darkSpyro

After rummaging through the storages to find a large chunk of brined meat, Sere arrived at Veris' pen. The wyvern could smell the food immediately, becoming much more animated as Sere presented it to him. Veris voraciously scarfed down the meat, and within seconds there were no traces of its existence.
With Veris fed, Sere let him out of the enclosure, to enable him to wander about the ship, as he headed back to the water, where everyone was gathered. Maverick was also there; seemingly indecisive as to whether he should come or not. "Well, are you coming?"
Without waiting for a response from Maverick, Sere dived into the water headfirst, still encased in his armor. He created a bit of a splash, though nothing like what Raclaw had managed.
"Godfather Sere! How nice of you to join us today!" Latnok said.
"Yeah, sir, you're always so busy... even you need to relax once in a while," Leoquin said. "
"You know, after so much time being burdened, the pressure has a way of getting to people... I'm not saying that I don't think you can handle it, but... you should rest for our sake too, Mr. Sere, sir," Ilasi managed to say, somewhat nervously. Sere didn't seem as approachable as Latnok had been to her, and, being her bos, she didn't want to come off the wrnog way to him.
"I thank you all for your concerns. There is still a mission to accomplish - there is nothing we can really do right now but wait, however," Sere said - he sounded somewhat disappointed, though perhaps he would ease up a bit more as time passed.

After Sere's comment, Maverick finally decided to take a dip into the water himself... but from a considerable distance from the group and keeping his shirt on. He was very ashamed of the scars in his belly, and even more so knowing that he dared to show them to Ilasi. Nevertheless, he wasn't showing them to anybody else, and after splashing away, he decided to just relax, floating in the water with his face up, looking at the cloudy sky. This felt divine. All he could hear was the sound of the waters and a bit of splashing from the group, but nevertheless he felt at peace. He knew Angora wanted the best for him, even if she didn't show it very well sometimes. Right now, he was happy and hopeful for the future. Angora was playing with Shade, and everyone was having fun, so all was well for everyone for now...

"Well-- if you going to relax, now's a better time than any. And honestly, the water's not so bad. I will say.. this mission and the mission prior has been very beneficial to both growing my abilities and perhaps getting over a fear or two.," Raclaw said with a smile upon Godfather Sere joining the aquatic party. He gave a smile at the two merpeople in particular, knowing that they were very surprised at his entry into the water-- and that he might even get swimming lessons out of one of them later. He gave a smile at Maverick jumping in, though he noticed that the hybrid jumped in quite a few feet away from the others. 'Best to give him time.,' he thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Chester had nearly finished his chicken wings and licking the last of it off his chops. He proceeded to drink some water before watching the party from close behind the railing. He, himself, has been somewhat surprised at how quickly (albeit not completely) that Raclaw has adapted to the water. Raclaw was mostly trending water and hadn't veered too far off from where the others had settled, but it was progress-- and more than he would've had the courage to do. He did wonder though if perhaps the water wasn't that bad. It was only a mere thought though and he didn't plan to explore it any further.

Not that far away, Risar was still finishing his entire turkey and sides-- so graciously provided by the surprisingly good cook that was Maverick. He was in a much more relaxed mood than he normally was and perhaps would soon join the party himself. He was briefly reminded of memories of relaxing alongside his master; the master liked wine so such moments weren't entirely uncommon. It was an life he had gotten used to (much like Raclaw and his past), but he never regretted making the decision to finally leave at the last moment. Indeed, the student was becoming becoming the master in some aspects-- such as his excellent handling of the prisoners.

"You know, speaking of fears, I've always been a bit uneasy about climbing..." Leoquin admitted. "I don't know how you guys have so much faith that you won't just lose your grip, or the rocks won't give when you try to climb them."
"Well, physical strength and endurance is a big part to play in that," Latnok said. "Those of us who do that sort of thing regularly are more adapted to it. It also helps that our hands tend to be a bit less smooth than that of the average merman. Nothing that gloves wouldn't be able to take care of, however."

Ilasi couldn't help but notice Maverick enter the water - quite separated from the rest of the group. Though she wished he would just relax and mingle with the others, she knew that, given the current circumstances, such an action would be a bit much to ask for. But she had an idea... perhaps he could have a bit of fun after all.
Ilasi submerged herself, swimming away from the main group. No one really thought to question her; she was enjoying the water, like everyone else, after all. After swimming away for a while, she set her course back to the group - right underneath Maverick, more specifically. If he didn't want to be with the group, she was just going to give him the chance to have some other fun in the water.
She knew just the spell - she thought she had it down well enough, anyway. An oxygen bubble - it would allow Maverick to breathe and explore underwater, with the water surrounding the air acting as a wall, and the bubble being movable by his thoughts. The spell wouldn't last forever - but she could handle all of the details.
Casting the spell, the water around Maverick began to form a cavity, lowering him in. When Maverick was low enough, it would close around him, forming the bubble.

"We all have our fears-- what's important is that we try to get over them. I.. I wouldn't have jumped in the water at all had I not had to practically force poor Chester into a bathtub.," Raclaw admitted speaking mostly to Leoquin. "Hey-- at least I didn't barf in the rain!," Chester remarked via a bark was only understandable to the fur dragon with an unique past. "Haha... very funny.," he responded in dogspeak looking up at the dry Beagle resting comfortably on deck. Raclaw had to admit though; he had managed to do a pretty good cannonball all things aside. He briefly played with the tail artifact, causing the tail spikes as seen previously to form and deform. 'This thing is getting cooler and cooler the more I use it.,' he thought to himself looking at Latnok with a slight somewhat playful grin. Meanwhile, Risar was just finishing up and watching the others, as if thinking to join them.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi couldn't help but notice Maverick enter the water - quite separated from the rest of the group. Though she wished he would just relax and mingle with the others, she knew that, given the current circumstances, such an action would be a bit much to ask for. But she had an idea... perhaps he could have a bit of fun after all.
Ilasi submerged herself, swimming away from the main group. No one really thought to question her; she was enjoying the water, like everyone else, after all. After swimming away for a while, she set her course back to the group - right underneath Maverick, more specifically. If he didn't want to be with the group, she was just going to give him the chance to have some other fun in the water.
She knew just the spell - she thought she had it down well enough, anyway. An oxygen bubble - it would allow Maverick to breathe and explore underwater, with the water surrounding the air acting as a wall, and the bubble being movable by his thoughts. The spell wouldn't last forever - but she could handle all of the details.
Casting the spell, the water around Maverick began to form a cavity, lowering him in. When Maverick was low enough, it would close around him, forming the bubble.

Maverick began to sink, causing him to panick for a while. At first he thought he was being pulled under by some unknown animal, but after struggling and seeing he was dry, he regained enough composure to know he wasn't drowning. He looked around him, and could see he was still sinking underwater, but breathing at the same time. He was more confused than ever. He reached in the water, and felt something cold. He was inside... some sort of circle? He felt like he was in a hamster ball. He more or less deduced what was going on when he saw the elegant Ilasi swimming around. She had spent enough time in the water to revert back to her original form. She was even more beautiful this way than as a human.
"Hey, Ilasi... you... hey. You did this? I mean... Hello." he stamerred with a rather goofy face, already starting to get used to this. He knew Ilasi was practicing magic, but never imagined merpeople could do something like this.

Ilasi smiled coyly - with a hint of mischief - as Maverick spoke to her, being rather excited as to how he would perceive his new environment. "Oh, you know... just figured that you not wanting to be with the others shouldn't mean that you don't get to have fun. I remember a while back, at Orcford, when we met, youw anted to help me out, but you couldn't hold your breath forever. Well, I've been working on this spell since then. It's not..." Ilasi trailed off before finishing the thought, not wanting Maverick to fear her inexperience.
"It'll do. Not quite what would've helped back at Orcford, but you should be able to explore the water for a while like this. Perhaps even make some friends with the fish!" Ilasi swam around Maverick's bubble as she spoke, partly out of her excitement and partly to make sure that the spell was, indeed, perfect. "Well... you should be able to move it just by thinking and pushing a bit. Why don't you try it out?"

As llasis/Mav played and the others continued their activities; the aquatic party would soon get a new member. Looking over the railing, Risar prepared to jump into the water-- armor and all. A big grin formed on the large seven foot minotaur's face and as he prepared himself to do exactly what Latnok had wanted all along. "Risar coooooming in!.," he shouted at the last moment barely giving any warning before he formed the pose of a cannonball and jumped in-- right into a large opening and right into the middle of the crowd. Upon impact, a very large splash formed in all directions; fueled both by the minotaur's large size and weight. Many pounds of both muscle and armor aided to the desired impact-- and left the poor Raclaw very very soaked as a direct result. "Hey Risar-- glad for you to join us.," the fur dragon said with a slight shiver. "Risar figure he might as well join in the fun.," the minotaur somewhat bluntly responded with a equally large grin to that of before.

"Oh, well... eh... so... move..." Maverick stammered as he processed her information, with the same stupidly adorable face as before. He then tried to do as she said and moved the bubble with his mind, but since it didn't worked entirely, he had to wave his arms and feetto move the circle. He looked as cute as he looked ridiculous.
"I don't think the fishes will like me though. I cut off red meat and poultry, but I still need the protein from somewhere." Maverick explained calmer and without the stammering, but with the same face. He was really enjoying this. He could see the sandbar from there, as well as a few corals and anemones. He didn't even noticed the slight change in the water waves when Risar did his big splash from above him.

Latnok and Sere braced themselves for the incoming water, while Leoquin submerged himself to avoid the waves. Regardless, the impact Risar made was undeniable - Latnok and Sere were not getting out of it. "Gods, we should load YOU up on a ballista and shoot you to sink a ship!" Latnok said.
"Hmm... Risar... as a weapon..." Sere's thoughts turned serious for a few moments, considering the possibilities. It certainly wasn't a completely baseless idea. "Well, that's something to think about later. So Risar, how comfortable are you in the water, anyway? Wouldn't want you to sink after punching a hole in a ship after all... I'm joking, of course. Maybe."

Ilasi, seeing that Maverick was having a little trouble moving the bubble, decided that she would give him a subtle, guiding hand. As he tried to move the bubble, she would help with some of her magic. "Well, if you want to fish, then there are quite a few ways we have of doing that... Not right now, though. At the moment, the walls of the bubble are rather solid - I... I'm not yet comfortable enough to make them soft enough to reach through." Ilasi immediately scolded herself inwardly for her carelessness with her words leading to that mention. Why did I have to mention fishing? What if he's too scared to do anything now?!

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi, seeing that Maverick was having a little trouble moving the bubble, decided that she would give him a subtle, guiding hand. As he tried to move the bubble, she would help with some of her magic. "Well, if you want to fish, then there are quite a few ways we have of doing that... Not right now, though. At the moment, the walls of the bubble are rather solid - I... I'm not yet comfortable enough to make them soft enough to reach through." Ilasi immediately scolded herself inwardly for her carelessness with her words leading to that mention. Why did I have to mention fishing? What if he's too scared to do anything now?!

Maverick remained with the same silly face as before, not understanding what Ilasi was so flustered about.
"It doesn't matter Ilasi. I'm fine this way. Besides, there's still plenty of fish in the ship, and I can catch fish the old, fashioned way with a rod. Right now, this bubble is perfect as exploration." Maverick assured kindly, not liking to see Ilasi so uneasy. He has left his stammering behind but had the same, giddy face as before, almost like a little boy visiting an aquarium. He found it strange how Ilasi would offer him to help him fish when she just mentioned about befriending them, but then he imagined it was the same scenario as with humans. You could choose cattle animals as pets or just for harvesting them. Perhaps it was the same case with fish and merpeople? It didn't matter for now, for all Maverick cared about was to have fun, enjoy the view and bond with Ilasi. Even if they couldn't be anything else, he would be happy just being his friend.

Quote:

Latnok and Sere braced themselves for the incoming water, while Leoquin submerged himself to avoid the waves. Regardless, the impact Risar made was undeniable - Latnok and Sere were not getting out of it. "Gods, we should load YOU up on a ballista and shoot you to sink a ship!" Latnok said.
"Hmm... Risar... as a weapon..." Sere's thoughts turned serious for a few moments, considering the possibilities. It certainly wasn't a completely baseless idea. "Well, that's something to think about later. So Risar, how comfortable are you in the water, anyway? Wouldn't want you to sink after punching a hole in a ship after all... I'm joking, of course. Maybe."

"Master taught Risar to swim-- saw potential. Not the only one to suggest such an action.," the large minotaur responded with a nod directed at Godfather Sere. Unlike Raclaw, Risar's horns jutted straight out after the horizontal curve-- leading to even more potential should he decide to use horns via some sort of underwater ramming maneuver. And unlike some unfortunate minotaurs, his old master never saw to dull or trim them. Sometimes a enslaved minitaur's horns would get cut off in response to an act of defiance. It was a very demeaning thing to pull and would quickly serve to reduce an slave's pride, should his or her owner only need their pure raw strength-- and not their horns. Nor did Risar ever attempt such an act, besides from his last and final act under the human's ownership.

Ilasi let out a very soft sigh, gratefully relieved that Maverick didn't seem to be too concerned. Either he had full confidence in her, or he didn't understand the implication. Either way, she would take advantage of the opportunity - she had never had the chance to take any land dweller on an underwater tour.
"Well, there's plenty to explore! What do you want to see? Schools of fish? Some underwater caverns? How about-" Ilasi stopped herself. They couldn't get too carried away; getting too far away from the group could prove to be calamitous, should water currents end up sweeping them away somewhere. By herself, maybe she would risk that - not with Maverick, however, especially considering he couldn't breathe without the bubble.
"How about we see what's around here, for now? We don't have to stay here all day - just enough to give you a little taste..."

"Well... that'll be something to note for later..." Sere said, more to himself than to anyone else. "But anyway, if you guys ever have some sort of idea on ways to make our fighting force more effective, please feel free to share them, no matter how crazy they may seem."
"Crazy? How about using that dragon monster thing as a weapon?" Leoquin suggested, refusing to call Shade by his actual name.
"Well, besides his current injuries, he needs a lot of training before he can be anywhere near trustworthy enough to be on any sort of battlefield," Latnok said. "We can do some behavioral training right now, but we're rather limited on what we can do otherwise until he heals up."
"I don't blame you for not trusting that monster," Leoquin said bluntly. "But he needs to pull his own weight somehow - I think. Not saying that you guys are doing anything wrong. Just my thoughts."
"Oh, we intend to have him pull his weight," Sere said. "For now, though, we're keeping him subdued - between the hexphage and the collar, he's pretty limited in how much he can do. Though Aelinon has provided us with some of the cure, they haven't given us the recipe - I think, however, with that artifact you discovered... it may take some working out. I might be able to figure something out, at least."
"Godfather Sere, you're thinking about work again..." Latnok said. "Just relax."
"Yes, you're right - I forgot why I was here..."

Meanwhile, Angora was still playing with Shade and giving him brain teasers, being rough with him when necessary. As she continued training him in her own style, she wondered when will the Guardians would deem him safe enough to be released, unaware that there were ulterior motives for his training. She just wanted things to be the way they were before, except with Shade having complete control of his powers and a better temper.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi let out a very soft sigh, gratefully relieved that Maverick didn't seem to be too concerned. Either he had full confidence in her, or he didn't understand the implication. Either way, she would take advantage of the opportunity - she had never had the chance to take any land dweller on an underwater tour.
"Well, there's plenty to explore! What do you want to see? Schools of fish? Some underwater caverns? How about-" Ilasi stopped herself. They couldn't get too carried away; getting too far away from the group could prove to be calamitous, should water currents end up sweeping them away somewhere. By herself, maybe she would risk that - not with Maverick, however, especially considering he couldn't breathe without the bubble.
"How about we see what's around here, for now? We don't have to stay here all day - just enough to give you a little taste..."

"It doesn't matter what I see. I'm having fun already. You can show me anything!" Maverick said exitedly, jumping up and down from his bubble.
"Oh, just don't make it sharks or sea dragons... not the best experience you know." he then added with a tone of both joke and seriousness, apparently fearing them. Nevertheless, he seemed exited to the possibility of exploring the sea from below. After so many years seeing the the sea from above, it was really refreshing seeing it from below and all the beauty it hid. Maverick was happy now. His face was beaming. There were even times where he stopped thinking about Shade and Angora altogether, knowing they were fine.

"And that's your problem Shady. You act first and think later. You're getting yourself AND us into trouble with your rashness. If you don't learn to think under pressure and control that temper of yours, we'll never be out of the woods." Angora said, knowing that Shade would be a lost cause if he can't improve that attitude. Shade managed to find the orb and answer the question, so perhaps there was hope, but she would have to change strategies soon if she wanted any real progress. Before Shade could justify himself, Angora continued with this style of training for now.

"A little faster this time Shady. Now next question, I have ten lit candles. The wind from an open window blows away two flames. A while later, it blows one more, so the window is closed to prevent more from blowing off. After many hours have passed, how many candles do I have left?" Angora asked as she moved the cups, believing this was a much harder question this time. She didn't know what other strategy she could use to train Shade, but for now, testing his eyesight and brain at the same time was good enough for a start.

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"Well... that'll be something to note for later..." Sere said, more to himself than to anyone else. "But anyway, if you guys ever have some sort of idea on ways to make our fighting force more effective, please feel free to share them, no matter how crazy they may seem."
"Crazy? How about using that dragon monster thing as a weapon?" Leoquin suggested, refusing to call Shade by his actual name.
"Well, besides his current injuries, he needs a lot of training before he can be anywhere near trustworthy enough to be on any sort of battlefield," Latnok said. "We can do some behavioral training right now, but we're rather limited on what we can do otherwise until he heals up."
"I don't blame you for not trusting that monster," Leoquin said bluntly. "But he needs to pull his own weight somehow - I think. Not saying that you guys are doing anything wrong. Just my thoughts."
"Oh, we intend to have him pull his weight," Sere said. "For now, though, we're keeping him subdued - between the hexphage and the collar, he's pretty limited in how much he can do. Though Aelinon has provided us with some of the cure, they haven't given us the recipe - I think, however, with that artifact you discovered... it may take some working out. I might be able to figure something out, at least."
"Godfather Sere, you're thinking about work again..." Latnok said. "Just relax."
"Yes, you're right - I forgot why I was here..."

"Agreed-- I believe we deserve a well earned break, yourself included.," Raclaw said with a gentle smile looking at Godfather Sere. He had more on his mind, but didn't want to worry Sere and cause the Godfather to start thinking about his situation. He wondered what he could to lighten the mood...

"Sharks? Oh, don't worry... I don't quite like sharks myself," Ilasi admitted. "Some other merfolk, they don't mind them as much. I remember I was working with a mermaid in one of the prisons - she was a beast master, controlling sharks. There are many like that... there are also some who hunt them. Leoquin has asked me to come along with him for some shark hunting one day; I'd rather not be near those things, if I can help it."
Ilasi preferred not to dwell on things they didn't want to see - with Maverick not having much experience underwater, for obvious reasons, she would, for the most part, have to lead the exploration. "Well, we could go searching for starfish - they're pretty slow creatures, so they'll often hide. I could use a few more for some medicine - you can see how I search for them."

"You know, it's been a long, long time since I have truly relaxed," Sere said. "I can't even remember - the closest thing to relaxation for me has been our various award ceremonies, and those have all been much too... how do I put it... exciting, to really be considered relaxing. Other than that, it's all been sleeping focused with our training. Sometimes..." Sere stopped before he said any more. Those thoughts - the doubts about whether he was suited for the job - he could not afford to show them. He had to remain steadfast, lest anyone begin to doubt his decisions.

Angora looked at Shade funny, having stopped the cups. She didn't think he got the question.
"Shady, I asked for the number of candles left, not for the number of hours!" Angora specified, although proud that he seemed to have the right idea about this. Nevertheless, he didn't answer correctly. She waited for him to give the real answer as he finds the orb...

Quote: A Guy

"Sharks? Oh, don't worry... I don't quite like sharks myself," Ilasi admitted. "Some other merfolk, they don't mind them as much. I remember I was working with a mermaid in one of the prisons - she was a beast master, controlling sharks. There are many like that... there are also some who hunt them. Leoquin has asked me to come along with him for some shark hunting one day; I'd rather not be near those things, if I can help it."
Ilasi preferred not to dwell on things they didn't want to see - with Maverick not having much experience underwater, for obvious reasons, she would, for the most part, have to lead the exploration. "Well, we could go searching for starfish - they're pretty slow creatures, so they'll often hide. I could use a few more for some medicine - you can see how I search for them."

"Sure. I'd love to." Maverick said gleefully, happy that Ilasi was opening up to him so much. Maybe the water (her element) had something to do with it? Nevertheless, it was a very pleasant feeling. She even stopped playing with the group in order to help him have some fun. As Ilasi lead him away, looking at the sandbar for some starfish, Maverick wondered if this was the perfect moment to say something very important to her. Ever since meeting her, he had felt something. He has had many women in his past, but with Ilasi, things were different. At first he thought it was because she was a mermaid, but now firmly believed that wasn't it at all. He opened his mouth to say something, but desisted at the last second. He dropped his head for a while and then started to move his head in all directions, pretending he was looking around the watery world. He was blushing again, and the hair on his arms was standing so high it almost made him look like a porcupine. He rubbed his arms to cover them, simulating he was cold. Ilasi has been a great host and a gentle soul to show him such a wonderful thing, and he didn't want to ruin the current mood with his silliness...

Angora grinned a little at his response, knowing he was fooled by this question. He had managed to find the orb, but he got this question wrong, but Shade was unable to follow the same line of logic he had used with the first one. Despite getting the orb right, his wrong answer earned him another slap to the paws.
"Error Shade! You have three candles! The ones that had their flame blown off. The other ones remained lit, so the wax melted and made them disappear." Angora explained, deciding to answer the question for him this time.
"See Shade? You had the first question right, but you were unable to think beyond this one. Things aren't always what they seem Shady. Your desire to protect and act impulsively is what's getting us into these messes. You have to learn to be more intelligent, especially under pressure." Angora remarked, finding it irritating how Shade's desire to protect her and Maverick had gotten them into trouble more than once. Somehow, she had to get him off of this behavior or the Guardians wouldn't be convinced he was worthy of freedom.

Though Ilasi was occupied looking for starfish under the sand, she had not been completely unaware of Maverick; she noted him rubbing his arms together, as his hairs stood up - a classic sign of being cold, for most hairy creatures. In her excitement, she had failed to consider how long Maverick could comfortably stay underwater; she would have to practice the spell more, to enable her to keep the bubble warmer. For now, all she could do was hurry up and get him to the surface as quickly as possible.
She had spotted one starfish underneath the sand; carefully, she pulled it out. The feeling of the tube feet was always somewhat odd; it wasn't anything dangerous, however, so she had no problem with it. Having found her starfish, she brought the bubble back up to the surface, leaving Maverick exactly where he was before.
"I'm sorry, Maverick - I didn't consider that you could be getting cold." Ilasi's voice was somewhat down, evidently disappointed in herself. "I'll make sure to work that out better next time."

Maverick could see how he messed up with his pretending. He quickly tried to correct himself.
"Oh no Ilasi. It's nothing of the sort. Nada. The bubble is perfect. I'm not cold. It's just... goosebumps from the exitement. Never seen the ocean from below you know. Just a few books." Maverick quickly excused, seeing how prone Ilasi was to be disappointed in herself, a clear sign of a low self esteem. That just won't do. Somehow, he wanted to correct that.
"Don't worry about me, really. Go ahead. Go find your starfish." he added kindly, wanting Ilasi to smile again. He felt so stupid for making her feel that way, but above all for not telling her the real reason for his behavior. He really wanted to confess, but was too nervous to do so. He still believed that deep inside, Ilasi despised him for abandoning her in Orcford and his loyalty to Angora.

Ilasi wasn't quite sure about whether Maverick was serious, or just saying that to make her feel better - she understood his intent, however, and wouldn't push him on it.
"Okay, Maverick. I hope today was... at least a little fun for you. I had fun - maybe we should do this again some time. If you're not too busy, mind you." Ilasi didn't want to seem too pushy on her request, rather leaving it open so Maverick could choose to accept the offer whenever it was convenient for him.
The starfish still wriggling in her hand, Ilasi recalled what she was doing initially. "Well, I'll continue my starfish hunting, then. You can speak to me any time."

Quote: A Guy

"You know, it's been a long, long time since I have truly relaxed," Sere said. "I can't even remember - the closest thing to relaxation for me has been our various award ceremonies, and those have all been much too... how do I put it... exciting, to really be considered relaxing. Other than that, it's all been sleeping focused with our training. Sometimes..." Sere stopped before he said any more. Those thoughts - the doubts about whether he was suited for the job - he could not afford to show them. He had to remain steadfast, lest anyone begin to doubt his decisions.

It didn't take much for Raclaw to see where Godfather Sere was heading with his statement, telepath or not. Trending water near him-- Raclaw actually placed one paw on his shoulder and looked him directly in his eyes, or where his eyes would be if under a helmet. "It's alright. We are all relaxing here and... and that's what's important.," he then said understanding Sere's position and stopping himself from saying it all out loud. "I know where your thoughts were heading and please let me assure you-- there couldn't be a better man for the job. Everything you have done has been for humanity as well as for my kind; this is your doing. You have taken the Guardians into a new direction and-- and you should be proud of that and of yourself. Not all may agree with you and it may take time for all the parts to completely line up, but it's progress and-- and it's progress that will lead the Guardians and the world as a whole into a better place. And if you never need to get anything off your mind, I won't judge you or see you as anything less. After everything we've been through and after everything you have done for me -- I can see who you are and what you set out to do. Under your direction, the Guardians and the world are a better place for it. And don't ever forget that.," he then said via direct telepathy personally sharing his thoughts to the Guardian Head. Not that far away-- Risar trended water and was generally relaxing, while Chester watched from up above.

Well it's an instinct you'll have to overcome. Look at me! I'm a troll. Everyone always step on me and insults me, and you don't see me all vengeful and bloodthirsty like others of my kind, do you? You can protect us some other ways Shady, you don't need to be rude or use violence. There's more ways than that you know. You need smarts too." Angora recommended, trying to give him friendly advice. He had to leave that annoying habit, otherwise the same sick pattern of trouble will keep happening, the Guardians will never leave them alone, and more tragedies like the one in Redwater could happen. One way or the other, Shade had to learn to control himself, or it was hopeless.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi wasn't quite sure about whether Maverick was serious, or just saying that to make her feel better - she understood his intent, however, and wouldn't push him on it.
"Okay, Maverick. I hope today was... at least a little fun for you. I had fun - maybe we should do this again some time. If you're not too busy, mind you." Ilasi didn't want to seem too pushy on her request, rather leaving it open so Maverick could choose to accept the offer whenever it was convenient for him.
The starfish still wriggling in her hand, Ilasi recalled what she was doing initially. "Well, I'll continue my starfish hunting, then. You can speak to me any time."

"It was Ilasi. Gracias. We can still have some fun you know, unless of course you want to return with captain Sere and... Leoquin." Maverick expressed, feeling a little down when mentioning that last name. He knew the mermen didn't like him, and hated the possibility of him questioning Ilasi if he saw them spending some time together.
"We can... spend some time tonight? I can teach you the constellations and some navigation. Or we can just tell campfire stories. I can cook you a meal if you feel like eating something." Maverick then offered kindly with a change tone. He didn't want Ilasi to misunderstand his last comment. Maverick didn't despise Leoquin, but he didn't like his rude behavior, or the fact that he and Ilasi were spending so much time together and the possibility of the mermen badmouthing and telling lies about him and Angora and giving them a lousy image.

"I.. I pray you are right," Sere replied to Raclaw. "Though I have experience, I do not have any way of knowing for sure what will work - only what I believe will be most likely to work. All we can do from there is see how things play out and make adjustments. Sometimes, the consequences of our actions are too far in advance to even connect them..."
For now, however,Sere would release his worries. Just for the moment... He laid back in the water, using controlled breathing to keep himself afloat as he took in the environment.
"So - Raclaw. Swim lessons will be whenever works for you - if I'm free, of course," Leoquin said. "I'm not always free, but I'll try to make time for you." Leoquin enjoyed helping land dwellers with many matters involving the sea - from actual swimming to sea navigation. Originally, it was just a way to find a place on a sea voyage, but over time, he had developed a like for it - an acquired taste.

Ilasi smiled, though she tried to keep it somewhat subdued to downplay her feelings. "Well, I have the starfish to take care of right now. Night time sounds perfect, though - considering how much you travel, I would love to hear your stories! I'm afraid I don't have many interesting stories myself - at least not the most happy ones. And... I would love to have some of your cooking. Maybe I'll surprise you with something myself." Though Ilasi had to get more of her medicinal supplies ready, she looked forward to the night's plans with Maverick - perhaps he wouldn't teleport away this time.

"Well in that case, we should find a way to remove some of it. You have seen how dangerous your powers are Shady, and we can't continue risking it. You must renounce some of it. Perhaps there's a wizard that can help. Or maybe those Guardians have something that can remove some of that growing power, or at least put it to sleep." Angora suggested, hating to resort to them, but Shade's powers were becoming too troublesome and deadly, so drastic measures had to be taken.

Quote: A Guy

[i]Ilasi smiled, though she tried to keep it somewhat subdued to downplay her feelings. "Well, I have the starfish to take care of right now. Night time sounds perfect, though - considering how much you travel, I would love to hear your stories! I'm afraid I don't have many interesting stories myself - at least not the most happy ones. And... I would love to have some of your cooking. Maybe I'll surprise you with something myself." Though Ilasi had to get more of her medicinal supplies ready, she looked forward to the night's plans with Maverick - perhaps he wouldn't teleport away this time.

"Great! It's settled then. Though... a question though, what do you eat?" Maverick said as he waited patiently for the answer. He was quite relieved to hear Ilasi wasn't picky and had a big variety on what she liked or liked to try. After she left, he stayed in the water a little while longer, noticing right now the humongous minotaur in the water. He hoped he liked his meal, for if there was somebody that should probably be kept in a good mood, it was him. Maverick then floated in the water like before, but got bored rather quickly and returned to the ship to play with the water wary Chester. It was a moment of happiness for him, and it was one of the very few times he decided to think of himself for a while and let Angora and Shade be.

After the sky became orange with the sunset, Maverick realized how much time had passed playing with the beagle, and knew it was almost time for dinner.
"Look at it doggie. How beautiful the sun is when it's hiding." he said to the eager beagle, really liking dogs now.
"Time for dinner Chester. I'll serve you another big meal this time. Hey Angorita!" Maverick called, the little troll having been so distracted with Shade all day that she barely paid any attention to him. Maverick would usually glance at them and see Angora slapping Shade and being rough with him. It had been a harsh training day.
"Angorita! Anything in particular you would like?" Maverick asked, seeing her quite overworked. Training Shade into changing his overprotective behavior was quite the task.
"I'm strangely craving fruits this time. Grapes, mango, maybe papaya if this ship has it. And for Shade... well, maybe a turkey. Saw you giving some to the minotaur and it looked quite delicious." Angora answered, not minding some little of that meat herself.

Maverick nodded with a smile, and since he was already going into the kitchen, he decided to bring food for the entire crew. He took a cart from one of the storages, used for carrying some of the recovered treasures from the defeated pirates. It took him nearly two hours. It was already night, but he was done at last. With some difficulty, he managed to lift the cart full of trays with food, and called to the other crew members to indicate them dinner was ready. He couldn't find a bell, so he had to use his own voice to call everyone. The trays were filled with red meat and fish of all kind, all elegantly decorated with fruits on their sides. He put gravy and wine in most of them to improve the flavor, and some he heated so that the smell could be stronger and more craving. Maverick didn't like cooking very much, but he couldn't help being creative when doing so. With the way the cart was arranged, anyone could confuse him with being in the catering business.
"Here you go Angorita. And you too Oscurito. Turkey for the both of you. And there are the fruits you requested Angorita, but sorry, there wasn't any papaya." Maverick explained, though Angora was still happy with the meal. To avoid spreading the hexphage, Maverick served his two friends in some large napkins, though the food was still decorated beautifully, similarly to Risar earlier, including the gravy. Maverick was hungry himself, so he decided to start eating instead of moving the cart around. It was heavy and the ship was moving with the waves, so he decided that to avoid some spills, whatever crew member decided to eat, they should go to that spot themselves instead of waiting for their meal. Maverick hoped that the banquet he prepared for everyone was enough to please him when he returned from his relaxation time.

Though Ilasi had grown hungry, she hadn't eaten too much, anticipating Maverick's cooking. That evening, as she was loafing about, she finally saw - and more importantly, smelled - the meal she had been waiting for. With Maverick stationed by the cart, she sheepishly approached it.
"Good evening, Maverick," she said. She wanted to reach out for something, but decided that it would probably be more polite to ask first. "May I please try some venison?"
Latnok came soon after - he was hungry as well, though he didn't deliberately avoid food. "Wow, the food smells splendid!" he complimented. "Maybe you're as good as me. Maybe. Oh, yeah - here's what you're going to do. When everyone's done, you're going to make sure the dishes are all gathered. The catch - you're not going to touch anything yourself. You're going to borrow a prisoner from Risar, and direct them as they do it. Think you can handle that?"

"Help yourself." Maverick pointed out with a smile, taking the venison located on the lowest part of the cart. He picked them up and put them on the top, letting Ilasi choose the one of her liking. Every single platter was elegantly decorated. One of the venison one was even arranged in a form where the broccoli resembled a small forest and the venison a small hill, while others had different shapes, like grapes and lettuce arranged to form a flower and chicken wings forming the stem and leaves, a t-bone with four slices on an apple by it's sides resembling an animal about to attack, and sliced pork meat arranged in a way that resembled butterflies, with cherries forming the antennas and eyes. There was a drink on the side of every platter, although if it wasn't the liquid somebody liked, they could always exchange it. It was all very creative, to the way Maverick felt guilty that such work would have to be eaten soon.

Still, he got over the fact very fast. He exitedly anticipated Ilasi trying some of his food, though he wanted to cook something else later that night. His little thought soon was interrupted by what Latnok said.
"A prisoner you say señor Latnok? Disculpa, but I don't think anyone would want to listen to me." Maverick warned, knowing he wasn't exactly the intimidating type. He would do the dishes himself if he wasn't so exhausted from cooking that banquet, and of course Angora was out of the question. He believed another sailor should do it, or if Latnok was insistent on a prisoner doing it, the scary Risar would have to do the watching himself.

From her corner with Shade, Angora couldn't help but smile at how kind everyone was being to Maverick right now, even the mean Latnok. She knew it was only a matter of time before he would win them over. Maverick was too much gentle and sweet to be hated, and believed that only somebody purely evil could do such a thing. She was happy for him, but at the same time envious. How she wished she could be a little more like him so people could be nicer to her, but she had so much anger and bitterness accumulated, it was too hard for her.

Latnok gave a sly smile. "Exactly. You're going to get him to follow your orders - whatever it takes. I think part of the disconnect between us is that you don't quite understand things from a leadership perspective. So this'll be our little experiment - get a prisoner to follow your orders. See what it takes. And then, after we've done this a few times, maybe you'll have a better idea of why I act the way I do." As Latnok reached for some venison, so did Ilasi, at the same dish - Latnok gave a nod and withdrew his hand, indicating his consession, and Ilasi returned the nod, taking the food.
Ilasi took one bite - and was soon beaming. "This is splendid! I'm amazed! Thank you, Maverick!" As much as she wanted to scarf down the food, she decided to remain polite, taking small bites.
Meanwhile, as the rest of the sailors - those who weren't out on the island - ate their food, they avoided Angora and Shade as if they were lepers - though, to be fair, the hexphage was more contagious than any leprosy.

Maverick smiled at Ilasi, though his happiness didn't last long after what Latnok said. Did he seriously intended to make him see things his way?
"Señor Latnok, I'm not sure you understand what you're asking of me. I'm not intimidating. I'm not loud. I'm not... authoritative. The prisoner could cause a mutiny if he thinks I'm weak. I think somebody like señor Risar is better suited for the task." Maverick insisted, trying to drift himself away from this unlikely order. On his father's ship, the crew obeyed him only because he was the son of their bloodthirsty captain. Latnok was practically asking him to be as harsh and ruthless like him, something that reminded too much of his late father. The last think Maverick wanted was to be that way.

Angora was at first upset by the way she was rudely ignored, but it didn't take her long to get used to these conditions. The recruited sailors wanted to be far away from her and Shade, which wasn't something too terrible and was more than understandable. Being ignored was far better than being bullied or insulted, and if the latter happened, she could always threaten to hug someone to make them run away. It was a thought that actually made her chuckle with the possibility. She found it too funny the thought of some of those big, bulky sailors running away in terror from an insignificantly small troll as if their lives were in mortal danger.

"Well, you better figure it out, then," Latnok said firmly. "If you are going to be here, you will have to understand why I do what I do. And if an explanation from me hasn't taught you why, then maybe experience will. That is an order. I will hear no more on the matter." Experience would probably do Maverick a bit of good anyway - if he realized that being a nice guy wasn't always a feasible option, maybe he wouldn't be afraid to make hard decisions when it came to it.
Though Ilasi said nothing, she was somewhat conflicted on the subject. On one hand, she didn't quite like the idea of Maverick having to force anyone to do anything; on the other hand, being more of a leader did have its advantages...

"Señor..." Maverick began to say, but then fell into a despaired silence. He knew from both experience and Angora that Latnok was impossible to reason with. It was his way only, or Sere's since he was his superior. Nobody else mattered. If only they could realize what an awful flaw that was. Still, this was something Maverick knew would have to do whether he liked it or not. This was an attitude the reminded him too much of his evil father, which caused some of his good natured mood to vanish.
"I have to search something in my room. I'll... finish my meal there. I'll come back later after señor Risar is done." Maverick said with a downed voice, clearly not looking forward for the task at hand.

Not from afar, Angora couldn't help but to shake her head in disappointment. So typical and predictable of Latnok to ruin the mood and force his own will on somebody else. She really wanted to tell him off, but she was sick and tired of always being in hot water with him, so she managed to control herself.
"Hmph, that prisoner better not try anything to hurt Maverick. If he does... well, perhaps I can convince the captain to let you have him as dessert." Angora said rather sadistically, avoiding talking about Latnok and directing her current anger at whatever prisoner was chosen for her friend. She knew Shade wasn't fond of killing humans and would rather scare the bad ones off like he did with the mugger that nearly murdered Maverick, but the way he was being starved and the fact that some of those prisoner were probably going to be banished or killed if they couldn't redeem themselves, maybe it wasn't too much of a dismissive option.

"I'm counting on it. A bit of leadership experience is just what you need," Latnok said. "Be more of a man and less of a boy. Maybe once you see where I'm coming from, things will be easier to accept." As Maverick left, Latnok grabbed a dish of meat - not being particularly picky about what kind - and began eating it. He couldn't help but wonder - wouod Maverick actually rise up to the job? Probably not.
Ilasi watched as Maverick walked off. His mood had been shot - what would that mean for tonight? She hoped that Maverick could actually manage to do what was told well enough to satisfy Latnok - the thought of Maverick being somewhat more assertive was a bit pleasing, but she didn't want to see it bring him down. Why did she even care so much? He was loyal to Angora, who hated her... She would always be second place.

Maverick returned to his room in the ship, feeling awfully lonely without Angora around. He was even tempted to sleep in Alya's place for tonight if her parents accepted him. Why did Latnok felt like this was so important? She could understand structure, laws and order in order to maintain peace, but believed the way Latnok did it was just plain ruthless. He even accepted the harsh punishments of Redwater, all for the sake of entertainment and money. Where was the justice in that? It may encourage law and order, but it was surely amoral and cruel, and some of the rules were just too outrageous. The Aelinon soilders were once even considering killing Angora just for being a troll. Since when was the way you were born a crime? Maverick was furious right now for the task that awaited him. Did Latnok expected him to be as ruthless as him in order to subdue the prisoner into obedience? It didn't matter to him. He would treat that prisoner his own way, and if it didn't work, he would consider other options, but he absolutely didn't want to use any violence. He would use anything, even reverse psychology if necessary, but he refused to be like Latnok.

Maverick finished up his meal forcefully and without even finding any taste, being too upset to enjoy it. He took his trustworthy hyperspace bag and returned to the main deck, only to find Risar was already done with his own dinner. He found it both funny and terrifying how a creature that looked so much like a ruminant, like a cow, a bull, or even his beloved Dahlia, could eat meat. He heard on his previous travels how minotaurs were man eaters, but that was either a lie, not the case anymore or Risar was simply an exception. Whatever the case, he was glad that he wasn't against him. Even if Risar disliked him like almost everyone else on the ship, he was grateful for the minotaur for not manifesting it. Or perhaps Risar didn't dislike him? Maverick didn't know, but he was one of the few who hasn't been mean to him in any way, so it was a relief.

When Maverick returned, Latnok was standing by near Risar, waiting patiently. "Took you long enough. Now, go ahead - find a prisoner, have him follow you, and have him do all of the cleanup chores in relation to the meal. Simple enough, right? Just a bit of leadership - shouldn't be a problem for any man. Unless you're morally opposed to giving orders?"
The prisoners were all off to one side of the deck - having eaten their meals, and now waiting for whatever else they would inevitably be told to do. They seemed to be in good spirits - having just eaten a good meal - though they could, of course, be a lot better.

Maverick had to contain himself from glaring at Latnok, unable to believe he had the insolence of mentioning moral when many of the things he did, or at least the way he did them were questionable. But unlike Angora, it was easier for him to contain his emotions, having a lifetime of experience with that.
"No." Maverick answered in response to Latnok's question, preparing to follow Risar to where the prisoners were eating. But as he prepared to do so, Maverick remembered something important.
"Señor Risar, can we take a little detour down the stairs? I want to see how Dahlia is doing before choosing a prisoner." Maverick asked, having bandaged Dahlia and leaving her in the new enclosure earlier that day before giving Alya the tour. He imagined she must feel better by now, and Maverick firmly believed that his beloved mount was going to give him the boost of positive energy he lost when Latnok gave him the order.

"Latnok said to choose prisoner-- and you will choose. You can check on your mount after you're done with your duties.," Risar said with a slight huff in a somewhat blunt tone. He had more respect for Maverick verses that of Angora, but an order was an order-- and taking a detour to go down several decks, and leaving the prisoners unattended in the process, wasn't a part of that order. No... Maverick would follow through and choose a prisoner as ordered, less he want to face consequences from Latnok. He knew what the hybrid was trying to pull; trying to both delay the order on his own terms and possibly trying to make up an excuse for eventually not following it. Those were two things that he would not allow and he would make sure that the order was obeyed.

Meanwhile, Raclaw had returned to the main deck and had enjoyed his meal alongside the excitable Chester. The little Beagle was practically jumping on Raclaw and had been surprised at just how far his furry friend was willing to go for the sake the water-- even opting to accept Leoquin's offer at teaching the wet fur dragon how to swim. The two barked back and forth, no doubt discussing the recent events. "Are you really going to go back into the water?," Chester asked in a slightly curious and surprised tone. "It's.. it's a good opportunity to learn even if the water can be very very cold.," Raclaw responded back in a slightly hesitant tone completing the statement with an imaginary shiver. The two furry friends briefly went on over the subject before moving on-- it was evident that Chester was starting to like Maverick more and more, just as the Hybrid was starting to like him. He was glad, knowing that Maverick would be there for the little Beagle whenever was he and Latnok were otherwise busy-- and that he would have a eager and willing dog sitter should the need arrive. That was a good thing, as Chester couldn't always come along; particularly when it came to large scale battles and the like.

Quote: redwes

"Latnok said to choose prisoner-- and you will choose. You can check on your mount after you're done with your duties.," Risar said with a slight huff in a somewhat blunt tone. He had more respect for Maverick verses that of Angora, but an order was an order-- and taking a detour to go down several decks, and leaving the prisoners unattended in the process, wasn't a part of that order. No... Maverick would follow through and choose a prisoner as ordered, less he want to face consequences from Latnok. He knew what the hybrid was trying to pull; trying to both delay the order on his own terms and possibly trying to make up an excuse for eventually not following it. Those were two things that he would allow and he would make sure that the order was obeyed.

Maverick didn't respond now showed any negative emotion, but it was clear with the built up tension that he didn't like being stuck with this task, and Risar was as brutal with the structure as Latnok himself. Perhaps he was wrong about him.

He followed Risar to where the prisoners were being fed, Maverick saw that most of them were already done. They didn't look upset or uneasy, but they didn't look too happy either, not that they were to blame for that. After watching them with a neutral expression, Maverick had made his decision.
"Him..." he said solemnly, pointing at a man that was slightly shorter than him, but better built and most likely several years older than himself. He didn't look very intimidating, but had a deep scowl, a bald spot on one side of his head, a small mustache and very tanned skin. Maverick didn't exactly liked any of these prisoners, but that one looked the most reliable for now...

"Hmm.. very well.," Risar folding his arms in and looking over the prisoner that Maverick had chosen. "Prisoner-- this is Maverick. He will be in charge of you for the time being. Cause any trouble and he will be directly responsible for what happens to you.," the large Minotaur said staring down the prisoner. Unknowingly to Maverick, the hybrid had chosen the same prisoner that refused him earlier. This had been the prisoner's first meal after having briefly starved-- and now he was going to help clean up that same meal. Risar was seemingly handing off almost complete control of the prisoner to Maverick, as part of the test for his leadership skills.

Maverick absolutely despised the idea of taking charge of the responsibility as well. He knew nobody would care about what could happen to the prisoner, or maybe even him, but that was still beyond the point. He didn't want to be bossy or violent with anyone, so this a very challenging task for him, one that defied his very nature.
"Come on now. You'll do the dishes tonight. Afterwards you can go to sleep." Maverick instructed in a calm yet stern voice, the hair on his arms raising again from the frustration of doing this. It did made him look slightly bigger, but it was still not enough to look truly intimidating.

The prisoner had no plans of acting up - not immediately, anyway. This hairy man would be in charge of him? From what he heard, the man was a pacifist - there was no way he would be anywhere near as harsh as Risar. "Okay," he said tersely. "I'll get to it when they're ready." He clearly wasn't enthused about the new task, and didn't take Maverick seriously enough to feel pressed to do the task right away.

Maverick realized quite quickly that the man didn't intend to obey him immediately, so he decided to use his own, verbal method in order to make him obey.
"They are. All accumulated in that cart. I suggest you start right away so you won't sleep late. It's not pleasant to wake up first thing in the morning without a proper rest." Maverick said politely but rather hoarsely, wanting this task to be over. All he needed was to do the dishes, which would take him less than an hour if he started right away.

Angora looked closely from behind Shade's elbow, ready to interfere if this vulgar pirate prisoner dared to harm Maverick in any way. He knew Risar would be up to it, but she was ready to say something herself if the abuse went too far...

"Easy Shady. Remember, violence as a last resort. I'm sure if that pirate crosses the line, I can convince the captain and Latnok to hand him over to you." Angora assured, certain that if she asked nicely enough, they would let Shade do the punishment. She didn't know if they would oblige, or what would Shade do given his overprotective nature, but both Sere and Latnok had made it clear that they hated pirates and had no qualms about killing or banishing them if they were beyond redemption.