darkSpyro

Maverick was about to respond to Sere, but he had left. He couldn't believe just how cold and antagonistic he was with them now. This wasn't like him at all. Maverick even believed him capable enough to throw them overboard should they displease him in some way. It was going to be a long and painful journey, but it was all for the sake of family, so Maverick believed that whatever nasty things awaited them, it'll all be worth it in the end. So as the ship began to move, he walked around the hull, checking the conditions, the anchor, the mast, the sail, everything to make sure nothing was out of place. As he did, he was expecting to receive a cold shoulder among the crew, but he didn't care, and concentrated on doing the jobs he once had on his father's ship. In one ocassion, he walked near Ilasi, but with a lowered head and a terrible blush, he passed besides her without saying a word, still too ashamed and embarrassed to confront her...

Angora was more than upset with Sere's treatment. Latnok had bullied her many times in the past, the crew didn't seemed to like her and now the once noble Sere was quite awful to her as well. It was all a damn nightmare to her. She just wanted to scream her lungs out. But she knew that wouldn't help. She had to repeat herself; "this isn't forever. This is for Shade. For family," in order to maintain her sanity. Once Sere left, Angora went below the ship and made her way into the cellar, picking a tray and putting food and wine on it, returning to the hull and offering them to the sailors present. She was avoiding eye contact with everybody, and looking at the sea earlier, she had prepare both heart and mind for whatever insults and physical abuse these bunch of smelly sailors have prepared for her. She had no doubt they were evil enough to take advantage of Sere's favoritism to have some cruel fun with her...

OOC: There are no longer two ships SC. It's one giant ship now.

"I know Shady. Just hang in there, and behave yourself. The more you behave, the faster we'll be free of this hell." Angora telepathed back, knowing how much this was affecting him too. She had no idea the king had ulterior motives with him, so Angora firmly believed that once their time on the ship was over, they would finally be free...

Angora and Maverick would get looks of suspicion often as they went around the ship - sailors were no doubt taking Sere's words about betrayal and disloyalty to heart. No one so far seemed to want to offer them kindness, due to not liking them, not caring about them, or being afraid to be associated with them.
Sere routinely made his rounds around the ship. Though it took a bit of time to recover, his mood would be his typical, relatively kind self when dealing with the rest of the sailors. He would become hostile, however, whenever he had to speak to any of the trio.

Latnok was in one of the rooms aboard the ship - hr was taking a quick rest, as keeping watch of Shade was taxing, but he would be out soon enough. In the meantime, he thought of the unfamiliar territory. They had prepared as much as they could for it - but there were still so many unknowns. They would have to be flexible. And what of Shade? He would pretty much have to be dragged along. Could he learn to follow orders? Latnok had had enough of thinking for now - he left his room, going back out on the main deck.

Ilasi noted how Maverick didn't seem to want to talk to her - he seemed to not even want to look at her. Why had she said what she did? This all happened because of that - even if indirectly. To pass the time, she would try to find Latnok when he was done and see if he had any magic advice.

Angora continued serving around the ship, having the tray above her head so it could prevent her from looking at everyone's faces. When all the food and wine was taken, she went to the cellar to get some more, and encountered Latnok along the way. Like she has done with everyone else, she completely ignored him, concentrating on just doing the job Sere so hostile pinned on her. So far, nobody has been particularly abusive to her, just ignoring like she was doing, which was much better than insults and physical violence. Then she reached out to Maverick.
"Hey Angorita. Gracias. Keep up the good work." the kind fawn man said to her as he took a load of bread from the tray, managing a small smile out of her for the first time since arriving on that inferno they called a ship. They both knew the truth. They were all alone in that ship. They only had each other. Everyone else hated them.

The troll left to continue serving the other sailors, once again putting the tray over her head. Maverick continued with his job, taking out his trusty compass to help him with the navigation. He went to the viewing platform to take a better look on the ship and had a better idea of the wind's direction, and finally having some brief moment alone, he watched Angora with the tray.
"Please be alright mi Angorita." Maverick said as he left the platform, continuing his job...

Ilasi, while having no immediate orders, was told to stand by for when she would be needed. Taking the opportunity, she continued to meander around the ship, in search of Latnok.
Ilasi became distracted, however, seeing Maverick perform his navigation. He didn't look as happy as he usually did - but, under the circumstances, who could blame him? If Maverick hated her now, why didn't he just say so?
Then she had an idea. As innocuously as possible, she approached him as he was busy. "So... how does navigating work for you?" she asked - deliberately skipping an introduction to give her less of an opportunity to spurn her. All that remained was to see how he reacted...

Maverick was taken off guard by Ilasi's sudden approach, almost tripping in the process.
"Ilasi! Oh!" Maverick exclaimed, dropping the compass and his toe, blushing severely and limping.
"Darn! Hey... eh, hello. No, no. Navigation is... rather easy. Little rusty. Been doing it for years so..." he stammered, unable to look at her in the eyes. He didn't sound like somebody who hated her, just a man too embarrassed to speak clearly. Ironically enough, he was the one who though Ilasi hated him, so he didn't think of himself worthy of looking at her beautiful face.

Their conversation didn't go unnoticed by Angora. She scowled below her tray, but nevertheless didn't do anything to stop them. She knew how Maverick still felt about that mermaid, so he wasn't going to deny him a chance to at least have a decent conversation with her. However, as she still served the sailors, she was still paying attention, listening without looking at them, and was ready to act in case the not-so-sweet-anymore Ilasi hurt this idiot but kind man's feelings.

Ilasi felt rather awkward, seeing the stumbling Maverick and hearing his answer. She noticed that he wasn't really looking at her - was he trying to hint at her to leave? Maybe if she could push the conversation a little bit... "You know, many people are surprised we don't automatically know our way through the waters," Ilasi said. "But unfamiliar waters to us would be like a human thrown into a mountain range. It's not as easy to find the right landmarks underwater - there are some, though, and we can surface when we need to..."
Then she recalled something. "Mr. Sere was actually going to do the navigation before you came along. I'm surprised he's letting you do it, considering..." Ilasi realized that that train of thought may give the wrong impression, so ceased it. "Anyway, he left you with an important job. I don't know if it means anything..."

Maverick didn't show any disdain to Ilasi, but he was still a bit flustered by her presence. He couldn't understand why she was insisting so much on talking with him.
"Nah. Señor Sere is simply giving me this job because I was a disgusting pirate before." Maverick said with much shame, still despising that previous life, and finding it despicable how Sere wanted to exploit his navigation knowledge.
"At least your kind have it made. You are liked, you can breathe underwater and on air, and your legs change depending on where you are. And you have magic to booth. And navigating is easy if you have the right tools and knowledge." he complimented, speaking better but still feeling nervous. His blush has gotten so bad, even his ears went red. He still avoided looking directly at Ilasi, feeling like he was going to cry if he dared to look at her eyes...

"We have some unique problems," Ilasi said. "It takes us a while to transform, and we're not as good at navigating the more difficult terrain. Humans can learn magic too - we have some on board who do. And there..." Ilasi stopped suddenly, just realizing something Maverick said.
"Wait... you were... a pirate?!" she asked, very surprised. How could such a sweet, peaceful man have been a pirate? "You can't-"
"HEY, ILASI!" Latnok called out, as he came over. "Leoquin said you were interested in learning more about magic, I believe? There is a spell I can teach you and Angora." Ilasi didn't know how to immediately respond - she wanted to keep talking, and find out what Maverick really meant, but also figured that Latnok probably wouldn't really like being dismissed for the sake of idle chatter. She waited for Maverick to say some more before saying anything else herself...

"No. My father was a pirate!" Maverick said rather roughly, looking at her eyes for the first time, then lowering his head in shame again. He realized he never told that awful truth about himself to her, so he wanted to made it clear that his disgusting past was forced on him. It wasn't a choice. Hearing that Latnok was calling to her, Maverick stopped their conversation, not wanting the younger Guardian to be upset with her for coming to speak to him, so letting her go, he resumed his duties, not minding everyone's cold shoulders anymore.

As Angora has finished up with the second batch of food and wine on the tray, she heard her name being spoken. It was to her displeasure, the nasty Latnok. So in order to avoid a confrontation, Angora pretended that she didn't hear anything and headed below the ship again after she realized Veris was the only "sailor" who hasn't eaten anything yet, so ignoring everyone, she proceeded to do her job as if nothing has happened...

"But you said..." Ilasi trailed off, before turning to Latnok. "I'm ready to learn, Mr. Latnok." Did Maverick slip? Or did he just misspeak earlier? He got pretty irate with her when he rebuffed her statement.
The two began to head off - Latnok had seen Angora earlier, but she had conveniently disappeared... "I have to go track down our troll," he said.
It took him a bit of searching - but, as Angora was feeding Veris, he finally found her. "Hey, troll. I'll pretend I don't know what you were trying to do there," he said. "But you're done with that busywork. It's training time. You will come, and you will participate if you don't want any problems. Ilasi and I will be on the upper deck. Don't make me have to look for you again." Without waiting for a response, Latnok immediately left the scene.

Maverick got angry at himself for coming off so harsh to her. Talking about his pirate life wasn't an easy subject to him, and he felt very ashamed of himself for upsetting her. From the deck, as he studied a map he managed to find, he wrote a note. In that while, Angora gave a small groan when Latnok found her, angry that she would once again return to the annoying nightmare of having him as a teacher. Why was that man so insistent on reteaching her magic? It was a thought that aggravated her. Still, she went to the main deck just the same, promising to herself that she would try to behave as patiently as civilized as possible with him and his new student. As she found her way out of the cellar, there was Maverick, who gave her a note.
"Please give this to Ilasi. I'm begging you Angorita. I know she'll probably throw it away, so don't say it's from me." Maverick pleaded, as he left to continue his chores. The note read;

Please don't thow this away, just read. I'm sorry I acted that way around you. I was a jerk. I know you hate me, and I don't blame you. I did have the life of a pirate, but it's a life my father forced upon me, and I regret it every single day of my life. I know I don't deserve it, but I ask your forgiveness. I'm sorry it ever came to this. And I'm sorry it seemed like I was ignoring you. I'm just not worthy of your presence anymore. I hope you understand.

Maverick

With the note safely in Angora's hands, the troll made her way to Ilasi and Latnok, and placed the piece of paper in the mermaid's hand.
"This is for you..." she said in a neutral tone, awaiting Latnok's orders. She knew this was going to be a lousy journey, but she's had it worse, so she felt ready for anything.

Meanwhile, Risar was currently on standby-- with the large Minotaur able to take the place of several men or to supplement the strength should the need call for it. He was currently staring out onto the sea, while occasionally glancing at the moving Angora or Maverick. His respect fir the troll would come back as Sere's trust did, although he wasn't outright showing disrespect.

Elsewhere on the deck, Raclaw and Chester were doing the same. So far-- the mostly landlocked fur dragon seemed to be handling it fine, although the sea was still at it's perfect ideal conditions with no rain or the like. He could occasionally be heard 'barking' something to Chester and vice versa, although it sounded like nothing more than dog noises to most if not all of the crew. Raclaw was currently thinking about Angora as well as whatever would await them on Falcons Beak.

Ilasi's curiosity wouldn't let her wait - she opened the note immediately, and began reading it. As she did, her facial expression changed from happy to guilty. Was... was this really Maverick? If only she knew how he felt... But what if it was Angora, still upset about the incident which led to her current treatment on the boat? What if she was just trying to get her to embarrass herself?
Latnok, knowing how spiteful Angora could be, suspected something unscrupulous. "What the hell did you give her just now?!" Latnok demanded.
"It's nothing, Lat- er, Mr. Latnok. It's..."
"Let me see it."
"Please, Mr. Latnok, I... please..."
Latnok, though he was somewhat wary now, trusted Ilasi on the matter, on account of her relatively amicable nature. "Okay, then, I'll take your word for it," he said. "Angora knows what will happen if she is plotting anything behind our backs and we find out.
"Anyway, speaking of which, I will tell both of you this. This journey will be as easy as you want it to be. Work with me, and I'll work with you. Give me a hard time, and I'll give you a hard time - and I guarantee you that I can do a better job of it than you. One of you has a history of cooperation and friendliness. One of you has a history of defiance, antagonism, hostility, and duplicity. Note how the experiences either of you has had so far are quite different. Now, are we ready to learn something new today?"
"I am," Ilasi said. She couldn't help but feel bad about how Latnok had blatantly criticized Angora in front of her like that.

"Mm Hmm." Angora managed to mumble, still wanting to avoid saying actual words. She knew the conditions for this voyage were going to be far more than just staying out of Sere and Latnok's training, and her suspicions were long correct. Now she knew they were going to take advantage of their presence to abuse them. Sere was already bossing Maverick around, and she was forced to have Latnok as a magic teacher again. It wasn't enough that they brought the entire crew against them, they also had to take every chance to antagonize them, something that the hypocrite Latnok was accusing her of when he was doing the exact thing to her. As she waited for the lesson, she didn't look at Ilasi, knowing she would just glare at her and get into unnecessary trouble with the dastard Guardian.

"Let's start, then," Latnok said. "Okay, so on this ship, it's pretty hard for any enemy to approach without someone knowing about it. On terra firma, however, we won't always have that luxury. That's what watches are for - but sometimes it's not really feasible to keep a watch, such as when you're by yourself or with only one other person. Or maybe you want to supplement your watch.
"Generally, people like not getting killed at their sleep, and they like knowing that someone won't just be able to come up and take their stuff. In unfamiliar territory, we don't know if situations will cause us, or require us, to become split up. We also don't really know what we'll be up against.
"So I'm going to teach you both a spell we know as Ward. Basically, when you cast it successfully, any sapient creature which crosses the circle of space around you, which is not already in that circle, will alert you, waking you up if you were sleeping, and it'll slow the intruder down for a bit. This, of course, makes it much harder to surprise someone who is sleeping. You will generally want to use this when you're out in the field and sleeping - or you could use it on your room or something to stop a burglar, if you're that paranoid. Do I have any questions so far?"
Ilasi absorbed the information intently. So far, there were no questions from her - the idea and the reasoning behind it seemed pretty reasonable.

Leoquin was helping out on the deck, moving stuff here, helping someone get stuff set up there. He was taking a small break, however, when he noted the fur dragon. Not knowing too much about him, he decided to sate his curiosity.
"Hey - Raclaw, was it?" he asked. "You're a bit, uh, different from most dragons, I think. I can't quite put my finger on what it could possibly be..." His attempt at an ice breaker done, he noted the collar - he had to ask about it.
"Say, that collar looks a lot like what that monster wears," he said. "Not quite the same, though... but are you being trained too? Are you a problem dragon?" he asked. Despite his benign intent, his wording was incredibly insensitive.

Angora remained as silent as a tombstone, having no questions either... or perhaps she just wanted to avoid talking to him. It was an absurd spell in her opinion, since she was already a very light sleeper, and the fact that she was alive right now meant that has never needed a spell like that. Still, she was looking forward to show him how much better she has gotten with magic, and put his words back in his mouth.

In this moment, Maverick was taking a small break himself, finishing the loaf of bread he got from Angora tray and looking at the small dot that was Redwater at the distance. He never even dreamed he would return to sea after all these years. It was an experience that was bringing too many bad memories. The last time he was at sea was back when his father's ship sank, and he remembered as clear as day that events the unfolded that night. It was a night that has scarred him, but at the same time, it has been the beginning of a new life. Too many thoughts, so many questions still lingered in his mind, and never in a million years he had expected to find Angora again. It was a life that was becoming hard, but despite the harshness, he preferred Sere as a captain than his monstrous father.

Quote: A Guy

Leoquin was helping out on the deck, moving stuff here, helping someone get stuff set up there. He was taking a small break, however, when he noted the fur dragon. Not knowing too much about him, he decided to sate his curiosity.
"Hey - Raclaw, was it?" he asked. "You're a bit, uh, different from most dragons, I think. I can't quite put my finger on what it could possibly be..." His attempt at an ice breaker done, he noted the collar - he had to ask about it.
"Say, that collar looks a lot like what that monster wears," he said. "Not quite the same, though... but are you being trained too? Are you a problem dragon?" he asked. Despite his benign intent, his wording was incredibly insensitive.

Raclaw looked at Leoquin and briefly took a moment to consider his words. He was wondering when someone would ask about the collar, not knowing that Risar already had and that Sere had kindly downplayed it. "The collar-- the collar is similar although it no longer serves such a purpose. To answer your question, no I am not being trained and no I am not a problem dragon. I am a friend of the Guardians and in fact-- I am capable of calming Shade or even putting him to sleep. I can ensure you... you don't have to worry about me going rogue or anything like that.," he responding pausing before continueing. Leoquin's wording didn't entirely go well over him, but he couldn't fault the Merman for his reasoning.

"Long story short--.," Raclaw started to say again. "Long story short-- I was raised by humans as part of a prototype Hatchling program run by the Guardians, the goal being to better dragon/human relations and to help ensure the continued survival of my species. For the first 16 years of my life, the collar did indeed restrict the use of my powers. However, its functions were and are more limited in comparison to that of Shade's collar. For two years after that, it merely moderated my powers and now-- now it actually boasts my powers and allows me to access the previously stored power. In addition, it also houses a lost soul by the name of Damon-- who now provides the occasional guidance as well as maintaining my telepathic connections. The gem you see--," he briefly touched the embedded green gem that matched both his eyes as well as Latnok's armor.

"The gem you see is something I requested. It acts an hyperspace bag of sorts-- and allows me to store things that I would otherwise be unable to carry. Although at the moment, it only holds an old knife I found and an artifact-- eh minor artifact.," Raclaw finished realising that his short story wasn't that short and that he forgot to mention that only he had access to most of its commands. There were some exceptions of course, but nothing that could harm or hurt him. He waited, expecting the Merman to have many questions.

Latnok continued with his thorough explanation of the ward spell. "So this is a spell which requires constant focus. You will try to become familiar with the environment around you. Feel and know as many details as you can about it. Try to feel it. You may find that speaking about what you see while casting the spell helps you. Magic energy will be directed to your hands, and the invocation will be clasping your hands and resting your chin on them, as you keep your eyes closed and concentrate on understanding the environment. A ring of light will begin to appear as you cast the spell, indicating the boundary of the ward - this will only be visible to you and those within the area.
"Now here's the thing. The ward will be relative to the surface you're on. Here, the ward will move with the ship. On terra firma, the ward will stay on the ground. Such a spell is useless in the water, as it is constantly shifting.
"Simple enough? Go ahead, Angora, let's see you cast a ward on the small area around you," Latnok said, as he awaited the results.

"Well... that's... wow," Leoquin said, not quite sure what to think of everything that he was just told. "So... basically, you were an experiment, and now that you're stable, your collar makes you more powerful? That sounds pretty cool, actually. Certainly more fun than that the collar that thing has. But anyway, if my boss trusts you, I trust you too. So... then I take it you were raised by humans, then? Or did you live with dragons and were just trained by humans? How did the whole thing work? How did your parents take it?"

Having checked the ship, the destination and the navigation, Maverick took it within himself to start swabbing the deck, already dirty with the sailor's poor table manners from the food Angora brought them. It wasn't a fun task, but at least it kept him distracted. He dreaded to think what Ilasi was thinking of him right now, or even if she had read the letter...

Quote: A Guy

Latnok continued with his thorough explanation of the ward spell. "So this is a spell which requires constant focus. You will try to become familiar with the environment around you. Feel and know as many details as you can about it. Try to feel it. You may find that speaking about what you see while casting the spell helps you. Magic energy will be directed to your hands, and the invocation will be clasping your hands and resting your chin on them, as you keep your eyes closed and concentrate on understanding the environment. A ring of light will begin to appear as you cast the spell, indicating the boundary of the ward - this will only be visible to you and those within the area.
"Now here's the thing. The ward will be relative to the surface you're on. Here, the ward will move with the ship. On terra firma, the ward will stay on the ground. Such a spell is useless in the water, as it is constantly shifting.
"Simple enough? Go ahead, Angora, let's see you cast a ward on the small area around you," Latnok said, as he awaited the results.

Angora had been listening but bored like a small child would do to an algebra problem. Still, she was calm and serene. She has been feeling so much anger and hatred that she was very tired, and no longer desired to argue with anybody. So, knowing Latnok wouldn't leave her alone, she casts the spell full of concentration. The results were immediate. The orb that she formed around her was almost identical to the one she created in Blue's castle, except that it was more opaque and difficult to see, and it was more of a reddish orange color than the deep gold of the shield.
"So... is that it?" she asked with sass, letting Latnok be the judge. She felt that the more success she had in his lessons, the more he would leave her alone...

Latnok shook his head. "Not even close - you'll know the spell works when you form a ring of light marking the area. I don't know if that's some sort of barrier, but Ward is a spell about alerting you and slowing down a possible attacker, not blocking attacks. You can choose not to take these lessons seriously - but when some invisible creature sneaks up on you and kills you because you became complacent, you'll wish you did in your dying moments.
"And a word of advice - I hear that tone of yours. What that tells me is that you will try to be belligerent in any way you can possibly get away with. But I'm not dumb. You'll find there is very little that I will let you get away with. As I said - this can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. And right now, you are choosing to make this hard. Remember that."
He then turned to Ilasi, who had been paying attention eagerly. "Why don't you give it a try, Ilasi?"
"Okay, Mr. Latnok," Ilasi said.
"Please - just call me Latnok. Save that for Godfather Sere."
"Okay, Latnok."
Ilasi closed her eyes and performed the invocation as instructed. Soon, however, the water began condensing around them - similar to Sere's spell, but less focused. Ilasi dropped the spell when she realized what was happening, her disappointment clearly visible in her face.
"Don't worry, Ilasi - you seemed to have the right idea," Latnok sad, not much bothered by the water on account of his armor. "It seems that your mind, rather than being focused, is just moving on its own. Is something distracting you?"
"...Yes, Mr - uh, Latnok." Ilasi was, indeed, distracted - many, many thoughts about the note racing through her head. If only there were some way she could see what Maverick's handwriting normally looked like... "I'm sorry. I'll be ready next time."
"Don't worry too much. It's not the easiest spell, so the first successful attempt may take a bit of practice. Okay, you two take a short break, then come back here. Don't make me have to go looking for you, Angora."
Ilasi took advantage of the opportunity to leave. She needed something to help her focus...

Angora was quite furious. Not even Shade's encouragement was enough to stop her from feeling so upset with Latnok. Her tone wasn't even rude, yet he seemed eager to make her as miserable as possible, as if her life on the ship wasn't hard enough. What was worse, Ilasi goofed up the spell more than she did and yet he was treating her far better. Despite her anger, she was glad for this lucky break, and took the advantage to return below deck. She already fed Veris and she was in no mood to see the greedy wyvern, so she returned to check on Dahlia and treat herself with some food. She hasn't eaten anything today and already served those bunch of smelly, beastly sailors, so she believed she deserved a treat. She returned near where Latnok was training her and Ilasi and looked at the ocean as she ate, the sound of the waves and the smell of the sea calming her nerves a little bit.

On the other side of the ship, Maverick continued swabbing the deck and ignoring the rest of the crew. Some were murmuring among each other. He didn't know if they were talking about him or if it was just idle chatter, but he made sure he didn't eavesdropped on anyone...

A while after Angora, Ilasi returned, with Latnok standing and waiting in the mean time. "Okay, looks like we're ready, then," Latnok said. "Okay, Angora - maybe you didn't quite understand what sort of behavior I'm expecting from you. So I'll forgive you this once for what you did. I won't be as kind next time. All I want when I do this is to teach you and make you more effective. Is that too hard to accept? Are you too proud to want to learn anything from me? Will you just keep cutting off your nose to spite your face? Or will you actually try this time, humor me, and see if acting differently causes me to treat you differently?
"Now go ahead. Cast the spell. I would appreciate it if you actually tried this time," he finished. Ilasi just looked on - while she felt terrible for Angora, she was glad that at least her screw-up didn't seem to anger Latnok at all. She had to do better this time, though. Improving her magic had been one of her main goals for a long time, so she would take every opportunity to do so.

As Maverick performed his duties, Sere happened to run across him. "That's good initiative you have there," he said - in a complimentary tone, rather than the more aggressive tone he had earlier. "When you're done with that, and Angora is done with her magic lesson with Latnok, get together and take care of the scullery. After that, you two will be off-duty for a while. I will handle the navigation in the meantime." Sere stood by this time, in case Maverick needed any clarification on what he just said.

Quote: A Guy

"Well... that's... wow," Leoquin said, not quite sure what to think of everything that he was just told. "So... basically, you were an experiment, and now that you're stable, your collar makes you more powerful? That sounds pretty cool, actually. Certainly more fun than that the collar that thing has. But anyway, if my boss trusts you, I trust you too. So... then I take it you were raised by humans, then? Or did you live with dragons and were just trained by humans? How did the whole thing work? How did your parents take it?"

"Thank-you-- I appreciate that.," Raclaw said with a nod before getting back to Leoquin's many questions. "To start off, the collar isn't all fun and games-- and can pose a risk when dwelling deep into my own memories. It is manageable, however, and it helps me more than it hurts me.," he began to explain-- remembering how it had weakened him in the dead zone and how a minor corruption had successfully used it against him even earlier. And it was still questionable rather the presence of Damon was entirely a 'good' thing. At the very least, it did now provide him with a mean of carrying things even if it only posed questions from nearly every new ally he encountered.

"I.. I was raised by humans and my parents-- well it's a long story. The intent of the program was for the hatchling to be hosted by a human family and watched over, ether by a Guardian such as Latnok or their original parents depending. That was original intent at least and from I am told-- the hatchling would've ether given up by the original parent or would've been orphaned prior to being entered into the program. In my case, I would've fallen into the former category-- that much is known at least. However, things didn't entirely go to plan and I was-- well misplaced for lack of a better word. As a young pup, I was found by a unrelated Guardian in an unknown land-- and placed with a family not origially intended to be a host. This family raised me to the best of their ability and despite the fact that I remain unable to speak their native tongue to this very day. While I could understand their tongue, their tongue remains incompatible with dragonkind.," Raclaw said briefly pausing to give Leoquin the chance to absorb the new information-- and ask any related questions. As he spoke, he was understandably a tad more emotional on the subject.

Growing tired of giving him the silent treatment, Angora decided to speak up, although thankfully she did it in a calm tone.
"Alright... Latnok. Before I do the spell, enlighten me. I listened to your instructions. I performed the spell, and then afterwards I asked you how I did. I wasn't even being rude! I simply asked you a question and you still treated me awful! So I did the spell erroneously, but so did Ilasi and you treated her far better than you did me. So tell me, what is it that you want from me? What is exactly the behavior you expect? Is there no pleasing you when it comes to me? No matter what I say or what I do, it's always bad! " Angora declared in a quiet tone, but it was clear from her body language that she was flustered with the treatment. Latnok's different behavior with Ilasi proved Angora's point further.

"Understood... señor." Maverick answered in a neutral tone, sounding respectful but indifferent. Sere was his captain, nothing more. Not a companion or even a friend, just his boss. Like Angora, Maverick believed it has been horrible from his part to have brought the crew so against them. If it has been him and Latnok alone the only ones angry, Maverick would've understood and accepted their reasonable behavior. But they badmouthed him and Angora and denied them the chance to befriend the crew or at least have a decent relationship with them, an action that the fawn man found too rotten, especially from such a wise leader like Sere.

Elsewhere, Risar could be seen arm wrestling one of the tougher looking sailors, "AAAAAARG! Drats-- you win again.," the sailor could be heard saying clearly struggling to beat his much strong opponent. "Oh come on-- you said you could do it!," another sailor could be heard saying. "Risar warned you-- yet you try.," the minotaur said with a big grin on his face.

"So... you were just... well, that's quite a lot you have going on there," Leoquin said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you as much as I did." Leoquin thought for a very brief moment before coming up with something. "So anyway, with someone with as much of a story as you, I'm surprised you're so... calm. There are a lot of people on this boat, but I don't know if I can really describe anyone else as calm. But anyway, would you be able to talk to fish by any chance? Sharks? I've always wanted to speak to one - a bit of a lofty goal, there, though."

"What I expect? You of all people should know what I expect by now," Latnok scolded. "I expect you to treat me with respect. I expect you to cooperate. I expect you to not bite the hand that feeds. I expect you to actually try. Ilasi does all of those things. You do not. Once you actually do those things, then we will have absolutely no problems with each other. But you're aboard this ship. You chose to come with us on this voyage. You have done things to lose our trust. You're going to have to earn it back, and showing that you're dedicated and actually trying to be as good at your job as you can be by taking training seriously, instead of just here because of Shade while you don't care about anyone else on this boat but Maverick, will go a long way toward that. You better not let Godfather Sere hear you talk to me how you just did - he may not be as forgiving as I am." The last line was a pretty obvious reference to Sere's mission terms earlier.
"Now, go ahead. You will cast the spell. And if you actually try, and you take it seriously, I may even tell you how to improve. Don't make this any harder than you have to."

Angora could barely believe Latnok's insolence. He demanded respect, when all he has done every since meeting her was belittle her every chance he got. Just how much pride and egocentrism this guy had that it made him believe he was worthy of respect from an individual he has bullied constantly? Even when saving her life, Latnok did it insultingly. She still didn't understand why he was so insistent with the teaching, but if it meant she would get him off her back, she was willing to try... at least more than she was already.
"Well fine...!" Angora said annoyingly, really wanting to say a few more things to him, but she has learned to keep certain thoughts to herself. Concentrating harshly on the spell, she said the word ward in her mind, praying that both Neo and the orb she had around her would help her focus and be successful. A few seconds later, the so called ring appeared around Angora, a reddish orange just like the shield before. Angora had the correct spell, but she didn't know that, so she hoped to have the right one to have this part of the lesson over. Despite being the right spell, something was strange about it. Smoke was coming from the reddish ring. Angora didn't know if that was normal, but she nevertheless kept the spell going...

Maverick watched from the distance as Angora performed, still with his cleaning duty. It was still impressive how this little troll that knew nothing about magic was suddenly using it. While she performed, his attentions sometimes drifted to the imposing minotaur and his arm brawl. Clearly that sailor was someone too stupid or too proud to even try to beat a minotaur at something such an arm wrestling. The minotaur's arm was bigger than his own waist.

Quote: A Guy

"So... you were just... well, that's quite a lot you have going on there," Leoquin said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you as much as I did." Leoquin thought for a very brief moment before coming up with something. "So anyway, with someone with as much of a story as you, I'm surprised you're so... calm. There are a lot of people on this boat, but I don't know if I can really describe anyone else as calm. But anyway, would you be able to talk to fish by any chance? Sharks? I've always wanted to speak to one - a bit of a lofty goal, there, though."

"It's-- it's quite alright. I had a good life and I have no regrets,." Raclaw said with a faint smile fondly remembering his past. "Anyway--- about the fish. I'll be honest.. I've never actually tried, but it's not entirely impossible. I can tell you that I can talk to dogs, but beyond that is yet to be determined.," he then said thinking of the possibilities. If he could talk to dogs *and* talk to fish, than he could talk to nearly anything-- and that presented rather unique opportunities. It was clear that even he wasn't entirely aware of the full extent of his rather unique ability. "It's worth a shot.," Chester barked looking up at Raclaw.

Latnok paid attention intently as Angora cast the spell. This time, the spell seemed right, but... it was off somehow? Besides how the spell's appearance manifested, however, Latnok couldn't sense anything wrong with the magic of it. "...close enough. You're done here. Let's try to care about the next lesson a tiny bit more. Every man on this ship does some form of training during the day - I expect the same from you, too, if you want to be worth the food we have to feed you. Speaking of which, the scullery needs attending to. Do it, then go sulk in a corner or whatever it is you like to do in your free time until we need you again." Latnok knew that Angora wasn't really trying to learn by doing the lesson - she was just trying to satisfy him. And as long as she kept that attitude, he would consider her not willing to put in the effort to be as prepared for the task ahead as possible. He would have Ilasi cast the spell after Angora left - she actually seemed to care, however, so he would take his time more with her.

"Well, if you ever need me, I would be very happy to help round up some fish for you," Leoquin gladly offered. "I'm not particularly familiar with dogs - I know that humans like to keep them, but I don't know exactly what they're like. He seems pretty nice, though." Leoquin was going to speak more, but Sere came to tell him something.
"Leoquin, I'll let you know now that you will be doing the navigating for a part of the night. I will be doing it for the rest of the night, as I can sleep more efficiently than many others."
"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Leoquin confirmed, remembering how Sere answered him when he asked Sere how he wanted to be addressed.
"Raclaw... I have a task for you," Sere said. "I need you to go around and give me the gist of how the crew is feeling right now. I'm not concerned with Maverick, Angora, or Shade, for obvious reasons - but I would like the rest of the crew to be in as good spirits as I can have them, and see what I can do if not."

The spell was correct, but Angora's anger lingered so much that it heated up, causing the smoke those present witnessed. A black, circular line remained, though thankfully, it wasn't anything damaging to the ship. Giving a small grunt, Angora went to the scullery as ordered, still furious that there was just no pleasing Latnok. She listened to his lessons, performed the spell, and even tried to speak to him in a kind and civilized matter. Now he pretended to have her supposedly care for the lesson when she didn't even cared about him? And even if he managed that, what was next? Bow to him? Angora found the scullery and got to work, much calmer now but still very annoyed.
"Care Angora. Show me respect Angora! Seriously, there is no way to please him! And now this entire crew hates us for him and his dear master badmouthing us. And I'm the one bringing people against him? That hypocrite hasn't changed at all!" Angora vented quietly, feeling like she could finally take things off her chest now that she was finally alone. Maverick was still up the hull swabbing the deck, but Angora already suspected he would he put to similar tasks as her later.
"I'm telling you Neo, I don't know what you and Orion saw in me, but it's clear to me you two have lost your touch! Maverick sees something in me cause he's too stupidly kind, and Shade feels like he owes me something, but besides them, who else there is really? That wyvern? Hah! He made it clear that he loves food more than anything and anyone else! Just look at what has become of my life! Imprisoned twice for a crime I didn't commit, kidnapped by a stupidly murderous dragon, thrown into a sadistic arena like some clown, and now working on a ship full of people that hate me! It's like the whole damn world got together and said hey, let's make Angora's life as miserable as possible and not give a damn about her feelings or the fact she risked her life to save us from a world destroying monster!" She continued venting, clearly still too appalled to think about anything else. Neo barely talked to her anymore, and Angora suspected that he was usually sleeping, but she still liked to talk to him as if he was there paying attention. Even if there was no response in the end, it still made her feel better.

With Angora finally out of the way, Latnok could focus on helping Ilasi out with the spell now - he could tell that she was definitely receptive to his teaching. "Okay, now we have a general idea of what was right and where we could improve with the spell," Latnok said to Ilasi. "Let's give it a try - we'll see if clearing your head a bit helped."
Ilasi still could not manage to completely eliminate the thoughts of Maverick, and his note - was it legitimate? Or forged by Angora to attempt to shame her? Angora didn't seem too bad to Ilasi initially - however, Angora did have that episode of hostility about a week before. In addition, the Guardians were thoroughly convinced that she was malicious and untrustworthy. Was there, perhaps a good reason for that? How would she find out if the note was forged or not? And how would she handle either result?
"I hope so," was all Ilasi could say. She didn't know if it would actually help, and wasn't going to say anything optimistic lest she disappoint the instructor. She cast the spell...
Instead of the desired result, however, the floor around her began to frost over. "Ilasi, wait," Latnok said, trying not to startle her or make her uncomfortable. "Ice... I see what you're doing. You're trying to keep the other thoughts out - unfortunately, that sort of focus, of detachment, will often result in ice magic."
"I'm... I'm sorry, Latnok," Ilasi said, disappointed in herself. "There's something very important on my mind, and I... I need time to sort it out."
"Relax. You're nothing like Angora. I don't need to be forceful with you in order to listen to what I have to say - like I said, this will be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. And you're making this pretty easy right now. Go ahead - sort out whatever it is you need, then come back to me a bit later today if you get it done, or tomorrow if not."
"I will. Thank you, Latnok." Ilasi nodded, and walked off - where to, exactly, she didn't know yet, but she would have to think of what to do first...

Maverick was swapping another part of the ship by then, trying to finish up as quickly as possible so he could help Angora with the scullery. It really helped him space out, and even though the sun was intense, it was nothing compared to the desert he had to navigate, the same one where he found Dahlia. He had become so distracted by his work that he even started humming without realizing it. When he caught on, he reminded himself of his precious mandolin. It's been so long since he last played it. The last time was when Laszur abducted him. A really bad memory, but Maverick wasn't going to let such a lousy experience get the better of him. He had faith that one of these days, he would play the beautiful instrument again, hopefully without any interruptions...

Ilasi was deep in thought - the best way to verify the note was to get a sample of Maverick's handwriting. Just how could she do that? She absentmindedly walked by many sailors, lost in thought...
...that was it! There was Leoquin; he seemed to be off to the side for now, as Raclaw and Sere spoke. She would request a favor of him.
"Hey, Leoquin, you're a navigator too, right?" she asked.
"Sure am," he said. "Why?"
"Would you be able to ask Maverick to write down his current observations about... navigational matters? For passing the job off?"
"I mean, I guess I could," he said, "but he could just tell me or Mr. Sere."
"I'm trying to learn this sort of thing myself... so I'd like to see his notes on the matter," Ilasi said. "I'd greatly appreciate it if you could get them."
"Well, I suppose there's no harm," Leoquin said. "Though I doubt that they'll be as good as ours. Whatever, you can take a look at mine later and compare for yourself."
"Thank you."

Soon, Leoquin found Maverick cleaning the ship, while humming to himself. Whatever he was doing right now, it didn't seem very important. "Hey, monkey-man," he called out. "Write down your navigational observations. Some of us would like to take a look at what you've been doing."

Maverick turned around to see who was addressing to him, and found to his mild annoyance it was the mermen Ilasi was talking to earlier. The guy struck him as quite brash and rude, and it seemed like his first impressions were correct.
"Navigational... observations? Well that's an odd request, but I'll do it." Maverick obliged, believing that this request was simply the mermen making sure he wasn't taking them off course. Just another individual Sere made paranoid with all his badmouthing he guessed. The fawn man then took a piece of paper and began writing down the conditions of the ship, as well as the weather and even the latitude they were in, all accurate information. Maverick's sailing skills were no joke, but that's what happens when you're forced to be a pirate since birth. He then handed down the paper to the mermen, using the exact same type of writing he used for Ilasi's note. It was cursive, but with a very peculiar style that made it look like it was something else. Maverick had been expecting something like this from Sere, not the mermen, but then he suspected that maybe the old Guardian put him up to it.

Leoquin roughly took the paper from Maverick, and began reading some of it himself out of his own curiosity. It would certainly seem that Maverick had some idea of what he was doing. "Okay, then," he said. "This better be accurate. Someone else will take over later. Go back to whatever job they dumped on you." Leoquin folded up the piece of paper, walking away.
Ilasi waited patiently on the other side of the deck, right where Leoquin left her. He came back a lot sooner than expected. "Here it is," he said, offering the piece of paper to Ilasi, who gladly accepted - she wasted absolutely no time reading it. The handwriting... it matched! It had to be Maverick! Ilasi couldn't hide the look of pure joy on her face. "Thank you so much, Leoquin!" she said gratefully.
"Well, it's just some notes... Not a big deal, really," Leoquin said. "Anyway, I'm going to see what else there is to do on deck, then take a break to prepare for tonight."
"That sounds reasonable," Ilasi said, as Leoquin moved off. Now, what to do from here...

Maverick said nothing and simply shook his head slowly, continuing with his job. He didn't know if Leoquin's antagonism was due to personality or Sere planting seeds of doubt in him, but it was certain that he wasn't going to have it easy on him. It made him rather sad that Ilasi would want to interact with someone as rude as him, but he imagined that it was comforting for her not to be the only mermaid on board. With the thoughts depressing him, Maverick did nothing else but to clean, resuming his humming to forget about the lousy days that awaited him on this ship...

Ilasi thought of the many ways she could approach the situation. She could try to find him now, and speak to him - but may that come off as too confrontational, and make him less open? Besides, what impression would talking with him, for as long as they would probably need to, give the others? Would it make them feel like she was less trustworthy? She could try to get a note to Maverick - but what if whoever was passing it, or whoever found it, read it themselves? That would be less than ideal. She could wait to run into Maverick again - but what if that just made him think that she was going to try to avoid him?
After some time thinking, she finally settled on something - she would find his room in the evening. Maverick wouldn't just avoid her, no one would interrupt them, and, considering that most of the sailors didn't know each other's rooms yet, it'd be hard for anyone to even know that she was speaking to him. In the worst-case scenario, she could say that Maverick borrowed something from her, and she needed it back. Now, she just had to wait until then... She would keep herself busy by desalinating and purifying some seawater for drinking.

Latnok, with nothing to do immediately, observed Shade. His wounds were still not fully healed, and the hexphage still covered him. He wouldn't be a threat to even a training dummy right now. Nevertheless, they could never be too careful. "Good on you for not causing any issues so far, Shade," Latnok said. "Let's hope it stays that way."

For most of the day, Maverick swabbed the deck, cleaned the tables and checked their course. Before he knew it, it was late afternoon when he was done. He felt both sad and relieved that Ilasi didn't come to him. When he went to help Angora with the scullery, it was practically all done. She washed the dishes, dusted the cabinets and cleaned the floor. Like with Maverick, she was doing as much as she could to distract herself from everything. This work was better than mining and digging below the arena in Redwater anyway. She would sometimes sneak out to see either Shade or Veris since they weren't doing any work, and she would ocasionally go to the cellar to have a few brief snacks. Despite the breaks, she got the job done.
"Well, I guess we finally earned a time off." Maverick said when he visited the troll in the scullery, believing that with the job they have done, not ever Sere could find and excuse to complain about them. Despite wanting to remain there to avoid the crew, the scullery soon became a depressing place, so Angora and Maverick decided to go to the deck to watch the sunset...

After her work, Ilasi had found some space on the deck for herself. She was determined to succeed in casting the ward this time. Her mind cleared of doubts, she calmed, and began the invocation of the spell. All she had to do was focus...

Latnok himself had been practicing his own spellcasting, out into the open air - he took his own training as seriously as he took everyone else's, and refused to become complacent. Though he tried to find Sere to spar with, Sere was too occupied for any such thing.
After being reasonably content with his own training for the day, he began patrolling the deck, making sure there was nothing significantly wrong. Somewhere, off in the distance, he spotted Ilasi, her back turned.
He came closer to see how she was doing; shortly before reaching her, however, he felt something slow him down drastically, for a few moments - like the spell Cailun cast on him at the arena - and Ilasi jumped up and turned around, very, very, startled. "Uh, Mr - uh, Latnok! I'm sorry, please -"
"No, no, you're fine," Latnok said. "I should've figured." He had obviously triggered the ward - the spell area, though visible to the caster and those near the caster, was not visible to those on the outside. "It would seem that you managed to get the spell down on your own. Good job taking the initiative to practice.'
"Thank you. I want my magic to be as good as it can be; I try to practice it when I can."
"I can see that," Latnok said. "Great job - I might have some more to teach you later, then. Maybe you can inspire Angora to care... wait, never mind, this is magic, not miracle working."
Ilasi wanted to change the subject, seeing where the current path of it may be headed. "It's quite a beautiful sunset here."
"I... guess so," Latnok said. "I've never really taken the time to observe them. We'll have to appreciate these when we can; storms are ahead of us, no doubt."
"Well, I know a bit of magic which might help make storm navigation a bit easier," Ilasi said. "A spell I spent a lot of time working on while working under others. It should make it easier for the ship to move across the water, in an event like that."
"Well... we have some pretty good sailors here, but if you could help us out with that, I'd appreciate it." Latnok looked out at the sunset - to him, it was often a harbinger of danger, due to the many nasty creatures which would take advantage of the night to hunt. However, here, it was something different; assurance that the weather didn't immediately have anything drastic in store for them.

Meanwhile...
Quote: A Guy

"Well, if you ever need me, I would be very happy to help round up some fish for you," Leoquin gladly offered. "I'm not particularly familiar with dogs - I know that humans like to keep them, but I don't know exactly what they're like. He seems pretty nice, though." Leoquin was going to speak more, but Sere came to tell him something.
"Leoquin, I'll let you know now that you will be doing the navigating for a part of the night. I will be doing it for the rest of the night, as I can sleep more efficiently than many others."
"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Leoquin confirmed, remembering how Sere answered him when he asked Sere how he wanted to be addressed.
"Raclaw... I have a task for you," Sere said. "I need you to go around and give me the gist of how the crew is feeling right now. I'm not concerned with Maverick, Angora, or Shade, for obvious reasons - but I would like the rest of the crew to be in as good spirits as I can have them, and see what I can do if not."

"Yes Godfather.," Raclaw politely responded with a nod before proceeded to make his way around the ship as requested. He gave a thankful nod to Leoquin before leaving the scene. By the time that sunset came, he had made his rounds-- starting with the upper main deck, going back down and through the lower decks, and finally making his back up. As he scanned his surroundings, he picked up various surface thoughts with barely any effort; something that came natural to him. Chester eagerly followed, sticking alongside him and holding casual conversations as he did his job. 'That monster-- why do we have to drag him along?.' one crew member thought clearly referring to Shade. 'So far-- easy sailing and they seem tame enough.,' another member though referring to the calm sea and the various dragon sub-types that were on board. There seemed to be a 50/50 split between rather having Shade on board was a good thing or not.

He soon found himself on another deck, where some of the off duty crew members were sleeping or relaxing. 'Easy sailing, ample boos, and interesting company-- certainly beats hanging around the bar all day.,' one thought. 'What was that Minotaur's name again? Risar-- he can certainly keep a good grip. I wonder how he would do in...,' Raclaw quickly walked the closed room not wanting to hear anymore of that particular thought. 'These Guardians certainly love to keep dragons around. I wonder what's up with that fur dragon and that collar. Is he some kind of pet? Or is he being trained too?,' one particularly curious crew member thought echoing the thoughts Leoquin. Overall, the ship carried a good vibe-- some concern about Shade aside. Finishing up on the upper deck again; he started looking for Sere to report his finding. He took a brief moment to pause and look at the sunset alongside Chester. For his first day on a ship, it had been a good day-- although only time would tell what awaited them further out on sea.

Elsewhere, Risar was up and about-- helping on the upper deck. 'That chain-- shiny. It looks to be solid gold and would probably fetch a pretty penny.,' one sailor's surface thoughts could be heard to the nearby Raclaw. Regardless of what any of the crew members thought or wondered about the Minotaur, they didn't seem obliged to to succate their curiosity. Whereas two or three men were helping with an particular task; Risar wasn't too far away doing a similar task but by his lonesome self. He didn't seem to mind, as he was more than capable of the task at hand.

Further away from there, Angora and Maverick were at the stern, watching the white water that formed. Redwater was very far away now, and there was nothing but sea around them.
"So then Angorita. What was that all about? You know, with señor Latnok?" Maverick asked, wanting to start a conversation.
"Just more training, just like with the cave. I don't know what's his deal! I don't know why he's so insistent on teaching me magic! Why does he care? I think he only does it cause he knows how much it annoys me!" Angora answered, really despising having Latnok as a teacher, and thinking that his only reason was to bother her.
"I don't know why he wants to teach you Angorita, but I think you should take advantage of it." Maverick suggested, though knowing Latnok rather than magic was the issue.
"Come on! I've been surviving well without magic! Besides, what's the point in those times you're captured and infected with hexphage?" Angora said, recalling her awful experience in Redwater.
"Well, that won't always be the case. And magic can be very useful. Come on. I know you're not fond of señor Latnok, but even if he just wants to annoy you like you claim, his teachings can still be useful." Maverick insisted, wanting Angora to make the most of this experience.
"Well, it won't be an issue if Latnok was kinder to me. I pay attention, I listen, I cast the spell, and I talk to him politely, and he still mean to me! Seriously, there is just no way to please him! I try to care, but how can I care if he doesn't even attempt to be nice to me!" Angora declared angrily, believing that it was her presence alone what made him so antagonistic to her.
"Well, perhaps you should read about magic, or maybe just practice it in your spare time. Who knows? Maybe you'll end up loving it, and if you do that, it won't even matter that the rough señor Latnok is your teacher." Maverick recommended, knowing how hard it will be for Angora to tolerate Latnok's teaching, but to his relief, the little troll was willing to try if it meant mellowing down some of Latnok's rashness towards her.

Leoquin, having had some good rest in preparation for the nighttime navigation, was in search of Maverick once again - this time, to relieve him. It didn't take long to find him - he was pretty easy to identify, and everyone knew who he was, so asking for him was easy. He spotted him, in conversation with Angora - without waiting for an opening, he asserted himself to pass on his message.
"Hey, monkey-man, Princess Sharkbait!" he shouted. "The boss wants you to hand out food and rum for the evening meal, then go to bed; I'm taking over navigation for now, and some other poor sap will get the scullery. I don't think that's anything you two can sabotage, can you?" Leoquin said. "I mean, I suppose there is poison... might want the sailors to be careful for that. Anyway, hop to it." Later, Leoquin planned to come check on them during the food-serving process; he wanted to see the food distribution for himself, now that he gave himself the idea of what could possibly go wrong.

Meanwhile, Raclaw had found Sere and informed the Godfather of what he had learned-- which was nothing too unexpected. While still up on the main deck, he decided to catch up with Latnok and see what the Guardian was up to. It wouldn't be too hard to find him, given the bond they shared and the fact that had well aware of most of the crew member's recent positions on the ship. "Hey Latnok-- beautiful sunset.," he said with a faint smile approaching the human to which he had grown very fond towards. Chester happily followed, while Risar remained busy elsewhere.

Angora took great offense in Leoquin guiding them such rude nicknames. She was about to come up with a nickname of her own, but the attentive Maverick stopped her in time by placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Sure thing señor." Maverick said politely, thankfully calming down Angora. She remained silent and docile, knowing she almost messed up. She followed Maverick to the cellar.
"Come on Angorita. You take the tray with the food and I'll take the one with wine." he said kindly, with both of them starting to fill them up.

Now alone and away from Leoquin, Angora finally had the freedom to express herself.
"That punk! Who does that water inhaler think he is? Giving us stupid nicknames like that, taking advantage of Sere's hatred towards us to treat us however he pleases!" she said indignantly, very upset.
"Just ignore him Angorita. He's simply bored and immature. Besides, we've been treated far worse than that. Let's just focus on doing our jobs. Remember it's just the first day. Let's just keep doing things right and being polite, even if they're mean in exchange and don't deserve it. Maybe some of them we'll finally see how wrong they are about us." Maverick motivated, wanting Angora to try to be patient and kind, even if it wasn't reciprocated. Doubting it would mean better treatment, if there was at least one sailor that would treat them better eventually, then the attempt was worth a shot. Once again, Maverick made much sense to her.

Ilasi was still around when Raclaw came over. "Ah, Raclaw," Latnok said, acknowledging his arrival. "Like I said, I never really was one to just sit back and enjoy these sorts of things. A lot of our time is spent underground, you know, and I'm usually focused on other things throughout the day more than I am on sunsets. I just got here as Ilasi was practicing - she successfully cast the spell I showed her earlier today."
"Well, it wouldn't have been possible without a good teacher," Ilasi said. "I'm glad I have one more tool to help others out. It also means that I... well, I'm worth more if I'm ever needed for a similar job in the future." Ilasi took a look at Chester - being a mermaid, she never really met many dogs, so she was quite curious about him. "So, Chester is his name, right? What do dogs... do, anyway? Why do humans like to keep them around?"
"Well, dogs do many things," Latnok said. "Many people like them for their companionship. Some, like Chester over here, are good for hunting. There are many other purposes they can serve, such as finding lost people, or fugitives. The Ardent Guardians use hellhounds - as you can imagine, they're highly aggressive creatures, but we have the knowledge and the resources to train them. Raclaw would know a lot more about Chester, however - he literally speaks his language. So, what does Chester think about this whole journey so far, Raclaw?" Latnok asked - giving Raclaw more of an opportunity to explain anything he wanted to about him, or potentially ask questions on Chester's behalf.

"For the most part, he's just happy to get away from Redwater and to experience the world at large-- something I could relate to when I first went off on my own. With his old masters, he was neglected at best and at worst...," Raclaw paused opting to avoid the assumed word in front of the little Beagle mix. "Let's just say that we are much better company and, at least with us, he knows he's safe. He does share of the crew's concern with Shade as well as the unpredictability of being out on sea, but he trusts us and he'll do just fine so long as we'll here. He.. he does wonder what will happen with him once our journey into Falcon's Beak concludes. However, he trusts our judgement and is just taking it day-by-day at this point.," Raclaw said looking down at Chester with a slight smile and relaying some of the same thoughts that he himself shared. Chester looked up at Raclaw and barked a happy sounding bark, having clearly grown fond of the fur dragon just as he had with Latnok.