The sun beats down on your neck, salt fills your nose. You are scared. You look towards your sister crouched next to you. This was a bad plan, you think, then you reconsider. It wasn't even a plan. You hear footsteps, boarding the gang plank.
Keep hiding. Pray they do not find you. [[Keep hiding->Approaching Storms]]The sound approaches you.
"What do we have here?" A smooth voice laughs. "That is not where you are supposed to be." You hear a clanging.
It makes you uncomfortable, but it could be the fear of getting caught. You need to keep Asha, your baby sister safe. (She isn't that much younger than you.....you think......you've never know your birthday being abandon on the doorstep and all)
"Captain," a second voice says, "do you think we have a thief?"
Asha looks pale, ashen. She is looking to you to save you.
"Could be," the first voice says, "That would explain the guards going crazy."
The footsteps stop right behind the crate you have hidden around.
The first voice speaks again, "What right do you have to be on my ship, little thief?"
[[Be Bold->Bold]]
[[Talk Your Way Out->Talk]]
[[Let Your Fear Take Over->Fear]]You stand up and face the voice. You see a demon, a man with horns and red skin. He has a tail, that whips back and forth, and golden eyes.
You move with liquid grace, dancing to music no one else can hear. As the child of Maeve, a goddess, you have some talets that no one else can match.
You change your form, matching his, and cock your hips. You pull on confidence you don't have. Trying to keep their attention so Asha can run.
In his voice you say, "What right do you have to be on my ship?" You ask.
You pull a knife out of your pocket, and hold it to his throat, just as he pulls out a thin rapier and points it at you.
You appear to be at an impass.
"A talented thief!" He exclaims, the blade has broken the skin under your ribs. The iron hurts. You think you might die here. "A magic street rat."
[[Snap Out->Snap]]
[[Let Asha handle this->Let Asha Handle it]]You grab your sisters hand and tug her towards the edge of the boat. You can run. You cannot go to jail. Not with your mothers blood in your veins. People like you get hurt, just for your powers. And if you get hurt who will keep Asha safe.
"They are running!" the first voice calls. You see a flash or red, and a demon like man lashes out at you with a thin sword, but you evade.
[[Faith Leap->Leap]]
[[Try and Talk Your Way Out->Talk]]You grab Asha's hand and sprint. The blade connects with your skin. Iron. Iron has always been so much worse for you than anything else. You blame your mother, the goddess Maeve. She has never been good with man-made metals.
The two of you leap, and the crew exclaims. There are guards on the ship now, but you fall freely into the crystal sea below. You use the gift your mother gave you to become a mer. But your sister cannot grow gills. So you swim to the surface, using your tail to navigate. Your blood spills into the ocean. You swim as quickly as you can. The shallows are not a good place to lose this much blood. There are sharks and worse around.
The guards loose a round of crossbow bolts, a few nick you as you twist your body around Asha.
You make for shore, and shift again, this time into a massive Lion(ess). You scoope your sister up, like a trouble kitten, and sprint into the town.
You make it back into the wilderness no better for you work. The two of you are starving and desperate.
But you are alive.
And that is the most important thing.
Asha is safe.You stand there, considering the owner of the first voice. He is red, with two pairs of horns and a thin tail. He holds a blade with ease. He is clearly not much older than you. You wonder how he became captain. You shake your head this is the wrong time.
"Who are you?" He demands. You place a protective arm over you sister. Keeping your heart to his blade.
"No one of consequence. Just a passer in the night." You say. Smoothly. Totally.
He raises an eyebrow. "Whatcha take? Why are they hunting you?" He motions to the docks where guards are beginning to approach. Your insides clench.
Asha's quiet voice pipes up, "Please, we just wanted something to eat." She slides her hand into yours. She is beautiful, perfect heart shaped face and dark skin. Her half-elf nature gives her lively slightly angled features.
"Hmmm" He snorts, but his eyes widen with pity. "What a curious street rat."
You hate pity. Almost as much as you hate being insulted.
[[Lash Out->Snap]]You are livid.
"That.
is.
not.
my.
name!"
You shout. attracting the attention of the city guard. The man presses the blade into your chest a bit more. "Prepare to sail!" He shouts as the guards begin making their way over. "Pray tell, what is your name then, lost little lamb?"
You growl, digusted.
[[Say Your Name->Iridescent]]
She shifts her weight from foot to foot, and licks her lips. "Please, sir, don't hurt us, don't turn us over to the authroities. We just need a place to hide."
He softens, sword falling a few inches. You sigh with relief. "Prepare to sail!" he shouts, "you two can hide here for a while, until the next time we port, if-if you explain this." He guestures towards you. You feel your heart stop, but saftey is a resource you cannot bargin for right now. You must keep Asha safe. You nod, and feel bile rise. But the salt air rises, and pushes your hair out of your eyes.
"Welcome to the crew." He smiles. "At least for the time being. My names Captian Ryn. Try not to steal my appearance to much, dear. I am vain, but not that vain.""Iridescent" you choke out. "Iri." You tilt your head defiantly, and press the dagger further.
He nods, studying your face, which is his face at the moment. "Drop the disguse."
You laugh, but his gaze doesn't waver. The guards get closer. They are only a few boats away. You drop your form, reverting to a body that matches your sister's in most ways.
He smirks, "A useful talent, I'll tell you what; You promise not to kill me, and you join my crew, and I'll keep you two safe and a bit more well fed."
You look at Asha, who nods, though she is a bit frantic. She has seen the guards near by.
You look back at the man, and place your dagger away. You hold out a hand.
He grins, and shakes it, "Nice to meet you Iri, I am captain Ryn. Welcome to the Cetus."