Aether Shanties RP (PM if interested/Started)

[Cybele]

"I hope you'll like it on the Mermaid. We can always use competent people, especially those with more unique skills. Many new recruits end up as nothing more than cannon fodder, but if you're good at your profession, then you might want to stay back during battle."

Roy was relieved when he heard that he wouldn't have to fight in the front lines. It was the one thing he had been most concerned with when deciding to join a pirate ship. Besides, he'd probably be the most useful staying back and sniping at the enemy anyway.

"I've been working on guns since I was five or six so I dare say I'm more than just competent," Roy said, boasting a little.

"Have you worked on a pirate ship before?"

"No, I haven't really been on any sort of airship all that much. Just a few times to travel from one city to the next," he admitted. "But a gun's still a gun whether you're a pirate sailing through the clouds or a neobeduin guarding a trade caravan. I'm sure I'll get the hang of everything else soon enough," Roy said optimistically.

 

[deathbydeath]

"It's simply a matter of common sense. We like the classism. Puts people in their place so to speak. The nobles get to have a good time and the workers don't bother them with trifling things like disease and social interaction."

Drustan gave a snort signifying blatant amusement as Annis justified the swirling maelstrom of repressed prejudice and subtle abhorring. "I guess that would fit the literal meaning of 'common sense', I guess, but I still just don't get it. I mean...." the big man paused, at a loss for words. "When you're planting disparity and classicism, with it you're sowing hatred and contempt among the oppressed. Now, unlike our grand old frigate, we are not invincible. Eventually the oppressed will overthrow the oppressors, and the cycle will renew itself. The intentional putting of people in places is merely the next step in an endless cycle. Instead, let others define themselves, that way there is less work for you in managing them and it's less likely you'll be killed in the next uprising."

 

[hiei82]

"Shall we?" Garrett said, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her cheek. Not to be outdone, she wrapped her own, real arm around him and lay her head on his shoulder; saying "Lets."

They walked down the steps at a slow pace and into the magnificent garden, illuminated solely by the lights of the city. While it was no Empire, she had to admit she thought the scene was beautiful. Even at night, she could envision what the daytime garden would look like. Flowers of a thousand colors and shades would line the twisting, gravel walking paths; paths broken only by fields of greenery, bubbling brooks, and tall statues of long forgotten Greek demigods and goddesses.

At night however , the greenery was coated in a thin blanket of dew and the statues were obscured by night, making them appear almost human save their unmoving, silent forms. More importantly, all the flowers were retracted into their buds to protect from the cold; a fact who's irony didn't escape Adrianna - the flowers were beauty, hidden for protection. She sympathized.

Bending down, she picked one of the small flowers - a yellow tulip - and gave it to Garrett. She then returned to his side, saying "I love you Garrett Corvus."

 

[Evrant-Knight]

Garrett could feel an arm around him as well, and judging from the way she was standing, it was Adrianna's real one. He smiled again as Adrianna rested her head on his shoulder. "Lets." They soon headed down the steps and into the heart of the flower garden. He could feel the warmth from Adrianna as they became physically closer.

Everything was simply beautiful, and Adrianna was the center of it, she added to the scene. A starry night. The twinkling lights of the city. A field full of flowers, shame that the weather caused many of them to hide within the leafy buds. Statues of deities from times long since past. And finally, a beautiful maiden in the middle. Put it all together, and was like Garrett had stepped into a painting. They stood together, their bodies as one as they looked out over the city, it was perfect, and another one of those moments that Garrett wished it could never end.

Adrianna soon bent down to pick at one of the small flowers, a a yellow colored Tulip if his limited knowledge of botany was correct. She soon passed the delicate flower over to Garrett, and soon returned to his side.

"I love you Garrett Corvus." Was all she said. Garrett took a moment to examine the flower, then looked at his coat and noticed it was lacking a certain something, a certain je n'ais sais quois. Perhaps the flower would serve as decoration? He carefully placed the flower into a buttonhole, adjusting it soon after to make sure it was straight. Garrett then looked at the flowers were nearby, and spotted a violet colored rose. He gently picked it, making sure not to damage the petals, then placed it in a similar button hold to his own on Adrianna's greatcoat.

"And I love you as well Adrianna. May the good times never end. May we always be together." Garrett said as he embraced Adrianna with both arms, and kissed her deeply on the lips.

 

[Ruedyn]

Spoiler: OOC, AKA How James reacts to spammers

James looked over to the man, who seemed to pop out of nowhere. He turned to Ciel, excusing himself politely for a moment. He simply could not have some random man interrupt such a wonderful evening!

He briskly strolled over to the man, who was shouting at the table, at the pirates. He tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned around confused-

SMACK

The sound echoed through the room, it seemed James had gone overboard. He had driven the mans nose within his own skull! James looked at his bloody, gory fist, regretting the fact he would now have to wash his hands, leaving Ciel alone longer.

"Have something in mind?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry, just an odd thought occured." James looked down, slightly embarrassed, realizing he had no idea how this dance went.

"It seems the master of dancing is having a.. Um, 'technical difficulty?' I don't know how to waltz..." James looked down again, slightly more embarrassed than last time, cheeks flushed.

"You should probably lead, and to answer your question, I believe friends for now?" James smiled weakly. Seems his new boss would have to wear the pants here...

 

[hiei82]

[HEADING=2]Adrianna[/HEADING]

"And I love you as well Adrianna. May the good times never end. May we always be together." Garrett said just before he kissed her. She held the kiss as long as her breath would allow, losing herself in the warm caress of his arms and the taste of his lips. Adrianna wrapped her arms around Garrett's neck, running her real fingers through his hair with reckless abandon. She wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted - it couldn't have been longer then a minute, but felt like several, blessed hours.

When the kiss finally broke, she was left breathless - a state that seemed all too common when she was with her Skyfolk lover. She kept her hands wrapped around him, not really willing to let go - it was too good. She breathed heavily for a few moments until she her lungs were satiated. When they were, Adrianna turned her eyes up to Garrett's, smiled lightly and said "I think I shall have another." and drew her lips up to meet his again.

The city light's shadowy cover of the garden and the fields and the steams and the statues was a sight to behold, but she didn't care. Garrett was better.

[HEADING=2]Ciel[/HEADING]

"...I don't know how to waltz..." James said, as he stumbled to keep up. Ciel tried not to sigh; it was a lot less fun when the other couldn't dance? "Do you know any other dances? The Waltz is hardly my best dance either." The statement was true enough. She knew how to Waltz, and was fairly good at it all things said and done, but she was much better at the dances Imperial parties frowned upon and Imperial soldiers relished in.

"...and to answer your question, I believe friends for now?" James said in answer to her question... sort of. She hadn't meant the question that way; she'd been trying to probe for what he had in mind for conversation. Why were men so thick headed? "Friends then. So tell me friend, what do you really like to do? If today was any evidence, it surely isn't ship maintenance." she said in a friendly jab. She'd been fairly sure the man wasn't any good at mechanical work when she'd met him, but other then his name and his inability to waltz, she had no knowledge of what he could do, what he liked to do, or who he was.

And Really; there's never a better time or place to get to know someone than while dancing.

 

[Evrant-Knight]

The embrace was one of the most intense Garrett had ever had with Adrianna. He blushed when he could feel her fingers running through his hair, it felt nice despite how reckless she was being, Garrett didn't care at this point, he was simply enjoying the moment. Eventually though, Adrianna's lips broke free from his as she began to breathe heavily for a few moments, obviously needing the air. The two of them were still holding on to each other in a passionate embrace, neither wanting to let go of the other. Soon however, Adrianna turned her eyes up to Garrett and smiled. "I think I shall have another." She then drew her lips up to meet his again.

"As you wish my love." Garrett said quietly before they carried on. As they kissed for the second time, it gave him the chance to explore Adrianna's body, his hands moving over every smooth curve he could find, wanting her to enjoy the physical side to this love. To her, it would feel like she was receiving a massage all over her back. A few minutes later, they soon parted lips, and broke free from one another, although they probably both didn't want to. Garrett noticed a trickle of saliva escaping Adrianna's lips, and smiled as he gently wiped it off with his handkerchief.

"That was, that was the most enjoyable moment of my life to date. Now I know what I'm looking forward to when that day arrives."

 

[3quency]

-Isaac-
"Anyway, if he gives you trouble, come to me, and I'll keep him off of your back. You don't have to tell him anything about your past that you don't want to."

Isaac smiled.
"He won't give me any trouble. Don't worry. If I couldn't handle a little stress now and then, what kind of pirate would I be right?"
They continued dancing for a while longer. Isaac didn't mind it, but he felt he ought to make contact with Zach pretty soon, if only to inform him that all seemed clear. He felt he had to ask something first.

"I'm kinda guessing you've done for Neos before. But did you ever... work undercover for the Empire? Just been wondering recently."


-Annis-
"When you're planting disparity and classicism, with it you're sowing hatred and contempt among the oppressed. Now, unlike our grand old frigate, we are not invincible. Eventually the oppressed will overthrow the oppressors, and the cycle will renew itself. The intentional putting of people in places is merely the next step in an endless cycle. Instead, let others define themselves, that way there is less work for you in managing them and it's less likely you'll be killed in the next uprising."

Annis smiled cynically. Honestly, these people.

"Have you ever been to the common areas of an Imperial city, Mr Cynwrig? The people there don't feel hatred. They barely even feel contempt. All they feel is tired. Tired and sad. And those that don't? They love the empire as much as the nobility do, if not more. They know no other life and the world outside is strange and dangerous, filled with things they don't understand. It's not that the Empire is foolish enough to think rebellion is impossible. It's that the Emperor was intelligent enough to ensure it. Even most of the nobility don't know what it's like beyond the walls of the cities."
She snapped her fingers at a passing servant and plucked food from his tray, lifting a release on the mask to eat it with a pneumatic hiss.
"Tyrannous? I'd disagree. Necessary? Probably not. Invincible? Frankly, damned close."

 

[Texas Joker 52]

-Sheska-

She smiled back when Isaac replied.

"He won't give me any trouble. Don't worry. If I couldn't handle a little stress now and then, what kind of pirate would I be right?".

Sheska nodded and relaxed a little more. "Good to know. But, like I said, you need my help, you only need to let me know.", she pointed out.

But his next question made her pause.

"I'm kinda guessing you've done for Neos before. But did you ever... work undercover for the Empire? Just been wondering recently.".

Quite frankly it seemed out of nowhere, and the implications of the question itself made her uncomfortable. But, since it came from Izzy, she knew that any implications of her still being part of the Ggun were completely unintentional. Still, the fact he asked made her curious. "Why do you ask? What brought this up all of a sudden?", she asked.

Then she shrugged. "No, I was always one of their hunters, remember? I wasn't valuable enough to be one of their spies or plants. I was pretty much just some dog they let loose to hunt someone down and kill them, particularly if they didn't care how someone died, so long as it was thorough.", she told him with a small grimace.

 

[hiei82]

[HEADING=2]Adrianna[/HEADING]

As she was enjoying the second of her evening's indulgences, Adrianna noticed an odd sensation. Garrett, apparently unsatisfied with just another kiss, moved his hands across her body - softly pressing her where his fingers landed. Wherever his fingers touched, the tension there drained away, leaving a warm, fuzzy feeling. The pseudo-massage was borderline addictive for the pleasure it created. As his hands reached lower than was entirely appropriate, Adrianna yelped into their conjoined mouth and redoubled her fiddling with his hair, enjoying the feel of it in her fingers. She wasn't sure if it was just Garrett's skill or if it was augmented by the copious amounts of wine she'd partaken in, but Adrianna knew that she'd likely not forget this feeling for weeks.

Eventually - and excruciatingly - this kiss came to its conclusion and their lips parted. A line of saliva connected the two yet longer, perhaps clinging to their desire for more, but it quickly snapped under Adrianna's desperate gasps of air. Garrett gently wiped away the remnants of the liquid line with his handkerchief, then spoke. "That was, that was the most enjoyable moment of my life to date. Now I know what I'm looking forward to when that day arrives." he said between breaths, clearly having likewise enjoyed their time.

Adrianna couldn't agree more, and that wasn't the wine speaking. There were so many things she wanted to do with him yet, but they would have to wait. No doubt their escape from the party wouldn't remain unnoticed much longer and they could hardly risk questions of their absence so close to their goal; they would have to wait a few more horrendously long weeks. In there stead, she brought her hand up to his cheek and - feeling the sudden warmth of the touch - added "And until that long awaited and short to arrive day, know I love you with all I am or will be, and the only day's I've been happier were they days I first met you and the day you saved me." With that, she pushed up on her toes and brought her face up to his - almost as though she were going to kiss him a third time, but changed orientation at the last moment to press her forehead to his. "I've said it before Garrett, but I love you: now and forever."

With that, she pulled away from his warm embrace, back into the coldness of reality, and took a step back toward the party. "Now we'd best be going before we're missed."

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Beth

She finished her fourth glass of wine, which she had picked up while talking with Roy. "I'm sure you'll get the hang of it eventually, or end up dead. I've seen too many new recruits die. Even if you're not on the frontline you can still get your body blown in two by a cannonball." She blurted out without thinking. It was the wine talking, but it was true nonetheless.

Beth put the glass down, got up on her feet and patted Roy on the back. "If you'll excuse me, Roy, I think I need a breath of fresh air."

Walking outside on wobbly legs, she almost bumped into a woman when she got outside. She was about to apologize, when she recognized the woman from before and the dog that didn't leave her side. "Oh, you didn't see me there. I hope you were paying more attention during the quickie with your dog."

Beth muttered the words close to the woman's ear, but the wine might have impaired her ability to notice how loud she spoke. She stepped past her, and went for the railing of the balcony. "I guess it is a dangerous world when a woman can't face an adversary alone. There's still room for cowards, I suppose."

She kept talking, past the point of common sense, while laughing on the inside.

 

[Evrant-Knight]

"And until that long awaited and short to arrive day, know I love you with all I am or will be, and the only day's I've been happier were they days I first met you and the day you saved me." Adrianna said as she brought her real hand up to Garrett's cheek, which made the blush come back for a moment. She then pushed herself up, bringing her face up to his, Garrett assumed Adrianna was going in for another kiss, but instead she pressed her fore head to his. "I've said it before Garrett, but I love you: now and forever."

With that the couple broke away from each other, and began to walk back towards the party. "Now we'd best be going before we're missed." Adrianna remarked as they were reaching the entrance back to the main hall, as they saw a another woman walking towards them with a slight stumble in her step.

"Indeed, we wouldn't want them to think we were getting up to anything suspicious now would we?" Garrett asked rhetorically with a slight smirk on his face. He thought he could hear the drunk sounding woman say something, but to him it sounded as if she was just mumbling to herself. Seeing how his plate was still there on the table with a bit of food on it, he took the opportunity to retrieve it.

"I'm going to head back inside boss, think another drink might warm me up a bit. Evening ladies." Garrett said, mainly to Adrianna, but tipped his hat towards both of the women before he disappeared back into the crowd that was occupying the hall.

 

[hiei82]

[HEADING=2]Adrianna[/HEADING]

As she turned a corner to reenter the party, Adrianna nearly crashed into another guest - one so drunk she couldn't walk straight. Adrianna recognized her as the woman who'd been behind her when she and Garrett had been speaking with Eddie, so Adrianna didn't have much reason to care about her - if she was a companion of the bastard, then as far as she was concerned the woman could go to hell.

The encounter would have ended there, with undoubted mutual dislike for each other floating in the air, were it not for the drunken woman leaning in close to her ear and saying "Oh, you didn't see me there. I hope you were paying more attention during the quickie with your dog. I guess it is a dangerous world when a woman can't face an adversary alone. There's still room for cowards, I suppose.".

Adrianna was hardly shocked by the woman's words - she clearly knew the belligerent, half-witted Eddie and therefore lacked anything resembling manners. What more, the amount of alcohol on her breath was enough to cause intoxication with others, suggesting her normally diminished mental state would be flying on even less steam. Adrianna bit her lip, holding back her silvered tongue more out of a combination of pity for the woman and a feeling that replying to such vitriolic rabble in such an inappropriate manner wasn't worth the time or effort for its cost. After all, what challenge was there in a war of words with fruit hanging so low it was touching the ground.

Instead, as Garrett dismissed himself, she walked over to the woman saying "I believe you forget yourself madam. Whatever problems you might have with me should have been left at the door; this is a party to celebrate the peaceful coexistence of both the Empire and your city of Helium."

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

"This ain't my city." She answered. "and that's not something to celebrate either. I'll celebrate with you when your precious Empire lies burning."

Beth wondered if the woman was stupid. Maybe she was toying with her, and pretending to not recognize her, but really, how many people walked around with large blue angel wings clearly visible on their back? She wasn't trying to hide them, and by now she had hoped that she had become at least a little infamous to the emperor's slaves. The wine kept her from sulking.

"However, perhaps you are right. I might have spoken out of turn. You could be his dog, of course." Beth made one swooping motion with her wings, which sent nearby leaves flying, then took a deep breath. "Lovely night, isn't it."

 

[hiei82]

[HEADING=2]Adrianna[/HEADING]

"This ain't my city and that's not something to celebrate either. I'll celebrate with you when your precious Empire lies burning." the winged woman said in response. ***** Adrianna thought to herself, getting move annoyed by the argumentative woman by the minute. "Excuse me then; I'd assumed you being here meant you had some connection to the city." she said instead. It was more or less true, though Adrianna had her suspicions of otherwise before - there weren't many people in Helium willing to insult the Empire so readily to imperial faces.

"However, perhaps you are right. I might have spoken out of turn. You could be his dog, of course." she continued, before turning and sending the leaves flying - thanks in no small part to her wings. A pang of remembrance cut through Adrianna's alcohol addled mind - "Wasn't there someone with wings in Helium?" Adrianna dismissed it for the moment - it it was important, she'd figure it out. "Lovely night, isn't it." she added as the turn came to an end.

"I suppose" Adrianna replied, looking at the storm clouds around them. "Might not be the best sailing weather tomorrow though - particularly for eastern travels." she finished, drinking another sip of her to-be-regretted wine. She didn't look forward to convincing the crew to take their jobs seriously as they tried to take flight tomorrow. "Ah, but excuse my poor manners - Adrianna Lanester" she said, holding out her hand. She might not like the woman, but Adrianna always tried to be the better woman - at least when Pirates weren't involved.

 

[3quency]

"No, I was always one of their hunters, remember? I wasn't valuable enough to be one of their spies or plants. I was pretty much just some dog they let loose to hunt someone down and kill them, particularly if they didn't care how someone died, so long as it was thorough."

Isaac smiled cynically.
"Suppose that depends on what they valued."
He looked away.
"It wasn't an easy job, you know? I didn't think about it at the time of course. But ever since I went rogue... I dunno. Actions dwell on you, don't they? Things that seemed the right thing to do... I'm responsible for a lot of deaths, Shes. A lot. And I don't get how I seem fine living with that."

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

"Might not be the best sailing weather tomorrow though - particularly for eastern travels."

Beth was surprised that the woman had remained calm so far, and it made her believe that she was toying with her, but it also made her wonder, why? Two could play at that game though. She turned to look her in the eyes. "Oh, do you fear that the rain might make you wet?"

"Ah, but excuse my poor manners - Adrianna Lanester" The woman held out her hand to her.

Beth thought about laughing it off or ignoring it, but then she had a better idea. She took the hand, and kissed it, just like a male might greet a female, but then she let her tongue trail over it, slighty too long for what should be considered appropriate. Come to think of it, they probably didn't use any tongue at all.

"Maybe you've never truly been wet." She looked her in the eyes again, then let go off her hand. "My name is Beth, and my crew will also by travelling east. But no storm or heavy weather will rock our ship, you'll see."

 

[Texas Joker 52]

-Sheska-

"Suppose that depends on what they valued.".

Sheska merely snorted softly at that, but she continued to frown in concern. It was what he said next that made her realize why he asked.

"It wasn't an easy job, you know? I didn't think about it at the time of course. But ever since I went rogue... I dunno. Actions dwell on you, don't they? Things that seemed the right thing to do... I'm responsible for a lot of deaths, Shes. A lot. And I don't get how I seem fine living with that.".

Taking her hand off of his shoulder, she stopped him and put a hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. She locked her eyes onto his in a hard stare.

"Izzy, you weren't yourself, don't you realize that? You weren't responsible for what you did. The Empire, they took away more from you than they ever did from me. Sure, they took what little freedom I had, my home, my family... But with you, they took away all of that, and your sense of self. They made you into a slave, Izzy, and you couldn't control what you did.", she told him firmly, before she sighed and looked at him more softly.

"What they made you do, wasn't on you. You aren't responsible.", she repeated, before putting her arm around his shoulders and leading him away from the dance floor.

"Come on. Lets get you something to drink, even if it doesn't have alcohol.", Sheska told him quietly.

As she lead him to the bar, she inwardly wished there was some way she could show him how different he was to the Ggun and those in it. But short of having an actual member there to directly compare the two, she couldn't. And she didn't know what else to do to help ease Isaac's misplaced guilt. He didn't deserve it.

 

[Floris2123]

George spend his time sitting in the corner of the hall, though that quickly became boring. People were talking all over the place, he decided to get another drink. He walked over the bar, avoiding anyone who outranked him on the ship. Once he arrived at the bar, he spotted a rather sad looking, plan clothes wearing young man drinking a strange drink. "What are you drinking?" He asked the man.

After waiting for a few seconds he concluded that he wouldn't get a response. He was a bit surprised, so he decided to walk around the man. He now looked him straight in the eyes, "Are you okay? You look a bit troubled." He asked him looking a bit worried. He couldn't help but wonder who this person was, he looked quite bored.

 

[Cybele]

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it eventually, or end up dead. I've seen too many new recruits die. Even if you're not on the frontline you can still get your body blown in two by a cannonball. If you'll excuse me, Roy, I think I need a breath of fresh air. "

Roy was taken aback by the captain's bluntness. "Sure, don't let me keep you," he muttered after a few moments had passed, even though Beth was already out of earshot by then.

Roy had been well aware of all the dangers he might face when he decided to join a pirate crew. Still, Beth's words had been disconcerting. 'And so what? We'll all bite the dust sooner or later, why worry about it NOW?' he thought, frowning, and continued to drink the horrid wine and sulk.

"...okay? You look a bit troubled."

Roy jumped from surprise and very nearly fell off his chair when someone suddenly stuck their face in front of his.

"The hell? Ever heard of personal space?" he grumbled, his words slurring together quite noticeably by now. Roy looked the man over, trying to decide what they might want or who they may be. The man seemed to be a few years older than him, which didn't say much, and he was quite well dressed, but then again almost everyone at the party was.

"Something you need?" Roy asked when he finally concluded that he'd be unable to conclude anything about the man in front of him, at least not while as drunk as he was.