. Even if it takes a life time. I know you will help me as long as I serve you." She takes one of her gold and ruby earrings and throws it overboard, an offering to her goddess.
I thrust my spear at the rat, trying to impale it with the spear, but it only cuts the creature and it manages to swim straight to my foot where it bites down hard. I feel a little dizzy from the attack but manage to maintain my concentration of the task at hand.
But the attack goes wide, so I step back, away from the creature a nervous expression plays across my face.
The rat steps forward and attempts to bite you again, but its wound proves to be a bigger hindrance than it thought. It misses, but not by much.
The rat looks confused at your words and begins to lick its wound. You're able to make it back on deck safely.
Once on deck I rush over to the mast where I see Tao, I wave up at him to come down, I also see Enya and Alain and wave them over. I am out of breath and my leg is bleeding from what looks like a bite mark, I sit down on the deck to get my breath for a second not caring if Plugg or Scourge see me resting.
"You're bleeding! What happened?"
Cuddles is nearby swabbing the ever-loving crap out of a persistent blood stain on the deck. He could hear, but he was so focused on his bristle-brushed assault that he didn't hear. The area is littered with what may be either bits of the brush's bristles or bits of the deck.
I look around, up at the face Alain, "Rats ... BIG rats down in the bilge?! I put most of them to sleep, but I am no fighter! I went down to sort out the last one left awake, but I know my own limitations and combat is that limitation! I need help to get rid of them."
"I can help." He looks around guiltily, "Let's go quick, before they see us."
I look around to see if any of the others are coming over, "I think we need the others too. Brawn is needed as well as Brain."
Tao slides down the mast within hearing distance. He looks over his shoulder and is startled to see River harmed. He quickly drops down as he listens to the conversation.
Too many of us leaving the deck will attwact too much attention, if it is just us twee, I tink we can finish dis off quickly and be up hewe befowe too long. I have alweady been struck by Plugg once fo slacking off. We should be quick.
He motions for River to lead the way as he peers around to see if anyone is watching them.
"Oh shit!" As River runs up, I scream at her "Who did that to you?!" I immediately stop what I'm doing and run over to her. "Who do we have to kill?"
Enya's animated outburst finally brings cuddles around to awareness of his surroundings from his battle with the deck (which was still heroically holding the stain in spite of cuddles). He looks at Enya with the assumption she's yelling to him and says, HUH?
She whips her head around to face Cuddles. "Someone's hurt River! We have to get them! Squish the baddies! Squish the baddies!" The last part she sing songs. "Lets go get them guys!!" Full on song now. It would seem that fights get Enya in a singing mood.
Mica jumps happily from shoulder to shoulder, ready for battle, or rather to watch the battle.
Alain will grab Enya and pull her somewhere out of sight of the officers on the quarterdeck and hiss furiously at her, "What are you doing! Are you trying to get her killed!?
He'll pause and whip off his glasses fixing Enya with a furious glare, "When River left the bilge and came up on deck she was abandoning her post. Even on a properly run ship that would earn her a stern reprimand, whatever the reason. On this floating obscenity it'll get her lashed half to death. Or worse, keelhauled like that poor kid the first day we were aboard. I thought River was your friend? Or were you just curious what she would look like without any skin!?
Alain pauses to look about and see if they're attracting attention. Turning back to Enya he'll continue a bit more calmly, "Take Tao and Cuddles and go help River out. Quietly! I'll try and cover for you. Hate me if you want but if you're going to yell and shoot flames, do it later when we're not going to get killed for it."
What was going on? Someone's hurt river? Why are they going to the bilges? The person that hurt river must be in the bilges. Maybe? Maybe that's why they need cuddles? Cuddles is so confused... So he just scrubs his way over to near the downward stairs and attacks some built up salt in the area. If the others took off, he could easily join.
He smiles to himself. This shows lots of... what was it... ahead think? Ya, that.
I look around at everyone, then at Tao, "Very big rats in the bilge, I'm meant to be catching them but they're too big for me alone. I managed to put them to sleep before escaping, but one managed to bite me first." I nod at Tao's idea for only a few of us to go, and I begin to walk back to the bilge using Tao's arm as a support, my wounded leg limping slightly.
A disturmbingly savage ear to ear grin spreads across cuddles face. He follows River a d says, CUDDLES HUG THEM TILL BONES CRUNCH. CUDDLES HUG RATS BEFORE. THEY BITE AND SCRATCH, BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
Enya looks at Alain's grip on her arm and pulls it away. Mica hisses furiously. "Excuse me? You expect me to take orders from a snooty tooty wanna-be pirate after he outright insulted me and questioned my loyalty to my friends?!" This part she says more quietly. "The officers on this boat, for the most part, are cowards. They want us dead and would have sent us down there anyway. There will be no keelhauling for River, nor will any f#&#s be given. And last time I checked, people love my singing! And what about you, hot shot? Too afraid to go down there yourself? Sheesh, why dont you back down, grow a pair, and let the big kids go do work." Her glare is as piercing as a dagger.
She casually turns her head to River, cuddles, and Tao. "Shall we?" She smiles at her friends.
After the four leave Alain will put his glasses back on, take a deep breath and casually circulate among the friendly/helpful crew on deck with whispered a explanation and asking for help covering for the absences.
Despite his unpopularity with all of you, Alain has made a few friends among the crew. They're able to cover for you/keep the officers distracted, and the four of you are able to reach the bilges without incident.
Map
Bilges
Alright, lets do this... Her eyes flare with excitement.