Cherubplay

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Getting from Fouville to Paden was just as annoying as Vriska had figured. Getting there, distance-wise, should have only taken three days, but the waters were difficult to maneuver, thus, making a three day trip a five day one instead. To top it all off, finding a nice place to dock at the port that was just out of the way enough to grant privacy but still close enough to look normal was next to impossible. Vriska had settled for a spot that just barely got the job done and had already begun delegating orders. Kanaya wanted to help outside of the ship if she could, despite the obvious dangers, and Vriska figured that as long as she had Eridan with her, she'd be fine. Plus, she thought it'd be some good teambuilding and would make their group much stronger but having them with others that they didn't usually spend one-on-one time with.

She assumed that it wouldn't be /too/ dangerous, just because she doubted many would be able to cross those particular waters in the Sun Sea without crashing in the various random shallow areas or the sharp edges of rocks. She'd been sailing for as long as she could remember and even /she/ had issues making sure they came out unscathed. There would be very few that'd be able to make it through and still want to find slaves at a port city, of all places, and granted Kanaya her best wishes to go.

Kanaya, of course, was excited to go, especially with Eridan. She hadn't many opportunities to simply hang out with him, and now that they had some freed up time since Sollux would be working on the letters, and judging from Vriska's demand, that meant Karkat was supposed to be helping him. Not that Sollux was totally incapable of writing a formal request by himself, but all of Karkat's reading would come in handy when it came to the presentation.

Vriska decided that she'd stay behind to keep any eye on things in case anyone decided that they'd want to loot an "unmanned" ship, as well as to help Tavros. It may have been selfish on her end, but she'd like to satisfy in any moirail urges she had with him, and it wasn't like Tavros couldn't use the comfort.

Excited, Kanaya gathered a light bag and a jacket and stayed by the ramp of the ship to the dock, her jade-tinged face a light with a new adventure. She really wanted to see more of what it was like there, even if it was dangerous, she thought that Eridan could protect the both of them if it came down to it, and she could hold her own some with her rainbowdrinker endurance and strength. Not that she was too much stronger than the average troll, but it could be helpful.

2015-12-31 01:15:08
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During the longer than expected voyage Eridan had made it his mission to work twice as hard as normal. He was quite a lot more useful on a ship and in the seas than with any sort of delicate wording or diplomacy the warmblooded males were getting up to, and having a tidy well run ship would make them all calmer. After all, his version of diplomacy was more...hands on.

However, being surrounded by ropes, oars, and constant adjustments to the tack and steering through the inclement weather wore at a person and he was looking forward to the short stint on land. He'd brought a few weapons, secreted on his person in case this place (which he knew nothing about) was not the most amiable towards specific types of trolls or simply anyone at all. Eridan met Kanaya at the ramp, a nearly empty satchel flung across his shoulder to carry extra goods.

"Well, my dear Ms. Maryam, shall we see what this place has in store for us?" he asked, flashing her a grin before descending to the dock with her. "Should we look around for some way to send our missives first before shopping for whatever Vriska's given us on this list of hers?" he'd asked her for one with what the ship needed, "and whatever we need in the kitchen as well?"

Eridan's relatively jovial mood was not shared by the cherryblood. Somehow in spite of his ability to take naps anywhere, he'd been missing out on sleep. It wasn't helping his temperament any, and so he may have been overly critical of Sollux's writing. He didn't even know why he wasn't getting any sleep. Karkat would go to bed exhausted, but as soon as he laid down his brain would be running on all cylinders with the most meaningless thoughts imaginable.

2015-12-31 01:40:55
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"That may be wise," Kanaya considered, holding her chin as she stepped carefully from the ship and into the dock. She watched the tide slowly come in, crashing against the shore a little ways away, and it suddenly made her quite sad. Wonderland was such a beautiful place, full of so many different cultures and people, and it could have been a place that really cultivated those differences and celebrated it. The land was large enough to support such diversity, and yet, there were so many oppressed people that called Wonderland their home and were subjected to the nastiest of crimes. "Time is of the essence, after all, dear."

Paden, from the looks of it, was larger fortified city with the only opening being that of the port. She could understand the newly built walls, what with the slavers and other threats, but she doubted that it was completely impenetrable like a few other cities claimed. It was a circular city, much like Rial, she noticed, with the shops forming the outer ring. For Paden's purposes, it was easier for those coming back and forth to gather their supplies and leave as soon as possible.

"Paden looks as though it is organized in much the same way Rial is," She observed, "So finding the postal office should be simple enough..." She grew thoughtful as they stepped further into the city. It wasn't as poor as Fouville but it wasn't exactly bustling, either. It seemed they were composed of purely middle class citizens, all who worked hard but kept to themselves. The atmosphere was much less friendly than that of Rial, but that was understandable and she didn't fault any of the citizens for being suspicious of newcomers.

2016-01-01 23:56:37
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"Indeed. Perhaps they have magical defenses as back up if the wall does not work," Eridan mused, taking Kanaya's arm companionably as they made their way around the outer circle. Of course it would also be easier to keep track of each other that way, and some friendliness made Eridan feel better, at least. There was something subliminally satisfying about physical contact that made him, at least, feel safer in new or unfriendly places.

"Ah, look there, Kanaya. I suppose that must be the postal office." The building he indicated had a pigeon with a rolled up piece of paper carried in it's feet. The sign, and exterior of the building, looked well enough kept up. Eridan led them there, not sparing excess looks to the other individuals wandering around town. It seemed no one was all that interested in random interactions, which he thought was perfectly fine. It was far better than being subjected to unwanted attentions.

The interior of the building was in the midst of refurbishment by the state of the paint job on the trim near the floor and at railing height on the walls. The decorative color was flaking in some areas, scraped off in others, and painted over on the opposite side of the flaking. An old troll, not used to many visitors to his station, sat behind a high counter counting postage and parcel packages. When he saw them he was almost friendly. "Hello. What can I do ya fer?" he asked, thick accent extending the vowels in his words.

2016-01-02 00:47:00
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It was kind of weird to see so many different kinds of people around; Starnette had people that would just talk about you, Rial was overwhelmingly friendly and Fouville was an utter disaster in and of itself. Finding a kind of medium felt right in that sense, and Kanaya stopped her musing to answer, "Hello. We were just wondering if we were to send a letter later by bird, approximately how long would it take to reach, say, Starnette?" They hadn't anything to send right at that moment, of course, but knowing the general time frame would give them something to actually work with.

If everything went accordingly, they'd be able to get Gamzee in no time; Kanaya assumed he was being held for a variety of reasons, but mostly just to gather information about the Alice mission and those details. At least, she /hoped/ that was all that would be happening to the poor purple.

2016-01-02 01:04:19
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"Ah, well, it might take upwards of a week there, young miss. Or it could take around three days, just depends on the weather's affability and the birds, ya know," the post troll scratched his temple and thought while he spoke, nodding along with his determination of one of the animal's journeys to Starnette. "Ain't never had a bird that got lost, though! Reckon all them's too smart for that kind of fooling around. They get there and back again good as anyone. Just gotta take their time. Even find a fellow what moved on from that spot, if ya pay for the right kind a aviary critter."

There were indeed a couple birds that could hunt someone down, and he handed Kanaya a paper with their different rates depending on the services the bird could render. There were even differing packages for if a patron wanted one bird for the first trip, and a different one for the return trip in order for their to be less hassle. So if the group wanted to move on, there was an option for them to obtain a falcon, vulture, or albatross that would hunt them down over land or sea, depending on their route of travel. Of course these were a little pricer compared to the options of pigeons and owls that would reach a predetermined destination. And then there was a middling rate for crows that could crack a few puzzles or get a message to a person in a "tight place" if that was a necessity for them.

2016-01-02 02:15:53
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"I see..." She was already trying to figure out which bird would be best for their uses, at least; a falcon seemed sleekest and easiest to use, but a vulture was much less expected; an albatross was more accustomed to the sea, which was something she thought Vriska and Eridan may appreciate, considering that's where they would be most of the time. There were plenty of options, and if it could really only take three days, that would surely be enough time for them to get their bearings straight and understand the exact course of action.

Handed the paper, she pocketed it inside her bag and gave a short nod, a gentle smile on her face to be friendly, "Thank you very much, sir. Your help is greatly appreciated." With so many new birds in which to choose, Kanaya felt less apprehensive about the letter that Sollux and Karkat were perfecting. As they walked out of the postal office, she crossed her arms some as she looked around thoughtfully. Spring was trying to peek through the winter the best it could, and it varied depending on where they went. Rial had seemed warmer than Paden, but Starnette and Undlegire were likely fully of snow and it wouldn't let up until spring was in full bloom. It was still too early for the season to get started though, and a far off thought reminded her that both Tavros and herself had wriggling days in the spring, his being before her own. She hoped they could reach some kind of peace by then, if only for a day to celebrate Tavros' wriggling day; she likened him to a little brother now, someone that needed her guidance and loving hand. She didn't care much about her own wriggling day, but enjoyed celebrations just like the next person.

"Should we find places that are able to deliver the bulkier items?" She questioned. Port cities usually had a service that allowed trolls to deliver the heavier or in-bulk items directly onto the ship for tips to the laborers. "It would be frightful to order something and have to carry it all ourselves."

2016-01-02 20:51:44
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"Certainly. I imagine most of the port-side businesses have such an option for ships." Eridan was used to that sort of arrangement being a part of the few port-side cities he'd visited with Vriska. Also being far more used to port cities and the kinds of characters typically found there, Eridan led the way to the business section of the city to go about getting supplies.

As they walked into busier streets, he took Kanaya's arm companionably to keep her close by for protection and general friendliness. He liked her quite a bit, quadrants not withstanding, though, perhaps an auspisticism with her might work out well; not that he had anyone he hated right then with an unhealthy passion.

"What birds do you think would be best? For Rial I think possibly an albatross, since they are a sea side place, but the capital will require more discretion... a hawk then, or falcon since they are far more common?" He couldn't help thinking about crows... not for the royal city, heavens no, they probably didn't allow such drab birds. But for the member taken from them such a tricky bird could possibly relay a message of hope in unfortunate circumstances.

2016-02-13 06:05:33
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"Hmm..." Admittedly, Kanaya did not know much about birds. She had a wide range of knowledge spanning some pretty unorthodox things, but she was in very few situations where she couldn't rely on the usual postal system to get the job done. "I believe the most inconspicuous manner is the way to go with these birds. A falcon would be much more readily received in a place like Starnette, as their rookery is full of, primarily, birds of prey. Any other kind of bird may be seen as suspicious."

The jadeblood held her chin with her free hand, then looked to Eridan thoughtfully, "What is your opinion? I am under the impression that you may know more about this vein of relaying information than I."

2016-05-02 21:05:36
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"I think definitely a falcon for Starnette; one of the more vibrant ones, too. No drab bird would be delivering to royalty, after all. Counter-intuitive camouflage. As for Rial, I actually don't think it matters that much unless we want it to get there faster rather than not. Then a sea bird would work better since they're adapted to fly over the ocean. Any bird that isn't used to that would take longer to pick a route with land to stop for breaks..." Eridan knew a surprising amount about creatures of the depths and above them, but any land dwelling species he was mostly clueless about.

"I was wondering if we might want to send a little note to our missing colleague," he mentioned, clearly unsure. "Just to reassure him, I suppose. It would have to be in code... perhaps that's too complicated." 'Disgruntled' aptly described Eridan's expression at that train of thought, but he was distracted soon enough by the bustle of portside vendors and the necessity of discretion.

Wide-shouldered fishermen and farmers brayed about the kind and quality of their wares while others swaggered on sea legs both drunken and sober between stalls to ships and shops to acquire what they needed, be it sleep or goods. "What a hubbub," the seadweller drawled, "what catches your eye first?"

2016-05-13 22:37:07
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"Excellent. A seabird and a falcon; we can ask Vriska for a third opinion, too." Pleased with Eridan's input and apparent abundance of knowledge about birds, she walked on tilting her head to him when he began talking about sending a note to Gamzee, she was sort of concerned that it would all end in disaster. Kanaya was not sure how the note would be able to get to Gamzee safely, if he was locked up someplace, and even if he /did/ get the note, if he'd be able to hide it effectively from any potential authority figures or guards.

The jadeblood narrowly dodged a bumbling greenblood, and she straightened herself out a bit. The hustle and bustle reminded her of her dear Undlegirian marketplace, which could be just as busy around ten in the morning when hivekeepers and stay at home trolls went out to get food to make lunch and dinner.

"We have to get more hardy food for our ship," She said absently, looking around almost confusedly; she didn't know, exactly, what stalls had which, as Paden's marketplace seemed to have no real discernible organization to it. Kanaya gave a little point when she saw a vendor selling canned things, "Ah, perhaps there?"

2016-05-14 00:28:17
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The seatroll nodded and swerved through the foot traffic deftly, glancing back occasionally to make sure Kanaya wasn't having any trouble navigating. Once they were on the side of the walkway it wasn't so hard to walk, and the shop had enough room to duck into.

Canned fruits and vegetables lined the walls and tiered wooden shelves. There were dried items hanging from the ceiling as well to utilize all the space possible. The troll who seemed to be running the shop was nearly hidden behind all the wears within. "Heyo, how y'all motherfuckers doin'?" it was a similar accent to that of the mail clerk, but with an additional lackadaisical twang thrown in.

The shopkeeper's horns twirled above the gap between the jars and dried herbs, and the rest of the troll followed as he stood to an impressive height, actually having to bend to fit while standing. "Travelin', I gather? Came to the right motherfuckin' place for all that lastin' f'rever food and shit. Hell, you wait around a little while my sis'll all up and have some salted fish and shit y'all can look through, too."

For such a large shop, one troll didn't seem quite enough. Behind the little counter the other troll had stuck himself behind, yet another shopkeeper was helping a different customer get some dried beans from large barrels in the back. He was much shorter than the bean-pole giant, but he was as stout as the water buffalo shaped horns poking through shaggy hair. The warmer blooded troll waved to them over his shoulder and continued with his work.

"Anything you got a fancy for special like, lady jade? Got most anything you could be hankering for," the smiling giant asked. It could certainly be baffling, confronted with everything at once. "Or you, mister fins? Got a whole load of under sea shit over in that corner."

2016-05-20 20:11:50
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Having a purpleblood so close in her vicinity was giving Kanaya an awful headache; she missed Gamzee horribly, and while she worked diligently to find whatever she could to help Gamzee and return him to their makeshift family, it was still painfully apparent that, at the moment, he wasn't with them. And she had no way of knowing exactly what was happening to him; he could be in immense pain on the ship, all shackled and stuck in one tiny little room with only the comfort of the rocking of the ship by the water surrounding him. It was no wonder that Tavros was so upset; the uncertainty of it all made it harder to have hope. There was always the chance that they would find him and it would be too late.

"We would certainly need vegetables," Kanaya managed through her own thoughtful stupor, "For vitamins and all, and a fair amount of citrus fruits to avoid scurvy." She wasn't sure how long they'd be out on the sea, but she wanted to be as prepared as possible, considering that there was no designated troll to fix meals anymore. "And possibly any dried starches like pastas to provide carbohydrates..." She held her chin, thinking, "And, I think, plenty of red meat to provide iron and nuts and legumes for protein..."

2016-05-20 20:25:08
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"Got a good list there for only two of y'all to be carryin' back," he murmured, off in his own world for a few moments as he turned around carefully. "Got a couple little wagons here might all up and help with that." Scooting from behind the rows, he piled a few jars into a high-sided wagon for them. "My lil' cinnamon sugarpie can get them legumes and pastas for y'all if'n ya tell'm how much you'll be wantin'. Here's all our fruits; got a lot of citrus all juiced up already or in pieces; keeps better than the raw stuff if ya got a cooling hub for after they's opened." He pulled down a few jars from higher shelves for them, offering them to Kanaya to give her approval before setting them down.

Once they had a good supply, he shuffled to a different side and opened some chests on the floor for her to dig through after handing her a couple small burlap sacks. "Here's are root veg, stores well if ya know how, and all above the canned veg, squashes and tomato sauces and that..." he rambled on about the vegetables and ways to store them for best shelf-life for a little while before the stouter troll came over.

"Clopan! Talking this lady's ears off, hmm?" the other troll smiled, clearly meaning no harm from the sickeningly sweet smile aimed at the taller shopkeeper just a moment later. "Isn't Eilidh back yet?" he asked, before jumping several inches in the air at a very loud thud behind them.

"Yup, just got back, looks like," Clopan answered, grinning while the brownblood rolled his eyes. The third of their trio was not near so tall as her fellow purple, but twice as wide, and not against showing off what she could do with such impressive physique given the whole sides of cured meat she'd brought with her to sell. There was about six feet of tuna (minus fins and head), a side of beef and few cuts of cured pork. "Hey sis, these folk'll want some of that beef there."

2016-05-20 20:56:19
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The jadeblood nodded eagerly, wanting nothing more than to understand all the different fruits and vegetables displayed. What would help them the most to be alert and healthy was a balanced diet, and while Vriska did well to stock her ship, she had only hit a few good areas and neglected others. Most of the protein came from fish that came from the sea, but depending on the area and the time of year, it could be hard to come by, which is why Kanaya wanted nuts and such to be there. More vegetables dishes could replace meat-based ones, and Kanaya was already beginning to think of a week-long diet so that every day had a meal in mind.

At the name, she turned, one of the burlap sacks already filled with different cans of fruit. She knew Tavros was more inclined to fruits than vegetables, and he'd be more inclined to get his vitamins and such that way than with vegetables; Vriska preferred fish to red meat, so she'd likely get some tuna, too...Kanaya's thinkpan was abuzz with all the different things she needed to make meals that weren't just good, but nutritious and fit everyone's tastes.

"Yes!" She clapped her hands together once in excitement, "Thank you. And some tuna, too. Our captain is fond of fish but this would be much easier than fishing every time."

2016-05-21 00:03:47
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"Captain? You're not part of one of these naval legions, I'd hope," the female purple winked at Kanaya. "Hard life, that. Though I'd be even more impressed if ya were, with how pretty ya keep yourself," she grinned, giggling at the warmblood's gasp and light punch to her arm as she chopped salable portions of meat for them.

"Great sea-goat, why have you blessed me so abundantly?" the brownblood sighed quietly before attempting to steer Kanaya's attention away from his colorful compatriots towards their stock of legumes. While the tallest of them sorted the best root vegetables to sell them, the shortest showed her the various beans and nuts in all shapes and sizes they had available. "If you know what you've got in mind, feel free to point whatever you'd like out! Otherwise I'm as much a font of knowledge as my companion, so I might be able to suggest some uses to suit each edible." He smiled affably, clearly the most suited and comfortable with shop-keeping without eccentricities.

Eridan watched as the tallest troll scowled over potatoes and carrots. They all looked just as good to him, but Clopan's taste seemed the essence of discerning when it came to the vegetables. Not one to care much about the ingredients that made up the food he wasn't even going to be one to prepare, the seadweller asked the lamentably familiar blooded clown about where he came from and how they got there to past the time. He was more than willing to fill Eridan in as he went about his task, so his ramblings could be vaguely heard on occasion across the shop; even through the heavy hustle and bustle provided by the dock-side street just outside.

2016-05-22 22:32:05
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Kanaya smiled politely, "It is mostly out of necessity, dear. Coming from a landlocked city to being on the sea is quite the experience," Still, she moved away for the time being to look over the stock with her hand holding her chin, "Hmm. I will take it that all of these are rather mild in flavor?" She questioned, figuring that most on the ship wouldn't care too much about beans and nuts and all in terms of flavor, and she didn't think most of them had too much of an outstanding flavor to begin with, "My moirail, as stuffy as always, has a pickier palate than most and can be difficult to find food for. Plainer food is usually up his alley, though. Oh!" Remembering something, Kanaya smiled somewhat sheepishly, her hands clasped together as she realized that they would need quite a bit more food than both herself and Eridan could carry.

"Is there any way for us to have this food delivered to our ship? I suppose we could make multiple trips if we must but," Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, the jadeblood gave a little sigh, "There are currently six of us on the ship, and a total of seven that are supposed to be there, which means there is plenty of food that must be prepared for all those grumbling stomachs."

2016-05-22 22:41:55
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"Oh, certainly! I'm sure Eilidh would be amenable to carting over whatever you need... er, just because she likes looking at ships, not for, well, anything untoward," the brownblood stammered at the end, clearly having some awkwardness to offer. He sighed and smiled, hoping to wave away any weirdness. "These two, such characters! I couldn't live without them, though. I do hope you understand." While Paden wasn't without western influence, they got enough travelers from all over that he couldn't be sure of Kanaya's attitudes. Her accent seemed eastern enough to him, anyways. And while he was curious about what she'd said, it seemed a little bit of a stretch to ask at the current time.

"Vovone, do I hear you worryin'?" the female troll sing-songed over. "I need to come over there and snuggle the troll-Dickens outta you?"

"No! Oh my goodness." A warm hue covered his face before he turned back to the produce. "Anyways, yes, they are all rather mild and similar in texture except for the garbanzo's. Those tend to be a little more mealy even when cooked. For something plainer I'd recommend the Navy's or Pinto's..." he pointed out a whitish bean and tan in turn. "For nuts, hazelnuts are quite delicious," and he demonstrated by offering Kanaya one, "but cashews and pistachios are our main sellers. They're best roasted with a little salt, though we also have them raw." He went through all the nuts with her and let her try the different kinds so she could choose what she liked best.

2016-05-22 23:19:21
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The jadeblood couldn't help the probably semi-goofy smile that spread onto her lips. The familial and sweet atmosphere reminded much of her own ragtag group of friends, and it warmed her bloodpusher to see them all interact. "Vovone, is it?" She questioned, and the tall troll clasped her hands behind her back, laughing softly, "You remind me much of our own brownblood," She was careful not to mention that Tavros was the Alice, just in case these new trolls wanted to see him when he wasn't at his best whatsoever. She wanted to keep Tavros' identity hidden in places that she wasn't familiar with, as it could pose serious problems and they already had a gigantic one staring them in the face at the moment.

"I think roasted pistachios would be a good snack for the sea," Kanaya said, moving right along with the conversation at hand, "During times when we haven't time for a full meal, something quick to tide us over until we do." They were coming right along with everything that they'd need, and she wondered if she'd be able to find something special for all of her friends to boost their spirits some. Or, perhaps, something special for Gamzee when he returned, the same way they made a good feast for Eridan and Vriska when they returned.

"We may return later today, or perhaps tomorrow," Kanaya admitted, "I want to purchase something for one of my dear friends, but I am unsure what to get just yet."

2016-05-22 23:40:39
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"Ah, a mixed group? I'm never sure how easterners will be," he shrugged, scooping the various goods she wanted into sacks that would hold enough to last them a long while on a ship but not be so large as to be impossible to carry short distances by most trolls. "Sometimes I wonder if the people who pass through here have even seen colder colors before! Then of course they think I'm barmy and that those two are going to eat them at any second. I suppose I should have guessed you weren't so sheltered by your companion, but we've had some strange individuals before..." At this Vovone made an expression of horror mixed with bafflement, like he were remembering some instance in particular.

"Of course you are welcome to return! We close an hour or so past sundown, and open a little before sunrise so if you need to set out early that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Oh! And before I forget, when would you like everything delivered? Eilidh could go with you directly, or we could set a later time for everything to get there; whatever works for you is fine with us!" he grinned at her, his usual jovial self was undeterred by most things and quickly reinstated itself if ever lost for a few moments.

Across the shop Eridan burst into laughter at something one of the two other grinning trolls had said. They had moved over to the meat table so the seadweller could pick what portions their crew would get, and he'd ended up getting more than just his choice of meat. These two had quite a few stories he thought Vriska would enjoy attempting to one-up, and he figured out the three were all older than the Alice group's average.

2016-05-30 02:17:46
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"Tomorrow morning just after sunrise would be lovely, and we could get everything delivered onto the ship all at once while we pick out something for our indigoblooded friend." Kanaya smiled, giving a short bow, "Thank you ever so much for your help and cooperation." Standing straight, her ears flickered at the sound of Eridan's laughter, and it made her smile wider, displaying her slightly longer fangs, "You all run a wonderful shop here. Tomorrow, I believe our captain should come by here, too. I am sure she would have a great time."

Vriska would fit in perfectly, Kanaya thought, sharing stories and laughing and picking out things that she may want. The jadeblood went on, "You said earlier you never know how easterners will be, and that much is true. Some can be openminded whereas others are ignorant to anything cold," She laughed some, shaking her head in disbelief at past encounters, "My moirail and I are from the mountains, and a lot of the previous misconceptions about caste and all were completely lost on us, even though we did not grow up together or anything."

2016-06-23 21:36:11
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"No, through a wall? You've got to be joking!" Eridan attempted to stifle his laughter around the words. He couldn't help liking the pair of hooligans; well, one was far more of a trouble-maker than the other from what he'd heard so far; but he'd grown up disliking displaying much emotion. It could only get one in trouble, he'd been told, and he'd never admit that it felt good to let loose for once instead of bottling up all his true feelings behind a flair for the dramatic.

The tattoo'd female nodded enthusiastically back. "He made a good escape route through the side o' the ship!" The pair of indigos giggled at the memory, and continued when Eridan started weaving his own yarn without a care.

The smiling bronzeblood rolled his eyes before looking back towards Kanaya, finding her own story as interesting as their colder companions found each others'. "Ahh; it seems like it might have been quite a coincidence for you to have met from my perspective then! Ei and I have known each other since we were wrigglers; we both grew up on the coast with more old-fashioned lusii. You know, raising their young in solitude, except that they found each other more beneficial than not, so we each got a friend." The smile he wore was tinted with a hint of melancholy. "I couldn't imagine being without her...

"Oh, but I must be dragging on with my reveries over the past. Shall we settle your account then, Miss?" Vovone waved a hand in front of his own face dismissively as if to fan away any thoughts he'd been having while leading Kanaya back to the cluttered main counter.

2016-08-02 02:42:20
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"Yes, I'll pay for everything right away," Kanaya agreed, peering around the store absently. She could only wonder what Gamzee was thinking, what he was feeling; she was sure he was missing his makeshift family, especially Tavros.

'It was a spectacular thing,' she thought as she paid for all the various items to be delivered tomorrow morning, 'To be so loved the way Gamzee is.' Tavros was quite nearly a wreck without Gamzee, and Kanaya hoped, however harsh it may have sounded, that the Alice could learn how to function in the event that something happens to Gamzee again in the future. With the White Rabbit's affirmation that their timeline carefully skirted by any deaths in their immediate group, that didn't exclude any heavy injuries sustained. And if the enemy's intention of taking Gamzee away shifted to that of luring out the Alice to eventually kidnap and manipulate him, then it would work easily with Tavros' impaired state of mind. She wanted desperately to cheer him up, but she couldn't help but notice that his sensitivity would be an easy way to for any enemy to manipulate his future actions.

Once everything was paid for, Kanaya thanked Vovone kindly and looked for Eridan, "Mr. Ampora, dear," She called with a smile, "Are you ready to go?"

2016-11-29 23:29:13
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"But moooom," he called back, much like a petulant child, "do we have to? I made friends." He seemed unreasonably proud about that. The pair of chuckleheads behind him giggled at his teasing of Kanaya before the female troll spoke up.

"Yeah, pretty lady, why don't you stay a while?" Her eyebrows did some complicated acrobatics. Eridan looked appalled on Kanaya's behalf and punched her in the arm. The big indigo let out a honk of laughter, not even seeming to notice the blow. "I can't help it, shorty, your mom is hot. Ain't nothin' bad about askin'." Vovone facepalmed as Eridan buffeted her with ineffectual blows. The tattoo'd troll responded by hugging the seadweller and ruffling his hair.

"AGH my perfect 'do!" Eridan screeched. "You rapscallious skelpie-limmer! Avast upon the threat of fisticuffs, ye stampcrab!"

"I haven't heard that kind of language since I was sailin' the seas, my wee fopdoodle," Eilidh let him go and bent to run her fingers through his hair to straighten it out a little and talk quieter. "You sure you wanna be throwing that kind of talk around?" she grinned, showing all her very pointy teeth.

"Such a guttersnipe," Eridan complained, flapping his hands at hers. She giggled and kissed the tip of his nose before straightening up like nothing had happened. Eridan turned faintly violet and turned straight around to Kanaya. "Goodbye, Clopan, Vovone," he said in farewell to the other two trolls, walking straight past his jade companion in the direction of their ship.

Clopan waved at Eridan and Kanaya from where he was behind the counter again, and before Vovone got a chance to try apologizing his moirail interrupted. "See ya tomorrow, Ms. Maryam. I'll get there a little after sunrise with your sundries." She leaned around her diamond and cupped her hands around her mouth to shout. "BYE, FISHFACE."

Eridan turned around, fins fanned out wide. "BYE, NERD!" he called back, turning his back again to kick at the dock and wait for Kanaya to catch up to him.

"You are such an incorrigible flirt," the brownblood commented, rolling his eyes at his companion's bright grin. "And you worry too much. You should have more fun," she replied. He shrugged. "I hope you have a pleasant evening, Ms. Also that there weren't too many shenanigans for either of you."

2016-11-30 02:04:03
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She had opened her mouth to say something to the effect of 'oh, I know, sweetheart, but we really ought to get going', only to feel her face flush jade at the comments. Kanaya let out a soft sigh, offering a somewhat sheepish smile, "Sorry, Eilidh, but we still have other responsibilities to get to."

"You needn't apologize," She hummed pleasantly, "Kanaya said her goodbyes, teasingly blowing them all kisses as she promised to be up bright and early to greet Eilidh with all their things. She eyed Eridan teasingly, her hands folded underneath her chest as she began to walk with him back to the ship, "My, my, Eridan, you seemed to be having quite a fun time with your new friends. Shall I schedule a playdate for you?" She teased, pinching his cheek with a slim smile, "I am certain we can carve out a couple hours for you to get better acquainted! Though, I must say, I do not have the time myself to give to your flirtatious Eilidh."

It was cute, how she flirted, and it did fluster Kanaya some considering she hadn't been expecting it, but now she thought it was adorable because it was ingrained in her personality. "Between managing all my children and actively working to save our country as we know it, I do not think I have any room in my schedule for red flirting."

2016-11-30 02:36:00