Dust in the Wind (Open/Accepting)

[Designer Hobo Style]

Medius was bustling with business in the hot afternoon sun. People walked about in the dust of the marketplace, seeking coverage under the tarps hung on the hard sandstone pueblo buildings while they bought and sold wares from vendors all across the land. Desert animals such as llamas, camels, and donkeys were towed about by their owners, carrying the goods that they had come to trade that day. The place was absolutely brimming with commerce, and plenty of people. The perfect opportunity to steal.

In a sudden explosion of energy, the scores of people were divided in two as a very large man ran through the crowd. In the shadow of a great building, perched on a ledge sat a small girl in a red robe, peering down at the crowd like a fox. Behind her there came many men that were coming after her and as she heard them coming she hopped from ledge to ledge until she had several buildings in between her and her pursuers. She came to an alley and scanned the street before taking out a hunk of bread she had stolen. It was too late by the time she noticed the man standing right behind her.  

[Taria180]

The smell of hard alcohol sat heavy and hot in the tavern. Elorx shot his whiskey and placed the coins on the bar as he stood to leave. The coming of dusk painted the sky red the city began to cool down as he walked to the inn from the tavern. Leafing through the pages of the letter requiring him to join the desert exploration because of all his fights Elorx thought to himself this was not really a punishment. As he turned into a narrow alley a girl ran into the alley scanned the street and ripped off a hunk of bread and began eating. The sounds of a search for a thief by the police rang out nearby and a smile came to his face as he knew they were looking for this small fox like girl eating infront of him. Elorx heard a policeman coming from the alley which he just turned out from. Without thinking he grabbed the small fox girl shoved her behind him underneath his cloak. “Keep your mouth shut foxy or you're gonna be in real trouble.” Elorx leaned against the alley wall so there was no give away of the girl behind him as the police officer ran past him and through the alley. Once he was sure the area was safe he turned around grabbed the girl's arm and pressed her into the wall bending down so they were eye level. “What the hell do you think you're doing kid? Stealing like this is gonna get you're a** in jail or killed and for god sakes you're old enough to get a job so why the hell are you stealing s**t? Got a death wish or something?” Elorx let her go straightened up and ran his hand through his hair and looked down at the small girl in red. “Look if you need something to do the next desert exploration is starting in a few days and if you like I can get you into it. It is honest work and good pay, you also won't have to worry about food. So what do you say foxy?"  

[Designer Hobo Style]

At first the girl protested, but as she heard the police coming she stiffed like a board, it was as if she stopped breathing. When the coast was clear the man had begun to lecture her, and she raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms rather bored. "Who says I'm stealing, eh? How ungentlemanly of you to accuse me of that!" she bluffed. However, when he mentioned the expedition, the girl's expression became serious. She grabbed the man by the collar and demanded, "What do you know about the expedition?!"  

[Taria180]

The bratty attitude this girl had with him really set Elorx on edge. When he finished his last sentence with the fox girl everything changed. She went from being a first rate pain in the a** to being completely serious. When she yanked him forward and to eye level demanding information about the expedition there was not a trace of the brat anymore. He did not know why this struck a chord with the girl but he could bet it was not because of the honest work part. Elorx raised his eyebrow at her and gave in answer a wolfish grin. Being forced to be face to face with her Elorx decided to lick her nose witch accomplished his goal of getting her to release him. “Like I said the exploration is in a few days, I was actually on my way to the meeting where everyone who is on the exploration team is going to find out more about the exploration. If you want to find out more then come with me foxy.” Elorx offered his arm to the girl with an inviting smile.  

[Designer Hobo Style]

A shudder went through the entire girl's body when the man's tongue reached her nose. She recoiled in disgust and completely lost her serious composure. Still, the man was offering for her to come with him to find out information on the expedition. She didn't entirely trust him, but coming with him was her only means of finding out what happened to her father.

"Alright, go on ahead, I'll follow you. If those guards see me with you they'll figure out you were protecting me," She explained.  

[Taria180]

The new tune the girl was taking made Elorx smile. When she wasn’t being a brat she seem almost badass. “The guards all know me already foxy, but if you insist I won’t pester you. By the way I am Elorx and although I think foxy is a cute nickname I would love to know your real name.” With that he continued on his way through the twisted alleys and secret pathways through the city streets to avoid the guards. When they finally arrived in front of the inn he turned to the girl with a wolfish grin. “ I can’t promise you anything but I can say that in the morning the government official will come and tell everyone about the mission so till then we get to chill out here for the night.”  

[Designer Hobo Style]

"Hmph, I don't usually tell my name to strangers, but if it'll get you to stop calling me foxy...The name's Tashia Keeler," the girl stated in a matter of fact tone. After that she let Elorx go on ahead, waiting till he was just out of sight to start following him. They must have taken a non-direct route, as the trip took them through dark alleyways and side streets, rural areas and the like, Tashia staying on the the roofs of buildings when she could. The nice thing about being on the streets of Medius for 10 years is knowing it inside and out. When they finally arrived, she had in her mind a perfect mental map of the route they took, and it turns out the inn was just across the street from where they were. However it was good that they did, because a glance around the neighborhood revealed that all the guards had gone in search of her somewhere else.

She grinned back at him, "Don't worry about me, I've got connections."  

[Taria180]

“Ahh so Tashia it is nice to meet you but I have to say that I have grown to love calling you foxy, but because you don’t like it I guess I will call you Tashia.” The rest of the walk to the hotel was silent. When she spoke of having connections he just nodded. “Well let’s go on inside.” Elorx held open the door for her and walked in after her. Elorx walked up to the counter and got two room keys from the attendant and turned to Tashia handing her one. “It's for room 16 on the second floor I am in room 19 if you care. I don’t need to put anything in my room so I am headed into the dining room.” With that Elorx walked over into the dining room and saw a girl sitting there who look very out of place she was clothed in that of the priestesses and it was high quality fabrics. “Hey there doll face you lost?” Elorx went right up and pulled on her chin so she was looking at him. “What is someone like you doing in a place like this huh doll face?”  

[Yonaki1515]

Kiara didn’t have to wait very long for others to arrive she could hear them in the other room but decided to wait for them to come to the dining room. Then a man entered the room it was the first man she had ever seen up close and she immediately blushed he was so strange. He was tall probably the tallest person she had ever seen. Added to all the strangeness he was so white his skin was as pale as milk with his black hair made stark contrast with it. Then she noticed his eyes they were red a true red color. When he spoke to her it was as if her throat swelled shut and her eyes became wide. She remembered the old time saying like a deer in headlights and it only made it worse for her. He then came right up to her and pulled her chin so she was looking right at him. She heard his question but it seemed as though it was far off and her thoughts were racing. Then something was burning in her chest and she realized she was not breathing. As hard as she tried she could not speak or take a breath and then the edges of her vision where becoming white as though they were slowly being bleached out from the colors of the world. The sound of the world became quieter and quieted and then there was no sound and her vision went completly white and she could feel herself falling out of the chair and she waited for the impact with the ground. Yet it never came she thought of how strange that was but then her mind went to sleep and the last thing she felt was herself taking a breath.  

[Little Daku]

“I guess there’s no use in putting this off for any longer. I’ve had a long enough time to go and face the music, so face it I shall.” Looking at his reflection in the broken mirror of an inn room, the one rented to the man known as Freyk Gontishman, said man realized that his self-imposed isolation from his coming companions only made him chatty. He frowned. It was not an unusual expression to be seen, but nonetheless, it wasn’t all that pleasant to see. Sighing and gathering up his staff from the wall, Freyk exited his room, keys jangling in his pocket. He didn’t bother to lock the door, being that all his personal effects were on him, and the supplies to be bought and decided on by the group. Clunking his way down to the inn floor he again saw the priestess sitting by herself. He had been avoiding her, for both their sakes. He had been in a foul mood for having been forced to wait and had chosen not to inflict his miseries upon her. He would hold his anger and contempt for the truly tardy.

Finally setting foot on the ground floor, he hobbled his way over to her, the crooked leg of his preventing any possible speed he could have wished for. Too late it seemed, now that another pale looking man had homed in on Freyk’s own target. His face burned with shame on behalf of the girl as she toppled over. “How indecent,” he snarled, pushing himself to hobble a little faster. “Cur,” he growled as soon as within earshot of the man. "You have never dealt with a priestess I take it? If you did you would know that they are easily embarrassed or offended. Seldom do they meet many men, so seldom are such things ever said to them. If we are to be a team, you will treat courteously with those who do not engage in such idle debauchery!” Freyk stood barely at the other man’s chest, but his personal displeasure was boiling with the intensity of the desert sun.

People stopped and stared, some rose even. It was unfortunate that one particularly drunken man stumbled his way up behind Freyk. He smelled like a latrine and worse. “Mighty big words for a cripple.” Freyk’s body stiffened, but he said nothing in reply. “You best choose your fights better eh? Wouldn't want this stranger to bust your cho-” The desert guide did not let the man finish his drunken ramble. Pivoting around on his good leg, Freyk slammed the top end of his stone staff into the man’s temple, sending him flying into somebody else’s table, spilling food and drink, before the vagrant simply crumpled to the floor like the garbage he was. The attack wasn’t fatal, but it would certainly leave the damned drunkard unconscious for a good, long while. “Do not give me any advice that you lack the very capacity to grasp yourself,” Freyk spoke, looking contemptuously down at the man as if he were nothing but scum.

“Pardons,” the lad spoke, his voice carrying well, even had the utter silence not been so. “Carry on with your drinks and I’ll pay for yours." Sighing, he waved over some workers to handle the mess and get some replacement food, put on the guide's own tab, for the trio he had inadvertently brought into his short scuffle. Turning to the other man once more, his frown still held. “I am Freyk Gontishman, the party’s guide. You are here to join the expedition are you not?” Freyk did not wait for answer. “I was born in the desert, lived in the desert, and returned there often after being forced to settle for my current lifestyle. I am of the desert, so I trust there will be little disappointment with my abilities.” He looked down at the priestess and prodded her gently with the pointy end of his staff. “You. Up. We have introductions to make.”  

[Taria180]

The girl didn’t say anything as he talked to her but her eyes widened like a scared animal and after a short while she just toppled over. Elorx caught the girl before she hit the ground and slumped her back into her chair and over the table. Elorx looked up as someone yelled cur at him. The man in front of him was slender and had a stone staff but most of all he looked pissed. With the rage in his voice elorx was gearing up for a fight when what the man said stunned him. “What do you mean they seldom meet men?” Before the man could say anything else a drunkard began to talk down to the man but he quickly took care of the pest. His quick action gained Elorx respect and he decided to do his best to make sure he payed attention to most of what this man did. “Yeah I am Elorx and I am sorry about the priestess I had no idea. As for me I am from Tierras del Norte don’t let my pale complexion fool you I am what they call albino. I moved to Medius a year ago. I am good at night travel and navigation I also am a water tracker.” Elorx stretched the back of his head as he made his apology. “Look I am sorry about the priestess passing out and all I had no idea about how they don’t know men.” He watched as the Freyk poked the priestess with his staff.  

[Little Daku]

“Pleasure,” Freyk dismissed Elorx’s introduction with a vague wave of his hand. “You’d best apologize to her when she comes to, that’s all I require on behalf of the priestess.” The lad had since stopped prodding her, giving up on the futile attempt of waking her. “I have dealt with ones like her before, so I do know that one does not flirt with them, unless your intent is to marry. From what I understand they are, or perhaps were, quite strict with such things.” Freyk gave a small shrug and pulled out a chair from behind him. “People are like the desert Elorx, shifting and changing like the very sands.” Grunting in pain the young man settled himself down into the chair and stretched his twisted limb. “People are not so easily mapped, but given what I’ve seen, the monastery has changed little, if at all in this past year. I would advise you to be very careful of what you say; I have seen often a man’s choice of words lose him the privilege of being healed.”

Freyk passed some coins to server on their way past, paying his currents debts, and adding to it by ordering a plate of meats and some fresh fruit. He also asked for some water and nodded the man off. “I will pay for your meals today and any more of our group who should choose to show up tonight will be treated likewise. I was paid well for my services given to a party of adventurers before I was called away for this. In all honesty, those poor men lacked the proper amount of brains and brawn, but their money was good, so I’ll not complain.” The fruit and water were both brought out fairly quickly and the server informed Freyk that the meat was still cooking. “Thank you,” he murmured before taking a fresh desert apple and taking a large bite out of it. Juice ran down his face and he gestured to the others as he swallowed. “Help yourselves.” Taking a swig of water, Freyk dabbeed his chin with a bit of table cloth and watched those currently in his party.  

[Designer Hobo Style]

Meanwhile, Tashia had been attending to other matters. She walked up to the keeper and asked, "Excuse me is this the inn where the desert expedition team is supposed to meet?" The keeper glared at her. "Why should I tell you?" he replied dubiously. Tashia conjured the cutest look she could make and pleaded, "Please sir, I need to talk to my sibling, it's an emergency!" The old man shrugged and sighed, "Whatever kid, here's a key to the master suite where they're staying in. I can't be bothered to deal with this mess."

The inn keeper handed Tashia the keys to the suite which she used to get into the room without causing much of a fuss. She begun to search the room, finding good signs that there was someone in there. It was dark however and she stumbled over several pieces of furniture in the process. Tashia stopped and listened, trying to hear if she had woken whoever it was up. Hearing nothing, she continued to search through the large room.  

[Yonaki1515]

Kiara senses began to work again first she heard the laughing and talking of people around her. Her nose burned with the heavy smell of wood and alcohol. Finally she began to open her eyes and she blinked repeatedly so the blurry vision would leave. It was the sound of someone taken a bite of an apple that finally got her back into her full scenes. She sat up and looked around and widened her eyes there were two men sitting next to her and her face burned as she blushed. “Oh, um hi I am Sister Kiara of the Lunaire Priesthood I am a master healer and archer.” Her voice was soft and she stared at her hands as she talked her heart racing. She looked over to the man with the apple as he seemed less frightening. “Um this is . . . I first time I have ever been out of the monastery, and um I have never meet a man before today. So I am sorry for passing out.” When she finished her sentence she went back to staring at her hands so she would not be overwhelmed by everything again.  

[Little Daku]

OOC: So it's my turn then?