In reply to Jack White (msg # 68):

"Off the boat!!! yay!!!"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:44, Sat 10 Feb 2018.

In reply to Alani (msg # 69):

Gisela turned at the excitement of Alani to be free of the ship.  She watched as the she-cat disembarked, wishing she could feel half the excitement the other girl did.  With a thoughtful frown, Gi resumes her trek towards the king and his minions.

OOC:  This is intended to clarify Alani leaves the ship.  Posted with Alani's permission.

Alameth let's out a quiet sigh as he listens to the remarks of his fellow outcasts. He spends the next moment messing with his staff before it glows a few times. As he goes down towards the tinier human welcoming committee, he keeps his eyes on the mage while the torn leather of his outfit seem to grow to fit his new size and repair themselves.

In reply to Alameth (msg # 71):

AJ takes the proffered hand like one might greet an vague acquaintance on the streets... one hand in his and the other folded on top. It is a minor miracle that the King still hand his rings when she let go.

"You too sire," The pirate in her completely ignores the towering steaming pile of authority before her.

"So why the lack of celebrations? Is everyone hiding from the Bad Apple delivery today," She asks looking around at the area for any signs of hiding people quivering in fear?

In reply to AJ Rourke (msg # 72):

Drizz totally agreed with the anthropomorphic cat....and as a bonus to getting off the creaking death trap he got to follow that tail down the gang plank too.  One moment he was getting dumped on the ground by Gi and the next he was strolling along in Alani's wake.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Sun 18 Feb 2018.

In reply to Drizz (Cat) (msg # 73):

Alani curtsies to the King, as she does her tail is swishing from side to side slowly as if she is an animal deep in thought and her eyes rake over him giving him a scrutinizing look. She moves off to the side so other may greet the King.

In reply to Alani (msg # 74):

Drizz ignores the boring two footed people...and is mesmerized by that tail of Alani's...when it comes close he bats at it!

In reply to Drizz (Cat) (msg # 75):

Wolf waited for almost all of the others to disembark.  Sulf'r was also not keen on leaving the boat.  Or perhaps Wolf's side.  It was hard to say but he looked bored not morose or apprehensive like Wolf.  Eventually the black dog sighed, "We have to get off the boat eventually, you know?"

Wolf sighed as well, "Yeah, I know, Sulf'r."

There was another wait.  It seemed like they had been docked for a month before he made his way down the gangplank.  Both he and Sulf'r stopped as soon as they set foot on the dock, not making another step toward the rest of the group nor the greeting party.

Alameth stops behind Drizz and watches his proclivities before taking his action. Anyone can see him kneel behind the cat quietly. He waits for Drizz to reach out to swat at Alani before the cat goes flying out into the water from an unseen force.  His face turns into a view of shock as he covers the lower half of it with his giant hand, a hand that while increases the view of the shock but is truly only covering the silent chuckle behind it. He stands up slowly, lowering his hand as he does so and grabbing Alani. He places her atop his shoulder, sitting her gently, before he looks out to the water for the cat.

In reply to Alameth (msg # 77):

There is an elongated doppler shifting MRRRROOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

This sound chases the black fuzzy projectile as it hits the water, skips in outrage, and then vanishes into the shadows under the next dock.

Strangely there is no second splash....

OOC: Drizz is shadow walking. And Alameth had better watch out for "presents" in his future....

In reply to Alameth (msg # 77):

Alani sits in her new spot with pride, at last, a perch high enough for me, she thinks. She purrs really close to Alameths ear. She begins looking for birds to swat at.

Lola smirks in amusement as she watches the water. "We've been with his majesty for thirty seconds and we've already got one pussy wet. Well... assuming..." she trails looking toward Eva.

Evas response is but to smile and present the voodoo priestess with a middle finger.

Arthur looks somewhat startled by the flying cat, mouth hanging open as if he wanted to say something. "The uh... official welcome banquet is in the morning.... We thought you might find too much attention upon arrival somewhat unnerving."

Blaise, the mage, seems to dignify this with a derisive snort.

In reply to Blaise Sanderson (msg # 83):

Gisela wants desperately to facepalm at the group's first impression.  But, to be fair, the king wasn't quite batting a thousand either.

"Your Majesty," she curtsies, "if you'll pardon my bluntness...  You've turned us into show ponies, yet you've denied us the appropriate pageantry to which even a show pony would be entitled.  Further, you've brought a show of power against guests you've invited, likely two of the most dangerous men on the mainland magically and physically.  You'll excuse me if I don't find that the most reassuring greeting."

In reply to Gisela O'Cuinn (msg # 84):

AJ gives Gi a look that says that Lola may have been right but looking at the wrong person, "I wish I had some popcorn for this.. keep going girl."

Q grinned amused as he pulled a smoke from his jacket and placed it between his lips.  "Any chance," he began to inquire of Arthur as he fished for a light in his pocket, "that we might be able to skip that last part too?  The thought's not exactly lighting a fire," he added as he held the match up and lit it with his nail.  He chuckled for a second as he moved the match towards his lips only to find his smoke snatched a second earlier and disappear from Ilsa's hands as if by magic.

The young woman shifted her position ever so slightly to edge in front of Quinn.  She graced Arthur with a glowing smile and curtsied with practiced precision.  "Apologies your Highness. I believe what Quentin, and Gi," she added glancing at the other girl, "meant to imply is that there are certain apprehensions all around.  We have been given precious little information as to what to expect, or what was expected of us upon arrival; so we are, understandably, feeling a little rudderless," she added with a little nautical flair given the surroundings.

"I'm sure we're all a litter nervous and desperate," she added focusing her gaze upon Arthur.  There was a slight pause, almost undetectable, before she added "for first impressions to go as well as possible.  No?"

Arthur choked out a nervous laugh and tugged at his shirt collar. He smiled nonetheless and nodded to Ilsa. "I know perhaps this is not what is expected, but given most Islanders expect a far less gracious welcome... maybe it will work out?"

He coughed again and stepped up to Gi, taking her hand and kissing it. "My apologies if it seems you are not welcome. But, not everyone in Grimmaria is, shall we say, approving of my decision to bring you here. I thought it best to welcome you quietly and give you the day to settle in and get your bearings before being thrown to the wolves of the court. I think only of your safety and well-being."

In reply to King Arthur II (msg # 88):


"Thrown to the wolves," Sulf'r said, looking up at Wolf before issuing a creepy and sinister sounding laugh.

"Yeah, I heard it," said Wolf, looking unimpressed.  Having grown up in the darkest wood and raised buy a pack of murder wolves, he was generally sensitive to such phrases.

Alameth leans over the crowd slightly before tapping on AJ's shoulder. He waits until he has her attention before he begins to sign, "This is one heck of a sham. Making a threat for our arrival ceremony, acting like he's doing us a favor, and he didn't even think we were worthy of bringing his own sword. Or maybe he was too scared to. Maybe he doesn't have what it takes to wield it or maybe even..." His chuckle is silent but it's quite obvious. "Maybe he isn't daddy's after all?"

In reply to Alameth (msg # 90):

Alani has a giggle at that and her tail swooshes up in front of her mouth to hide her shyness. All that can be seen now is her big cat eyes.

"See I always preferred Wolves," Q replied as he fished out another smoke in defiance of his more tactful associate.  "At the very least they're honest about what they're after... tearing flesh from bone," he explained as he took a drag and paused a moment before exhaling.  "For me it's always been the snakes I can't stand.  The one's that sidle up nice and friendly only to slip the blade into your back when it's turned."

"But that's just me," he added quickly a second later, as if done with the topic.  Looking about he exhaled a plum of smoke.  "So what?  Are we walking from here then?"

In reply to Quinten Heart (msg # 92):

Gisela glances at Isla with a colder than usual expression, before returning her eyes to the King.  "I'm glad somebody is.  Too bad it's only taken twelve years."  Either he'd be impressed with her forthrightness, or she was asking to be beheaded.  Her father would likely offer the latter himself, she had no doubt.  And twelve years was her alone.  Everyone else had at least eighteen or more years on the island.

"We don't need to you to look towards our safety, Your Majesty.  We've survived this long without a king to babysit us, I don't see the need for one to pretend to care now."  She almost felt bad, since she could tell his sincerity.  "I assure you, your court scares no one here, given our home."

"Perhaps, though, instead of trying to shield us and pretend everything is fine, you can tell us what to expect tody, and tomorrow at this banquet?  Is it just the school?  The Council?"  My father?  She didn't ask the last.