For the 9th time since boarding a ship bound for Druuk Island, Iván read the letter from Lord Darwick of House Silverguard, the letter he procured from the so-called Questmaster in Central Brisshal, the letter that detailed a sensitive matter involving a regretful but rich family member, a priceless but lost family heirloom, and a fun but definitely not a family place. “The Blue Jetsam Tavern,” Iván whispered to himself. He hasn’t been to such a place but from what he had heard, it’s not a place to take lightly. All sorts of sea brigands populate that place. All sorts of terrible, illegal crimes and those who commit them have touched that place. Iván breathed deeply, narrowing his eyes on the letter, as if focusing sunlight through a magnifying glass. “This isn’t going to be easy.” What was Lord Darwick of House Silverguard even doing in such a place? Negotiations? What kind of negotiations would a noble make with these people? He should’ve just plastered a note on his forehead, a sign saying ransom material before going there. “Yet he was able to come home, unscathed,” Iván mumbled under his breath. “Interesting.” He closed his eyes and imagined the so-called important heirloom the remarkable lord lost at such a remarkable establishment: pocket watch, small, engraved with his family emblem, the head of a wolf with a crescent moon for an eye. Iván sighed, realizing that such a thing wouldn’t be lost for long. Someone else had probably already gotten a hold of it. It wouldn’t be easy, taking back that pocket watch from one of the Blue Jetsam’s remarkable patrons. But first, he needed to go back to the scene of the crime. That’s always the first step when it comes to things like this. Iván leaned back against the wood of the ship, having perched himself on the floor, against the side. He turned to the bright blue sky, squinting. “This game looks really good.”
Based on appearances, Druuk Island did not look family-friendly. The brunette could not have greeted it with a less welcoming expression, either. The path from her spawn point, a rocky coastline, had meandered all the way down the coast to this great island and subsequently the ferry to access it. Janet was expecting something... well, cleaner. Needless to say, she was hot, sweaty, and annoyed by the time she opened the door of the Blue Jetsam Tavern. Her pinched expression grew even more strained as she saw it was crowded. Managing to squeeze her way to the bar, she lifted her head as high as she could, snapping for assistance. “Excuse me! How does this work?” she asked with a bit of an edge to her voice, “Do we just seat ourselves? Where’s the menus?” Sensing a newbie (albeit a rude one) some people began to reluctantly recite how to access the various Terrasphere functions. Someone gave her the food and drink menu she’d been asking for, too—the rest was just an unexpected bonus. Janet had just settled down somewhere private and respectable—a corner booth—when a man leaned on her table with a sneer, gauntlet scraping against the wood. Janet looked up with a frown. “Um. Can I help you?” What, was the kitchen out of arugula? “Sorry, but this is Lady Etheridge’s seat.” Janet looked up to see a tall, fancy-looking woman hovering just a few feet away, clearly dressed in finery. She’s far too old to be wearing that princess costume, Janet thought with a little sniff. But another thing happened—when the man put his hand on the table, the watch on his wrist suddenly lit up in her vision. It was strange enough that it didn’t match his armor, but a little icon began to rapidly blink. QUEST MARKER. “Stop it.” The teenager swiped physically at it, irritated by the notification. How was a decent person supposed to know what all these glowing marks and banners meant, anyway? The man snatched his hand back like she was a thief. “How dare you.” Ignoring him (to his fury) Janet was still trying to dismiss the notification. “Go away, you stupid thing,” she said out loud, failing to notice the Lady Etheridge’s back stiffening indignantly. “Come, Thaddeus, show her your blade,” she said loudly, taking the man’s arm. She threw a haughty look down her nose at Janet. “Little girls should know their place.” “Little girl—” Janet started indignantly and then looked down at her hands, remembering again that she was in a teenage body. “Why, I ought to call over the manager—” And then there was a sword three times the size of a kitchen knife in her face, and she had a polite change of heart, gave up her seat, and walked calmly all the way out the door before the situation caught back up with her and she practically had a heart attack. “What? Is this really how things are done here?” Well, she wanted to leave straight away again, but two things were blocking her. One, the safe little ferry she’d boarded to get here wasn’t running again for another couple hours, and every other ship in the yard looked like a terrifying menace straight out of the PG-13 Pirates of the Carribean™ franchise. Two—that darned, dratted notification was still blinking in the corner of her vision, and she could not get it off. Taking a deep breath and resigning herself to ask for help again, the brown-haired teen marched up to a man leaning against a nearby ship, relieved at last to see an adult. “Hi, excuse me, but I’m new here and I can’t figure out how to get rid of this blinking ‘Quest’… light. It’s very distracting, it popped up when I was speaking to this man—well, this ruffian at the diner, really— and I just can’t seem to get rid of it. Do you know anything about that sort of thing?”
If there was ever a reason she had never grown fond of ships nor pirates, it was her lack of comprehension over the fascination for this lifestyle. That, and she valued to keep her food inside of her system with this realistic system to remind her this was much more than any game she had had her hands upon. A glance to the piece of parchment clutched in one of her hands revealed the details of the exotic item that had yet to be found, and the not-so-happy location where it had been last seen at. Druuk Island. If the colorful rumors about the taverns and history of the island itself were anything but true, she did not seem to mind at all save for one tiny detail... She had found it bizarre to even allow a nobleman to travel to such places without an escort, but there she was, intending to mend an issue caused by this same foolish behavior of none other than Lord Darwick himself. Instead of pretending she knew what she was looking for, she did the smart thing. ''If I told you, what would there be for me?'' She had lost count of how many people had met her with the same response, and she would've walked away, had this person not received her with a somewhat different motion than the other NPCs. The look he gave her was more contemplative than any she had received so far, as if trying to assess whether she was worthy of his time. Intrigued by this turn of events, she dismissed the fleeting thought of turning on her heels and walking away. Portia's stance stiffened and then relaxed again, a sigh leaving her parted lips to become a soft tuft of white right before her eyes. Damned be the cold. It was an effort to not retrace her steps and move back to the starting point of her investigation, to not draw her fists and convey her meaning through action rather than words. Beggars, the lot of them. ''I will pay for whatever information you can provide,'' she replied with a certain quirk to her lips which suggested a considerable amount was on the table. ''I ain't got interest in your filthy coin. Do I look like a whore to you?'' Had the situation been any different, she would've loved to strike the bastard with a punch to his bloody smiling face, yet the clock was ticking and her payment depended on if the artifact was found. She could not afford to let a chance like this slide from her grasp. ''Deliver this to a friend of mine. Gain her favor and you shall get your answers, but I'm done with helping you.'' An envelope was handed to the white-haired youth, sealed to protect its contents from prying eyes. And she had half a mind to go back to the ship with a satisfied grin plastered across her pale features, but the sight that welcomed her upon her return to the port had quite the contrary effect on her mood. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion behind them, piercing grey gaze focusing on the pair engaged in conversation as her eyebrows moved together to form a frown. At least her little walk had provided Portia with a small sense of her surroundings, yet her absence had allowed for competition to appear and threaten to snatch her prize away from her. ''What a pleasant night are we having, wouldn't you say?'' The words rolled off her tongue with ease as she stepped into their vicinity, her tone anything but welcoming to the pair despite the confusion displayed on the girl's face. A new player, of course. Perhaps this random encounter would offer a chance to discuss business with these two.
The sound of footsteps fast approaching dragged Iván away from his thoughts, his eyes from the impressive rendering of an actual blue sky, to a sweaty teenager with autumn in her hair. Eli found her cute before realizing she could be another dude in the real world. Iván raised an eyebrow from under his hood, the gesture obscured by shadows plaguing his face. He was just about to respond when another set of footsteps cut him off, this one from another girl albeit a little more comfortable with the game. At least from where he sat, she seemed more comfortable, more used to how things worked around here, perhaps even more confident. Iván took one look at the new girl before sighing. He extended a hand towards them, curious who would grab it first. "Yes."
She was waiting patiently for answers when another voice came from behind her. Janet couldn’t help herself from making an indignant little huff at being interrupted right when the fellow had been about to assist her. “Excuse me—” she started, turning her head (it was starting to sound like her catchphrase) but stopped when she saw a young woman about her height, small and lithe. “Ah!” she finished with some surprise. She could feel her cheeks reddening. “I think it is, yes.” Janet knew it was a fantasy world, of course, and that people would have all sorts of silly costumes and hairstyles, but she found the newcomer’s pale hair surprisingly pretty. The color. Not in real life, of course, that would be inappropriate, she thought quickly, back straightening again like a ruler. She was flustered enough that she only barely made an attempt to shake the man’s hand, her grip slack and her hand slipping away as soon as it was done. “Very… yes, very nice. I was just asking this—I was just asking this man if he—well, maybe you know! I received a ‘Quest’ alert while I was trying to eat dinner earlier and it still hasn’t gone away.” Her tongue felt knotted, but she managed to stammer through it and started to relax as she was able to fall back into the irritation she felt from before. “Some man was bothering me and it showed up on his arm, I think he was wearing a watch. I don’t know if I was supposed to do something or…” The teen found herself fiddling with her hair, trailing off. She’d been about to launch into a series of complaints about how nobody explained anything in this game, but something about the other girl made her hold her tongue. “Ahem… introductions?” she suggested in a vague attempt to collect her scattered thoughts again.
''Yes, yes. Introductions are in order,'' the man who had spoken no more than a single word in response to her previous question still held his hand mid-air, even as the other new player took it. She felt her right hand clench and unclench in one swift motion, tapping on the menu to remove the bandages that hid the skin of her bruised hands. Martial Arts sure had been a fine choice... Yeah, right. ''You may call me Portia Ahrens, you two are..?'' She first took the man's hand in greeting, shaking it lightly before pulling away from his touch. Only then did she shift her attention back to the female and received quite the flustered display upon setting her eyes on the newbie, holding her own hand up for her to take it. ''The marker means you have encountered an item or an NPC related to a quest. As luck would have it, maybe I won't have to stay in this rotten island for much longer... How precious.'' The albino girl looked skyward as she took the rest of the conversation in, studying the starlit sky as if there were any meaningful signs to be found in there. None came, just the impending thought about getting on the ship and possibly dragging these two inside as well. Aimless wandering was an activity best left forgotten in places where danger roamed freely on the streets of the freaking city. Her lips pursed to form a thin line, the newbie speaking her mind freely without an ounce of doubt in her speech. Sure, she was babbling her mind away and stumbling on her words, yet she was getting somewhere. She might have questions, she might have answers. Much to Portia's surprise, the words that left the brunette's mouth were richer than anything she could currently afford. There was a certain word that brought a new meaning to their whole exchange. An item, a watch. ''Can you describe the man who wore... Who was harassing you?''
From behind his goggles, Iván narrowed his eyes at the first girl who actually shook his outstretched hand. It was a pretty terrible handshake, too, which he did not appreciate, scowling at it. Of course, his face, like most of him, was obscured with clothing, Eli’s decision to make Iván as mysterious as possible. Control what people see, control their perception of you. It was a precautionary measure that was more feasible in real life than in a game where it’s hard to figure out if what you’re seeing is the truth of things anyway. When the second girl, the one with the pretty interesting hair color choice, shook his hand as well, Iván couldn’t help but sigh. “I am, was, in need of someone to help me up.” Don’t let other people do what you can do yourself, Iván should’ve known that from the very start. Helping himself up, he shifted his gaze from the albino-looking girl to the confused one. Wait, she said she got a Quest alert? Would it be, by any chance, the same Quest Iván was on? Interesting. The brunette might not look that great of a help, she seemed too flustered and new with how the game worked, but any help is a good enough help, given the right and intelligent mind behind things. Now he wondered what this Portia Ahrens had in mind, inquiring about an NPC. Was she an NPC as well? Or is she another Player on a Quest? What are the chances all three of them are on the same Quest? Iván wouldn’t mind splitting the rewards in the same way he wouldn’t mind not splitting the rewards. He didn’t take the Quest just for the rewards. On the contrary, it wasn’t his primary directive. Iván took the Quest because he needed something to do, a direction, outside of constantly marveling at the graphics and trying to figure out new things about the game. “Iván Carl,” he mumbled to Portia before turning to the other girl. “Were you, by chance, able to figure out what Quest that alert was for?”
“Portia and Ivan. I’m Janet Reilly.” It was getting easier to use her maiden name in conversation—she could almost feel that other name slipping away. As the hours went by, she was feeling more and more like herself. The real her. In any case, now that the strangers had names and weren’t just mysterious game figments, the eighteen-year-old could feel herself relax a little. She felt a little sting of indignation towards the man who’d been sitting—help yourself up, for goodness’ sake, you’re not a child—but was immediately taken again by Portia, whose detailed explanation was exactly the type of succinct, direct answer she’d been looking for. “Oh! Thank you!” she exclaimed. Still feeling eager and hoping to please the young woman who’d enlightened her, she added “It’s so nice finding someone helpful around here, nobody seems to want to take the time. I can’t—” Portia’s next words caused her to trail off, a little surprised by the question. Janet gathered her wits to answer, reminding herself that this sort of thing was expected and natural when reporting a crime (as she thought harassing and threatening her certainly was!) “The man, yes… the man. Well, he had armor, like a knight, you know. I assumed he was a bodyguard or something for the woman that was there.” Realizing she hadn’t mentioned the lady the first time, Janet hastily added “He called her Lady Etheridge?” It was the same surname as her yoga instructor, so she couldn’t help but remember. Perhaps Portia or Ivan knew this person. “Well, they were both very rude and I was quite afraid. Oh, and he had that wristwatch, I saw it when he put his hand on the table. That was when the ‘Quest Marker’ appeared, it was very distracting.” As for what quest it was… “How am I supposed to know that?” she asked a little petulantly. “Is there a list, or a registry?” She couldn’t expect anything half so organized to be readily available in this ‘Terrasphere.’ Janet concentrated hard on making the gesture required to open her palm menu (her contorted expression betrayed her focus) and seemed to tap at the air for a few moments with the deliberation of an old woman learning to right-click. “Well, I can’t…” Abruptly, the brunette’s brows furrowed together, lips pursing. Her gaze had wandered across the docks, where a cloaked figure was just stepping across the deck of one of the ships anchored there. He looked from side to side furtively before slipping aboard. What caught her eye was not his dark attire, but instead the glint of light against the bright blade at his side, the sword in which she’d seen her own reflection in back at the Blue Jetsam Tavern. Wordlessly, she pointed, mouth dry. Tone subdued, she murmured “Oh. I-I think… that might be him.”
''It would seem to me you were able to figure out a solution to your problem faster than any drunkard could possibly do. I'm impressed.'' There was a deep-rooted amusement in the way she spoke as she saw the man - Iván - raise to his feet in what she determined to be a testament to his low amount of experience within Terrasphere. Or perhaps he was even more experienced that what she truly gave him credit for. In all honesty, she couldn't tell. ''Janet, I'm pleased to state you've been most kind and helpful to my investigation. Thank you,'' the youth began to harbor a smile as she felt a faint warmth blooming to life in her cheeks to accompany the gesture. The brunette had provided her with the answers she sought. To remain kind and pleasant was the unique reward she could afford in exchange for her usefulness. ''As for the marker... I have no idea why were you able to see it. Perhaps your investigation mode was active without you noticing? The game doesn't offer any manuals and while most commands are intuitive, there are still some which I have yet to discover.'' A deep breath was left out before she retreated a step from the little group the three of them had formed, a quick demonstration on one of the system's many functions clear in her intention. With deliberate slowness added to her motions, the albino girl held her gaze at their faces, lifting both her index and middle fingers to tap once on her forehead for the world before her to break into a mess of details and explanations. Meaningless ones, of course. Little did she care about the fabric used to make Iván's clothing nor the name of an NPC walking close by. ''Details, details, and more details which you will eventually learn... Aren't as useful.'' Again, another tap on her forehead turned the Investigation Mode off allowed her to continue with her introduction to questing and basic game mechanics. ''Much like the world outside, you won't be able to find help but the one you seek on your own. Quests are posted on specific locations, and in order to fulfill them, you must first accept said requests from any board you can find in Brisshal, and then carry out their objectives and come back to the place that enlisted you.'' ''And of all the possible locations designed in this game, you wound up here... The world does work in mysterious ways.'' As if the soft chuckles that issued from her mouth were genuine, she closed her eyes and drew a hand to her lips, keeping them away from the pair's sight as she laughed at a joke no one could get. To have thought these two would make the job more complicated than it already was... How wrong had she been! Portia lingered for a while as she listened with attention to the names and places Janet mentioned, head snapping back as the girl's confident facade drifted to leave nothing but sheer panic on her features. Her thoughts drifted from one to another, the movements of her right hand precise and quick as she managed to equip the bandages she had taken off from before. If there was going to be a fight, she would like something to cushion the damage her knuckles might suffer.
Iván stared Portia down after that comment. He guessed correctly. They were Players after all. That or rude NPCs. There was a much easier of way doing this, less offensive for sure, but Iván trusted his process, his mind, more than he did some program. These things can malfunction at a moment’s notice, usually because of someone else’s inadequacy. His mind, however, is his own, and whether it rises to the occasion or fails miserably, it’ll be on his terms. He can quickly improve on his own failures. On someone else’s? He wouldn’t make that much effort. As Portia helped educate Janet on some of the game’s mechanics, Iván himself took his own notes without appearing like he needed to. He simply let Portia go on and on without asking any questions or furrowing his eyebrows. Portia’s laugh surprised Iván, but it was a surprise that made him smile under his hood. He had no idea why he had to smile. He knew he had not planned. Maybe it has just been a long day. Iván quickly tried to spot the guy Janet had singled out, but he barely could make his face out. He noticed Portia covering her fist with bandages. He walked closer to the girls, closer than they or anyone might have liked probably. Under his breath, he made sure only the two could hear him, “Janet, the woman that was there, Lady Etheridge, you’ve seen her face? You know what she looks like? If Portia can knock her bodyguard out, I think I might be able to get you the information you need for your supposed Quest.” Why not? Chances are, it was actually the very same Quest Iván was already on. If it wasn’t, then helping Janet accomplish it would get him another set of rewards separate from his Quest, which he was confident enough he could complete even on his own.
Janet dropped her trembling finger quickly, a mixture of thoughts like “it’s rude to point” and “he might see me” running through her head. Fortunately, he was already slipping away, his shadowy figure disappearing as he crossed beyond their sight line. Janet let out her breath in relief and blinked, drawing herself up and throwing her shoulders back a little as Ivan drew near. For a brief moment she wondered if the man swaddled in clothing might turn hostile—he was so much taller now that he was standing—but he merely spoke. It was so soft Janet had to strain her ears to hear. “I—” she started, then self-consciously lowered her voice to match his volume, “I saw her face, yes. I don’t think she’s with him.” Wait—Portia knock him out? The brunette turned to the other girl and saw the cloth hand-wraps, which she mistook for bandages. “Portia? Oh no… you’re not hurt, are you?” If she was, there was no way she could fight in her condition, especially not anyone as nasty as the man with the watch. Nostrils flaring, Janet felt her own hands curl into fists and she rolled up her sleeves with the grim determination of a woman about to start spring cleaning. “It’s all right. I can do it.” Her confident statement was undermined by the next “—Though I don’t really know how.” Participation confirmed, Janet decided the next step was to finalize their agenda. “They’ll see us coming if we just go aboard...” Turning her head in a whirl of brown hair, she spied a long, solid iron girder stacked among the dock equipment. That gave her an idea. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, she crossed over to the girder and planted her feet, making sure she had a good grip on it. With a little huff, arms straining a little, she lifted the solid metal beam onto her shoulder and stepped up the gangplank of the ship parked right next to the one they wanted. Bracing herself on the railing, Janet gingerly lowered the beam so that it spanned the distance between the two boats, making an impromptu bridge. The end of the girder made only the faintest knock on the opposing ship, and Janet held her breath for a moment to make sure nobody had seen. That done, she stood again, dusting off her hands and feeling another little glow of self-admiration. That Heroic Might was a good choice, she thought privately to herself as she spoke “Okay—if we’re quiet, we should be able to get on board and make sure he’s alone first. If we have strength in numbers, we should have the advantage.” Except for that sword, but Janet would try to disarm him once it came to that. If the other two crossed or even if they had their own ways of getting aboard, Janet made up her mind to follow last, even if it meant she might miss hearing some the conversation their suspicious target was currently having with someone on the ship—a woman.
''Direct confrontation at this time of day, on this particular island? I recall asking you how lovely the night was, not if you had a death wish you wished to see fulfilled.'' Portia was unable to keep the snap of her voice as she pointed out the logical flaws of their little plan, slightly offended by the notion they might've been trying to get her into far more trouble she could handle on her own at the moment. A fight with a man who could be another NPC from the lot and not the one they were looking for... Given the right circumstances, she would've approved of it and even would have helped to coordinate the attack. Alas, they were stuck on an island with a reputation for their many dark and sinister achievements. ''Beggars and mercenaries look around these parts quite often and don't let their dirty appearances fool you... They are armed to their teeth and utterly willing to dirty their hands if it means they will be able to buy food to last them a week. The man makes so much as a single noise, and we are done for.'' And what did she think about their next move as an unofficial party? Gather the clues requested with what little information and names they had been given. Acting on the spur of the moment guaranteed the group nothing else but a mission ended way too soon if the man who they had seen wasn't the one they were looking for. ''Do not trust what your senses cannot perceive, it is exactly what you should be afraid of.'' ''As much as I appreciate the concern...'' Her words began sweet and delicate to match the seemingly fragile appearance her avatar portrayed, the very same polite smile she had offered Janet moments prior unfaltering, unyielding. Indeed, it was the kind of smile that belonged to a girl whose purpose was yet to be discovered, aimed to please others than herself first. And when the light of her curved lips didn't reach her eyes, the meaning behind her next set of words became clear as day. ''It is none of your business.'' Yes, she did appreciate a person's genuine interest in her well-being, even if it was a stranger. Yes, her knuckles ached in a dull pain she hadn't known in quite a while, astounding as it may sound giving her career choice and active lifestyle. And yes, after the words finished rolling off her tongue in what she might be able to recognize as a successful change of subject, she allowed the silence to remain unperturbed between the three of them. She had said her piece and it was their turn needed to understand. Letting the seconds pass by until they turned into full minutes, she eventually let out a heavy breath as Janet stole the spotlight with an impressive display of her abilities, making a path for them to follow and continue the endeavor that had brought them to Druuk Island on the first place. Enough punishment for today. ''Please, go ahead. I would rather be the last one to cross. Not much of a fan of getting ambushed, you see.''
Interesting... Iván smirked under his hood. He admired Portia's toughness, her perceptiveness, and her logic, though he felt a little concerned about the "death wish" comment. This was a game. Death shouldn't really matter as much. Unless you were programmed to think that way. That little concern would have to be put on the back burner, however, as Iván considered the completion of his quest more important. He had managed to confirm that Janet would be a bleeding heart, heroic in nature, and would therefore put herself in harm's way to protect or help others. Considering Iván wasn't exactly that well-versed in combat, she may be useful. He wondered if Portia would fight alongside them, though, if push came to shove. Those bruises were certainly a dead giveaway to a probable weakness in her current state, but she seemed tough and she could very well come up with other battle strategies to help him with his cause. Iván's initial plan was to use his Illusion Magic to lure the guy off the boat and into an alley where Janet and Portia would be waiting to knock him out. He could then take the guy's place and meet with the Lady Etheridge Janet was talking about. Two things threw a wrench in his plans, though: He had no idea what the guy looked like and he also had no idea what the Lady Etheridge looked like. Sure, maybe he could take Janet with him, to point both out, but that would be way too risky. Janet didn't seem like she knew subterfuge, how to calmly trick or lie others, and besides, both Lady Etheridge and her bodyguard would probably remember what she looks like. At this point, Iván wasn't confident he could use his Illusion Magic to turn himself AND another person into something else. "I suppose Plan B is in order," Iván whispered to himself, a little too late as Janet had already made a makeshift bridge that'll allow them access to their guy. He turned to both Janet and Portia and realized, especially after Portia expressed it clearly, that none of them wanted to go first. He sighed, eyes narrowed at the pair, "Might as well." Iván quietly crossed the beam and kept as low as he could towards the floor when he got on the ship. He kept his head low as well, finding a small but suitable enough corner to press his back against, looking out into the rest of the main deck while he himself would be relatively kept hidden and away from prying eyes. He hoped he wouldn't die, but he guessed he could use that as an excuse to finally call back his ex.
Janet had been hoping the two of them would cross her makeshift bridge (she was fairly pleased with herself for thinking of it—it was much more subtle than walking in the front door, and among all these scoundrels she hardly felt it qualified as breaking and entering) but as Portia stopped, Janet hesitated a little. She couldn’t help but remember how short the girl had been with her a few moments ago. Some part of her wanted to be offended—the other part was honestly a little wounded. She averted her eyes. I wonder if she really is hurt, after that. I only wanted to help. She wanted to say that—I was just worried, don’t get upset, I just—was confused. I don’t know why— “All right,” the brunette whispered instead, and tiptoed across the steel beam to the other side. As she set foot on the deck, the floorboards creaked and she winced, moving to the side. There was no ambush (not yet, anyway) and it seemed the creak was lost among the many other noises on the ship, the waves gently rocking it against its mooring. She looked around for Ivan and felt her heart skip a beat in alarm when she didn’t see him at first—he’d concealed himself in a corner, well-camouflaged in his many layers of clothing. Janet hesitated for a moment, torn between approaching him (and probably blowing his cover) or finding her own hiding spot. She hadn’t tried to hide anywhere since she was a little girl playing hide-and-seek with her brothers, but Janet supposed it was time to try. There was a little nook just beside the main cabin that looked promising, but based on the muffled voices coming from within, their suspicious man might very well hear her if she made a wrong move. Should she be finding an escape route, just in case? I wonder if I can swim. Is that a skill? She spent a couple seconds trying to look it up on her palm menu before belatedly realizing she was still standing out in the open. I guess it has to be done. If the others had a better plan, they had yet to tell her—Janet just had to get close enough to make sure it was the right man with the Quest Marker. As she hunkered down behind a pile of rope and some barrels, she couldn’t help but pick out some of the conversation the two people were having. As she listened, her eyes widened. Should I be the only one hearing this? She turned to try and wave Portia and Ivan over, anxious that she might forget some detail. “It’s him!” she mouthed silently. Fortunately, both the voices were fairly loud. "…That’s the one, all right. What, you’re still working with that woman? Etheridge? Word on the street’s she’s paying big bucks for info on nobles." "Yeah, but not for much longer. I got a good plan, here. As long as it hasn’t been found, this thing’s basically just a magnet for pulling people into Druuk, right? How long do you think before some of the boys can set up in the Blue Jetsam?" "Well, the drawing’s great, but without the real thing… who’s to say? You might be leading my men into a trap. I’ll think about it, all right?" "Look, I already told you Etheridge took it! Anyway, it doesn’t matter. What matters isn’t the watch, it’s that Silverguard’s going nuts looking for it before his daddy finds out. Easy prey, easy riches. Come on, lady… think about the gold…" "…I said I’d think about it, Thad. Don’t try and push me around on my own boat."
As Iván crossed to the other side of the bridge before the ladies could, the white-haired woman turned to face the other member of their newly-formed party, rose-colored lips curved in a perfect display of what one may define as a smirk. What for, she was not even sure. However, for all her intentions at maintaining this particular facade, there was something in the brunette's face that caused the glimmer in her eyes to falter, dragging her smile back to nothing. Maybe I crossed a line, and it's not like it is their fault... But there are much more important things to get done with. The brawler was quick to follow the two of them into the ship, head held high and without a care in the world before she reminded herself this was a mission she hadn't yet completed, and that she still had to get paid. She dropped to the ground and crouched her way over to her teammates when she was called by the other woman amongst them, curiosity perking up as two unknown voices graced her ears. ''Well, they aren't friendly at all.'' Though the annoyance was clear in her voice, her mind was quick to assess the situation the group was in with the other two strangers, possible choices and different paths coursing through her mind. ''How good are you at fighting, love?'' No sooner had the question left her lips that the woman settled her gaze upon her female companion. If appearances and what little she had seen from her chosen abilities were to speak, then the brunette was certainly more ready for combat than the male in their group was. ''You did say you were new... Here, do as I and you will be able to engage in combat sooner than I was able to.'' She raised a hand in front of them and clenched her palm, letting it go a couple of minutes afterward as the menu bloomed into life, a mess of flashing light, panels, and buttons she did not yet understand. Not that she wanted to even bother finding out what each little piece in said mechanism meant, there was only one category at the top of her priority list and her entire focus went to it right as it appeared on her screen. All the spells listed on the Skills category had been left unused for the longest time, finding use when distraction was a necessity and her busted knuckles wouldn't do well against heavily armored NPCs. Her eyes flashed blue with the light she called to her fingertips, only for it to die in a puff of smoke as Portia finished the incantation, her gaze returning to the piercing grey she'd chosen on the character creation part of the game. An exasperated sigh escaped her, and she tried yet again, calling forth a small bubble of iridescent light to aid her. Could spells fail? The second time around, she had managed to summon and maintain the energy flowing from her palms until it was drained by the small marble held in between her hands. In fact... The energy drain was bigger than she anticipated. Hell. Oh hell, what's going on? The thinly veiled concern in her features spoke volumes of how she felt when the materialized energy started to get out of control. Her initial plan was to throw it into the water and cause a minimal explosion by which their foes would be distracted, but as she bit her lip and her hands started trembling... She had to let go. And it was dark, and it was hard to aim when she could barely see what was ahead of her. So it wasn't surprising to hear the loud noise that echoed, reverberating in the once semi-quiet environment. As two figures, now conscious there might be others in their presence, drew their respective blades and marched towards the group's location, thirsting for the blood of whoever might have dared to interrupt their little chat. ''... Fuck,'' remained her sole response upon realizing what her mistake had caused them, panting as she struggled to regain her breath after all had been said and done. Well, they might not get out of this one.
