Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 21, 2021 19:15:46 GMT -5
After an hour of fast sailing, there was still no sign of a storm. With the Comet moving well, there wasn't much for the crew to do except make a few minor adjustments every once in a while, and even then only a few men and women were needed. As a result, the majority of the crew and the rescues had little to nothing to do. It was beginning to make them antsy. One in particular seemed to be itching for a fight, and he decided Parker made a perfect target.
"Hey, lubber," he called, using the nickname the crew had given Parker, as if that made him part of the crew and therefore above Parker. "You're close with the captain, right? Can't you talk to him and convince him to turn around? I mean, look around." He waved his arms at the sky and sea for emphasis. "There's no storm coming. This is stupid."
~ • ~ • ~ "When," Seth corrected, not arrogantly, just matter-of-fact. "The first step to victory is believing you're going to win. If you don't believe it, you can hardly expect to achieve it."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 21, 2021 20:09:00 GMT -5
At the sound of his nickname, Parker looked up from the rope he had been coiling up neatly. He recognized the man who was approaching him. He had been a fellow prisoner on the slaving ship, but he hadn't had many chances to speak with this man personally. "I wish I could, but it's not my place to tell the Captain his business," he answered, setting down the rope. "Besides, I asked him before we left if the weather wouldn't hold out for one night at port, and he said that it wouldn't. There's not much more I can do there."
~*~*~
"I believe it when I see it," Felix told him.
""How much you want to bet?" Anya asked, trying not to smile.
"With you? Nothing, because you've seen him fight. I'm not that dumb," her older brother said with a laugh.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 21, 2021 20:53:16 GMT -5
Parker didn't like the tone the man was using, towards him or Sol. "That's all well and good, but last I checked, I'm not a member of this crew anymore than you are," he told him, getting defensive. "You want someone to talk the captain into turning around, you go find Beckham. Better yet, you go tell Sol yourself. I'm sure he'll just love to hear from you."
~*~*~
"Well, there is a hay bale behind the barn that could use a dragon," Anya said, making a reference to the little dragon he had made the first day they had known each other, back when they first stayed at Senza's place.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 21, 2021 21:15:40 GMT -5
Lenard had half turned away, done with the conversation, but now he turned back, gaze hard. "Excuse me? Are you giving me orders, little boy?" Lenard wasn't that much older than Parker, nor was he any bigger. Unlike Parker, he had been a servant before getting kidnapped, and while his years of service had made him wily, he was no brute. He was just a bully.
~ • ~ • ~ Seth glanced at her and smiled. In retrospect, that dragon should have been his first clue that this girl would change his world. Before then, he hadn't drawn anything, with pencil or arrows, in months, and he certainly never showed it off to a near stranger. "I think that would be giving away too much, but maybe after the competition."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 21, 2021 22:08:05 GMT -5
Lenard stepped closer. "You think I'm stupid? Do you even know who Sol Comet is? You don't question him and get away with it. Not unless you're his fu—"
The sudden clap of thunder was deafening. It made the two remaining women among the rescues scream. Even a couple members of the crew jumped, though with them, that had more to do with the bolt of lightning that lit up the sky. Within seconds, it went from midday brightness to dark as twilight as black clouds raced across the sky. The wind picked up, and the ship lurched as it crashed through a wave. Lenard barely kept his feet. The other rescues weren't as lucky, and bumped into each other before falling to the deck just as the Comet punched through another big wave.
Sol started shouting orders. A second later, Beckham was there, ordering the rescues below deck. "Let's go, people," he told them. "You don't want to be up here for this."
~ • ~ • ~ Seth put down his fork and sat back. "If I am, you can have my bow," he said, the confidence in his tone warning Ryner not to get his hopes up.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 21, 2021 22:33:44 GMT -5
Anger had flared in Parker's eyes, and if Lenard had managed to finish that statement, then he would have taken his chances with Sol and whatever punishment came with picking fights. He didn't need to, however, as the thunder deafened him. The deck lurched from under him, and he fell backwards, catching himself against the rail as the first wave hit the Comet. Looking skyward, the changes had happened too fast. One minute it was clear, the next, darkness. Picking himself up, Parker quickly ran to help secure the cargo on deck to keep everything from moving around.
~•~•~
"I like the sound of that. But wht do you get if you're right?" Ryner asked.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 22, 2021 0:20:42 GMT -5
The storm only continued to grow in intensity. With another crash of thunder came rain, a downpour that had everything and everyone soaked in seconds. The rain, lightning, and ever larger waves made speaking impossible, so the crew started communicating with hand signals. Moving fast, they secured everything that wasn't already pinned down.
Beckham was moving about the crew, sending everyone who wasn't needed below decks. When he reached Parker, he did a double take. "What are you still doing up here?" Even yelling, he had to lean close to be heard. "You should be below with the others!"
~ • ~ • ~ Seth considered that. An idea came to mind, but he just said, "I'll get back to you on that. Shall we?"
"Yeah!" Even though he hadn't been part of the conversation, Aidan was the first one out of his chair. He brought his plate and glass to the sink, then ran for the door, shouting, "Let's go! Let's go!"
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan was beginning to grow very annoyed with Kyra and her avoidance tactics. Gods, she was the most stubborn creature he had ever met. He refused to actively seek her out, but it was growing ever more frustrating when she acted like he wasn’t there every time they were in the same room. She had no problem chatting with Cami or Cresseida, or exchanging insults with Callum, but Morgan? He might as well not exist. It didn’t help that he couldn’t stop thinking about her. She was in his every waking thought, and she had even started following him into his dreams. Morgan had never thought he had an addictive personality, but gods if this didn’t feel like the worst kind of withdrawal. And she had only been back in his life for a few weeks! Had it been this bad when she left the first time?
No, actually, it hadn’t. Because this time she wasn’t gone. She was right there, every single day. He could see her, hear her voice, even touch her if he was lucky enough to surprise her before she realized he was there and moved as far away as possible without actually leaving the room. It was torture.
He knew she was trying to prove a point, but the only message he was getting was that she was even more stubborn now than she was years ago. Morgan had thought Seth was the most stubborn person he knew. Nope. Kyra had him, hands down. And she was driving Morgan crazy.
The only person keeping him sane was Callum. They were still hitting the training field daily, sometimes twice daily. Callum was improving every day. Morgan had to give his full attention to their mock fights. If it slipped for even a second, Callum would put him on his ass. Those fights were the only time he managed to get Kyra completely off his mind.
She came back like a damn boomerang once the practice was over, but at least he got an hour or two of peace a day.
Morgan and Callum timed their practices so they were never there at the same time Kyra and Cami were. They tried that, once. Morgan couldn’t focus for more than a minute at a time, and he got his ass handed to him so many times Callum eventually stalked off in a huff to find someone else to spar with.
Now, knowing Kyra was in the field practicing with Cami, Morgan was as far away as he could get, hiding out with Kyon in the forest. But Callum was at the practice field, watching Kyra and his sister from the far sidelines. No one had noticed him there yet, not even the pair sparring not even ten feet away from him. Callum had gotten good at that, hiding in plain sight. He had lost track of the number of times he had scared the wits out of his mother and sister, just by walking up to them undetected. He wasn’t trying to go unnoticed, he was just… quiet, suddenly. Very quiet. Like a cat.
Isaoy had been giving him knowing looks for days now, and just yesterday he had told him gleefully, “Soon, little beast, soon.” Then he pranced away without an explanation. Callum wasn’t even sure he wanted to know what was happening “soon.” He had a sinking feeling that whatever it was, he wasn’t going to like it.
Across the field, Cami did as instructed and raised her arm. They hadn’t been practicing long yet today, but the week of training was catching up to her, and her muscles were protesting, loudly. Cami wasn’t unfit, but her workouts usually only consisted of a daily run and five minutes alternating between planks, sit ups, and squats. It was enough to keep her in shape, but nothing at all compared to the effort of fighting. Seth and Callum had taught her basic self-defense, of course, but most of that involved using your opponent's strength against them, and exerting very little of your own energy in the process. The stuff Kyra was teaching her was pretty much the exact opposite, even though the point of it was so she would have another line of defense if she was assaulted again. Cami wasn’t about to complain out loud, but gods, she was tired.
Deciding now was the perfect time for Operation Distract and Get Answers, Cami dodged a blow and retaliated, just as she’d been taught, and asked casually, “So what are you and Morgan fighting about?”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 22, 2021 8:49:29 GMT -5
Parker looked up as he heard Beckham shouting beside him. He had done all he could to help, and had just finished tying the last knot on a stack of crates near the bow of the ship. "Trying to help!" he shouted back. The rain was awful, coming down so hard that it made trying to look at the first mate challenging. Sure, he was still the least experienced person on the ship, but he had learned more since the first storm he'd encountered. He at least wanted to help the crew some before going safely below deck.
~*~*~
Anya laughed slightly as the boys struck their deal. She stood and started to gather up their plates to take to the sink.
"Oh, put those down, I'll get them," Maria told her. "You cooked this morning. Your father and I can clean up."
Anya paused. "Are you sure?" she asked. While it hadn't exactly been a rule of any kind, Anya had always just assumed the role to help clear the table after meals. Her and Parker both. She didn't feel right leaving the work for their mother since she was normally the one to do the majority of the cooking.
"I'm sure. You go on and make sure the boys don't get into trouble," her mother told her.
~*~*~
The question was to be expected. After all, Kyra hadn't made a big deal about hiding the fact she was ignoring Morgan. She had thought Cresseida would have brought the topic up sooner, but the woman had left it be. If she thought it strange, she sad nothing. Cami, on the other hand, was quickly becoming a friend to her, so the chances of avoiding the topic were growing slimmer every day. "Morgan's made his bed, and he's being forced to lay in it," was all she answered. She swung another punch towards the younger girl for her to try and deflect. It was evident that she was beginning to tire. The training hadn't been harsh, but she wasn't going easy on the her either. Without knowing when she will be called away on another mission, she felt that the sooner Cami reached a place she was comfortable in her new skills, the better off she'd be.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 22, 2021 18:52:38 GMT -5
"Are you sure?" Parker asked. He certainly didn't want a repeat of last time, but he didn't want to leave them if they needed any extra set of hands.
~•~•~
Maria smiled at the salute, once more thinking how good of an influence the man had been on Anya through the recent weeks.
Anya followed Seth out of the house, though she really didn't have a choice. "So what are you going to do? Just simple shots?"
~•~•~
"He's being an overbearing, over protective know-it-all," Kyra gave the short answer. While, yes, she would consider Cami a friend, she didn't feel close enough to discuss personal matters, especially in public.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 22, 2021 21:12:06 GMT -5
"Yes. We're good he—"
Suddenly a massive wave hit the ship. The Comet took the brunt of it, but a large flood of ocean water swept over the deck, knocking everyone off their feet and sweeping them toward the opposite rail. The experienced crew all managed to grab hold of something before being washed into the sea, and Beckham, still close to Parker, grabbed a handful of the kid's shirt with his free hand. As the ship righted itself and the last of the water poured over the sides, the crew all jumped back to their feet and went right back to what they were doing before the wave.
Beckham helped pull Parker to his feet. "Yep," he shouted. "Definitely time for you to head below."
( Okay, so how do we want to do this? We discussed a few ideas before, namely one of the other rescues shoving Parker over. Do you wanna go with that still? I can say Lenard didn't go below either, but he's being sent down now with Parker, and when the next wave hits... push, slide, bye bye Parker. xD )
~ • ~ • ~ Seth headed for the barn, guided by Aidan's excited voice and Star's excited bark. "Yeah, probably. Maybe a couple moving targets too. Unless you had any other ideas."
~ • ~ • ~ Cami stopped fighting and stepped back, breathing hard. She put her hands on her hips and frowned at Kyra. "Girl, that's all guys. You're gonna have to be a little more specific."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 22, 2021 21:27:30 GMT -5
(I like that idea, mainly because the way you worded it was just too funny. XD)
There was no saving his balance as the wave crashed over the rails. If it hadn't been for Beckham, Parker was sure he would have been washed overboard. The thought didn't sit well with him. He could swim, sure, but not in choppy, sea angry waters. Rising to his feet, he didn't argue this time. He simply nodded and began to jog as quickly as he dared towards the doors that would take him below deck.
~*~*~
"So long as you don't 'accidentally' hit our rooster, I'm don't really have any ideas," Anya said with a playful warning glare.
~*~*~
Kyra narrowed her eyes a little as Cami broke the practice in favor of the conversation. "I thought we were training, not gossiping?" she asked, attempting to steer them back on track.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 22, 2021 22:06:27 GMT -5
Parker barely had time to register someone was close to him before he had run into another person. It happened all so fast that he hadn't even got a good look of their face. All he knew was that he felt himself being shoved, and, paired with the slick and bucking deck, he was suddenly crashing into the floor. He scrambled to his feet as fast as he could, but it wasn't enough. At that moment, the deck pitched violently, followed by another flood. His body was picked up and carried across the ship, his hands scrambling to find something to cling to. His back collided painfully with the railing, and for a brief second he thought he might have been safe. But the pull of the water and gravity had other plans. "Sol!" the shout was torn from his chest as he went over, voice drowned out in the storm.
~*~*~
"Boy, I swear, you better not hurt my rooster," Anya warned, knowing he would never do it. "You'll be getting me a new one if you do."
~*~*~
Kyra stared at her for a moment, debating whether or not it would be better to just start attacking her again or walk away. After all, she didn't feel like getting lectured from Cami along with everything else. She would no doubt side with Morgan on the matter, what with how close the two were. "I don't think I know where to even begin," she told her. "The list is long."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 22, 2021 23:08:31 GMT -5
Sol couldn't have helped Parker then, if if he had heard the other man's call. All his attention was on keeping the Comet on her course. They were only on the rim of the storm, right between the two danger zones. If they drifted to far inland, they could be forced into the rocky shore. But if they went too far the other way, the storm would double, maybe triple, in intensity. They had to stay as they were, or they would be lost.
He also had his dogs to worry about. Normally they would be safely in his room, but this storm had crept up on them. Even Sol's connection to the sea hadn't been enough to warn him. The best Sol had been able to do was tie them into makeshift harnesses and attach the other end to his of the ropes to his waist. That way, if the impossible happened and the ship capsized, they wouldn't be tied to the ship and unable to swim.
Still, something had him scanning the deck in that moment, doing a head count. He had been paying attention to all the people Beckham sent below, so he knew at his last count there was only six veteran crewmen and women on deck, and two rescues. Sol counted out the six crew members quickly, and saw Lenard slipping down the stairs to the safety of the gun deck. Sol looked again, but he was still ahead short. And not just any head. Parker. Was it possible he had proceeded Lenard below?
Gods, let him already be below. But Sol knew he wasn't, in the same way he knew the storm was coming. The sea had claimed Parker, and she wasn't planning on letting him go.
We'll just see about that.
Sol locked gazes with Sam (I just remembered Sol's crew has a Sam. Oops. xD) and ordered her up. She came as quickly as she could, and almost slid right into him as the ship pitched again. "What do you need, Cap?" she asked.
"Take over," Sol ordered. When Sam's eyes just went wide, he snapped, "Now," and let go of the helm.
Sam immediately filled the void and started fighting to keep the ship steady. "Captain?" she called uncertainly.
Sol was already heading for the stairs. "Keep her true, Sam," was his final order to her before he left.
On the main deck he summoned Beckham. The quartermaster appeared beside him a moment later. "Cap—" He stopped. "Uh, Captain?"
The uncertainty in his tone was unusual, but Sol could hardly blame him. The man could only stare as Sol yanked off his coat and dropped it to the deck; his weapons belt followed a moment later, and he handed Beckham the makeshift dog leashes.
Beckham accepted them, but he still looked a bit stunned. "Captain, what are you doing?" he asked, though the look in his eyes said he already knew. He didn't understand why,but he knew.
Sol met his quartermaster's worried gaze. "Do not let my dogs follow me, Master Beckham."
And with that order given, he turned around and launched himself over the rail and into the sea.
~ • ~ • ~ "Boy?" Seth complained, though his grin kind of ruined it. "So, how trainable are roosters anyway?"
~ • ~ • ~ Cami raised her hands. "Well, you have to give me something. And don't assume I'll side with Morgan just because he's like a brother to me. Even brothers can be jerks and earn a butt whooping every now and then."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 22, 2021 23:39:34 GMT -5
Parker had never experienced anything like this in his entire life. The moment he landed into the ocean, his senses were jumbled. With eyes closed, it made things worse, but he could bring himself to open them. Not yet anyway. His arms churned in the water, fighting to find the surface. Around him, he could hear the muffled booming of thunder, the roar of he waves, but it completely surrounded him. Just when he was sure he was heading the wrong way, lungs desperate for air, his head broke through the top of the water. Hungrily, he took in a gulp of air, but it was short lived.
Another wave hit him, sending him under only to claw his way back up. Parker opened his eyes, only to have them burned by the salt, as he tried to find the ship. But if the Comet was anywhere around, he couldn't see it. Out of pure panic, the young man opened his mouth to shout for help. Bad idea. Sea water surged forward to fill the space, choking him and making things worse. Another wave. Another dunk below sea. That was the pattern, and one that he was quickly tiring of. He still wore his new coat and boots, all of which were thoroughly soaked and filled and dragging him down. He could feel the weight of it all as he struggled to stay afloat. With each new wave that sent him under, the longer he stayed, the harder it was to find the surface. His arms were burning in effort, his lungs screaming. This was how he was going to die. There was no way he could keep swimming long enough to out last the storm, and even if he could, land was miles away and the ship would be long gone. He'd tire before he made it anywhere. He would die here, without a soul around, exhausted and drowned.
Parker had just enough time to take a breath before wave submerged him, flipping him over as if he were a toy. Desperately he tried to swim, but his movements didn't feel fast enough. He thought he could see a flash of lightning, at least indicating he was heading in the right direction, but it just wasn't getting closer. His lungs ached. His whole body hurt. If he could just make it back...
~*~*~
"I don't know, I've never tried to train one," Anya said, giggles bubbling forth by his reaction. "I guess they would be like any other bird. The problem would be be finding the patience to train them."
~*~*~
Kyra sighed. Still not sure if she wanted to dive into the heart of the problem, she chose to just stick with the most recent events. "Morgan has it in his mind that he has to be the one to step in and save the day when he is not needed," she said. "Then has the audacity to start telling me what I should and shouldn't have done about the whole thing."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 23, 2021 1:09:33 GMT -5
Sol had lied to his crew. The last time he ended up in the sea during a storm, it wasn't luck or currents that got him to the island safe and sound. It was magic.
Sol knew the legends surrounding the title of Pirate King, knew that, once upon a time, the Pirate King was said to have power over the sea itself. But that power had been lost for centuries. Sol had certainly never shown any sign of having magic. Just an uncanny knowledge of what the wind and tides were saying. That wasn't magic. That was training, instinct, borne from years spent upon the ocean.
But when Sol had fallen into the ocean during the last storm, something changed. The sea had tried to claim him. Sol hadn't let it. He fought back, physically, mentally, and just when it seemed like he was going to lose the fight... the sea bent to his will. And the next thing he knew, he was on the beach at Pirate Island, alive and well.
Sol had been avoiding thinking about the incident for days. That was why he had decided to bring all those would-be slaves where they wanted to go, instead of just dropping them all at the first port with a bit of money and a good luck. It was why he had offered to train Parker. Anything to keep from thinking about the sea, bending to his will.
Now Sol needed that power, if that's what it really was. He just hoped it hadn't been a fluke, or he and Parker were both dead.
Sol hit the water in a perfect dive, slicing smoothly through the choppy water. He let the dive take him deep, down below the worst of the waves. He didn't let himself think. Keeping his eyes closed, he let his instincts guide him as he swam through the storm-tossed ocean.
Sooner than should have been possible, his fingers found something solid in the water in front of him. His eyes shot open, and there he was. Parker. Forcing himself to stay in the moment — he could think about all the how the hells later — Sol grabbed a handful of Parker's coat and started pulling him up.
He broke the surface and dragged in several deep breaths. He wrapped one arm around Parker's chest and used the other to keep them afloat. It was easy, too easy, as if the ocean in his immediate vicinity didn't feel like pitching him around. Refusing to dwell on that, Sol looked around. There was no sign of the Comet, but that was expected. But they couldn't stay here. They needed solid ground, now. Parker hadn't moved or made a sound since Sol brought him up. Sol wasn't even sure he was breathing, which was just one more thing he refused to think about right now.
Sol closed his eyes again and breathed. All right, ocean. You got me this far. Now take us somewhere safe.
He willed it, and the sea swelled to do his biding.
( Aaaaand I'm'a leave it there for dramatic effect. xD You can have Parker waking up on a sunny beach with Sol standing nearby. ;D )
~ • ~ • ~ Well, that didn't sound very appealing. Seth went with the idea anyway. "So, in theory, if I 'accidentally'" — He used air quotes, because they both knew he was too good to accidentally shoot anything — "shot your rooster, I could get you a new one and teach it now to crow? Wouldn't that be a win-win situation for me? I get to show off my archery skills to your doubtful brothers, and I shut up the AC forever. Sorry, darlin'. I don't see a downside here."
~ • ~ • ~ Cami frowned thoughtfully. "Hmm... Well, there's no excuse for the ordering you around bit, but we'll come back to that. Let's focus on the coming to your rescue part. Now, I know I said I wouldn't defend him, but I have to say this: that's just Morgan. He's got a hero complex a mile wide. He would rush to the rescue of anyone, but especially those he cares about. That includes people who don't necessarily need rescuing. You, obviously, but also Seth. Morgan would have done the exact same thing if it had been Seth in your shoes instead. And while I hate to admit it, I think Seth would have needed help even less than you did. Now with Seth the situation is a little different, mostly because he's a guy and therefore not a damsel. But I don't think Morgan was trying to treat you like a damsel. You're his friend just as much as Seth, and he cares about you. He probably just wanted to be there and share the danger with you, or watch your back, or however you phrase it. It only turned into a rescue because he found you bound to a chair surrounded by armed bad guys." Callum had told her the details, who in turn had wrangled them out of Morgan. "So you shouldn't be too mad at him for rushing to your side."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 23, 2021 7:51:30 GMT -5
(Gosh, I love this scene! X3 Save your man, Sol!)
Parker was drowning. Well, he thought he was, anyway. He could still feel himself suspended in water, caught in the darkness and hearing nothing but the muffled sounds of crashing waves. His body was just kind of floating there, unmoving and unresponsive. But he was breathing. How long had he been breathing? Or, really, how long had it been before he realized he was breathing? And when did the waves become so loud?
Slowly, he opened dry eyes to see the sun was either rising or setting. He wasn't entire sure. Was he dead? Before he could contemplate that thought further, a coughing fit racked through him, evicting the water that had pooled in his lungs. Turning over so he wouldn't choke on it was near impossible, but somehow, Parker managed it enough to get somewhat on his side. Everything hurt now. His back felt like he'd be stepped on by a horse, his muscles were sore, and his lungs burned from the salt water. And it was cold, on top of everything else, which really was the least of his concerns at the moment.
When he recovered enough energy, Parker lifted his head in attempts to see where he was. A beach of some sort, sure, but that was about it. There was nothing to tell how he ended up here. Had they been that close to shore that he had simply washed up? Or - His eyes stopped when he spotted a figure not far away. Sadly, it took him a bit longer than he should have to guess who that figure was. "Sol?" he croaked, equal parts confused and relief to know he wasn't completely on his own.
~•~•~
Anya couldn't help but bust out laughing. "You don't teach a rooster to crow," she told him. "That's his natural instinct. Have you learned nothing while here? Have I failed to teach you anything about country life? If so, I've failed miserably."
~•~•~
"And I know all of this," Kyra said. Yet she remembered the set of his face, the way he walked over to heal her before he even untied her, as if he knew that would be the only way he would be able to do it. That was also a part of the problem, though she really didn't know how to phrase it. She was a human in a camp full of Riders. They had magic. Some of that magic wasn't particularly fun to have used against you. Pair that with people like Andy, and you could get caught in a disaster before you knew it. So she made it a rule to herself that she treated magic as if it was another form of physical advance. If she didn't ask for it, then no one had a right to use their magic on her. Now, Morgan obviously hadn't meant harm, but he also hadn't asked if she wanted to be healed either. A minor detail, she was sure, but one she still clung to.
"He was an added risk to the mission," she said. "If he had just listened in the first place and trusted that someone else could have handled it, everything would have been just fine. I would have been fine."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 23, 2021 14:30:22 GMT -5
( Sol ain't giving Parker up that easily. xD )
Sol turned at the sound of his name. He had been standing a few feet down the beach from Parker, watching the storm roll across the horizon. Wherever they were, they were far enough away that the storm hadn't touched the island. The only sign of it was in the form of the large waves that kept crashing into the shore. He had pulled Parker far enough that he was out of reach of them, but Sol stood close enough that the waves washed over his feet before drawing back to the sea.
Now, he stepped away and moved to kneel beside Parker. Without his coat or weapons belt, and with his wet hair in disarray around his head, he suddenly looked younger. Still a tough and capable pirate, but one lacking his usual adornment and armor. "I'm here," he said. "How are you feeling?"
~ • ~ • ~ "Hey, if anyone can teach a rooster to go against his instincts, it's me." He pulled his bow free of a pocket and held it up. "I have a very good form of persuasion."
~ • ~ • ~ Yes, Cami had heard about that. "Okay, but think about it like this: if it had been Morgan captured and gone missing on that mission, would you have just sat around waiting for someone else to rescue him?"
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 23, 2021 14:58:33 GMT -5
(He better not! XD)
Parker moved slowly, not that he had a choice of many other speeds. His arms shook to the point where it was a wonder they held his weight at all as he pushed himself into a sitting position, sucking in a painful breath has his back protested. "Terrible," he answered truthfully.
~*~*~
This only caused more laughter from the woman. "Yes, I would assume you would be the one to break nature," Anya agreed.
~*~*~
"I would have tried to go with them, yes," Kyra admitted. Of course, she would have wanted to go help him, but she also knew the danger of having more people in a rescue party than needed. More people, the more risk of being discovered. The more that could go wrong. "But I'm used to these kinds of situations. I might not like it, but orders are orders. If it was the other way around, knowing as little as we did of the situation, I wouldn't have wanted to make things potentially worse. Once was enough to learn that lesson."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 23, 2021 15:16:55 GMT -5
( Please. He's the Pirate King. Of course he's gonna keep Parker safe. xD )
Sol snorted softly. "That's fair. You did try to battle the ocean." He shifted so he was sitting in the sand beside him, facing the water. "Question is: why?"
~ • ~ • ~ Seth grinned. Nothing cheered him faster than making her laugh. "So ling as you know. I would hate to surprise you again, seeing as you hate my surprises."
~ • ~ • ~ Cami pointed at her suddenly in a "ah ha!" manner. "Well there you go. You have made that mistake before, giving you experience and know-how. Morgan hasn't yet. He's got major skill, sure, but sometimes skill only gets you so far. But if he's ever going to realize that, he needs to get out there and make those mistakes. I know now isn't an ideal time for that learning curve, with everything that's at stake, but the student never gets to pick when the test happens. So call him a dummy and be mad at him for a minute, but move on and be patient. Morgan's a quick learner. He'll figure it out before long."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 23, 2021 16:19:55 GMT -5
Sol just sighed. He didn't blame Parker for their situation, but he couldn't help being frustrated about the whole thing. Before he met Parker, Sol had never ended up in the water unless he wanted to be there. Now, he'd been dunked twice during the last two storms. Granted, the second time was on purpose, but that was almost worse. Since when did he risk his own neck over someone everyone else would consider a lost cause? "It doesn't matter now. It's done. We need to worry about surviving, and getting back to my ship." Because no matter what Parker was doing to his common sense, Sol would not give up his ship, for him or anyone.
He got to his feet and turned to look down at Parker. "Do you want to wait here or come with?" he asked, all business.
~ • ~ • ~ Seth smirked. "Cute. But you can hold off shouting about the apocalypse. I'm more likely to shoot him accidentally than befriend him." He patted her head. "You're safe."
~ • ~ • ~ Cami grinned triumphantly. "Of course I am. Okay. Now the other thing. What exactly did he say you could or couldn't do?"
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 23, 2021 17:08:04 GMT -5
Parker looked up at Sol as he stood, ready to go on and fully focused on the survival of the situation. As much as he wanted to stay and rest, he didn't feel like staying by himself. "I'm coming," he said, starting the process to rise to his feet. If he thought his arms shook terribly, his knees were about to full out resist his weight. They held him, but he didn't quiet trust them to carry him far. However, he wasn't going to say anything. Wherever Sol was going, he was going to follow and help. After all, he did know a thing or two about camping and fending for himself off the land.
~*~*~
Anya rolled her eyes and bumped into him lightly. "Thank you for sparing me the trouble," she said.
~*~*~
"He claimed I wasn't fit enough to have gone on the mission when I had," Kyra said. "Said that I shouldn't have gone, and if I hadn't gone right away, I wouldn't have been captured," Kyra told her. "Then dared to tell me not to take on another mission, as if I have that luxury or say in the matter."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 23, 2021 17:33:40 GMT -5
Sol watched but didn't offer Parker and help. Once he was standing and more or less steady, Sol started walking up the beach toward the treeline. The ground remained sandy, even when grass started popping up around them, and the first few trees were palm trees. Further back, however, stood a much denser forest with plenty of undergrowth that was just waiting to trip them up.
~ • ~ • ~ "You are very welcome," Seth returned cheerfully.
Just then Aidan, growing impatient with their leisurely pace, came running over. "Come on, come on!" he urged. "I already found some things for you to shoot."
"Did you? Well, what are we waiting for then?" Seth picked up the pace a little, but it still wasn't fast enough for Aidan. He grabbed Seth's hand and started dragging. Seth let him, trying not to laugh.
~ • ~ • ~ Cami didn't respond right away. As a hopeless romantic, she couldn't help seeing that, from Morgan's point of view, he only said those things because he had been scared for her. But at the same time, she was also an independent woman who could understand why any guy saying that, no matter his reasons, was not okay. In the end, though, she had to ask, "Well, was he right? Did you accept that mission before you were fully recovered from your last one?" For Cami knew firsthand that a guy telling you you were wrong was one thing. Him telling you you were wrong and being right about it was an entirely different ballpark.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 23, 2021 21:42:25 GMT -5
Parker followed as close behind Sol as he could. It was torture, but he wasn't going to voice that pain. He could do this, even if his body was determined to shake itself apart. The need for a safer spot to stay was important and all, but would it kill the captain to slow down just a bit? Especially with the change in the terrain. Try as he might to pick up his feet, he found himself stumbling and having to brace against a tree too keep his balance.
~*~*~
Anya smiled in amusement as they were hurried along. Heading behind the barn, her brothers were already waiting for them by the hay bale. They had moved it a bit so it was a little further away from the barn, but still had plenty of space for Seth to set up a target if he chose to use it.
~*~*~
"I was fully capable of handling the mission, and I did," Kyra told her. "I was just focused on getting it done that I didn't think about a possible ambush." And it was true. She hadn't thought to look for the signs, didn't even think of what might have happened with Genevieve's man once she had left the city. Sure, part of that was because she had been distracted with everything that happened with Morgan, but she wasn't going to say that out loud.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Jan 23, 2021 22:42:07 GMT -5
Sol moved through the brush, unhindered by the grasping vines. He was feeling unusually energized, just like he had the last time he took an unplanned swim in the stormy ocean. Was this a different power, or a side effect of the other one?
He pushed the thought aside. Later, he told himself. He took a few more steps, then realized Parker wasn't right behind him anymore. He turned around, quickly spotting the other man resting against a tree. Sol let out a breath. He was being as ass. He retraced his steps and stopped beside Parker, pushing the other man back into the tree when he tried to stand. "What hurts?" he demanded, but though his tone was brusque, his hands were careful as he undid the buttons on Parker's new coat.
~ • ~ • ~ "I got him! I got him!" Aidan announced, as if Seth were a frog he'd caught by the pond and wanted to show off. He let go of Seth's hand and ran over to the hay bale. Beside it was an old ball, a broken jug, and a very raggedy doll. "I found these in the house where I was staying. Do you think they'd make good targets?"
Seth looked from one object to the next. "In theory, yeah. I don't think it's a good idea to shoot the jug, though. Too many animals wandering around, and we don't want them stepping on any broken shards. But the other two could work."
~ • ~ • ~ Cami didn't try to argue with her. Kyra knew her limits. If she said she was ready, then Cami was inclined to agree with her. "Then that was just a bad judgment call that got you in a sticky situation, and Morgan was out of line. I get where he was coming from, but that doesn't make it okay. So what are you going to do about it?"
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Jan 23, 2021 23:43:31 GMT -5
He watched as Sol disappeared through the trees, and he wanted to call out for him to wait, but didn't. He would be slowing down the search. Better to let him go on and find a spot to stay then have him wait. So Parker took a few seconds to try and regain his energy. What he wanted was to sit, but he knew he wouldn't get back up for a while if he did that.
Surprisingly, it didn't take long for Sol to double back. Figuring it was because of him, Parker pushed off of the tree to continue. That had been the plan until the captain stopped him. "I'm fine," he lied. "Just a couple of bruises, and haven't gotten my wind back is all." He tried to swat Sol's hands away. "I need this. It's freezing." The fabric was still drenched in water, and combined with the cooler air, it created a very cold, very uncomfortable feeling for him. Yet the though of removing his coat only made him colder.
~*~*~
"There's some burlap in the closest. We can also use that to make a target as well if we need another," Anya offered. However, she didn't figure they would be here for too long, not with the festival still going on.
~*~*~
"Show him he doesn't know everything, no matter how good his intentions might have been," Kyra replied. It wasn't the right answer, but it was the only thing she knew to do.
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