When the people who had choosen themselves as a sort of welcoming committee congregated on the docks, it become easier for them to see how something as big as the zlanbeast the other two Kai were riding - a creature easily the size of a small hovel, and about a fourth the side of the Skyrider itself - had somehow managed to sneak up on the ship enough for them to only have an handful of minutes of warning of its coming.

As it happened, it seemed that wisps of clouds and small gusts of winds were often moving around in the air in wyas that made it easy to mistake the moving creature as just a fast moving cloud if one didn't knew what one was looking for. Furthermore, while the zlanbeast had actually dark brown fur and similarly dark skin, somehow the slight turns and changes in direction it took as it flew made it so that the play of light on it made it occasionally appear dark blue or dark grey instead, helping the camouflage that had almost made the creature truly invisible.

However, as the ship finally got close enough, the trick become more and more obvious, and by the time the zlanbeast was aligning itself with the ship, there was no more doubting what it was at all. It took it a few more minutes to manouver above the deck without any of the four massive wings that made up half of its body size clipping any structural piece of the ship, but eventually the creature landed, folding its wings and clearly taking possession of that corner of the deck, crouching down in a way that was probably meant to allow its passenger to climb down, but also looked like the prelude to it falling asleep, something it clearly wanted to do if the massive yawn it followed with was any indication.

Peacock simply jumped down from the beast, landing with a softness that spoke of magic use, before affectionately patting the flying creature on the side and then turning to help Dusk Rat lower her massive black boar-hunting hound down to the deck, clearly assisting the procedure with Nexus, before helping Dusk Rat down as well.

Only then did he turned back to the others, offering a winning smile even as he pushed some of his purple locks away from his face, and greeted the group with a friendly smile:

"Hello to you all! I am sorry if my arrival was a bit of a surprise, but when I woke up we were already so close to the ship, it seemed pointless to waste time calling. I hope Cloudcatcher did not scare the crew? I assure you, despite his origin, he is actually quite the friendly creature. But our flight tired him out a bit, and I just did not want to have him exacerbate that if we had to chase the ship down, had it tried to avoid us due to mistaking us for enemies."

He scratched the big beast again, causing it out to let out a rumbling sound that could probably be interpreded as some sort of purr, even if coming out of such a big predator, it sounded far more similar to a wolf's threatening growl than anything else.

So, here we are! If anybody on the welcoming committee wants to greet Peacock or Dusk Rat before leading them to the hold, keeping in mind that Dusk Rat is severly committed to keeping OOC knowledge out of her head and has thus not been following the latest threat at all after the big conference call, now's your time for it. :)

As for you, Dusk Rat, if you want to instead be the one to greet the others first, the group should be composed of Sun Snake, Water Hornet, Swift Fox, Silver Raven and the leader of the dwarven crew, Groumor.

This message was last edited by the player at 01:21, Sat 24 Nov 2018.

Sun Snake had sighed when others had come along behind him, as he clearly wanted to get back to where they had beenas quickly as possible.  He sighed more as Shining Peacock made a theatrical entrance, though singed with sadness perhaps.

"I'm sorry the greeting cannot be more warm nor slow," said Sun Snake to Peacock, barely acknowledgeing Dusk Rat nor the otherbeings who had come on board. "Something occurred while we spoke last night - a sign that we cannot waste a single solitary moment it seems while evil is active. I need to you to prepare yourself for a shock, and be prepared to work through it as swiftly as possible so you can be of aid."

Sun Snake looked around to the others to see if they wished to add any pleasantaries, it seemed Sun Snake was too focused to offer any himself.

Shunning Dusk Rat, Sun Snake? That seems a bit rude, don't you think? ;P

Shining Peacock raised an eyebrow in surprise at that, then said:

"For you to be this worried, it must be something exceptional you want to show me. Lead the way, then. Unless one of our fellows here wants to say something else to us first?"

He glanced at Water Hornet, Swift Fox and Silver Raven, clearly curious to see if their presence here was motivated by some particular goal they had.

Just giving the others a chance to make a reaction post if they want to, that's all.

This message was lightly edited by the player at 01:21, Sat 24 Nov 2018.

Similarly to Snake, Water Hornet rolled his eyes at the grandeur of Peacock's movements. For a moment he remained silent, his attention turned to the flying beast.

"Shining Peacock, Dusk Rat, welcome back," he said eventually, "I am glad to see you in good health." As far as anyone could tell from his tone, the words were sincere.  "And I mean all three of you," he said looking at Dusk Rat's canine companion and then offering a small smile to the Kai Lady. "Or should I say: four of you?" Hornet addressed Peacock, nodding in the direction of the zlanbeast, "seems like you had obtained an ally to our cause... Although I think we better feed it some time later." Despite the lightness of his tone, the young Magnakai was clearly tense somewhat.

Shining Peacock chuckled at the comment and answered:

"Yes, Dusk Rat really wants to keep him, and I really can not see any reason not to do so."

He paused, then turned to his student and added, with a somewhat joking tone:

"You will take care of keeping Cloudcatcher fed and happy if we do decide to keep him, right, Dusk Rat?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:22, Sat 24 Nov 2018.

On arriving on deck Swift had lingered behind, leaning casually against a cabin wall.
Oddly she seemed to be carrying her backpack with her, as if unwilling to leave it laying around, and she also seemed to be keeping the mirrored shield close at hand too.  The only weapon visible at her belt now was the one she had referred to as the Jade Spike, its green hilt markings occasionally shimmering oddly in the light.  The bow she had modified with the silver designs was still at its place on her back.
The red scarf at her neck fluttered slightly in the wind as she watched Peacock's arrival.  Like Water Hornet, she seemed to be resisting the temptation to roll her eyes at his show.

She gave a very slight shake of her head to Peacock's question on whether she wanted to say anything.  Although there was a noticeable smirk on her face as she did.
Perhaps she was privately enjoying the idea that he might be about to experience something that would surprise him for once...


OOC: At least someone is having fun ;)

Anyways, she won't react much, but if Dusk Rat happens to look her way, she'll get a friendly nod and a smile indicating that at least one of the new arrivals (and her assorted pets of course) is welcome here from her point of view.

Can't recall if Swift was using the modified version of the Mirror Shield when Dusk was with the group or not.  Basically it looks the same as the mirror shield she carried under her cloak for ages, but didn't use it in battle to avoid it getting broken. Now it has a triangle-in-circle shaped metal framework layered over the mirror and seems to be actively in use as a proper shield now.

Water Hornet lingered with his gaze on Shining Peacock as he spoke and it seemed that only with an effort he forced himself to look away and to Dusk Rat.

OOC: Depending on the definition of fun there might be more Kai enjoying the moment. :)

Hey guys :D. Sorry, I hadn't been reading this thread so had no idea we'd been reunited - Shadow just told me over in the private thread we'd been using for Dusk-Rat-and-Peacock adventures :D. I haven't had time to read up and remind myself of...well, anything, just yet, due to IRL busy stuff involving unpacking boxes and building new furniture and that kind of thing. Which once again makes me glad I made a character who can get away with hiding her player's ignorance due to not really being the speaking type (to humans, anyway) ;).

Dusk Rat climbs down from the zlanbeast, giving the massive creature a scratch behind one ear (or as near as she can reach) before turning away to look at the assembled group of humans, Brook's large canine form standing at her side.

She spares Sun Snake little more than a passing glance, evidently as willing to ignore him as he is her. She seems almost surprised at Water Hornet's effort to acknowledge all present, not just the humans, and gives him a nod. She makes a similar gesture to Swift Fox, seeming awkward at the offered smile and so not providing one of her own in response.

On being addressed by Shining Peacock she absently gives Cloudcatcher another scratch and her expression (such as can be seen beneath her mottled green hood, anyway) finally takes on a little more warmth.

"Certainly, I'd be sure to do so." she says with a nod.

Hmm, back among humans again - arrgh, how does all this long-winded conversation stuff work again... ;)

OOC: Well, remember your old team buddy Swift?  She doesn't do walls of text, she just stabs things till they go away.  Keeps it simple :)

That said though, probably doesn't take Divination to notice she seems a lot calmer and less angry these days...

Water Hornet bore his gaze into Shining Peacock again, but after a moment his tension seemed to dissipate. "Perhaps we should go below deck now, as Sun Snake proposed," he said plainly, seizing leadership uncommonly for him.

Shining Peacock smiled at that and answered:

"By all means. Lead the way, then."

If any of you wants to say anything to Peacock or Dusk Rat before they enter the hold, now's the last chance for it.

OOC: Water Hornet will attempt a short conversation with Dusk Rat as they make way to the hold. Making the following post accordingly; edit freely if necessary.

As the group was leaving the deck, Water Horner caught up with Dusk Rat. "Cloudcatcher?" he said in a friendly tone, "What do you think about zlanbeasts, kraans and other creatures bred in Darklands? Aren't they irreversibly tainted with Evil?" It was obvious Hornet was expecting a negative answer to his question.

Dusk Rat gives a raised-eyebrow look to Water Hornet, and glances meaningfully back toward the resting zlanbeast.

"Well, so far I think we've done well to avoid this one's ferocious rage and permanently hostile temperament, it would seem, yes?"

Her tone is sarcastic but not particularly hostile, as though pointing out an obvious flaw in Water Hornet's suggestion.

"If you think the place of one's birth determines one's temperament, perhaps, then presumably some of us should've never become Kai?"

"Yes, it seems so," answered Hornet thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, "and no, I don't think one's birthplace sets a person, or a creature, on an unavoidable path." He made a pause before continuing. "I was just wondering what you found out interacting with...Cloudcatcher. Whether as a zlanbeast he had become a part of the nature just as any other living creature, despite his...or his ancestors'...circumstances of creation." It looked like Hornet wanted to add something, but he remained silent in the end.

OOC: And I just left the 30000th post to be picked up by anone who posts next. ;)

Yeah I just saw the post total on the homepage - wooo, 30k! That's a lot! :D

Dusk Rat shrugs.

"Food's his main drive. He enjoys the freedom of flight. He's really little different from many other species I've encountered. It's humans who're the different ones, I'd say. More complicated, less trustworthy. Too much time spent dancing around issues that should simply be faced and dealt with."

"Perhaps," said Water Hornet, but didn't sound too convinced, "perhaps." After a pause he added, speaking more to himself: "I wish all the issues were simple to deal with..."

OOC: Done with our little intermezzo (from Hornet's side). :)

"Intermezzo"?

"Perhaps they can be." says Dusk Rat. "Perhaps it depends who's dealing with them."

She shrugs again and continues walking.

There would be others in the room, yes.  Others who may not have seen them in a long while.  But more than likely, attention would be focused on the young woman sitting at the table, in a set of rough clothes, her hair hanging down and covering her face, head leaning over as if she'd been taken from her bed and posed there, her hands lovingly wrapped around two things.  Her left would be wrapped around the rough wood of her spear, but the right hand was wrapped around something that Peacock had more than likely been looking for for a long while. It had been one of her goals in her mission, which seemed so long ago.

The Sommerswerd was crossed over her spear, resting on the rough material of her pants.  But if one looked closely, there were no wounds upon the girl's skin.  Her color was as if she was living.  But if one looked closer, they would see that the supposed body... was breathing.  The knuckles of the hands were not white because of the woman's usual pallor, but because she was clutching them that tightly- two treasures that she was absolutely not going to let go of without her own blessing or her own death.

But lost among the power radiating off the Sommerswerd would be a bit that would waft out, vaguely lost around the waves coming off of it.  It would give off almost the same power, but be a bit... different.  It would pass with but a whisper, but to those who could feel it, it could be almost unmistakable.

A snort would sound, and they would know the body in the chair... to be not just a body.  Indeed, she would lift her head, under her own power, and gaze at the two of them- Peacock and Dusk Rat- with eyes that no longer shone blue as ice, but instead shone bright with the same power the sword had.  Her expression at seeing the two of them could be taken two different ways- for Rat, it was maybe more cold indifference- or maybe the owner of the gaze just didn't know how to react to her.

But to Peacock, well... it was more she was keeping her defenses high, her Psi-Shield primed and ready, as strong as she could make it.  Her grip tightened around Breakwater just as she stared at him- only a week or so ago, it had been in reverence, maybe even as allies.  But now... now that she knew what kind of person he'd really been?  If her eyes had still been blue, one could almost have said the sheer cold of a Kalte sky was radiating at him.  But with the light shining from them, well... it was more like the light of the sun reflecting off the tundra snowdrifts- bright, shining, but still as ice cold as ever.

Her lips opened, and it was obvious that she was doing her best to hold back... to a point.  But that didn't stop her from trying to score at least one barb.

"Hello... master."

Once, she'd had nothing but respect for him.  Now?  It was cold.  It was almost meant as an insult.  And after everything she'd been through?  She felt that at least one was deserved.

Now, looking up at him, Breakwater and Sommerswerd crossed on her lap, she waited for his reaction.