darkSpyro

"I will.," Raclaw said with a reassuring nod. He would remain for any remaining small talk, before returning to the waiting Latnok and Chester.

As Leoquin left, he reflected on what the others had said to hi. But what did they know? Pirates - a self-serving bunch. Lucky to even be alive. Ad Ilasi - she was a traitor. She didn't care about her own countrymen - in fact, she was perfectly fine befriending that mass murderer... it was almost insulting that she pretended to be concerned for him. The only thing she could possibly be concerned about was that if he couldn't perform his job, Maverick would have to do more work, and would have less time to spend with her.
All he had to do was keep doing what he was doing, serving his fellow crew members as best he could. Failing one person was bad enough. People were counting on him to do his job. He wouldn't fail again, no matter the cost to himself.

Ilasi's mood remained down after the encounter. What did she do wrong? She never wanted anything other than the best for those she helped - was that not enough? She could only do so much... but Leoquin's attitude was potentially dangerous. Should she speak to someone else? She wasn't sure if that was something worth actually bringing up. Not like the leaders could police everyone else's mood. Maybe hej ust needed time... but the thoughts he had seemed to have been festering for some time. What was there to do? For now, there was nothing she could do except keep helping where she could...

The trio could see Ilasi's melancholy, and Random in particular was quite angry with Leoquin for making her feel that way.
"Take some time off miss. We can take it from here. As you can see, there isn't many people here. All they need now is some rest and everything will be fine. Or if you think it's urgent, of us can help you with the inventory." Sand Dune offered, wanting to make Ilasi's life as easy as possible.

Quote: redwes

"I will.," Raclaw said with a reassuring nod. He would remain for any remaining small talk, before returning to the waiting Latnok and Chester.

Angora didn't know what else to say to him. She had once wanted to talk about many things, but with this being such an awkward moment, she didn't know where to start.
"You know, it was cool the way you and Latnok worked together to battle that beast. But even more awesome how much he respects you. He didn't like resorting to mounting you... but it was a matter of time. It was needed, and we all prevailed for that." Angora commended, glad that their relationship was much full of care and respect than she originally thought. Perhaps their relationship wasn't so different to the one she had with Shade, although Lantok could still use a few improvements. He was heading to the right direction though, since there he was, seeing Raclaw talking to her, but unlike last times, he wasn't doing anything to stop him. Perhaps Raclaw's influence was finally having a positive impact after all.

"T-thank you. I'm.. I'm glad to hear you say that.," Raclaw began to respond seeming somewhat surprised at the Troll's new viewpoint of Latnok. 'Angora respecting Latnok-- who would've thought?,' the Fur Dragon then thought placing a paw upon his collar and the green gem that since seemed to symbolize his growing friendship/bond under the Guardian. The whole 'green to symbolize Latnok' thing had been an complete accident and he had never specified what color he had wanted the gem to be. He figured it was initially made green because of his eyes and that it only *coincidentally* matched up with the colors of the Guardian's also green armor. Green eyes, green gem, green armor-- what were the chances? Perhaps it had been fate after all...

"I always knew that we would eventually have to mount up; I've known since the day I gave my collar. It was inevitable as such things always are once dragon and human choose to truly become one. And respect has always been at the core of our relationship. The collar-- it means more to me than you will ever know and I consider myself fortunate to have found someone worthy of claiming it and everything I am. Latnok; he's not perfect by any means nor would I want him to be. He's flawed yes, but so are we all. But all we can do is try to be the best Human or Dragon or Troll that we can possibly be.," Raclaw then said clearly considering the collar a part of himself; perhaps even a part of his very soul and identity.

Angora listened carefully to what Raclaw said. While part of her knew the fur dragon chose to befriend Latnok because he was too used to being controlled and dependent, she was starting to realize it was for the best. Raclaw could help Latnok be a better person. She doubted he would help him be nice to her, but the fact that he was letting Raclaw talk to someone he despised was still progress.
"You know, I always find funny how different I viewed dragons once. Nothing but scaly, fire breathing beasts that hoarded treasure, stole livestock and ransacked villages. Now I don't even know where that stereotype comes from. There is so much variety. Shade... well he looks more like how I imagined dragons to be, but despite the troublesome past and not being from this world at all, all he wanted was to have friends. You breathe fire too, but are smaller than a normal dragon and bonded with a human. And you have fur instead of scales. Veris is, well a wyvern, which is sort of a dragon too, but only has his wings and two legs to support himself and doesn't even breathe fire. And he also bonded with a human... and me, a troll no less. Heh, a little too much." Angora expressed, having wanted to avoid bringing him into the conversation again, but it became almost unavoidable. Angora still couldn't believe Veris wanted her permanently, but that was now to be expected when she went the extra mile with his care to impress Sere. She accomplished her objective, but it came with something extra in return.

Back at Ilasi's cabin, Maverick had been distracted with the book the entire time. He was hoping to find something about some of the creatures that they have encountered, like the tongueans or the caveos he heard about back in the island he was in without memory, but there was nothing about them. Perhaps they were fauna exclusive to the archipelago, and given that probably no Guardian have ever ventured into those dangerous waters until now, it was no mystery why they weren't registered. He suddenly remembered the tonguean that was killed when it decided to hunt the sailors. Maverick felt sorry for the animal. It was a threat for sure and almost killed one of them, but in the end it was just an animal, who was simply looking for food and didn't know any better than messing with strange creatures coming to it's land.

Though she felt bad about leaving, Ilasi appreciated the assistance. "Thank you," she said gratefully as she left the infirmary. Perhaps a break in her room would be in order?
She would return there before too long. Gently opening the door, she came in to find Maverick reading an encyclopedia of some sort.
"Hello, dear," Ilasi said as she moved to sit next to him. She wasn't expecting him to be there right then, but was very pleasantly surprised to have him, her mood picking back up almost immediately. Judging by hoe comfortable he seemed, she judged that he was there for awhile. "That's a rather big book you have there. I don't know if I'd be able to take all of that in at once." Ilasi did do plenty of reading on her own, but she only read more technical material when she needed the specific knowledge.

Laszur was going to retire to his own room, but there was one person he had to address first. Shade - the whole reason he was on this trip.
Shade wasn't hard to find lounging around on the deck. Laszur approached him, making his own presence known. "Scourge. You did well out there," he complimented - some positive reinforcement being in order. "Keep that up, and I'll probably consider it safe to keep you under lock and key in Aelinon instead of having to execute you." It wasn't the most pleasant subject matter, but Laszur wasn't one to beat around the bush.

As Angora talked to Raclaw, she would glance at Veris from time to time. He wasn't one to get into Michief, and he looked more interested in breathing the air and feeling the sun than causing some trouble. She then noticed Laszur talking to Shade, and got very curious. Training? She hasn't seen that for a while. Despite the curiosity, she remained with Raclaw.

Quote: A Guy

Though she felt bad about leaving, Ilasi appreciated the assistance. "Thank you," she said gratefully as she left the infirmary. Perhaps a break in her room would be in order?
She would return there before too long. Gently opening the door, she came in to find Maverick reading an encyclopedia of some sort.
"Hello, dear," Ilasi said as she moved to sit next to him. She wasn't expecting him to be there right then, but was very pleasantly surprised to have him, her mood picking back up almost immediately. Judging by how comfortable he seemed, she judged that he was there for awhile. "That's a rather big book you have there. I don't know if I'd be able to take all of that in at once." Ilasi did do plenty of reading on her own, but she only read more technical material when she needed the specific knowledge.

"Ilasi! Hola." he greeted, but if she was already on her break, it meant he has stayed there for a long time.
"Any no, what time it is? Got very distracted!" Maverick said urgently, but hopeful that he hasn't been needed. Otherwise someone would've come looking for him. The book was so very interesting. Not only did it gave information about a creature's attacks and location, it also had images of anatomy and evaluated intelligence, whether it was something as impressive and dangerous as a behemoth or something common and well known like dirt buffalos like his beloved Dahlia.

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"You know, I always find funny how different milI viewed dragons once. Nothing but scaly, fire breathing beasts that hoarded treasure, stole livestock and ransacked villages. Now I don't even know where that stereotype comes from. There is so much variety. Shade... well he looks more like how I imagined dragons to be, but despite the troublesome past and not being from this world at all, all he wanted was to have friends. You breathe fire too, but are smaller than a normal dragon and bonded with a human. And you have fur instead of scales. Veris is, well a wyvern, which is sort of a dragon too, but only has his wings and two legs to support himself and doesn't even breathe fire. And he also bonded with a human... and me, a troll no less. Heh, a little too much." Angora expressed,

"Yeah...," Raclaw said with a little bit of a playful smile, although not forgetting about what he had agreed to help with. "You know-- I never expected to find a dragon like Darkheart out in the world, someone willing to accept me for everything I am today. When I chose Latnok, when I chose ownership-- well, many dragons have to choose between one or the other from what I've heard. To accept an owned and collared dragon such as myself, I consider myself very fortunate to have found someone like that.," the Fur Dragon then said as it felt good to catch up with Angora again. He didn't know why he was revealing so much to the Troll, but it wasn't as if she didn't already know. He briefly glanced to where Darkheart was on deck.

"Ah yes, Darkheart." Angora commented, almost forgetting about the returning addition.
"Yeah, you are fortunate. Darkheart looks like the wild type, but she's very nice. Never been mean to me once. She was even starving when she appeared here again. Had to get her some food when she came before me." she explained, still remembering the fright the dragoness gave her when she first appeared from the shadows. She could've easily attacked her in a fit of hunger, but she resisted. Angora didn't know if Darkheart told Raclaw about that meeting, but now she knew. It was beyond ironic how all the dragons on board have treated her far better than the humans. Maverick was an exception, but he wasn't entirely human. Although she couldn't forget Sand Dune, Random and Opium. As far as she knew, they were pure humans. But for the most part, dragons have been the ones treating her decently. Darkheart barely even knew her and she has always treated her kindly. Raclaw was indeed lucky.

"I know she was hiding for some time before being discovered-- I never knew she was starving, but.. but it makes sense. I'm glad you were there for her and still are.," Raclaw offered a meek smile while also lowering his ears out of slight shame. He could've looked for her sooner, could've stopped her before she had left in the first place, could've .. done something. And she apparently starved as she hid for *his* sake. Still, what's done was done and nothing would change that now.

"Oh, it's not too much of an issue," Ilasi reassured Maverick. "Leoquin is navigating right now. Even though I think he should be resting..." Of course the conversation would come back to him.
"I can tell he doesn't like needing my help for anything. He used to be so kind to me, but... he thinks I'm a traitor or something because I've associated with Shade - or at least that's when he first told me something like that. He thinks I don't care... that the only reason I want him to be careful is so you don't have to be on the job for a longer time. And he doesn't trust the trio that helps me. He feels responsible for the disappearance of his brother, from what I know - but I wish he would just give us a chance to do our part."
Ilasi had to stop herself for a moment as she reflected on what Leoquin had said. Traitor, traitor... "I don't think I'm a traitor. I don't think I've betrayed anyone... do you, dear?"

Laszur gave a short grunt of contempt. "If it were up to me, I would have seen you dead many times over as per our laws. But King Seraos wants you in control of your powers. The Guardians believe we can achieve that while doing this. Have you noticed that there's always at least one of the captain, Latnok, or myself on deck? We're monitoring you closely, and are ready to intervene should it be necessary." At the end of the day, the king's word was the law - and that was greater than any lawbook. Shade would have a chance as long as he was allowed. Unless another king were to deem such an edict null and void...

Maverick groaned, frustrated to know that Leoquin fiend was still being antagonistic to his dear girlfriend.
"Of course you aren't! Don't let him get to you Ilasi! Since when is being kind, helpful, comprehensive and efficient a crime? Sheesh, what is his problem? I understand that what Shade did is bad, but he isn't evil! Showing him compassion doesn't make you a traitor! And is he really being mean to those three men too?" Maverick said, unable to understand why Leoquin was such a jerk to everybody. Only the Guardians were saved from his treatment, but only because they were his superiors.
"If the issue is really about his brother, then I think it's evident a he's just taking his frustration out of almost everyone he sees." he then contemplated, finding no other explanation as to why he would act that way, especially with Ilasi, who has done nothing to him.

Quote: redwes

"I know she was hiding for some time before being discovered-- I never knew she was starving, but.. but it makes sense. I'm glad you were there for her and still are.," Raclaw offered a meek smile while also lowering his ears out of slight shame. He could've looked for her sooner, could've stopped her before she had left in the first place, could've .. done something. And she apparently starved as she hid for *his* sake. Still, what's done was done and nothing would change that now.

Angora was getting further impressed by Latnok. Not only did he hated mounting Raclaw and allowed him to talk to her, he was also tolerant and accepting of his relationship with Darkheart, a wild dragon.
"Well all is well now. And you all have a terrific future ahead of you. We fight these people, we prevail, and then we'll be able to finally move on. Latnok is already becoming a better person thanks to you..." Angora complimented, almost saying that she wished he could've shared some of that newfound kindness with her, but she decided to leave herself out of the subject.

"Thank you, Maverick... I'm just concerned for him," Ilasi aid, sas she looked out to where the main deck would be if the walls weren't in the way. "He seems to be okay with you now, at least, when he wasn't before. Maybe you can talk to him? Oh - I'm sorry, I don't mean... I mean, you don't have to talk to him if you don't want to. He might just need a bit more time..." Despite how comfortable Ilasi had grown with Maverick, she still struggled to be assertive at times, not wanting to be the one to make anyone do something they didn't want to.
Ilasi began to wonder if maybe she was being too pushy. Maybe she shouldn't be trying to help someone who didn't want it - but at the same time, she didn't know what she'd do if Leoquin was killed or seriously injured by his own obstinance and she could've done something to prevent it.


Laszur gave another grunt. "The king sees you as a potential asset. To exactly what end? That information is above my paygrade. I follow orders and enforce our laws. The king wants you back alive and tame, so he has left me to judge if you can safely be brought back as a prisoner. I follow those orders. I, along with Latnok and the captain, all have to agree that you can safely be handed over - otherwise, you will receive the sentence you should've received." Laszur ha his doubts about the situation, but he would follow his orders nonetheless.

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Angora was getting further impressed by Latnok. Not only did he hated mounting Raclaw and allowed him to talk to her, he was also tolerant and accepting of his relationship with Darkheart, a wild dragon.
"Well all is well now. And you all have a terrific future ahead of you. We fight these people, we prevail, and then we'll be able to finally move on. Latnok is already becoming a better person thanks to you..." Angora complimented, almost saying that she wished he could've shared some of that newfound kindness with her, but she decided to leave herself out of the subject.

"Thanks.. you as well. You found Maverick, you found Shade, and you even found unexpected friends along the way. Latnok and I, Chester and I, Darkheart and I-- we're all together despite the different circumstances; wild and domesticated creatures together as one. I'm sure once we sort out this whole Veris thing that you and your chosen family can stay together. If we can do it, than I'm sure you can as well.," Raclaw responded perhaps responding to both Angora's hopes and spoken words. Perhaps they, like his, could be one big happy family...

While Angora was glad to have a few people that liked her, Veris was someone she wished didn't like her that much.
"It's nice that Veris likes me so much... I just wish it wasn't too much. I don't want him to be disappointed and hurt if his request is denied." Angora said, once again just including Sere's decision and not her own desire. She was certain the old Guardian will have his hands tied for a while with this situation.

Quote: A Guy

"Thank you, Maverick... I'm just concerned for him," Ilasi said, as she looked out to where the main deck would be if the walls weren't in the way. "He seems to be okay with you now, at least, when he wasn't before. Maybe you can talk to him? Oh - I'm sorry, I don't mean... I mean, you don't have to talk to him if you don't want to. He might just need a bit more time..." Despite how comfortable Ilasi had grown with Maverick, she still struggled to be assertive at times, not wanting to be the one to make anyone do something they didn't want to.
Ilasi began to wonder if maybe she was being too pushy. Maybe she shouldn't be trying to help someone who didn't want it - but at the same time, she didn't know what she'd do if Leoquin was killed or seriously injured by his own obstinance and she could've done something to prevent it.

Maverick gave a small smile, finding it cute that Ilasi would still have some doubts on how to ask favors.
"No te preocupes Ilasi. I can try talking to him if that will give you some peace of mind. It will have to come natural of course. I can't just get close to him out of the blue though. Admittedly, he has been treating me better lately, but I still have to be careful on how to I approach him." Maverick assured, knowing one had to take quite a delicate approach when addressing to Leoquin. The merman clearly had a lot of issues and was short in temper, so he had to plan ahead very carefully. Perhaps he could mellow him down with some of his meals? His cooking is mostly what has earned him the respect of so many, far more than his navigational skills, so that was his best plan for now.

Ilasi gave her own smile, relieved that Maverick was willing to help out. "Thank you, dear. Of course, it doesn't have to be right now. We can relax for a bit. All of our work is done right now." One of the benefits of having a more defined job on the ship was the free time when nothing needed to be done - of course, it wasn't as fun when there was much to do and it took all day to do it...
Ilasi thought back to how she used to spend her free time - and realized she couldn't really think of much. She often didn't have leisure time, being too busy with one matter or another, having to handle personal business when she was finally done. Life was so much better now, and things were looking up - as long as they could survive this ordeal.

"We'll see about that," Laszur said incredulously. "You still have pretty far to go before I will consider you safe. Pray that I do."

Maverick nodded, sharing the sentiment.
"After a day like yesterday, I'm certain el capitán won't mind if we take it a bit easy today. We will still be alert of course, just in case, but right now, I think it's safe to settle down for a while. That monster's defeat yesterday is sure to leave a mark difficult to recover from." Maverick said, though deep inside, feeling bad for the beast. After all, it didn't ask to be in this world and be so destructive.
"So then, what should we do today?" he then asked his girlfriend, believing Ilasi had a few things in mind...

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While Angora was glad to have a few people that liked her, Veris was someone she wished didn't like her that much.
"It's nice that Veris likes me so much... I just wish it wasn't too much. I don't want him to be disappointed and hurt if his request is denied." Angora said, once again just including Sere's decision and not her own desire. She was certain the old Guardian will have his hands tied for a while with this situation.

"We don't yet know how he'll react-- there's.. there's still a chance.," Raclaw said almost placing a paw upon Angora's shoulder. The Fur Dragon didn't want to embarrass the Troll and accidentally empathize her small size. He paused before speaking again. "And if you ever need to talk, I'll be here.," he then added knowing that he and Angora would likely share the same Guardian base should the 'worst' come to show on the Veris front.

Angora simply nodded, having nothing else to say on the matter. She wondered what more they could talk to since they haven't interacted for a long time, but she figured that was enough for today. Plus Veris was still loose, and even though he wasn't causing any trouble, it was still her duty to watch over him.
"Thank you. Um... guess you should be going to your friends now?" Angora asked, getting ready to leave herself. In the few times she glanced at Veris, he wasn't looking at them. Still, she wondered if he had by any chance been jealous of Raclaw as well. She felt so silly for worrying more about Veris' request than the Ishulgite threat, but she just couldn't get out of her head how angry he got when she told him her moments with him wouldn't be forever. He rarely got angry, so it had been terrifying. And if the wyvern got his way, she knew her life would change drastically...

"You're right. And Angora-- it was nice talking to you again. I mean it.," Raclaw said as he turned to leave; the Fur Dragon offered a gentle smile before leaving and heading back towards his friends. Chester looked up between pettings and perked his ears.

Even though she didn't noticed it at first, she was also very glad she finally got to have a normal conversation with Raclaw. No Latnok interrupting them, accusing her of badmouth him. None of that nonsense. It started as a favor, but lead to a decent conversation in the end. And if Raclaw told him about how well she spoke of him, perhaps he will stop with his insane cruelty to her. Right now though, it was time to get back to Veris. Taking care of him was pretty much the only real job she had on the ship, even if she wasn't being paid for it.
"Hey boy. Having fun? I see you received plenty of those warm rays of sunshine. Ready to head out?" Angora asked, though seeing how well he was behaving, he probably would want to stay for a while longer. He spent the mayority of his time in that pen, so it was natural for him to be bored from time to time. She could only imagine how boring and hungry his life on the ship would've been if she hadn't taken care of him. Sere was usually too busy to attend to his needs when they first started the voyage, so Angora knew very well she took a heavy weight from him when she decided to be the one doing the work. She was kinda starting to regret it though, at least in terms of efficiency.

"Hmm..." Ilasi pondered what to do, as she looked around her room - neatly organized in the usual fashion, with the only thing out of place being some loose hairs from Dahlia that she hadn't had a chance to clean up yet. Her eyes settled back on Maverick's encyclopedia and she had an idea.
"Do you have any stories about your travels? Something fun? Or maybe... oh dear, that wouldn't be too relaxing now, would it?" Ilasi gave a few quick, furtive glances around - instinctively, as if she was planning something dubious, before proposing a different idea. "I have some medicine which is perfect for relaxing and easing those muscles of yours, dear..." she suggested in a more hushed tone. "After all you've done yesterday... you deserve it, don't you think?" As she spoke, she gently took one of Maverick's arms, working a deliberate, soothing massage. While the medicine she had in mind was something she initially worked to be a painkiller, the right enchantment allowed it to provide a more pleasant, calming effect - perhaps similar to alcohol, though definitely not the same. The training she had received in medicine had constantly reinforced that medicine was primarily a tool for healing - but certainly an alternate use here or there wouldn't hurt too bad, would it? Not nearly as badly as the drug a certain former pirate was named after...

Veris, who had taken the time to relax previously, instantly perked up when Angora returned. "Thank you! I am ready!" he said, seemingly satisfied with what he had had so far. Unlike Shade, Raclaw didn't register as much of a challenger to him, on account of being much smaller than he was and not being someone Angora regularly spent time with - at least as far as he knew.

"Well, not really. I do believe el capitán and his team did far more than we did on the ship. I still wish to know how Angorita did her part battling the beast, but she doesn't want to touch the subject." he expressed, wondering if it was modesty or if the battle traumatized her somewhat. It was still a mystery to him why Angora came all wet from there.

After doing the comment, Maverick answered Ilasi's other point. He was rather surprised that she would want to know about his life. There were many things he rather not remember from his pirate life... that is, until he heard her say travel, which lead him to assume she meant the life after the pirate life.
"There isn't really much to tell. Travelled a lot, settled down in different towns and villages to sell stuff, and then headed off. I met many people, and there were many different cultures if that's what you mean. Although to be perfectly honest, my life became more interesting when I started to travel with Angorita and Oscurito." Maverick explained, wondering what Ilasi was curious about exactly. He let her do the gentle massage, but could tell there was something on her mind. He knew her enough to know she was up to something, so he tried to discretely look around the same directions she was going for to see if he could deduce what she was thinking...

Quote: A Guy

Veris, who had taken the time to relax previously, instantly perked up when Angora returned. "Thank you! I am ready!" he said, seemingly satisfied with what he had had so far. Unlike Shade, Raclaw didn't register as much of a challenger to him, on account of being much smaller than he was and not being someone Angora regularly spent time with - at least as far as he knew.

Angora was rather surprised Veris was ready to leave the main deck, but it was better that way. She wanted some time to rest and think, somewhere that didn't involve him, although she had to prepare herself in case he wanted to do something else in the pen.
"Alright then. Let's go." she said, as she proceeded to escort him to his place. As they headed to the stairs, she tried to overhear what Laszur was saying to Shade, but Veris' steps didn't let her listen. She couldn't stop though, or it would be too obvious.

As they headed below deck, Angora was already starting to ponder many things. She instinctively grasped the orb in her pocket, and imagined that if it had been working, her sadistic messenger would be mocking her for not accepting his offer and for the life that awaited her should Veris get his way. She was hoping Sere could've convinced his wyvern of the complications that involved having her around, but while he started the right way, Veris' disappointment lead him to give him hope. She didn't know if he was bluffing, but whether he was or wasn't, she had no doubt the old Guardian would try to make it possible if it meant his beloved mount's happiness. Veris made it adamantly clear he wanted her, so her only hope now was for Raclaw to think of something to say that may make Veris have some second thoughts, or at least be a little more reasonable.

Ilasi's hands carefully worked their way up to Maverick's shoulders, settling there for a few moments before she stopped. "Wait right here, dear," she requested, as she got up to open a cabinet. After a brief look, she pulled out a small bottle of effervescent blue liquid, about a pint. Focusing a moment, she cast a brief enchantment on the medicine within the bottle before handing it to Maverick. Opening the bottle would expose a sweet, fruity scent.
"Please have some, dear," she suggested as she sat down besides him once again before continuing. "Just... a little something special I made for you. Don't tell anyone - this is technically supposed to be for something else... but I think a small exception is in order, don't you?" As she had mentioned previously, the medicine would help facilitate relaxation for Maverick, easing sore muscles with perhaps a small hint of euphoria.

There was only be a very brief moment after Angora and Veris arriving before a sailor came, intently seeking her. "Hey, you," he called out, pointing to her. "The captain says he wants to see you. Something important. He's in his office."

Maverick was rather disappointed when she stopped, but he saw why. She was getting something. A liquid whose color he has never seen before. Just what was that? Medicine? Juice? A tonic? He didn't know what it was, but it smelled nice. He was a bit worried about what she said though.
"Oh? Something else? Are you sure you want me to take it?" he asked, not wanting Ilasi to get in trouble if it was found out, but she looked quite insistent on the matter, so he took the bottle and drank the liquid slowly. The taste was not bad, but it was a little different from what he was expecting. He didn't know what the liquid did, but he would wait. He wasn't one to drink stuff he didn't know what were in it, but this was his girlfriend. He trusted her, not to mention it would be just plain rude if he didn't accept it...

Quote: A Guy

There was only be a very brief moment after Angora and Veris arriving before a sailor came, intently seeking her. "Hey, you," he called out, pointing to her. "The captain says he wants to see you. Something important. He's in his office."

Angora's heart stopped for a moment when she heard what the sailor said. She knew it was only a matter of time before Sere requested her presence, but she didn't think it would be this soon.
"Oh, um, alright. Veris, get inside. I'll return later with your lunch." Angora assured, opening Veris' enclosure and waiting for him to enter before proceeding to follow the sailor to the captain's office. She was so nervous, but why? It's not like she did anything wrong, and it's not like she meant Veris to be this attached to her. She had truly believed the wyvern was more than aware that having her as a caretaker was only during the voyage, but he was stubborn.

Once Maverick downed the bottle, Ilasi returned to where she left off, her hands dancing around to find just the right muscles to massage. "Thank you, dear," she said appreciatively. She sensed the hint of doubt in Maverick's questioning, so momentarily stopped to lock the door before returning. She resumed as Maverick presumably settled down.
"Now, dear, is there any particular place that comes to mind? Perhaps a nice place for us to visit sometime...? Oh, you don't have to say anything right now if you don't want to. We can just relax... Or maybe something else, if you're so inclined." After all, there would be awhile before either was needed again.

Veris entered before turning around and settling down, his mouth beginning to water at the thought of whatever lunch Angora had in mind for him.
Meanwhile, the sailor brought Angora to Sere's office, knocking to announce their presence. "Come in," Sere ordered. The sailor opened the door, giving a quick acknowledgment before leaving the two.
Sere remained at his desk, writing carefully on a piece of paper. "Angora. Please, close the door," he requested.

Latnok beckoned Raclaw over with his free hand as he continued stroking and scratching Chester with the other. "Raclaw. Welcome back. How was the conversation?" he asked. "Didn't go too badly, did it?"

Maverick felt relaxed, to the point where he thought he was going to fall asleep right there on the floor. He pondered Ilasi's question.
"Really not certain. There was this port I visited once, it had brochures of places one of their ship offered. There was this place where the mountains were so beautiful. The sky, it changes color. I don't know how, but it does. Some houses were made of ice. And the people travel by having wolves and dogs pulling sleds. It was a cold place, and I had a job to do, so I never got the chance to visit. Must be interesting, a cold place, always with snow, Sky that changes many colors..." he commented, almost like in a trance when imagining the place. In all of his travels, he visited many places, from woods to deserts, and while he has seen snow before, he has never been to a place where the soil was always snowy. He didn't know if he would handle the cold, but many of the voyages with his father were quite frigid, so he didn't think he would have too much trouble with it.

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, the sailor brought Angora to Sere's office, knocking to announce their presence. "Come in," Sere ordered. The sailor opened the door, giving a quick acknowledgment before leaving the two.
Sere remained at his desk, writing carefully on a piece of paper. "Angora. Please, close the door," he requested.

Angora obeyed, closing the door and having a seat, being still to avoid trembling. She was certain this was about Veris... but what if it wasn't? It could be about the Ishulgites. Maybe Sere wanted to include her in whatever plan he had to stop them after her contribution yesterday? She wanted to believe that was it, but whatever it was, she would find out.
"Yes captain?" she asked in an almost meek voice, still having fresh in her memory what almost happened the last time she was in that very office.

Ilasi had heard a few stories of places like that. Cold, sleds, the sky changing colors... "That sounds like somewhere extremely far north or south," she noted astutely, her hands continuing to find the right muscles as she spoke. "I think... those are auroras? The lights in the sky there? I've only heard tales about them - I never could find out whether they're real or not. I don't know what manner of creature would be causing such a thing." As interesting as such a place sounded, the environment would be harsh - Maverick would probably fare better than pure humans, but living in such a place seemed rather grueling. The winters in Aelinon were already unpleasant for Ilasi, and she didn't have to deal with the cold waves, snowstorms, and occasional blizzards like humans generally had to on the surface - or at least, not as often.
Despite that, it could still be an interesting place to visit for a bit. Now that Ilasi was further out of the bubble of her home country, she was eager to see more.

Sere wrote a few more words before speaking to Angora. "Well, then... it's pretty evident that you're taking your job seriously," he noted as he put his pen down, clasping his hands on the table. "Veris seems to be in good health and spirits, and thinks highly of you. I think some more formal arrangements are currently in order - we'll start with this, and see where we go from there." Sere beckoned Angora forward, with a higher seat near the table that she could use.
"This is a contract, designating your duty, conditions, and pay. The pay you receive will be backdated to when our voyage began. The terms will remain in effect until the contract is ended, either through the voyage ending or through a critical violation that cannot be resolved. Much like Ilasi, you will have a designated duty - you are free to use your time as you like, as long as you ensure your duties are met, barring emergencies or superior orders or course. Any questions?"
Sere laid the contract down, which had more specific details. He realized he had never actually seen Angora write anything, though he was confident she could read. He wondered what a signature would look like...

Angora read the contract carefully, and it indeed estimated that she will get paid for all the work she has done so far, plus whatever remained from the voyage. Nothing was said about her working after the journey was over. She needed to be certain though.
"So, this is during the journey only... alright. But... what about the after? I mean, Veris... I... well, I was hoping he would've known that my work with him was only during the voyage, but now..." she stopped, not knowing how to keep going. Either Veris was under the impression it was going to be permanent, or he knew that the arrangement was only temporary but he stubbornly wanted it to keep going. She feared that if he was denied his request, his bond, his work with his master and maybe even his emotional state won't ever be the same anymore. Even when she mentioned he would have better caretakers, he still didn't accepted it. And with Sere giving him hope, the disappointment if it ever came to that was going to be even greater.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi had heard a few stories of places like that. Cold, sleds, the sky changing colors... "That sounds like somewhere extremely far north or south," she noted astutely, her hands continuing to find the right muscles as she spoke. "I think... those are auroras? The lights in the sky there? I've only heard tales about them - I never could find out whether they're real or not. I don't know what manner of creature would be causing such a thing." As interesting as such a place sounded, the environment would be harsh - Maverick would probably fare better than pure humans, but living in such a place seemed rather grueling. The winters in Aelinon were already unpleasant for Ilasi, and she didn't have to deal with the cold waves, snowstorms, and occasional blizzards like humans generally had to on the surface - or at least, not as often.
Despite that, it could still be an interesting place to visit for a bit. Now that Ilasi was further out of the bubble of her home country, she was eager to see more.

"Aurora. Ah, so that's where the name comes from." Maverick exclaimed, having heard the name before, but never knowing until now it came from that spectacle of lights.
"Cold is harsh, but can be beautiful." he then said in a daze, like Ilasi, not believing a constantly cold place would be a nice place to live, but certainly something worth visiting.

Sere gave a resigned sigh. "We'll sort out what happens when it comes to it," he said, still needing time to come up with multiple plans to keep his mount happy. "For now, that is the contract. Any adjustments will be made after mutual consultation. If you agree with the terms, sign it, and we'll be good to go."
Things were already complicated for Sere - and now he had some other complication to deal with. This would also (practically, if not officially) limit his ability to discipline Angora, to things that wouldn't keep her away from Veris. Hopefully, it never had to come to that again - but it was something he nevertheless had to be cognizant of.

After talking for a while, Maverick seemed to be drifting between dozing off and consciousness. He had no idea what Ilasi gave him, nor what it did, but he felt... peaceful. He wasn't worrying about anything. Not the ship, not the Ishulgites, not even Angora. He wanted to ask Ilasi what that liquid was, but he didn't want to make it sound like he didn't trust her.

Quote: A Guy

Sere gave a resigned sigh. "We'll sort out what happens when it comes to it," he said, still needing time to come up with multiple plans to keep his mount happy. "For now, that is the contract. Any adjustments will be made after mutual consultation. If you agree with the terms, sign it, and we'll be good to go."
Things were already complicated for Sere - and now he had some other complication to deal with. This would also (practically, if not officially) limit his ability to discipline Angora, to things that wouldn't keep her away from Veris. Hopefully, it never had to come to that again - but it was something he nevertheless had to be cognizant of.

Angora wanted to believe Sere would take care of it. And with Raclaw's help, perhaps things will be better. With that particular matter settled, at least partially, it was time for the next step. The troll wasn't a fan of contracts, given that their objective was to practically force you to obey it's conditions and proposal, but at least it meant she was finally going to get paid. She still had the money from when she got out alive from the behemoth battle, but extra money was something she didn't reject, especially if she has earned it. Even if the outcome wasn't what she was expecting, she has done a good job with Veris, which Sere himself acknowledged. Convinced, she signed. She has only signed something once in her life, and she has forgotten how her signature was like, so she did a new one. She signed her name, and while the words were understood, almost all of them, especially the A and N, looked like little mountain drawings, while the O looked like a ring. She wasn't exactly convinced, but this wasn't a signature contest, so it'll do.

Sere took a quick look at the signature before inscribing his own. Angora's signature wasn't anything fancy, but it would do the job. "The matter is settled, then. I will answer any further questions you may have - otherwise, you are dismissed." This matter would be just one of many he would have to consider in the coming days.

Ilasi was very satisfied seeing Maverick seemingly much more relaxed - but she didn't want him to fall asleep, or at least not on the floor. "I think you should rest on the bed, dear," she kindly suggested. "We can't have you waking up sore, now... you should be comfortable." It would be truly ironic if, after all the effort she went through, Maverick just felt worse than when he started.

Maverick already slept well last night, so he didn't want to be seem as lazy if he slept again.
"That's alright querida. I don't need sleep. Just... settle down for a little while is all." Maverick assured, knowing by default this feeling had something to do with the liquid Ilasi gave him. Always kind, he didn't ask anything about to avoid offending her.

Quote: A Guy

Sere took a quick look at the signature before inscribing his own. Angora's signature wasn't anything fancy, but it would do the job. "The matter is settled, then. I will answer any further questions you may have - otherwise, you are dismissed." This matter would be just one of many he would have to consider in the coming days.

Angora had no more question on the matter, and with permission to leave, she proceeded to do so.
"Alright sir. Captain. I'll... see you later." she said quietly, disappearing behind the door. Sere would have too much on his mind thinking about a solution to this peculiar problem, which was overlapping with the Ishugite problem. But he was Veris' owner. He had to be the one making the decision, and hopefully, Raclaw would help with the wyvern.

Right now, it was time to get back to normal. She headed to the kitchen, grabbing a bunch of rabbit meat from the fridge. She heated up for a bit, but left it for the most part, raw. All ready, it was time to fill up the wyvern's endless stomach.
"Veris? Veris. Coming in now. I have your food." Angora called before opening his enclosure, always making sure he knew of her presence before entering. As always, she made sure to stay as far as she could from the feeding frenzy, knowing this was quite a sacred moment for the two legged dragon.

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Latnok beckoned Raclaw over with his free hand as he continued stroking and scratching Chester with the other. "Raclaw. Welcome back. How was the conversation?" he asked. "Didn't go too badly, did it?"

It didn't take much to beckon the beloved Fur Dragon-- with Raclaw soon laying down and looking up at Latnok. "It.. it went surprisingly well. Angora actually had a lot of good things to say about you-- I'm glad we had a chance to talk again.," he then said with a genuine smile. Sure, Angora still saw some room 'for improvement' but it was great progress. And the Troll seemed to now fully respect his relationship with the Guardian.

If Maverick said he was fine being there, Ilasi would take his word for it. "Okay, dear. How are you feeling right now? Any sore spots you need me to get to?" She wondered if she was doing a reasonable job - Maverick hadn't particularly commented on her performance, so she didn't know whether he was just silently appreciating it or trying to avoid offending her by stating his boredom or dissatisfaction.

Veris was already standing by, anticipating the promised meal. With a flash, he lunged at the meal, erasing it from existence. He settled down soon afterward.
"Angora! Welcome back! Thank you for the food. What did my human say? Will he let you stay? I know he will! He has to!" Even if he did have to put some restrictions on Veris' behavior (such as limiting the food he had access to as a result of his own gluttony), Sere generally tried to make sure his wyvern had reasonable accommodation - Veris was used to being treated reasonably well, for the small price of obedience, and he was confident that things would remain the same.

"Good things to say about me? Yeah, that's the sort of thing she would tell you, of course," Latnok answered incredulously, shaking his head. "She doesn't go from thinking I'm some demon hell-bent on destroying her life for the hell of it to thinking anything good about me that quickly. It doesn't make sense. Still, she's at least making a token effort at hiding her disdain for me. I can appreciate that. Hopefully, over time, if she doesn't get into more trouble, I won't have to give her a reason to hate me. It's so much easier to just get along with others..."
Latnok still had his doubts - but he never did need Angora to like him, and he gave up on that after the last incident at the brig. He only needed her to be an asset, or, at the very least, not a liability.

Angora once again felt uneasy with how insistent Veris was on the subject.
"Easy Veris. He summoned me so I could sign a contract, so I can get paid." she explained, finding no reason to lie about that.
"He still hasn't decided about what you said earlier. He has... much to think about, you know." she then explained, hating the idea of disappointing Veris, but wanting to be honest.

Quote: A Guy

If Maverick said he was fine being there, Ilasi would take his word for it. "Okay, dear. How are you feeling right now? Any sore spots you need me to get to?" She wondered if she was doing a reasonable job - Maverick hadn't particularly commented on her performance, so she didn't know whether he was just silently appreciating it or trying to avoid offending her by stating his boredom or dissatisfaction.

"No te preocupes mi amor. I feel fine. I feel relaxed. Mucho. Never tried a massage before. Muy cool." Maverick assured, feeling so dazed and relaxed he had to keep his sentences short.

Veris wasn't as happy or excited as before, but was still in a satisfactory mood. "Okay. My human just needs some time! I know it." With his belly having a good meal in it now, Veris lounged on the ground. A bit of dozing off would soon follow, with him being reasonably content.

"Good, good. You do so much for me..." Ilasi as she continued to work. "I just want to make sure you're taken care of." Even then, Ilasi's own insecurity about not doing her fair share still lingered, though it was drastically lower than before; wheras it used to give her anxiety, it was now just something she thought about and sometimes acted upon, like the current instance.
Ilasi's own attention drifted slightly into daydreams - about what her parents would think of the two after the voyage; about places to visit; about what sort of job she would have; and about what she would do if she didn't need a job.

Maverick said nothing else, instead choosing to let go of everything and let Ilasi do whatever she wanted. There was so much he wanted to do now. So many things to look forward to. He had a girlfriend, he had Angora, and if things went well, Shade would soon be free, and they could return to the family they've always had. He knew Ilasi wasn't as fond of them as he wished, but he had faith that once she got to know them like he did, she was going to love having them in her life too. And not only them, but Mischief as well. She was very loyal to Angora, so he knew that if the not so little fox had nowhere else to go, she would go with them too.

Quote: A Guy

Veris wasn't as happy or excited as before, but was still in a satisfactory mood. "Okay. My human just needs some time! I know it." With his belly having a good meal in it now, Veris lounged on the ground. A bit of dozing off would soon follow, with him being reasonably content.

Veris didn't look interested in any activity right now, so she was going to let him be... but she couldn't. Sere had quite a predicament in his hands, and it wasn't fair that Raclaw had to be involved too. Knowing this thought wasn't going to leave her alone, she tried to have another vital conversation with the wyvern.
"Veris... I'm... very flattered that you think so highly of me, and that you want me to be with you, but... you know how complicated that is, right? This is very difficult for your master. I mean, I'll be surrounded by Guardians, and if they're anything like him and Latnok, they will hate me just for being a troll. You know my kind is not very loved... and for good reason." Angora admitted, knowing that most of the troll reputation was well deserved, even if she was almost nothing like the traditional one.

Believing Veris would be angry by that comment alone, she continued.
"Listen, I would hate for you to be sad and disappointed. You must know the last thing I want is to hurt you. You mean a lot to me, really. And I don't want to cause you any trouble for this." Angora assured, wanting Veris to know beyond the shadow of a doubt how special he was to her. She knew this conversation would likely cause him stress, but if it didn't happen now, it needed to be said sooner or later, so Angora chose the former.

Veris seemed to slump for a moment - he picked up again soon afterwards, though. "My human is the boss! He will make the Guardians accept you! They are nothing to worry about!" Was Veris very confident? Or was he just in denial? As far as he knew, the only obstacle would be whether or not Sere allowed Angora - and of course his human would allow it! He allowed her on this journey, after all!

Angora could see that, no matter how much she pressed the matter, no matter how many times she tried to make him change his mind, Veris just seemed too keen on having her, and he was very confident that Sere would make it happen regardless of the problems that represented.
"Alright Veris. Alright. Whatever you say. I'll... let you rest now. You need it." she said as she got ready to leave, not knowing what else she could say to him to convince him to change his mind. She was running out of words, and there was no way she was going to tell him that deep inside, she didn't want to come. If Sere said no, that meant his mount would be unhappy, and he has made it clear he didn't want that. What if Sere obliged? What if keeping her was the only way to please his mount? The old Guardian had much power, and whether he convinced her with money or something else or forced her to stay with Veris, he could make it so. Angora feared that if the wyvern got his way, if there was really no way to change his mind, she would be destined to remain with him... likely forever...

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"Good things to say about me? Yeah, that's the sort of thing she would tell you, of course," Latnok answered incredulously, shaking his head. "She doesn't go from thinking I'm some demon hell-bent on destroying her life for the hell of it to thinking anything good about me that quickly. It doesn't make sense. Still, she's at least making a token effort at hiding her disdain for me. I can appreciate that. Hopefully, over time, if she doesn't get into more trouble, I won't have to give her a reason to hate me. It's so much easier to just get along with others..."
Latnok still had his doubts - but he never did need Angora to like him, and he gave up on that after the last incident at the brig. He only needed her to be an asset, or, at the very least, not a liability.

"I don't know-- I sense that something is.. different about her. It's possible that she's starting to see the error of her ways, trying to improve herself and revaluating her previous opinions on things. Or perhaps she's starting to see the bigger picture and trying to accept aspects of the world for what they are. Our bond, our friendship-- nothing will change that. And even Damon had to accept that fact.. ," Raclaw spoke as he slowly moved his head into an ideal petting position. The Fur Dragon cared little about how docile or vulnerable such a position made a dragon look; he now knew that *he* was never going to be a wild dragon in the first place. And it had been some time...

As Angora walked around the hallways, she couldn't stop thinking about what else could she say to Veris. She felt so lousy having asked Raclaw that favor, and was starting to wonder if the wyvern would hurt him if he got too angry about what he would say. Veris wasn't exactly violent, except maybe when it came to food, but he was rather prone to anger. She couldn't possibly involve him. She herself had to convince Veris somehow. Her brain got quite the workout until suddenly, she thought of something that never occurred to her before.
"Wyvern... yes. There might be other wyverns there. If the Guardians use wyvern's for traveling... yeah, that's it!" Angora exclaimed, never having thought about Veris not being the only wyvern there. If she went there with him as a caretaker, the other wyverns might make fun of him. Or worse, they could try hunting her. Veris himself almost did the first time they met, so it wasn't out of place to think the others there would do the same. But wait, didn't Sere said Veris was bred differently? To be bigger, more efficient? She already saw other wyverns back in Redwater. They were smaller, more neutral, and with far less appetite than him. Angora had no doubts Veris would defend her from the other wyverns, but still, he could be an outcast for associating with her.

There were so many roads Angora could take with the issue, but by the time she reached the main deck, her head hurt. She already spent too much time thinking about this. In the end, Sere was likely the only one who could solve the matter. That didn't mean she would stop trying though. For now, Veris has eaten, he was calmed, and was probably taking a nap by now, so she wouldn't have to worry about him for a while. Angora desperately needed a distraction to avoid keep thinking about the situation. Good thing the orb didn't work anymore, since she had no doubts that Shepherd, or whoever was contacting her though it, would've tortured her further on the matter. But enough about that. After a while, she knew well what to do, to distract her mind, but also to be useful.
"Julien..." she whispered, remembering his predicament. She owed him her life. She said she would help him, so she headed to his place to do precisely that. Not only would spending time with him would give her the distraction she needed. She could also do a good deed if she tried hard enough...

Latnok obliged Raclaw's nonverbal request with his free hand, giving his friend a gentle petting much like he had been giving Chester. There was just something so incredibly calming about his furry companions - something he could certainly get used to.
"I dunno... if you say so, I'm willing to see how things go from here. Maybe this time is different... Maybe with those Ishulgites no longer feeding her lies, things will change. Or maybe she trusts you, and any thoughts on me in that regard are a byproduct. Eh, I'd take that, though. If it meant getting along, then sure." Though he remained guarded, Latnok was hesitantly willing to hope things really could change.

Julian remained in his room/laboratory, performing experiments both on his own conditions and on other things. As he worked, he considered whether he and Ilasi could supplement each other's knowledge. Perhaps he should find her and ask her.

Angora, having remembered where he was staying on the ship, reached the entrance of his room.
"Mr. Julien? May I come in?" she said, as she knocked on the door, but it opened. Did she did it too strong? Or was the door already opened?
"My apologies sir. Guess... I knocked too hard. Just here to help... if... if I can." the little troll assured with some hesitation, quite embarrased. Julien looked busy like the last time she was there. She estimated it was still to look for the cure, but that was to be expected when you were engulfed by something slowly killing you. Angora doubted she could help that much, but even if it was a small contribution, it would be worth it.

At Ilasi's cabin, Maverick let go of everything and allowed Ilasi to still do what she pleased.
"Sabes Ilasi, I can't wait to get out of this ship and finally settled down someplace. It was nice to travel around, see the world I was missing. So many different places. But I wouldn't mind if I just stay in one place. Being a traveling merchant involves... well, traveling, but maybe I can get another job. A more stable one." Maverick casually commented, wanting a more quiet life for a while, but they could still travel from time to time.

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Latnok obliged Raclaw's nonverbal request with his free hand, giving his friend a gentle petting much like he had been giving Chester. There was just something so incredibly calming about his furry companions - something he could certainly get used to.
"I dunno... if you say so, I'm willing to see how things go from here. Maybe this time is different... Maybe with those Ishulgites no longer feeding her lies, things will change. Or maybe she trusts you, and any thoughts on me in that regard are a byproduct. Eh, I'd take that, though. If it meant getting along, then sure." Though he remained guarded, Latnok was hesitantly willing to hope things really could change.

"Thank.. thank you. That's all I ask-- I.. I want things to work out. Between all of us...," Raclaw responded a in a calm and downright docile demeanor. The fur dragon almost seemed to even purr at times, with both he and Chester very much enjoying the free hand massage. 'The perks of being a dog.,' Chester thought as he loosened up and relaxed his entirely body. 'This is something a wild dragon would never experience...,' Raclaw thought as he very much copycatted that of the smaller canine.

Julain gave Angora a brief look from his workbench before returning to his experiments. "There isn't much I need right now," he said as he worked. "Although, I've been thinking of maybe exchanging knowledge with Ilasi. If you could summon her for me, I would greatly appreciate that - I'm currently locked into observing this experiment until it resolves." The experiment he was observing seemed to involve a vial with biological material of some kind on a burner set low, which he adjusted as needed.

"Settled down - I was thinking the same thing, you know," Ilasi answered, as she was able to gently move along down the rest of Maverick's body. "As safe as home is, and as nice as it's treated me, being out makes me wonder... well, that... there are probably better places for us to start something new. A more peaceful place, that doesn't always have to be on edge... I was wondering if you knew anywhere like that from your travels. Somewhere ideal for us to settle." As much as Ilasi appreciated home, there were definitely aspects of it she wouldn't miss.

Ilasi wasn't the only one who was thinking of settling at the moment. "When we're done with all of this, we'll still hav eto sort out arrangements between myself and the rest of the Ardent Guardians, keeping the three of you guys in mind as well," Latnok thoght out loud. "Doesn't quite seem to be something that we currently have any standards on, at least not as far as I recall. Most likely option I'm thinking is that I find a nice place to move out to allow us to establish ourselves somewhere... and then work things out from there."