Journeys (Unknown Squid)

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

The reminder of his social faux pas earned a slightly shamed look from Nathan, for a moment, and after a moment he replied; "Sorry... I guess I was just a little... I don't know."

"W.... What?" Nathan asked incredulously with food still dribbling from his mouth, "if rabbits were... But... They aren't? Right?" He almost sounded worried, but then gathered himself a moment later and continued; "Well... I suppose it would be wrong to eat them. I mean, not everyone thinks so... I hear orcs eat those they kill, if they aren't orcs! And demons! And and... Monsters like that... Thing, that was at the inn. But goodly folk don't eat each other! It isn't... Civilized!"

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Maya had to stifle a giggle at the apparent initial concern Nathan showed in response to her hypothetical question. "Haha, nah, if bunnies were like that, they do an amazingly good job at hiding their thoughts. Pretty much all they ever think about is eating, fucking, and being scared of stuff." She replies casually. The answer seeming to satisfy her well enough. "Oh? Orcs and... demons, huh? I didn't know that. I've not met any orcs before, but the demons I've met were friendly enough. Didn't try to eat me at leas- oh no wait... well, hmm." She continues with a smile, pausing for short a spot before laughing it off with a shrug. "But I think you're right. I wouldn't want to eat Rabbits if they were smart or civilized either. The person in the basement... didn't care at all though. She called people "mortal sheep", and seemed happy to kill whoever she wanted because she had more power than them. And she seemed to think I should be the same. I didn't like it." Maya taking on slightly more serious contemplating air, looking off to the side for a moment, before back to Nathan. "So I killed her. And now I'm trying to figure out what that means." Breaking eye contact once more.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

"You've met... Demons!?" Nathan retorted incredulously during Maya's brief thoughtful pause, before her continuation about rabbits that thought left him thinking again. "It sounds horrible," he said sourly, "I hope it burned... When you killed it. I don't know if you could have done that... But you should have." He looked away, his gaze as distant as his tone, but he didn't offer anything further for a minute or so.

"I don't know what it means," he finally said quietly, "but it makes you... Better than it."

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

"Hmm. Thanks." Maya replies simply but sincerely, looking back. Simple as Nathans opinion might be, it did kinda feel good to hear. "I didn't burn it, but I destroyed it's mind, and left it lying in it's blood. I didn't really give it much time to realise that it's life was over. I just wanted her to stop existing, so that she couldn't hurt anyone I cared about." Maya elaborates a little. "Perhaps I should have burned or buried the body, or something, rather than leaving it there. But I didn't feel like dragging corpses around, and thought whoever else comes to this place might want to know what happened." There was just a hint of uncertainty about her regarding that decision, but ultimately she resigns to shrug and rolls her shoulders a little, shifting her sitting posture a fraction.

"And I've met stranger things than Demons." She eventually speaks again in reference to earlier. "Demons still have faces and bodies like ours. They're just a different colour inside." Said, taking the water skin back for a last sip before stowing it away, with no trace of the food remaining spare scraps of waxed paper and string.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

To her revelation of the monster in the basement's ultimate fate, Nathan simply frowned and shrugged. "It will have to do I guess," he said, trying to sound casual but seeming distinctly uncomfortable.

"Stranger than demons?" he asked incredulously, disbelief written on his face. "Different... Inside? You mean they don't bleed red? Well... I suppose that would make sense," he said uncertainly, obviously not understanding exactly what she meant.

He glanced at her pack as Maya put her waterskin away, but whatever he might have been looking for he did nothing else, letting her put her things away and leaving only some leftover crumbs and the wrappings to show of the meal they'd shared. "So... What will you do now?" he asked uncomfortable after a few moments, not quite looking at her and his expression unreadable.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

"Hmm? Oh, no no, not their blood. Sorry. I was talking about their soul. It has a distinct thing to it." Maya says shaking her head, acknowledging herself as guilty of being a bit confusing here. Perhaps she could have made a better impression on Nathan, who still seemed rather unsettled even now. In any case, not the easiest fellow to have a conversation with.

"What now? Well I've been on my way to Glassmoor, but the sun will be dipping below the trees fairly soon now, and I'm not sure I can be bothered with the shelter building thing tonight, so I think I might just skip ahead and find an inn. A nicer one, with better windows. And a bath." She says in a carefree manner, looking up to what can be seen of the sky for a moment, before back to Nathan. His somewhat distant and unreadable expression throwing the psychic for a loop again, as to what this odd wanderer was actually thinking. "Uh, and what about you then?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

"Their... But... How could you even tell?" Nathan seemed perplexed and almost worried, and his distress lingered and possibly grew depending on how Maya responded.

"Skip... Ahead? Do you mean with... More magic?" Nathan asked, "I... Well I guess I'll just keep moving... I don't know where to. Maybe someplace South... I've heard you don't need anything to get work on a ship, maybe I'll become a fisherman. If it's all still there anyway... For all I know, most of civilization is just gone." He trailed off, staring at the ground.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

"Well... it's just something I can kinda, feel." Maya replies. "Like telling what colour your hair is. Maybe not quite that easy exactly, and some are more obvious than others, but it's just natural to me." She answers honestly, noting how oddly anxious or distressed Nathan seemed, but not sure what to make of it specifically.

"And yeah. Magic. All this walking wears me out and makes my feet hurt. I'm not really one for going long distances like my Mother can." She answers, with a slight hint that she wasn't one-hundred percent proud to admit it. "I've always wanted to visit the ocean, but if you're going south, you should be careful of heading through the jungle. Both South and East of here the forest gets a lot thicker real quick. If you get to the river though, I'm pretty sure there are boats you take. I don't know how far they go these days, of course." Crinkling a small frown for a second, as the subject of the Gemini invasion comes up, "You're talking about the aliens aren't you? I keep hearing about how they've attacked everywhere, but I don't really know much. That's one reason why I'm travelling. My world is too small, and all these big things seem to be going on. You'll have to go from town to town I guess."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

The young man's discomfort seemed to remain even after her explanation about how she perceived souls, but he made no further comment on the subject, very intently dropping that part of their conversation. "Sounds convenient," he would say regarding her ability to cross distances with a thought instead of having to take the old fashioned manner to get places, jealousy tinging his voice.

"What river? I don't... Exactly have a map," he asked petulantly, though he seemed to weigh her suggestion of trying to catch a river boat going South rather than cross the jungle over land. "Of course... What else would I be talking about? Has there been another disaster since or something?" he asked, seemingly genuinely worried that he might have missed something as he was annoyed at Maya's need for clarification. "You're lucky to have missed it anyway... Horrible things."

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

(( Squid has spent a month being unhealthily reclusive and stuff. Apologies for the absence.))

"Well... I did meet them too, actually. Two years ago in a place called, Argent Vale. Was a confusing and rather painful day. I've never really known what actually..." Maya replies regarding the aliens. Frowning for a moment, and flicking her hand to the side in a dismissive gesture of sorts, as if the memory was frustrating to try and go over again. "They just never seemed to come any higher up the mountain, the aliens, and I've simply not seen any since. Glassmoor got attacked too, but fought them off. And the city has become pretty popular with traders now, so it's not like the worlds ended or anything."

"But uh, anyway, they call the Amazon a rainforest for a reason. The place is kind of full of rivers. Uh... here, look..." Maya replies fetching her bag again to tuck her map out to show. The accuracy and level of detail on the ageing map perhaps a little questionable, but still professionally made, it included most relevant settlements and provided a rough lay of the land along with rivers and the more notable landmarks. "That one, would get you there, I guess. Kinda wiggles a lot, but better than having to cross it a dozen times." Said pointing out and tracing a line on the map. "Don't need to worry about big cats or other things watching from the roadside when in a boat either." She adds in support of the boat idea, although immediately feeling like that last line perhaps wasn't necessary. It did make her question how well Nathan was going to fare even getting to the nearest town. He didn't even seem to be carrying a weapon or tool of any kind. Not a knife or even a stick. Apparently not keen on magic. And with how he looked right now, Maya couldn't help but imagine that even Marisa would have pretty a good chance of besting him in a wrestling match. He'd clearly been getting by somehow out here for a while now, but it wouldn't take much of a setback to change that.

"Uhm. Are you, going to be all right getting to town?" She asks sincerely "It is still quite a few days by foot."

(( I've no idea if Glassmoor actually has a river, but figured big towns tend to be close to them. Can't be that far to find one either way. ))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

(That totally wasn't Artmirst in your DG2 thread. Artmirst was the town that turned into Acheron, the main setting of DG1 and also a place Maya has never been to on screen. She was in Argent Vale.)

Nathan fell into a surly silence and looked away from Maya as she explained her limited dealings with the aliens, not responding. He did look to the map she pulled out, however, and muttered; "I know... That's sort of why I was curious. They all sort of just... Blend together." Still, he glanced over the map in detail and seemed to mark where she pointed. "I guess it's a start."

He frowned sourly at her concerned question. "I've been making it out here a while... I'll be fine."

(I don't know why, but this was incredibly difficult to force out. It is also pretty terrible.)

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

(Oh derp. They all begin with A. Same difference, totally.)

Receiving another cold front from Nathan, Maya found herself struggling to add anything more to the conversation. Everything she had been saying only seemed to be met with gradually increasing frowns, muttering, or sullen silence anyway. She didn't understand it at all. She'd done her best to be friendly hadn't she? It made her a little sad trying to figure it out, studying Nathan a minute as he gazed off ever avoidantly. Catching his expression in response to her last question however, she couldn't help but adopt a frown also. Breathing in gradually and suddenly exhaling with a huff, she springs up from sitting, taking the map with her. "Of course. Stupid question. I should stop wasting your time." she says bluntly, folding up the map and roughly stuffing it into a pocket before dusting down and putting herself straight. "Nice meeting you Nathan. Wish you luck with the ships and stuff." She calls back already strolling out of the tiny clearing and off into the forest in a random direction.

'Stupid. Stupid. Sitting around getting my butt damp for no reason. Better company talking to Squirrels.' Maya grumbles mentally to herself. 'Not my job to worry about stuff.'

Taking one last look around, Maya would prepare to make the relatively long flash to Glassmoor. A journey practised in the past, she'd be arriving at a routine place outside the city walls, not too far from the gates. Once there, barring any distractions or other issues, she'd be heading straight for a nice inn. One with less dead people, and better windows.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

Nathan didn't get up when Maya did, but he did jump, startled at her sudden motion. His head wheeled to face hers, but the sullen youth didn't make any effort to apologize for his behavior, instead simply watching her stroll away from his seated position. "Goodbye," was his only parting statement, short and simple and quiet, leaving Maya to move off in huff prompted by his lack of friendliness and plan her transport to Glassmoor. There was no slow walk there this time, no seeing of the sights after the day she'd had, and she simply flashed there in a blink, appearing with a crack and a white flash just beyond the city gates. It was a practiced trip, and despite the distance she encountered no errors in it, appearing before a startled city guardswoman who eventually let her in through a side door after recovering from her shock and decided that the petite catgirl probably wasn't an alien or a demonic mass murderer or somesuch.

Entering the town, Maya found it relatively quiet. The trade season was just ending, everyone was buckling down for the monsoons, and the only people about were mostly doing daily chores and didn't seem to have time to be bothered. The first inn she encountered was a familiar enough one, Gredin's Galehouse, so named because it was popular in just this time of year for cheap, comfortable beds and a roof offering shelter rather than a nice view, a common enough occurrence in Amazonian taverns. It offered better protection from the bugs too, being built more like a Badarian inn than an Amazonian hostel, though Maya had never had many issues with the jungle's numerous pests.

It was a cozy place, and it probably would have been sweltering in the hotter months, but even if the Amazon rarely grew cold by any definition it would still offer better protection from the elements. And the food was good, they bought shorn sap from her mother whenever Red made it all the way to Glassmoor. It was run by a man named Gredin, a short portly fellow with a boisterous laugh, and staffed mostly by women wearing colorful uniforms of local priestesses, much like the garb that Tomoe had worn but more colorful and less modest.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Soon arriving at the so called Galehouse, Maya sighs once more trying to forget the encounters of the day for now, before heading into the building. Taking in a quick scope of the place and the patrons, she proceeds to find Gredin, or otherwise whoever was serving front today. "Hello Gredin, I'm looking for a nice room to stay for the night. The last place was no good at all, and I need to unwind. What are the chances, of some hot water to relax in?" she enquires. She wasn't yet sure which way she'd be headed tomorrow, but whilst small indulgences like this were still available, they were worth taking.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

Gredin was located behind the main bar rather than the receptions desk, which was presently empty. He was busy mopping the floor, but set that aside when Maya addressed him. Sure, yeah, welcome... A room and a bath? You want private, or the communal? There's someone already in the communal one, some weirdo from who knows where... They sound Crolian from the accent, if that matters. Been in there a while too, but they haven't come out yet. It's five coins for public and a room, seven for private. The suite is taken right now, so it's only basic rooms."

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

"Regular room is fine. And..." Maya hums pondering the two options. Private meant getting a fresh tub all to herself, but communal was a good deal bigger provided it wasn't busy. She felt a little wary of meeting any more weirdos today, but the chance to stretch out and float was alluring. "mmm... I'll take communal. If they've been in there long as you say, I might get the place to myself anyway!" She chirps with a smile. "I'll take some sake too please. Whatever's good."

Handing over whatever the total came to, she would thank Gredin and make her way eagerly to the bath.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

"Alright... Alright... Four for the bottle of sake, or seven if you want the top shelf... I'll just get that and a towel ready for you, give you your key, and you'll be on your way," he said, and in a few short minutes had done just that. Maya found herself with a key with a numbered tag, a fluffy white towel, a bottle, and a cup and saucer.

Heading for the communal bath, a heated pool with regular water cycling, Maya entered a room half filled with steam and found the person she'd been told was there hadn't left yet. They were sitting in the water, and leaned back against the opposite wall of the bath such that they were facing the door directly. They were fairly pale, though their skin was flushed, and the large breasts half hidden in the water were fairly telling of their gender. Their head was tilted back, letting their bright pink hair hang back towards the floor... Their oddly familiar looking bright pink hair, which at that point was tied back into a ponytail.

The room itself was fairly simple, a carved rock basin carved into the floor that was filled with water dominating most of the room and little else of note besides some cubicles off to the left side of the room, small private areas sectioned off by simple bamboo rods with curtains hanging between them to block sight, for people who cared to change in a degree of privacy. The bath itself was large enough to accommodate a dozen people at once without anyone having to rub elbows, and could easily fit more than twice that many if the occupants didn't mind a little closeness and some of them were willing to stand or kneel in the center. The stone basin itself was heated with an enchantment that drew heat from underground, and the water was drawn in the same manner.

A moment after the door into the baths opened, she leaned up, and dark red eyes gleamed at Maya for a moment they stared at the half daemon curiously before she grinned widely. "Well.... Hellooo there kitten~" Lanai said, leaning back against the rear wall of the bath.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Opting for the regular sake, which Maya felt plenty good enough, she collects her things with towel over shoulder, thanks Gredin once more and proceeds to skip along. The bathing room itself whilst simple to look at, had all the important bits she cared for and suited her tastes perfectly. The steam and heated water beat the chilled stream back home any day. The price was more than worth the quality of the enchantments.

Strolling into the room and initially heading to one side to place her towel out the way, Maya's doesn't get far before a rapid double take stops her in her tracks. A momentary blink to confirm, not that there was any real room for mistake, "Lanai!?" she exclaims excitedly, ears and tails standing at attention. Hastily putting her things and pack aside, kicking off her shoes, she strides over to the waters edge. Hovering with a look of pleasant surprise for a second as she loosens the obi on her short Amazonian attire, Maya's expression soon takes a turn into a frown. Wide eyes narrowing, and stepping into the water without bothering to finish undressing, the cat girl marches forward wading through the water toward the lounging demoness. Coming to stop in reach of Lanai, standing either side over her arms crossed whilst glaring down. Reaching out she delivers a sudden light swat to the top of Lanai's pink head. "That's for disappearing without saying goodbye!" before any proper protest or response can be given, another such swat follows, "And that's for never visiting!" Maya declares, her justice now dealt and hands going back to rest on her hips.

Lightening up some it was still plain to see she was thrilled to have stumbled across Lanai again like this, though perhaps holding it back for the moment. "I didn't expect to bump into you here. Where ever have you been?" she says with a tilt of the head, letting a smile slip out again.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

Spoiler

Maya: HP = 62, PP = 65, EP = 113, Status = Fine

"Theeee one and only! Well, I think... Some experiments are better off not working out," The demoness replied in response to Maya's surprised exclamation of her name. Lanai settled back, both elbows resting on the rim of the bath, but quirked an eyebrow as Maya entered without finishing undressing.

"What's the matter, it's not like I haven't - Ow! Hey!" Lanai's playful banter ended as Maya gently rapped her on the head, not enough to do any real harm but enough to be felt, though the second that promptly followed earned no such response. She reached up and rubbed her head somewhat hesitantly, as if expecting that she might have earned a third smack somehow, but when it was clearly that Maya's vengeance had been exacted she rubbed the top of her head a bit.

"Well... Me? Oh, around... Busy... You know... Doing things.... Um... Yeah... Things..... Right, well, anyway! I didn't really expect to bump into a familiar face around here either! How have you been keeping along? Well I hope?" Lanai replied, letting her hand return to her side as she resumed her relaxed pose. She was far less hesitant to let a wide grin slide across her face, and if Maya wasn't careful the look might prove infectious, especially when Lanai suddenly lunged forward and started tickling her, fingers dancing across her sides and sending light sparks of sensation that reflexively made her cringe and giggle rushing through her.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: Journeys (Unknown Squid)

"Mmm... Doing things? I bet you have." Maya smirks cheerfully. Taking half a step back and turning to the side to toss her obi clear of the bath. "I've been keeping plenty well. Busy making sure your ... Uwaah!~" Maya begins, crying out as Lanai's ticking ambush catches her off guard. "HA-h-ey-hahaha!~" curling up whilst trying to back pedal to safety. Stuck between attempting to defend against the tickles and preventing her loose robes from falling into the bath. Wading at the knees as she was, it would hardly be surprising when she lost her balance and began to tumble back.

Despite the normal expected result, the cat girl didn't hit the water however. Instead ending up hovering barely a few inches above the surface, her green kimono draped haphazardly over her suspended form as she clutched onto it in an effort to keep it dry. Blinking a second, Maya laughs again, "Geez. You're as bad as your daughter." She says with another smiling smirk, tails swishing in a figure of eight in the water. Curling in the air a little, Maya pulls her attire round and into a ball hugged to her front, before casting it off to the side. "She's growing up big and strong by the way." Pointing her toes to the ceiling next, she slips her panties up and over, dropping herself gently into the water as she flings them away.

Sighing out long and happily as she lets herself sink into the steamy waters, she splays out in the middle a moment before turning her head to Lanai again. Pushing herself to float lazily back to the pink ones end of the bath again.