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Post by Nako on Feb 29, 2008 3:04:42 GMT -5
No matter were you where when you were near the beach the air would be pickled with salt from the sea, and this part of Midori would be no different. Zuberi inhaled deeply to take in the scent of it. There was more to the scent here though. The smell of wood, pitch and fish from the great boats from the harbor would give this area a uniqueness that Zuberi liked. This was not her home village, but it was one of the few towns within the Midori Beaches that had the work ethic to have supplies beyond seashells with googly eyes. It had taken a few nights of obsessing over her map before she finally decided to take on the quest. It seemed so daunting, and her family had told her that it would be a fool's journey. Still... she was -so- sure that the map was real, and that it would take her to whatever treasure Pinkbeard had hidden. What wonders could he have acquired throughout his life? Ah, if only those artifacts would be able to tell the tales that led to them becoming the property of such an infamous pirate! She was getting ahead of herself though. One couldn't go about speculating over treasure when she'd not even started her quest! The squirrel was not made of money, but she had enough to get some essentials. A sturdy backpack was one thing that would have to be invested in, as well as a flint and stone. A canteen, some rope and a knife would have also been purchased, for Zuberi truly didn't know what would be expected of her, nor did she know how hard the road to come would be. With long breath to calm her nerves, she sat down on a sand dune amongst the crooked beach trees and the whispy grass. Now, it was time to look at the map in detail, and find out what her first step must be. Her paws trembled as she unrolled the map; she was nervous, but the map had fallen into her hands for a reason. The storm that had finally wore away the boulder that concealed the hiding place of the map, the fact that it was located in the very place she spent so much of her youth playing out her fantasies of piracy and romance. This was her destiny. ((I tried to write this up but not necessarily imply that the quest started in the area she is in. I'm not quite sure how many liberties I should take in that respect. Let me know if I need to change anything =) )) |
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 1, 2008 14:35:49 GMT -5
Not only was the town the squirrel journeyed to one with a decent port, but it was also the shore marked by a dark blot of ink in the lower right corner of the map she'd found so long ago, a hand-drawn piece aged by time and the sea. The parchment was yellowed and smudged with age, with a faint trail marked in ink, darker blots here and there. The end of the trail, within a private cove of a forested, dangerous island, was marked a dark 'X'. Its meaning was unmistakable to any native of the Beach. That point was where the treasure would be. On the back of the map was a poem, penned by someone with flowing script in a slightly older style. From the motion of the lines, it was likely the same person who had drawn the map. Hidden well and far from view
Hear me now, this map is true
Find yerself a loyal crew
Sail the seas so vast and blue
Hit the beach and search the scene
Go to where the water's green
Be ye quiet, make no sound
Dive down deep and find the round
Leave to shores with safer port
Seek the ones who fight for sport
Hear the words both old and wise
From a man of mine own guise
To the shores with paths of stone
Make well sure that ye're alone |
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Post by Nako on Mar 1, 2008 17:08:11 GMT -5
Oh! He was a poet too! But...How.. Perplexing. Zuberi chewed her lip thoughtfully as she read the directions over and over again, puzzled by it, and daunted by some of it. Mostly, she was worried about finding a crew. Even the most gentle of Midori can become hardened by the brutal sea. She would have to tread carefully.. keep her secret. Another thing was cost. How much would these people want to be paid for such a trip? She only had meager coin left on her person. Well... she supposed that she might just have to wing it.
The smell of fish and fouler odors became much more prevailent as she made her way onto the docks, walking cautiously amongst the salty dogs that have made port. She'd need a certain.. sort that would take her to the areas she wished to go. Yes, she needed men of a certain kind of mettle. She'd stuffed the map into her bag long before she got onto the dock. Paranoid, she torn the seams open and slipped it between the layer of leather and cloth, stitching it haphazardly back together. Nobody would know her reason for going to these places if she could help it.
So onward she trekked, through the woman-hungry men and other brash sorts... sifting through the muck of degraded morals and shying away from the lewd jeers thrown her way. Now, she had to find the more savory of the unsavory, if you will. She needed men of honor, of valor, with just a bit of swashbuckling and swordfighting under their belt to weather the distance! She needed-- "Oof!"
Repelled backwards, the squirrel fell harshly on her bum. Obviously her animal morph attempt at bipedal walking was far more unbalanced than the most wobbly of seaman's legs, and there she was, fallen down in front of a crew of men. In a bit of pain and sorely embarrassed, she stammered an apology, trying to gaze up at who she had bumped into, but was unable to see them due to the sun being in her eyes.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 1, 2008 21:05:25 GMT -5
The docks were busy today, with the weather fair and the seas calmer than they might have been at this time of year. Conditions were favorable for ships to travel the islands off the beach today, no island more than a day's travel from its neighbor at most, with many closer. Ships were docking and setting sail regularly from the small but bustling port and people were scurrying from place to place, sailors and vendors and locals alike. There was many a silver to be turned by people with cargoes today and buyers were fighting for the choicest hauls.
A man striding forward at a brisk pace suddenly found his progress halted when he collided with the form of another Midori, his head having been turned to the side to yell over his shoulder at a man behind him. "Wha-- oof!" He stumbled back, a green and pink bipedal canine with one especially long fang and a sash slung about his waist with a variety of pouches and bags attached. He looked well enough groomed, if windswept. Righting himself quickly, he glared down at the person who'd gotten in his way, slightly mollified to see that it was in fact a pretty young woman who'd gone off balance worse than he had.
Brushing off his fur and lightly running his fingers along the various pouches to make sure that none of them had been tampered with, he eyed her for a moment before grunting. "Well. You'd best watch where you're going, pretty thing. There's people charging about less forgiving than I."
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Post by Nako on Mar 1, 2008 23:40:56 GMT -5
Zuberi had half a mind to gather up her pride and run off, but as she clambered to her feet and got a look at the sea dog.. well, other than being immediately amused that he was literally.. a sea dog (hah!) , he seemed the embodiment of exactly what she was looking for. He had given her a verbal warning, but she was more intent on how he checked his belongings, as if fascinated by this action. "This is a far darker place of Midori than I'm from if you be worryin' about your personal belongin's, mon."
Probably not the brightest of things to say considering where she was wanting to venture, but she kept her personal scolding to herself as she dusted off her fur, trying to gather her courage and work out what she was going to say. "I'm sorry for runnin' into you like that. I just be havin' a lot on my mind."
Hm. She'd better wrap it up before the man got bored and decided to go back to what he was doing. She stepped more in front of him as if to keep him from escaping, giving a broad smile. "An actually, I be lookin' for a crew, or at least a ride. I need to swing by the Two Sisters before headin' to Stone Isle."
Suure, there was nothing weird about wanting to go visit the three most notorious islands in the seas now, was it? She tried to keep her demeanor casual, though she was sure her anxiety was not so well hidden.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 6, 2008 18:10:35 GMT -5
The canine raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head. He looked maybe thirty, give or take a few years, and well-used to the sea. Obviously she wasn't from this port, or anywhere in the immediate area. "Well, when you're in a port as active as this one, you can't be none too careful with your possessions. The scum tends to hang around this place before it settles back into the open water. Take care of yourself if you find yourself here for a little while, pretty."
He made to take a step forward, but paused in surprised when she moved to stop him. At least her smile was attractive, though he could see anxiety in the tension of her shoulders. "Two Sisters and Stone Isle. Why the hell would a little thing like you want to visit those places? I assure you, sweetheart, if you're traveling then they're not anyplace you want to visit. My crew and I go up that way periodically, but not without reason."
Maybe he'd misjudged her if she was visiting places like those. Almost absently, his hand drifted down to the sheathe by his hip, a long and wicked-looking dagger held within. He was marked quite clearly as a Nine of Hearts.
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Post by Nako on Mar 6, 2008 18:47:21 GMT -5
Immediately, Zuberi was on the defensive. She should have known inquiring about those places would arouse suspicion. Her tone hitched up a notch in defiance. Look, I just be havin' important business there. I'm Midori born and raised on the Beach and I be knowin' the places around here. I know what I'm getting meself into.."
Her eyes grew round as saucers when she noticed where his hand has wandered to, and her body visibly arched away from him, almost a comical sight as she forced her feet to stay firmly in place. It wouldn't look good to back down now... and it wouldn't get her off the Beach either. She certainly wasn't acting the part of a hardened soul that would venture that way.. but if she had to act the part of a rough and tough seadog to be able to get where she needed, well she certainly would then!
With a nod, she gestured to his wary hand. Don't trust me because of my destination o' choice? Well, you yourself said you go there on occasion so I suppose that puts your own merit up to question.. but I think we both know that.
She gave him a good stare right in the eye, trying her best to look tough. Was she scared though? Shitless. Utterly and completely, and it was probably something she couldn't completely hide. To make things worse, he was a Heart.. of 9. She never gave much notice to rank, and neither did many other Midori from her village, but she knew of the vanity of many who were ranked, and even worse when they were Diamonds or Hearts. Still, she knew that she couldn't back down from this.
Look. I be just a simple person with business that is -very- important to me. Her voice quavered with desperation, but she pressed on.I can pay you with what money I've got, pull my own weight one way or another.... but I -have- to make this trip.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 6, 2008 20:03:29 GMT -5
He snorted in derisive amusement when she leaned away, holding in any laughter that might have escaped at the comical movement. She was quite an expressive person, it seemed, and yet awfully set in her ways. The man idly wondered whether or not she'd ever set foot on a ship, or if she was entirely new to the open water.
"I'll give that you have guts, for all that you're likely on a fool's mission if you're headed to those ports of call without any sort of plan beyond finding a ship to give you passage." He let his furred hand caress the hilt of his dagger fondly for a moment before dropping slowly down again. "I don't see you as much of a threat, but if it's just passage you're looking for and you have a bit of coin to spend, I suppose I might be willing to consider your proposition. It amuses me, at any rate, and that's valuable in and of itself. The name's Ferris, Captain Ferris of the Silver Shrike. I'll be needing your name before we make any sort of a deal, pretty."
Behind him, a tall bird cleared his throat, looking like a stork. "Captain, if we dally much longer with the wench, Lugo won't be so willing to barter..." The canine made a gesture with his hand and the man sighed, shaking his head. "Yes, Cap'n." He and another man continued on the way they had been going, leaving Ferris and Zuberi with one other, a short and scruffy pine martin.
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Post by Nako on Mar 6, 2008 20:22:36 GMT -5
Her face wrinkled with displeasure at how lightly he spoke of her, but bit firmly on her lip and stamped down whatever pride she had to keep her from snapping back at him. She was very tolerant of foreign folk, but her own kind was another matter. -They- received no special treatment. Oh, but at least he was beginning to sway! Her features softened into a less ugly one as she was genuinely glad that he was coming around, and eagerly set her hand out for a shake to introduce herself. Zuberi, Captain.
Her gaze sobered to a more dissatisfied one when she heard the word 'wench' leave the lips of one of his crewmates, but brushed it off. Those little things would not matter in the long run... the greater good would be for her to finish her mission. Her hand brushed against her money bag, letting it jingle. The amount was not of a great one, but she figured that it was enough to at least have a chance at being passenger. Quickly, she pressed her case. I admit I don't know much about being on anything bigger than a fishing canoe, but I can cook, and wash clothes! I wouldn't be much of a bother at all.. aand.. cue the imploring cute look. Surely this man had probably seen so many woman in his days (Ugh, men.. such dogs!) but maybe it would sway him in her favor.
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Post by The Jenn on Mar 6, 2008 20:39:08 GMT -5
The man accepted her paw with a smirk, shaking it in his own bipedal hand. "Zuberi, then. It'll be easier to treat you like a paying customer with something to call you besides 'pretty' or 'miss'. If you're willing to pay a few gold and do a bit of cooking and laundry on the trip, we shouldn't have too much of a problem. With a destination in mind, that'll give me some focus in buying up cargo. Tell you what. You come back here in about six hours, onto pier four, and look for my ship and crew. We'll settle payment then."
He paused and fixed her with a steely glare. "Until then, however, don't be jingling your moneypouch unless you want it lifted from your person, whatever the reason. It's not a good idea if you're looking to keep what you've earned." And with that, he brushed past her to follow his men, the pine martin following.
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