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| The Slave Trade | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 23 2011, 08:54 PM (2,450 Views) | |
| Daiohma | Apr 27 2012, 10:45 AM Post #51 |
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The Ice Fang
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Tsukiko found herself being lead into a cage along with the others. Her heart started to race as terrible thoughts appeared in her mind. The stories she had heard from her sisters about pirates all came back to her in an instance. She started to tear up as she thought this was her end. Never had she been in a situation of any kind like this before, or has she ever met such people as this. Deep in the back of her mind she reminded herself that this was what she and her sisters trained for each and every day. The Ishikawa family had always been there to help out in wars, yet Tsukiko found herself alone. Only two friendly faces where with her inside the cage, and one that she felt she could not trust. Xera started shouting as she hit her hands against the cage in rage. This scared Tsukiko even more as she backed away from the three girls. With all the anger and shouting it was easy for the young shrine maiden to lose track of what was going on. Too many words where said and she could not keep up with the conversations that were going on. She did not even notice right away when a new face entered the tent. Tsukiko nervously looked at the man, he was clearly a pirate in her eyes but something about him yelled out Valuan. She had become used to spotting valuan men since a different one would travel to her home in search of her eldest sister Dengeki, seeking her hand in marriage. Of all people in the world Tsukiko knew that Valuan's did not get along that well with the people of Ixa'Taka. What Valua did to her home land when she was little was horrific, yet she knew Ixa'Taka had it even worse, a thing she could not even start to image. The girl from Yafutoma started to calm a little, the pirates were not moving in for an attack, for now that was. This gave her a chance to take in more of what was going on. Only now did she notice that the woman who had helped them was not with them there in the cage, but out side with her arms around the valuan pirate. A quick glance at Xera and she realized that they had been deceived by Kaia. This came as a bigger shock to Tsukiko than being trapped in the cage. She and her sisters would never let anything come between then, it was just unthinkable. Yet here she was witnessing two sisters doing just that. It was a real culture shock to her, something she guessed was normal for the people of Ixa'Taka. This only made things worse for the young girl. If sisters could betray one another so easy then what would stop her new friends from doing the same thing? Her heart started to race again as she backed away once more. Tsukiko found her hand moving to her necklace by her own free will. She had mastered all but the last of the silver magic and the situation was just begging for her to cast a spell. It was the worst kind of feeling for Tsukiko, she did not like war and she did not like how her magic effected people, but if it came down to it she could not think of another way out. That was when caught sight of Kokyrie, the pirate who had looked after her. Tsukiko shook her head, she knew she could trust her. As she let go of her necklace she felt a little better that she did have friends in the cage with her. However this did not last long, just as the pirate man was on his way he mentioned that Xera had been taking slaves to him. The trust again was broken as Tsukiko grabbed ahold of her necklace, not knowing what she should do. Her eyes stuck on Kokyrie as many thoughts raced though her head. |
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| Navarro | May 1 2012, 12:36 AM Post #52 |
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What is this, a title for ants?
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Slave pens. Dark, humid with the sweat of the imprisoned. A scent like festering shit. The sound of dirty water leaking from corroded pipes. A crude, opaque lightbulb hanging from a stripped cable. In most of the pens, grime-streaked, emaciated souls huddled beneath the scraps of a few blankets. Silhouetted in that lonely light, a man with a soldier's frame and dark, dead stars etched in black on his shoulders. A crust of scab muddled their symmetry. The man looked up to the bulb and opened his eyes, staring into the brilliant filament and fighting back the resulting tears. He was looking for a flicker. Time ceased in the pens, an eternal night of pitiful sobbing and the occasional suicide clean-up - the slavers couldn't be bothered to do it, and it served to demoralize the survivors. The flickering of the lightbulb gave him a sense of the outside. "Go on," came that unmistakably Maderan accent, muffled beneath the fabric of a slaver's mask. Soto turned his battered head to face the source. The slaver gave a characteristic wink and prodded Soto with a rod that gave him a quick electric jolt. "Take it easy!" the imprisoned sailor yelped, leaping into the cage beneath the light bulb, feeling a wave of reluctant comfort in seeing the man with the lavender stripe again. Jagger, revealed, slammed the chain link fence shut. "If I catch you outside your cell again..." Jagger growled, and Soto nodded understandingly. "Never again, sir," Soto panted. Jagger glanced at the woman in the next cell, and his heart started to break again. She looked to be about 80, and thin as a rail. Jagger saw his own grandmother in her, and it hurt him badly to have to scare her, but he batted at the fencing near her with his prod, and she cowered back. Soto shot Jagger a look of bitter disgust. He only sneered and walked away, into the daylight, and gone once again. In silence again, Soto sat down on his bedpad. The old lady sat far away from him, but never took her wild eyes off. --- "What time is it now?" the old lady whispered, not keen to let any but her neighbor hear her. Soto tried in vain to wipe what now seemed like the permanent afterimage of the lightbulb from his straining eyes. "Around...mid-afternoon, I think," Soto reasoned. "I keep losing count." "While you were napping earlier, it flickered twice," she rasped. "What does that mean?" "Four hours," he reminded her, "Two hours per flicker. Because of the generators, remember?" "Generators," she spat, never offering a reason for her apparent disdain. "I have some leftover fruit, if you're hungry. It's getting to be around that time." The old lady shook her head and held out a prohibitory hand. "No, no sonny...you need it more than I do. You've got your whole life ahead of you..." Before Soto could insist, they heard the jangling of keys outside the door. Soto hopped up expectantly, and into the pens came a short line of slavers. Sure enough, Jagger was among them. He pushed a cart stacked with plates, each holding a miniscule portion of what looked like burnt fish. Soto could smell the char but was still excited; meat was always a surprise in the camp. But just as quickly as they'd arrived, they left. Jagger didn't even acknowledge Soto; he just slid the plate of sardis under the bars and was on his way. It had been days since Soto had last seen Jagger, and yet, he still brought no hope of escape. "Bon appetit, Ruci," Soto said to the old lady. She whispered something unintelligible in response, and hovered like a wicked witch over her own plate of scalded sardi. The sailor lifted his plate from the tray and saw a small square of paper fall to the floor. At first, he thought it was a napkin, which would have been thoughtful; instead, he found what looked like a note, scrawled in Jagger's lefty scratch: Got a plan to bust you. Midnight tonight, we'll talk. Keep watching the flicker. Drugged the old lady's food - don't want her to hear what we're talking about. Please trust. As if on cue, Soto heard the clatter of a falling metal tray and watched the old woman begin a hallucinogenic dirtnap. He stared into the paper, which morphed in shape and color because of the bulb's afterimage in his weary stare. Midnight tonight, thought Soto. Four more flickers. --- "No." "Come on!" "Forget it, Jagger! I'm not punching the old lady in the face!" Soto vented at his would-be saviour. His agitation grew with each word, and Jagger shot a nervous look toward the old woman - Ruci, Soto said - but she was still lying on the floor, with a look of utter peace on her face. Jagger put his hand over Soto's mouth, but Soto batted away the invading hand. "Would you just agree to hear me out?" "No!" Jagger crossed his arms and began tapping his foot impatiently. "Look. I did not come out to this cesspool for you to tell me no. It's either punch the old lady or rot in here." "Jagger-" "No. No, you will do exactly as I say, or I am leaving your ass." The flustered slave contemplated for a moment. He, too, glanced at Ruci. She was beginning to stir. "Okay, so, assume...I punch this sweet old woman in the face. Then what?" Jagger smiled wryly. "Then I come over, and I escort you out of the building while the guards tend to Ruci." "How do you know they'll even care?" "They aren't heartless, you know. And I'm sure one or two of them have a mother or grandmother to relate." "And what? We just run off, hop on your boat and skip out? What about her?" "I'm not here for her, I'm here for you. What's it gonna be?" --- It was time. Jagger slid open the outer door to the slave pen annex - where he was greeted by a bald, beefy man with stringy hair covering his massive shoulders. He was digging at an impacted tooth with a knife, and looked to be about half-deep in a tall bottle of rum as a result. He waved a whimsical hand at the passing ex-privateer, who ducked beneath the flaps of the slave tent, departing from twilight and entering blackness. When he went inside, he expected it to be quiet; instead, he found the pens in utter chaos. The main pen looked to have been emptied into the surrounding ones, and filled anew. A group of women engaged fiercely with the slavers on the other side of the chain metal fences. Entering, Jagger shot a glance to Soto's cell, which had since tripled in occupancy. The dark prisoner had his mouth taped and hands and feet bound. And standing before the newly imprisoned women were two faces Jagger was unfortunate enough to know by name - Kaia and Darius, two of the highers-up at the camp. He kept his mouth shut and stood nearby the door. He had already been told twice not to get in the way of the administration, for his own safety as well as that of his infiltration. Just do your job, he thought to himself, keep guarding the door, and no one will ask questions. Edited by Navarro, May 1 2012, 12:40 AM.
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| Gordreg | May 6 2012, 02:25 PM Post #53 |
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Administrator
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Jel sniffed loudly, blinking the forming tears away. She couldn’t cry. Not now. Later, perhaps, if they were really to be locked in this awful place there would be far too much time. Though even then, Jel’din considered as she calmed herself - despite the crawling feelings of fear still churning in her stomach and reaching out across her back with icy fingers - it would have little use. She gave a swallow, her throat feeling far too dry all of a sudden for comfort, and held her own hand tightly with the other as she listened to Xera’s vengeful shouts toward her sister. And she continued to listen as Kaia ranted to her sister about their past, bringing up nearly a decade of pain and hurt and resentment. Jel’s jaw nearly dropped as Kaia told her story, of how she had been stolen away to Valua. Her brow creased at the description, for the ‘beautiful’ city Kaia spoke of had surely not been the same one she had once visited as part of Kokyrie’s band. And her horrified expression grew even further when Kaia revealed she had literally been in bed with the slavers the whole time. It was all her fault! Jel gave a horrified moan and clutched at her face with both her hands. It was due to her loose mouth that Kaia had even been told the truth behind their visit. But rather then helping Kokyrie’s plans, her stupid, stupid decision had now cost the Captain everything! She blinked heavily, eyes now welling up with tears again, her throat heaving with sobs. She had told Kaia the Ixa’ness plans, and now everything had been ruined because she hadn’t just kept her mouth shut… Breathe. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and prevent herself from breaking down entirely. Swallowing again, she cast her eyes around the cage, her face falling farther as she made note of the tarnished metal bars, and the filth that covered the floor and gave an extremely unpleasant smell to the whole of the surroundings. She wrinkled her nose, hoping against hope that Kokyrie or someone would work out a way to get free before they had to find out just what – She has told Kaia the Ixa’ness plans. Her sobbing abated in a moment of lucidity, and she let her damp, saline hands drop away from her face. She had only told Kaia of the Ixa’ness! And whilst Nixie had mentioned the other forces, she had never been specific – with luck, Kaia had not even seen the implied difference between Ixa’ness forces and a ‘whole army of Ixa'takans’ And nobody, nobody had made a single mention of the Iron Ships the king had sent along. Jel gave a heavy blink, and her eyes a wipe from the tears that had been welling. If Kokyrie had not noticed that herself, Jel would tell her; as soon as they got a bit of privacy that was. She gave a glare through the bars toward the figure of Xera, and tried not to retch as the Ixa’ness traitor sheltered against Darius’ body… and then tore her eyes away as the man wheeled around to give one final gloat to Xera. But she listened, and as the implications of the words sank in, Jel turned to slowly face Xera herself. Her expression was far plaer then normal, and the tears were starting to well up again. “Is… this true?” she almost pleaded, hands grasping tighter together until her knuckles went pale. “You… sold him slaves?” she added, hands starting to tremble. “My… my… father…” she whispered, voice cracking, and then she placed her hands to her face, and the tears began anew. |
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| Jet Blackbeard | May 9 2012, 08:45 PM Post #54 |
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aka Bear
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Xera bit her lip in frustration, unable to meet the eyes of any of them. Jel'din's question caused her to flinch but she remained silent. At least, until Kokyrie demanded an answer from her. "Well? Is it true?" The former huntress growled. "Were you in cahoots with that pirate?" Xera's eyes flashed with anger, mostly at herself, as she rounded on them all. "Look, you don't know a damn thing about me! So don't you dare judge!" "We're not going anywhere." Kokyrie returned coolly. "Why don't you explain your situation to us. Although I can probably guess..." "Yeah, you know everything right?" Xera snorted in anger. She propped her back against one of the cage's bars and slid into a sitting position on one of the cleaner patches of its floor. "Fine, guess I'll never know peace until you've all had a chance to revel in my private pain." Kokyrie gazed passively back at her. Xera took a deep breath, closed her eyes and launched into her story. "It was back during the occupation when everyone was running scared from the invaders. Our tribe didn't fare as bad as the others but we weren't immune to their tyranny." A single tear slid down Xera's cheek as the memories came flooding back. She sniffed once, wiping it away before continuing. "We were delivering a group of captives from one of the neighboring tribes to our usual spot. Kaia was with us. I remember arguing with her that morning. She didn't want to go with us but I insisted. I told her she needed to grow a spine if she were ever going to amount to anything. I figured a quick jaunt out to drop off our prisoners would be safe enough but....I was wrong." "What happened?" Kokyrie urged her to continue. It was a rhetorical question though. She already knew how Xera's story would end. "We ran headlong into one of the iron ships. We couldn't escape fast enough and were taken as prisoners ourselves." Xera stared at the ceiling as she spoke. Tears course down her face and she no longer tried to hide them. "Darius was an officer aboard. He questioned us, wanting to know where our village was. But when he found out what we'd been up to he offered me a deal in exchange for our freedom." "A deal in which you'd hand our tribe's captives over to him instead of setting them free." Kokyrie surmised. Xera nodded sadly. "And he kept my sister as collateral. Said he'd give her back to me once I'd brought him 500 slaves in exchange." "Sounds like you got a raw deal." Kokyrie sighed. Xera surprised them all when she began to laugh. "He's right you know? It is funny! One big hilarious joke that bastard and Kaia played on me! This whole time...the guilt and shame I felt...and my sister was living the good life all the while!" Xera laughed even as the tears continued to stream from her eyes. Kokyrie looked at her awkwardly, unsure of what to say at a time like this. But the sound of someone approaching the tent ended the matter and demanded her attention. thump-click... thump-click... thump-click... thump-click... The mismatched footfalls heralded the arrival of Captain Sturges. The tent flap parted and the old pirate limped into the room. His eyes burned with intensity as he regarded Kokyrie from the other side of the cage bars. "Hello Sturges." Kokyrie sighed. She wasn't certain what the old man was about to say or whether or not she wanted to hear it. Not that she had much choice either way. "Kyrie lass." Sturges shook his head. "I'll bet me wages ye wish ye'd taken me up on me offer now, aye?" Kokyrie shrugged at the suggestion. "You already knew that I wouldn't the moment it was made." "Aye, that I did. I had a hunch ye were up to somethin'." Sturges agreed. "For as long as I knew ye, ye always had some kind o' angle ta play up." "And I always seem to wind up in a situation like this as a result." Kokyrie smiled back at him. "Aye, ye do at that lass!" Sturges chuckled. Kokyrie's smile faded a moment later. "But you didn't come here to dawdle away the time with me. What have you got in store for us captain?" She asked bluntly, no longer willing to beat around the bush. "Me offer still stands lass. Join me crew and I'll do as I can to get ye out of this fix." Sturges answered with a tinge of sadness in his voice. "T'would be a shame for ye ta be throwin' your life away o'er this." "So we're all set to twist in the wind after all." Kokyrie sidestepped Sturges' offer, choosing to respond to what he'd said after it was made. "I can't say I'm surprised. If anything I'm surprised it's taking this long." "Oh, Darius was all for runnin' ye through right from the start. But I spoke up for ye, wantin' to give ye one last chance to change ye fate." Sturges sighed. "But ye won't, will ye? Ye're willin' to see this thing through to the bitter end, aye?" "I am." Kokyrie returned coolly. Sturges nodded sadly and turned to leave. "So be it then. I leave ye to the fate ye've chosen. Farewell Kyrie. May ye find fare winds and a welcoming port in the next world." "What course are you setting for me to reach it captain?" Kokyrie asked, this time with a hint of anxiety in her voice. "I....have to know." "That wench Kaia says ye're some big chief about these parts now. Tis fair to say ye death will upset a few o' the locals, aye?" Sturges turned back to answer. "Our ships begin bombardin' ye army o' savages at first light. Darius is of a mind that the first thing ta be dropped on 'em should be ye severed head." "That would make quite a statement." Kokyrie said through a tight smile. "But it might not be the one you're intending to make." "Whether seein' ye dead drives ye're friends onward or drives 'em mad makes no difference ta me." Sturges sighed as he hobbled away. The tent flap fell closed, obscuring him from sight and leaving Kokyrie to consider his words. She glanced over at Tsukiko and Jel'din. As a Black Pirate Kokyrie had accepted the fact that she would likely face a violent death such as this one day. But for the two young healers to share her fate, that was something she would regret up until the end. If there was on consolation it was that she wouldn't have long to wait for it. Then there was Xera. Kokyrie didn't know what Kaia and her lover had in store for her. To be honest with herself Kokyrie didn't really care. Xera had been dealt a losing hand but she just couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for the unfortunate huntress. "Well, we're really in it deep this time." Kokyrie laughed. She decided to quit dwelling on such melancholy thoughts and turn her mind to more productive things; things like finding a way to escape. Maybe one of the girls, possibly Tsukiko, had a hair pin or something similar that she could use to pick the lock with. At the moment no such attempt could be made though. Darius had had the common sense to leave a guard behind to watch them. He'd have to be dealt with before she could try anything else. So that was two master plans she'd have to concoct before morning. Piece of cake. "What are you looking at?" Kokyrie snorted sullenly at the guard. (OOC - In case I left it too vague, the guard she's talking to is Jagger.) |
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| Daiohma | May 11 2012, 12:52 PM Post #55 |
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The Ice Fang
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Tsukiko stood with her back to the cage, her eyes kept watch on all in the cage with her but mostly on Kokyrie. In her hands she kept a tight hold of her necklace as thoughts raced thought her head. Not only was she in a strange new place and with strange people who had many different customs but now she felt that she could not trust any of them. It was hard for her to keep track of everything that was going on. People talking as people moved around, the thought that any of her new friends could turn on her. The only time that she would let go of her necklace was when she had to constantly remove the tears from her eyes. She wanted to visit new lands and experience new cultures but had never thought that anything like this could possible happen to her. Tsukiko was a Shrine Maiden, and not any shrine but the Tsuki Shrine. The Shrine to the Moons. For her to be treated in such a way was shocking to her. While keeping her eyes on the group she occasionally glanced over at the lock. Her Moon Stone shone ever so slightly every now and then as she thought of casting her magic on everyone inside the tent and cage. Yet that lock was stopping her, along with the feeling that the girls were indeed friends. Xera seemed to fall to the floor as she started to tell some kind of story about her sister. The Shrine Maiden tried to listen in but was so focused on keeping safe. Just as the story seemed to end there came a noise from outside the tent. No sooner as Tsukiko's eyes moved to the entrance another person entered. This time it was a old man who looked a little worse for wear. Right away Tsukiko knew he had to be a Black Pirate. The one from before and Kokyrie surprised Tsukiko when she found out they were pirates, but not this guy. This was the Black Pirate from her sisters' stories. As she looked at him he matched everything she thought a black Pirate was. He seemed to have a conversation with Kokyrie before going on his way. She was not sure what it was all about but she did understand the part about Kokyrie losing her head. ''Kokyrie, miss.'' Tsukiko finally found her voice as she approached the Black Pirate. ''I can trust you yes?'' She nervously asked as she still held onto her necklace, the Moon Stone ever so slightly shining sliver. |
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| Navarro | May 11 2012, 08:59 PM Post #56 |
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What is this, a title for ants?
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“This does not bode well,” Jagger muttered to himself. He'd heard this whole ordeal play out secondhand, through Darius and that Kaia woman, while miming work earlier in the day. They came, just like the slavers said. They got caught, just like they were supposed to. The difference that eased Jagger's alarm was in the infiltration – the guards saw the women coming from miles away. Jagger had been there – what was it now, two, three weeks? - under their noses, and no one was the wiser. Jagger wanted badly to help the girls. It would weigh heavily on him to leave them to rot like Ruci did, but he did not come all this way to help them. Jagger didn't realize until one of the woman sneered at him that he had been staring. “Hun, there's a lot to look at, I can't pick just one thing,” he elicited listlessly, with no conviction behind the words. Turning his back to the women, he walked over to Soto's cell and motioned for the three occupants to stand. “Face away from the bars, place your heels up against the door and lean back your heads,” he barked in true slaver-grit style, and the three complied, Soto somewhat hesitantly. Jagger untied their blindfolds and cloth manacles through the bars and tucked them snugly into his waistband. He continued doing this for all of the prisoners. Soto rubbed at his wrists, which were beginning to wear after the constant cycling of different bonds. The other two in his cell, both emaciated men in rags, ducked into the back corners, away from the light. He pressed himself up against the gate to see what his savior was doing. Frankly, he was getting tired of Jagger's dawdling. No one was around, why didn't they just leave now? As Jagger passed by on his way out, Soto reached out and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him into the shoddy wire gate. “What the fuck!” Soto yanked back and held Jagger tight, slowly choking him against the metal. “Open the door. We're leaving, now.” “Okay! Okay, just put me down!” Jagger dropped to his knees, scraping one, before standing back up and dusting off. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?” Jagger exploded back, now positive that he was standing clear of Soto's lengthy reach. “Open the door!” “Stand down, prisoner, or we'll drop you off this godsforsaken island.” Jagger stormed out, leaving Soto with a room full of some likely very confused individuals. Eying the recent arrivals in the Big Pen, Soto waved a hello. “Welcome to prison, ladies. And good timing, too, I think today's feeding day.” |
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| Gordreg | May 19 2012, 03:54 PM Post #57 |
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Administrator
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Jel’din wiped her eye with a pair of her fingers, feeling the slightly warm saline liquid of the tears as they ran down the groove between them before spilling out over her palm. Why was she letting herself get so upset, Jel wondered? She brushed her hand against her outfit to rid her hand of the teary coating. Jel had known her father had been sold on since Ixa’ness; that was part of the reason they had come out here, and Xera had never been a friend or even really trusted that greatly. Giving a small sniff, her moment of blubbering abated, and Jel lifted her head back up from the slump into which she’d fallen. She turned her head slowly, a quiet breath passing from her lips in the form of a sigh as she cast another gaze about the confines of the cage. The atmosphere seemed to have changed a little even since the start of her teary outburst, and she saw to her slight shock that Xera’s bluster had all but gone, and the Ixa’ness slave-seller had become as tearful as Jel had just been not a moment before. Indeed, if anything, Jel realised, Xera’s tears were flowing more freely then hers had done. Jel sniffed, and gave a small whimper. She felt incredibly upset and angry with Xera right now… but at the same time, could partially understand how Xera must have felt to have her sister taken. If she had ever thought bringing the slavers other captives in his place would have made them release her father, Jel wondered, might she have been tempted to take their deal herself? …No, that was the answer she quickly decided upon, as she gave a nervous pace around some of the slightly less filthy areas of the floor. Whatever she might have done or been tempted to do, Xera’s route was not one she could have gone down. But then, she was a healer of the Hu’langri, not a warrior of the Ixa’ness. If she had been bought up amongst a different tribe, taught a different role in life… Jel’s face fell as she considered how different things might or might not have been. She gave a glance to Kokyrie, and nodded quietly as she saw the captain turn to look at her in turn. Biting her lip, she gave an uneasy smile as Kyrie gave a laugh. The mere fact that the captain didn’t seem defeated yet - despite their situation, despite the guard – gave her a little hope that things might yet turn out all right. But she looked up in alarm when Kyrie gave sharp address to the guard. She watched, silently, as the man gave a half-hearted reply and headed off to tend to other prisoners. Probably not what the captain had intended, Jel supposed; but it had gotten the eyes of the guard off their little group at last… “Is everyone okay? Anybody hurt?” Jel mouthed a whisper, her hand clasping tightly around the pouches on her belt, as her eyes flicked about the cell’s other occupants. With the guard elsewhere, Jel wondered if she would have the time to treat anyone who did have a problem before the guard came back; but she supposed she could always start with the basics, and only use her glow-rock when she felt certain nobody would be about to confiscate it from her. “Feeding… day?” Jel queried the comment, cautiously eying the prisoner. “Um. How often… do they feed you here?” she frowned, not really wanting to know the answer. Plus, she doubted the food would be very good, in any case. |
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| Jet Blackbeard | May 29 2012, 01:18 AM Post #58 |
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aka Bear
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Kokyrie was pleasantly surprised when the guard left the tent. He'd had some kind of altercation with a prisoner in another cage and it seemed to have really rattled him. “Welcome to prison, ladies. And good timing, too, I think today's feeding day.” The surly prisoner called out to them. Kokyrie pegged him as some kind of troublemaker to have had that kind of effect in his captor. She'd had to keep that in mind. "I'm fine Jel. Just a little put out." Kokyrie sighed in response to the young healer's concerns. Tsukiko's question was a little harder for her to answer right away though. She scooted over closer to the Yafutoman and did her best to hide her anxiety from her. "I'd like to say 'yes' but then I'd be giving you bad advice. The best answer I could give you is 'don't trust anyone' but maybe that's not what you need to hear either. I guess....just listen to your heart. What does it say about trusting me?" While Tsukiko mulled it over Kokyrie noticed the young priestess was clutching her Silver Moon Stone. For a moment she feared Tsukiko was about to unleash a spell against them all if she decided she couldn't trust her. But then the sound of someone else approaching the tent demanded her attention and Kokyrie had to leave the matter in Tsukiko's hands. "Alright you lazy hens! Get in there and slop out that gruel!" A raspy voice cackled as a trio of people entered the tent. One was clearly a pirate and obviously the speaker. He was dressed in the manner of a sailor and armed with a heavy cudgel. Accompanying him were a pair of women who had the haggard appearance of slaves. One struggled to carry a heavy-looking pot while the other toted a bag that rattled with the sound of crockery within. "Guess he was right." Kokyrie muttered, indicating Soto in the far cell. She turned to watch one of the women withdraw a handful of bowls from her bag and pass them through the bars of the cell on the opposite side of the tent. The slaves within suddenly lurched to life and clamored for them eagerly. Once they'd all been received the slaves held them out while the same woman dipped a ladle into pot the other was carrying and poured some of its contents into each bowl. While this was going on the pirate amused himself by poking and swatting at the slaves with his club, chuckling sadistically all the while. Kokyrie regarded him with disdain for a moment but then the corners of her lips began to curl upwards as a plan began forming in the back of her mind. "Hey Tsuki. Now's a good time to decide whether or not I'm trustworthy." Kokyrie whispered to the priestess. "Because if you are willing to help me I think I can get us out of here. But I'll need to borrow your necklace to pull it off..." ~ Kokyrie cast a quick glance over at the guard to make certain he wasn't watching. Satisfied that her actions would not be observed she knelt down on the floor of the cage and slid her hand between the bars. Kokyrie placed Tsukiko's golden pendant on the ground outside and then slid back a foot away from the bars. Kokyrie awarded the two healers a sly wink as she undid the top button of her blouse and then settled down to wait. The trap had been set. And as for the prey... "I don't know why I'm wastin' good grub on folk that are set to twist in the wind come mornin' but....eh? And what have we here?" The pirate had now reached their cage and was in the process of riling up its inhabitants when he spotted Kokyrie's predicament. A broad smile spread across his face as the opportunity to wreak further suffering on his charges was presented. Kokyrie knelt on the floor of the cage. Her arm was stretched to its limit between the bars, her fingers scrabbling to reach a beautiful golden necklace that lie just beyond her reach. The tip of her longest finger made contact with its chain but could not seem to hook it. "Oh now there's a pretty thing." The pirate laughed. He stepped over and placed the tip of his boot across the chain to prevent Kokyrie from claiming it. "Hmm, pretty indeed." He smiled lewdly down at her. Kokyrie could feel the man's eyes upon her. They were drawn like moths to a flame towards the caramel skin of her breasts. She smiled inwardly. This was one of the first tricks Kokyrie had learned after becoming a pirate. The slaves could be escaping en masse behind this poor fool but he wouldn't be able to tear his eyes away from her cleavage. "Please...it's very precious to me." Kokyrie sighed. Her eyes sparkled like emeralds as she gazed hopefully up at the pirate. The pirate smiled sloppily at her. "And what'll you give me in return eh?" He asked, making it obvious what he wanted. "A pair of broken balls!" Kokyrie crowed as she leapt forward. The pirate hadn't noticed how far away from the bars she'd been until that moment. And in that moment Kokyrie's arms extended well beyond where she'd dropped the pendant to seize the pirate by his ankles. Bracing her legs against the cage's bars she pulled back as hard as she could. The pirate was yanked off of his feet and fell flat on his back against the packed dirt of the tent's floor. He gasped painfully as the air was driven from his lungs. The pain intensified a moment later when Kokyrie dragged his legs into the cage, catching his crotch hard against the iron bar between them. The pirate sat bolt upright, his lips set in a tight grimace and his eyes screwed shut. Kokyrie calmly reached out again, this time grabbing the pirate by the neck and then banged his head against the bars hard enough to knock him unconscious. "And there we have it." Kokyrie snorted. She buttoned her blouse and then fished around outside of the cage. There was a metallic jingle as she yanked a ring of keys off of his belt. She also retrieved Tsukiko's pendant and rose to her feet, dusting it off before returning it to the priestess. "Now then, let's be on our way ladies." Kokyrie addressed the others in the cell. She fiddled with the keys for a moment before the door swung open, emitting a squeal of rusty metal. To her surprise the two women who had been feeding the slaves were still present. They'd watched the whole exchange with expressions of total shock but had yet to flee. "Sorry girls. Gruel's off the menu. How about a taste of freedom instead?" Kokyrie smiled at the too, pleased with herself for coming up with such witty dialogue. The two women smiled and nodded back at her. The quiet shuffling of movement from the other cage caught her attention. All of the other slaves were rising to their feet, some being helped up by others, indicating that they were all eager to leave as well. Kokyrie walked over and unlocked their cage. The slaves surged out, some coming over to offer her a pat on the shoulder while others simply took the opportunity to stretch their legs after their lengthily confinement. Kokyrie was pleased by their reaction. It was evident from their hopeful expressions that the slaves were feeling jubilant. And yet not a one dared to raise a cheer or call out their thanks. "Cooperative bunch." She muttered to herself. Then, in a loud whisper she addressed the crowd. "Everyone gather at the back of the tent. The moment we're in the open make a break for the woods and get as far away from here as you can." Her words were repeated by the slaves as her instructions spread to those at the back of the group. Satisfied that everyone understood Kokyrie stepped over to the cage on the other side of the room to free its prisoners as well. She eyes Soto as she twisted the key in the lock. "You're not from around here are you?" She asked as the door swung open. |
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| Daiohma | May 29 2012, 09:36 PM Post #59 |
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The Ice Fang
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Tsukiko looked Kokyrie in the eyes as she waited for her answer. Holding her necklace she had mixed feeling about what would become of her in a place such as this. Her adventure had indeed took a turn for the worst and only now did she understand why her mother was worried about her exploring the 'outside' world. "I'd like to say 'yes' but then I'd be giving you bad advice.'' Kokyrie finally spoke. Tsukiko's eyes widened in surprise. ''The best answer I could give you is 'don't trust anyone' but maybe that's not what you need to hear either. I guess....just listen to your heart. What does it say about trusting me?" Kokyrie's words where nothing short of wise, something Tsukiko could of seen her elder sisters saying in such a situation. The Black Pirate was right, She could not trust her or any of them. Yet the fact Kokyrie told her this Tsukiko felt that her words were true and that just maybe she would make sure that the young shrine maiden along with the others would get out of the town alive. Tsukiko's eyes met Kokyries as she thought, noticing that the pirate was now looking at the Moon Stone that she held against her chest. The Moon Stone stopped glowing as Tsukiko released her grip, letting the necklace dangle back down from her neck. "Alright you lazy hens! Get in there and slop out that gruel!" A voice came from someone entering the tent that caused Kokyrie to shift her attention away from the maiden. Tsukiko lowered her head as she thought about the situation, her eyes fixed on her Moon Stone. She wondered if she really was about to use her Moon Stone as the glow faded away. It would not of been the first time that she unwillingly cast a spell without thinking about what she was doing. "Hey Tsuki. Now's a good time to decide whether or not I'm trustworthy." Kokyrie suddenly turned to her, snapping her out of her deep thoughts. "Because if you are willing to help me I think I can get us out of here. But I'll need to borrow your necklace to pull it off..." Tsukiko Took a hold of her necklace as she stared at Kokyrie. After thinking on it she judged that her words where true and that if there was a chance to escape then she would have to trust her. ''I trust you.'' She said in her soft voice as she unhooked her necklace and handed it to Kokyrie. ''Please take care of it..'' Tsukiko watched with keen interest in what Kokyrie was going to do. Just then as the guard was not paying attention to them she knelt down and placed her nacklace outside of the cage. Tsukiko covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping, her eyes wide open in shock. However she kept herself back as she repeated in her mind that she had to trust Kokyrie right now. ''And what have we here?" It did not take long for the guard to notice Kokyrie and the necklace as he moved over to her. Tsukiko watched as Kokyrie then tried to retreve the necklace. The second she could not reach Tsukiko was about to run in and help her, but then she quickly remembered that Kokyrie placed it on the ground and could reach it. This confused her for a moment as now it seemed that reach had for some reason gone. Kokyrie exchanged a few words with the guard but the maiden's mind was only focused on her necklace. Suddenly the Black Pirate took a hold of the guard and caused him to fall onto his back. With a quick tug Kokyrie slammed his crotch against the iron bars. Tsukiko looked away as she covered her eyes, knowing that the guard was going to be in for a world of pain. By the time she turned back to see what had happened the guard was out cold on the ground. Kokyrie was standing next to the open cage door with the nacklace in her hands. She dusted it off before returning it to Tsukiko who took it in both hands as she gave Kokyrie a bow. The simple act of respect for the item was all Tsukiko needed to see to feel that she could trust her from now on. ''I thank you, Kokyrie.'' Tsukiko tired her best to pronounce the Ixa'taka name. "Now then, let's be on our way ladies." Kokyrie said to not only them but the others in the cells too. They started to open the other cells, freeing the slaves who where very grateful. As they all gathered at the back of the tent like Kokyrie instructed Tsukiko make sure to stay at the front of the group so she could keep an eye on her friends. It was not hard to keep track of them but she was worried in case she got separated in the group of slaves. |
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| Navarro | Jun 10 2012, 01:35 AM Post #60 |
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What is this, a title for ants?
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"Not often enough," Soto lamented, squeezing the biceps he was once proud of, now weakened bulbs due to malnutrition. "Twice a week. Just enough for us to work, not enough for any of us to fight back. Tastes all right, so long as you like the taste of shit." As if on cue, the feeders appeared in the doorway. Soto scowled, trying not to let on that he was excited. He couldn't give them the satisfaction of breaking him. Not now, not ever. When the slave heard the tinkling of the dropped bracelet, his ears perked up. And when he saw Kokyrie subsequently dropped the guard, he couldn't believe his eyes. The woman then opened the door to Soto's cell. The other two prisoners crammed inside with him scurried out like ambushed mice, leaving Soto standing alone before the pirate. "You're not from around here, are you?" "That obvious, huh?" the Valuan chortled, advancing into the doorway of the cell. "Just moved here. Beautiful country, shitty neighbors. What say you and me get up out of here, huh?" --- The island's underside sat atop the constant sea of churning thunderclouds marking the bottom of the sky. The high winds made habitation difficult, but at some point in the past, settlers on that particular island had constructed a small wooden dock in a fissure that dropped into the Deep. It looked worse for wear and seemed to have been unused for decades. This was where Jagger had docked his ship, weeks ago, when he first arrived. Now, he was finishing the final preparations for getting the hell outta Dodge. "Ungrateful little prick," he mumbled to himself, in reference to his slave friend. "So help me, Quetya, if he doesn't do what I told him to do..." The wooden dinghy groaned under the force of the beating winds. Gritting his teeth and clasping tightly to the guardrail, he wondered how the Ixa'takans who built the dock were ever able to fly their ill-engineered ships down there. |
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8:55 AM Jul 11