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+--- Thread: i gotta get outta here (/showthread.php?tid=794)
i gotta get outta here - Sparx - 09-19-2017
Thread status: Closed
Players involved: Sparx, Kila
Characters involved: Heather, Rah-juh
Setting: The docks of Roryd Lake
Time: Current
Weather: Cloudy with some sprinkling
This was not the kind of rut she had expected to fall into when she left her small home lake in search of something new. Heather had made for the sea with little experience with both humans and other mermaids, completely naïve to the nature of the rest of the world. Unfortunately, that's meant that while she knew that men were easily persuaded by a pretty girl who batted her eyes at them, she did not know that merpeople should be extra cautious around fishermen, and most people in the general world overall.
This lack of worldly knowledge was what had gotten her caught in a net mid-conversation and then bagged and dragged off in a cart. Before she knew it, Heather was being thrown in a far-too-small and poorly filtered display tank in the middle of a market on a dock she knew wasn't close to home. With so little space, she could hardly move around, let alone build up enough momentum to throw herself out of this humiliating glass prison.
The mermaid's captor was a smug looking human fisherman, a man whom had seemed helpful and concerned when Heather had first approached him for help in her travels but now seemed slimy and twisted. Though muffled through the glass, Heather could hear him throwing pitches at every passerby, trying to earn a pretty penny off either her flesh or her "services" or both, depending on the look of the potential buyer.
Oh, if only she could reach him somehow, she would make him regret everything!
But as things were, Heather was horribly cramped and her body aching. The water, unsuited to her or any marine creature for living, was making it difficult for her to breathe. Ramming against the glass in a desperately attempt to free herself was only exhausting her. And even if she did get out, then what? There were too many land-dwellers that would probably snatch her up again, and if she got past them, she would have to swim through the ocean waters in her weakened state, which would probably Ben impossible for a freshwater creature like her.
With a cry of frustration, she banged her fists against the glass one last time. What was she going to do?
RE: i gotta get outta here - Kila - 09-19-2017
There was no interesting information at the docks, which was frankly a surprise to him, considering how sailors never shut the fuck up about much of anything interesting. And given the recent oracle deaths, he'd been hoping to hear more news from Katakarthia, since Feaya's oracle was the latest victim. It made Rah wonder, who would be next? He'd have to reach out to the other branches to get news, it seemed. What a pain.
As he walked through the market, a bustle in the crowd caught his attention. Looming closer, clad in black and looking like a generally unsavory fellow, he fit right in among the men who seemed to be taking stock of the mermaid in a tank. An incredibly small tank. His idiocy was comical, that poor mermaid didn't have much room to move, let alone breathe!
Oh, that greasy human was a clever bastard.
With less than subtle mental persuasion, the crowd around them thinned as the kitsune positioned hmself to be looking at something other than the poor mermaid in the jar. His sideways glance cauht the seller's attention, and his dark eye's met the merchant's.
"You seem like a man with exquisite tastes!" cried the man, taking note of Rah's attire--particularly his boots. With a gesture to the mermaid, he gave Rah a dark grin, beckoning him closer to inspect his...wares.
And Rah obliged, stepped closer to look at her with an appraising eye, his expression all but unreadable. Her condition made his blood boil. As much as he hated his siren mother, Rah would never wish such a fate on anyone. The cogs in his head began turning as he formed a plan. Gently setting his fingers against the glass, he gave the trapped woman a look that she'd hopefully understand as being one of sympathy before turning back to the man vying for his attention.
"She's a true beauty! Just look at those scales! And such a beauty can always come in handy in other ways, as I'm sure a man like you can understand." He gave Rah a nudge, and it took all of his strength not to cut his hand off then and there.
"Yes," he replied. "How much are you selling her for?"
"Well, you can't put a price on such a rare and valuable--"
Rah advanced on the man. It was such a slow, casual affair that the merchant never even saw it coming as Rah plunged a knife between his ribs. "You won't scream. You won't say a thing. You're going to lean on your cart and die slowly, you miserable, pathetic wretch of a man," he hissed. And the merchant did as he was told. Removing the knife and wiping it off on the merchant's cloak, he stashed the blade and walked to the mermaid's tank.
He climbed up onto the table and extended a hand to her. "C'mon, I'm gonna get you out of there. It's probably hard to breathe in there."
RE: i gotta get outta here - Sparx - 09-20-2017
Heather narrowed her eyes as another shady-looking man approached her tank and got the fisherman's interest. Could someone actually be trying to buy her? Was this something people on land actually did? Of course she had heard some stories about how mermaids were treated, but she had been hoping that most land-dwellers were smarter than believing buying and doing whatever with a mermaid was a good idea. Did they fry angels to eat their wings? At this point, in her humiliation and anger, she was ready to believe anything bad about land people.
While she was in the midst of contemplating her disbelief toward her situation, the dark potential buyer stepped closer to her and tapped against the glass. Heather recoiled from his fingers- as much as she could in the cramped space- and shot him a glare, overlooking his sympathetic expression. Who did he think he was, bargaining with this stupid merchant over her life! If he thought he was going to get away with it so easily, he had another thing coming! If he even tried to touch her-
Whoa. What just happened? As Heather watched, the fisherman whom had captured her stumbled back onto his cart, and from her position Heather could see that he had been stabbed. Her eyes shot open wide as she processed the scene. And now, the apparent assassin was climbing onto the table that held her tank. Had he just killed the fisherman to take the mermaid for himself? She watched suspiciously as he moved the lid that had kept her trapped from above and then extended an arm to her.
Was he...rescuing her?
After the events of the day, Heather was not ready to be so trusting, but she didn't have a lot of options if she wanted to get away from this stupid market. She'd have to figure things out as she went along.
First, though, she pushed her upper body out of the water so she could breathe something other than what was probably gross well water. Air wasn't, like, the best source of oxygen compared to a nice lake, but it would do for now.
"And who are you?" Heather asked her maybe-rescuer, reluctantly grabbing onto his arm and trying to pull herself out of her cage.
RE: i gotta get outta here - Kila - 09-20-2017
"Name's Rah-juh. Call me Rah," he replied as she grabbed his arm. She was cold to the touch, and having some trouble pulling herself out. "Pardon me, miss."
Rolling up his sleeves, he plunged his arms into the tank--city water by the smell of it--and wrapped his arms around her waist. With a heave, Rah pulled her out of the tank and into his arms, taking the time to position her so that one hand was under her tail while the other was around her waist.
"Put your arms around my neck so you won't fall, okay?"
People around them were beginning to stare, the the kitsune wove a little of his magic to give the illusion that nothing was wrong. He and the mermaid weren't there at all, and it was business as usual in the market. Before too long the humans were going about their business, acting as though nothing was wrong, because to them? Everything was fine.
Jumping down from the table, mermaid in hand, Rah took the time to look around to orient himself. The docks were a confusing maze of stalls and crates as cargo was loaded and unloaded. The city of Ecuru was located under the waters of the lake. That should be a safe enough place to let her go, but if she'd been nabbed by humans before, there was a chance it could happen again.
He began to walk through the maze of crates, following the sound of water towards the lake. "So what's your name, if you don't mind my asking?"
RE: i gotta get outta here - Sparx - 09-20-2017
Heather let out a grunt of discomfort as she was hoisted out of the tank. Everything sure felt a lot heavier out of the water, and being carried was very awkward with the unfamiliarity feeling of weight. Before she had even been told, Heather wrapped her arms around Rah to feel more secure.
"Careful!" she cried as he adjusted his hold on her. Her arms tight around his neck, she also tried to curl her tail around the man's body for fear of slipping. "I hope you know what you're doing!"
Once sure that she wasn't going to fall, Heather looked around to see what had become of the crowd that had gathered to see her. To her surprise, there was no crowd. Everyone had begin carrying on with their business, even though a merchant had literally just been killed and the mermaid they had been oggling over was being carried away by the assassin. How were they just walking away?
"What did you do to them? Why are they just walking away?" Heather demanded, narrowing her eyes at Rah. "Why are you saving me? Where are we going, anyway? What are all these crates? What are you?"
Both being carried by a strange, knife-happy man, having been kidnapped in the first place, and being out of the water and not in control of herself was giving the mermaid a surge of anxiety like she had mever experienced before. Without waiting for her questions to be answered, Heather released stinging neurotoxins from her skin in an attempt to make Rah drop her.
RE: i gotta get outta here - Kila - 09-20-2017
"I just cast a--OW GODS ABOVE!" Rah yowled, footsteps wavering as he was made to dip to one knee as the stinging pain in her neck and jaws were stung. Repeatedly. With what could only be described as bees. On fire. Bees on fire. Still, he kept a firm grip on the mermaid. He didn't just murder someone to rescue her so he could drop her in the middle of the docks so she could flounder around like a fool!
Didn't she know who he was?
Obviously not, or she wouldn't have stung him.
"Ow, lady please, enough with the stinging my face is valuable!" He grimaced, nose wrinkled in pain as he answered all her questions in order, tone sharp, "I cast an illusion on them. They don't see us. I'm saving you because I'm a decent fucking person. I'm taking you to the lake. The crates are cargo. I'm complicated." He rose to his feet and continued walking, following the sound of the lake and the city beneath the waters.
Gods, what a rude girl! But there he was, helping her anyways because he decided today he'd be decent. Last time I'll try that, he grumbled internally. "My turn for questions, starting with why the fuck did you just sting me? That hurt!"
RE: i gotta get outta here - Sparx - 09-20-2017
Well, that didn't work. Rah just paused briefly before continuing on, not even loosening his grip. Heather couldn't just keep stinging him- she usually used her toxin to kill fish, and unlike this shady guy, she wasn't about to murder. Not yet, anyway. But her anxieties had not been relieved, even as Rah quickly answered all of her questions.
"I was just kidnapped and a guy was trying to sell me and now another guy is carrying me around and I think I'm justified in like, being a little not okay with that!" cried Heather, wrapping around Rah again as she gave up escaping his grasp. "I don't know where we are or what any of this is! What if there are more fishermen like that? Does everyone around here treat mermaids like this? Where am I going to go?"
After her next flurry of questions, Heather took a moment to catch her breath and look around. She could see the lake now, which calmed her nerves a bit, but she still knew nothing about this place or what it was like, and that realization was hitting hard. Where was she going to go?
"Is the lake at least freshwater? I need decent water in my gills."
RE: i gotta get outta here - Kila - 09-20-2017
Oh gods, what had he gotten himself into? He just wanted to be a nice person, rack up some good karma, and maybe feel a little better about things today! Of course the universe would shit on his plans and give him the most whiny, ornery mermaid to grace the land. Maybe all the rivers--no, all the seas in Antarsia.
He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Yes, the lake is freshwater. It's a lake." She didn't even know where she was? Gods, how was she supposed to stay safe? If one fisherman caught her, there were an entire ocean of them just waiting for a second, third, and eighteenth chances. Rah sighed again, "Look, I'm sorry you got caught, but there's a whole bucnh of humans out there who hunt for mermaids. Sorry to be the one to tell you that, toots, but it's the truth. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it."
They reached the lake, and he set her down carefully at the edge of the dock, sitting next to her and dangling his legs over the side. "Under the water is Ecuru, a city of mermaids from freshwater and the ocean. They got sirens, nixies, probably others, too. I'm sure they'll take care of you." He rolled backwards and onto his feet in a fluid motion, turning to walk away. "Take care, and don't trust fishermen. It's not safe."
His feet started carrying him away, and he rubbed his sore jawline, red from her sting. Finally, his day could go on as usual. No more stings from someone he was just trying to help!
...So why did he feel...weird?
Was he feeling guilty?
No, no, Rah didn't feel guilt. That wasn't something he did. Guilt was an emotion he laughed at and pushed into a locker, where it belonged. And yet, he'd stopped in his tracks.
Groaning as he ran his hand down his face, Rah turned and walked back over to her, against his better judgement. Crouching down, he sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Look, the lake feeds out into the ocean, so if you want to get elsewhere that's your best bet. But unfortunately for you, the only other system that feeds inland is in Xira, way way way to the east."
RE: i gotta get outta here - Sparx - 09-21-2017
"Um, for your information," Heather began, displeased with Rah's tone in response to her concern about the type of water. "There are a lot of different kinds of lakes, and some just so happen to be salt water, and the last thing I need right now is being dehydrated."
This guy was really rude. Talking to her like she didn't know anything! Like, obviously she now knew that some fishermen hunted mermaids. And, like, yeah, she had heard of that before, the only thing that was news to her was how common the practice was. Especially since there was nothing to hunt mermaids for, as far as she knew, that was desirable to any land person. And what did he call her? "Toots"?
Finally, they reached the lake, and Rah set her down on the dock. Heather wasted no time in slipping down into the water. As soon as her lower half was moving through the lake, she felt a lot better, like she could finally breathe fully again. The dehydration she had begun experiencing since her capture began reversing itself instantly. She submerged herself completely for a moment, allowing herself to relax and just enjoy being free again. At least Rah had helped her this much, even if he was a jerk.
Poking her head back out of the water, Heather listened as Rah told her about the city under the lake. An entire city? Just for mermaids? That sounded a lot better than where she had come from, and if there were so many, that must mean it was safe to be there. It seemed like her journey to escape from her home had turned out alright after all, even if it would be a while before she could shake the feeling of that fisherman man-handling her. At least she would never have to talk to a land dweller again, if this underwater city was a thing. Good riddance!
As Rah walked away, Heather swam further out into the lake, testing the feel of the water and seeing what the surrounding area looked like. Boats, docks, land people things. The bottom of the lake was probably much nicer, but she still needed some time to rest before she was ready to dive down. She flipped over to float on her back, and that's when she heard footsteps on the dock again. Rah was back.
Why was he still talking to her? It had seemed like he was in a hurry to get away once he dropped her off. Maybe he really did care enough to try and help her out. Reluctantly curious, Heather swam back over to him and listened to what he had to say.
"I probably can't get that far in the ocean, so I guess I'm stuck here," she said with a shrug. She also didn't know, like, anything about the continents, so she wasn't too interested in going so far to an even more foreign place. "But this is better than where I came from, or a tank, so... thanks."
Embarrassed to express gratitude at the end of this awkward situation, Heather sunk down so that only her eyes remained above the surface, and she averted her gaze for a moment. Finally, flushed and flustered, she rose up to speak again.
"My name's Heather."
RE: i gotta get outta here - Kila - 09-21-2017
"So, I finally get your name," the man said with a smile. Again he seated himself at the edge of the dock, letting his legs dangle over the edge. "I like it. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Heather." Getting her name had been like pulling teeth, but maybe it was a way for her to show gratitude? And given her recent experiences, Rah supposed he couldn't blame her too much for her attitude. He'd be cranky too if someone stuffed him in a box--not that anyone ever could. But he'd pay money to see someone try.
Still, he couldn't just leave her. What if Heather didn't like Ecuru and tried to get out? It was either salt water, which probably wasn't good for her, or haul herself on land and drag herself to gods knew where. Someone would probably capture her again, and the cycle would start again.
He rubbed his sore jaw and sighed, "I don't feel right just leaving you here. Um, so how about this? You check out Ecuru and see if you like it. Spend a few days getting to know the area. If you find that you like it, I'll leave and be on my way, but if you don't, I'll help you find another place you do like." Why was he doing this? He had every opportunity to just leave and get back to his job, so why wasn't he taking it?
He must have been sick in the head. Sicker. But to leave her to maybe get caught up in hat he'd been through--Rah held his head and clenched his teeth. Must have been whatever she stung him with. Gods it still hurt.
"I just wouldn't feel right leaving you here without knowing you're...comfortable? I just don't wanna see you caught again, because not everyone will be as willing to set you free as I am. So just...think it over? I'll stik around for a few days. Just call me if you need me..." He rubbed his neck, averting his dark eyes. "There's also this potion? Wayfarer's Wish. It, uh, lets mermaids grow legs so they can switch between water and land whenever they want..."