<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px">outofch ar a cccterrr: Tria, 46th. 81382. we're at a white sand beach a few kilometres away from the actual piers themselves. warm, late-afternoon. anyone else is welcome. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The vast majority of the day had gone like so: Fetch ice from basement. Pour said ice onto now-empty display. Fetch fish from backroom/walk-in refridgerator. Set fish onto now-iced display. Sell fish. Smile at ladies and gents. Repeat. Until it was time to simply close shop and head home, with the midday sun's warming his back like a slab of dark rock. Who, who dare be the regulator of quitting times and opening hour? Most businesspeople knew that customers, normal, likable folk like themselves, preferred if things ran by a schedule. Had definite, dependable hours. It made making dinner much more efficient. But Ploy knew of no such thing. He didn't like regulations. They cramped his style too much. When it was time to close, as sometimes determined by the trickling ebb of buyers/friends or by the temper of the sky, he would just pack it up and go. Most of his patrons were used to it. In fact, it might've even been said that they like the fisher's haphazard style. It was that sort of personality that you couldn't help but admire. Despite this (or maybe, because of this), Ploy was impeccably good at meeting timelines. And so, after all the red-faced pichels, glossy-eyed yalbets, and the rest of the fishy crew were assembled and put away, a task which took no more than a few minutes as most of the finny-friends had been bought, Ploy made out to the street. At first, he assembled his feet and made off without any destination in mind. But within a matter of minutes the path was clear: the beach. The call of the gulls, the laughter of tourists that soaked in sun as if they were autotrophic, and the feel of hot sand between the toes. It was too much to resist, even to a seaside dweller like Ploy. </td></tr> </table>
ooc: Yay! Thanks for starting. :) ic: She'd never seen so much blue. It was amazing, really, though perhaps she was so amazed because she was a desert-dweller. Crouching by the water, she dipped her paw in it, immediately pulling it back and shaking the wetness off. After a moment, she did it again, giggling happily. Something sparkling farther away caught her eye. She stood, trying to see it from her safe position on land, but it was too deep. "Well...it wouldn't be that hard to wade out there and see what it is. Not like the water can hurt me." She smiled at the idea and ran into the waves. Just as she reached the shining object, the ground plummeted a few feet. Already up to her neck in the water, she could only manage a half-yelp before she disappeared under the water's surface. None of the tourists on the shore noticed.
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px"> Yup, it sure was gorgeous. At the fringe of Myer's beach did the arden stand, posture proud yet supple, not quakelessly rigid like the stance of a certain Lakmir Grader, surveying the scene with eyes like the languid afternoon. Floppy taco ears, seated amidst whorls of mahogany, listened peaceably to the laughter of bypassing children while his quivering nose took in the affronting number of new smells. He was left the shade of the fringe's trees and was about to make over to the volleyball nets where a few friends were tapping a ball when he chanced on a sight of affection. A young niotie, a thilly, enjoying what appeared to be her first time at sea. The fascination made her eyes wet with excitement. He could see it so clearly. His sight meandered away, just like his body as about to, when a soft-noted yelp from that direction caught his attention again. Suddenly the little dumpling of a kid wasn't there. His brow knit. Nobody seemed to really take any heed of her disappearance. In fact, he hadn't noticed anyone there with her... Dammit, what became of good parents these days? Fearing the worst, the arden took after her with haste but not with the sort of urgent speed associated with panic. It was the speed of missions. Mission speed. Speed mission. And so, he was with her quite suddenly. The water did, indeed, drop off rather abruptly where she'd wandered over although not so deeply that the arden had to plunge deep into the waters -- it was just a few inches over his head. Enough to sink the sweet lil' Jynx whom, at the present, he had ducked under the water for and gently, with both hands, caught onto. All of a sudden they were both on the shallower part of the beach feeling the soppy sand in between their toes. <font color=khaki>"You okay?"</font> </td></tr> </table>
She couldn't believe it. One minute, she was searching for the object-which, she noted, was now gone-and the next she was under the waves with her lungs burning. Perhaps this was why her brother had chosen a desert when he'd run away with her. The water was just a pretty trap. Jynx was just starting to lash out in an effort to "attack" the water when something grabbed her, lifting her out. A moment later, she was back in the shallow parts of the beach, blinking in confusion. Hearing someone speak, she tilted her head back, staring up at the arden who'd saved her life. Suddenly she grinned at him, quickly shaiking the water out of her fur and sending the spray all around. "<span style='color:blue'>Yeah, I'm okay. I didn't know you weren't supposed to go in the water. Nobody told me there were rules.</span>" She wished she'd thought to ask Pendzez to come exploring with her, or Amaroq, but she'd just wanted to get away from the desert, to someplace new and exciting. <span style='color:blue'>"That was enough excitement to last me for the rest of the trip.</span>" She muttered, more to herself than to her rescuer. Looking up at him again, Jynx smiled. "<span style='color:blue'>Thank you. Water's a lot harder to climb out of than sand.</span>"
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px"> At the sight of her grin, Ploy could not contain his own pearly-whites. Kyttle, what a cute niot. The brute's scarred up features contorted into an expression of delight, eyes pinching slightly as the spray of water came his direction. <font color=khaki>"Thass not a rule,"</font> he said in his deep brogue, <font color=khaki>"Yo' suppos'd to go inte th' water, jes yor supposed t'know how to swim b'fore ye' do so. De'ya know howta swim, miss?"</font> A big ol' hand, scarred just like every other part of his body, ran over and through the mudpuddle of curls ontop of his head to loosen any sand. It was a hopeless mission though, ye? The beach had not changed a bit since they'd ducked under... he made a quick survey of the scene to make sure. Huh, where were her parents? Judging by the springy youth in her manner of speech, and the bouyant joy she contained, he gauged her to be no more than 14... though he weighed she was probably younger. Okay, then where were her friends? A brow could not help but be wrinkled, made pinched with worry. <font color=khaki>"Well, n'problem. But what didjaa think cho were doin' out there?"</font> </td></tr> </table>
"<span style='color:blue'>I've never been near so much water before</span>." She answered, staring up at him curiously. He had a funny way of speaking, though she liked it. It was a nice variety from the way most people talked, but she had to fight back giggles. Watching him look around the beach, he seemed suddenly worried. Following his gaze in confusion, she wondered if the beach wasn't usually so noisy and crowded or if something else was wrong. She was about to ask when he spoke again. Ducking her head, she mumbled her answer, kicking at the sand shyly. He seemed really nice; she didn't want him to think she was stupid or anything. Blushing and glad her fur hid it well, she waited, staring at the ground.
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px">outofch ar a cccterrr: sorry for such a short post, i'm feeling really exhausted today. i'll have more to write when she responds. (: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Those leathery soft ears of his strained to hear the younger pendragon's hushed response... but, as his knit brow was ever so reflective of, he had had a hard time really making out Jynx's whisper-words. <font color=khaki>"Again, again, ma lil' fish, I didna' hear yea,"</font> he requested in a gentle, yet urging tone. She'd all but avoided all of his questions. But Ploy knew how it was to be young and to be questioned... and that combination was not always fun. Thus, he spoke with great care and patience while hoping that she didn't get too confused by his fumbling accent. His bi-toned eyes had, by then, shed away from the noisy beach scene, the candy-cane beach balls, the vegetative sun-tanners, and the heads in the sand. If she had a story to tell then there was no use searching for any of it on the shore, he reasoned. </td></tr> </table>
ooc: No problem. :) Blushing even more, she made a humming sound, pressing her ears flat against her head. "<span style='color:blue'>I saw something shiny in the water.</span>" She said, just loud enough to be heard. Absolutely humiliated, she looked around, making sure none of the few friends she'd made were on the beach. She didn't see any. Turning back to her rescuer, she gave a shy grin, kicking the sand and feeling foolish. She bet he'd never run into the water after something shiny when he was small.
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px">outofch ar a cccterrr: hey! sorry for the delay. i'm not sure if you caught Ploy's first question or whether you deliberately left it out, but he asked her how to swim. if you want me to stop writing with his accent, i definitely can. (: </td></tr> </table>
ooc: Her "I've never been near so much water" was supposed to answer that. Sorry. >.< And no, I like his accent. ^^
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px"> As the sheepish line of her grin grew longer on her lips, Ploy too began to smirk and chuckle. He scratched the wet underside of his chin and then got up, ready to take on the water again. <font color=khaki>"Wanta try an' find it agin'? I promise I won't letcha drown in 'em waters, y'kin hold ma' hand or get on ma back. Though, it prolly might do ye' some gud te learn howta swim!"</font> he said this final statement firmly, giving a prompt nod following as if to solidify all things said. Just then he seemed to realize something of grave importance! His fallen ears and bright keen eyes spoke of a sharp startlement. He then looked to Jynx gravely. <font color=khaki>"Ah dun know yor name."</font> </td></tr> </table>
Her ears perked up and she grinned, her entire demeanor changing. <span style='color:blue'>"Really? Wow, even Amaroq's not that nice!"</span> In fact, her older brother would have been none too happy about her running into the water... she winced inwardly, hoping she remembered to forget to tell him about this little trip. Turning to cast her gaze out to the water, she pointed to several places where she saw the "shiny thing" which was really just the sun's reflection on the water. <span style='color:blue'>"They look like the gems I found buried under the sand dunes at home! Do you think they're gems?" </span>She asked hopefully, turning bright eyes back to her rescuer at the same time he spoke solemnly. Didn't know her name? She blinked at him for a moment before grinning again. <span style='color:blue'>"Oh, sorry! I'm Jynx. Jynx Lironiana. Nice to meet you, mister...?" </span>
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px"> A heavy-set brow was lifted up at the mention of another name. 'Amaroq?' There! Something to ensure him that this little scampering rascal wasn't here to get adopted, cute as she was. <font color=khaki>"Amaroq? Who's this Amaroq?"</font> Hopefully Amaroq was no big, older brother. Ploy thought of the many ways big, older brothers reacted to strange arden around their younger sisters. He winced inwardly too. <font color=khaki>"Gems, ma' dear? The onleh' gems I know that 're in the water are fish! Colourful, they are, but they move real fast. Lioke 'ah said, if yer wanting to be in the big water, an' see all them pretty things, ye'll 'afta learn t'swim!"</font> Of course, Ploy hadn't considered the girl so niave as to have thought the sun's laughing reflection to turn out to be said gems. <font color=khaki>"Well, Jynx'sla, I'm Ploy. Ploy Achak Sette."</font> </td></tr> </table>
<span style='color:blue'>"Amaroq's my big brother."</span> She grinned happily. <span style='color:blue'>"He's working right now. I'm supposed to be at home."</span> The last part she said in a conspiratorial whisper, her grin getting larger as she thought of how panicked Amaroq would be if he was working here and saw her talking to a stranger. Jynx's grin faded a moment before she tilted her head and gave a shy smile. <span style='color:blue'>"Will you teach me how to swim? I wanna see fish, too!"</span> They sounded exciting. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she whipped out the puppy-dog eyes that always worked on Amaroq, and added, <span style='color:blue'>"Please, Ploy?"</span> ooc: I just had an awesome idea! :D
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px"> outofch ar a cccterrr: ohooo, i sure do like ideas. :D --------------------------------------------------------------------- <p style="text-align:justify"> And so his inward wince became outwards at the very mention of her older brother, when the reality became that his ass might be grass at any given moment. And who was to blame? Generally speaking, it was not societally acceptable for arden of his age and stature to be talking with little niotie. But she had been struggling with water! How could the 'aquabat' resist? She needed help! <font color=khaki>"Oi, well let's hope yor Amaroq takes kindleh t'meh when he fionds out aye helped you outta th' big water..."</font> His words trailed off when he caught the first wave of Jynx's cute-eyes. Ugh, he melted. He simply melted, heart and all. The symptoms worsened when she made a plea to see the fish too. For a tattered up arden, the sea-faring pendragon was a big suck. <font color=khaki>"Well, okay, shore I kin teach ye! I... where t' begin? Okay, well d'ya know to hold yer breath unda wata?"</font> </p> </td> </tr> </table>
ooc: I could throw Amaroq in after a couple more posts and we could see what chaos ensues. :D Giving a nervous giggle, Jynx decided not to inform the arden before her that her brother was both an assassin and not a very nice person altogether. Turning her mind to othr things, she grinned at him. <span style='color:blue'>"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" </span>She moved to tackle him with a bear hug, stepping back quickly afterwards with a blush as she cast a quick look around. No Amaroq; maybe she'd gotten lucky and he'd finished his assignment early and was already headed home, or was put in a different place altogether. Smiling brightly, Jynx tilted her head at his question, thinking. <span style='color:blue'>"It's kind of like holding your breath to keep the sand out, right? I can do that!"</span> She said excitedly, bouncing on her feet again; this was going to be fun!
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px"> outofch ar a cccterrr: woohoo, i'm all for it. Ploy... on the toher hand.. --------------------------------------------------------------------- <p style="text-align:justify"> At the utterly enormous bear-hug he found himself trapped in Ploy gave an 'oof', followed shortly after by a peal of delighted laughter. He grinned down at Jynx, the ambitious niotie, and then lowered himself back into the water -- at the moment they were in water that was no more than a couple feet deep, just enough to cover the arden's legs. Kneeling, he found himself semi-immersed... and there, on the surface of the salty sea he blew a couple bubbles. He blew a few more in the water, however this time tried to make a sentence out of them. <font color=khaki>"Iiit's reallly easy, juuust likkkke thiiiis... Glurble."</font> He lifted his lips from that watery kiss, and made a nod over to her. <font color=khaki>"Ye' try. Thass step one."</font> Assuming she passed step one with flying colours (few people ever failed), he then moved onto dunking himself under but making a most dramatic emphasis on a deep inhale. It did not take long before he resurfaced. <font color=khaki>"Now, Jynx'sla, to go under water, y'take a deep ol' breathe, an' hold it. Ye dun't needa hold onta ya' nose if ye dun wanna, but do not breath in! I've gutten used te' opening my eyes unda water... but if ye've tasted the water--"</font> Here, he gave a lick to the sea's briney surface. <font color=khaki>"--it's pretteh salteh. Y'don't want thata stuff in your blinkers. So close yer eyes while yor down there."</font> </p> </td> </tr> </table>
ooc: I'll throw him in the next post, then. :D Jynx imitated Ploy easily in the "Step One" phase, quickly moving on. She listened intently to his instructions, sometimes comparing it to what she'd learned in the dry desert sands; water equals death, just like the sandstorms. Just keep it out of your lungs and you're fine. She turned it into a survivial sort of thing, closing her eyes and diving under water once she was sure she understood his instructions completely. It was one thing to have it explained, quite another to actually experience "swimming." Her comparing it to sandstorms hadn't helped her; she could take tiny breaths in a sandstorm. When her lungs started burning, she instinctively took in that small breath, choking when water flooded her lungs. Her eyes flew open and began burning before she popped back up, spluttering. <span style='color:blue'>"That hurt!"</span> She managed when she finally caught her breath again. Her eyes were watering, and she reached up to wipe the moistness away.
<table width="90%" cellpadding=10><tr><td> <font style="font-family: verdana; font-size:12px; line-height:16px"><p align=justify> His eyes folded shut in an expression of sympathy, and he extended his hand out to pat her head full'a'soggy hair. <font color=khaki>"When ye' feel like breathin' agin, ye come bahk up... There in't no use in tryin' te breath salty wata, unless ye got gills, niotie'sla."</font> Once more the arden lowered himself into the water, his rear resting on his heels with tail a'wag, so that he could try to demonstrate the exercise again. This time he conducted himself in more dramatic way, if such could've even been achieved. <font color=khaki>"Ah'm gonna hold ma nose, and keep ma finkers there until I'm ready t'come up fer air, alright? Watch meh."</font> And he preceded to do just that, making sure that he'd gotten two digits firmly planted against his nostrils (not the same pinch humans did, y'know, with their squishy noses), and then shut his blinkers and went under. A few seconds passed... the tides lapped on over top of his head without hesitation. Bubbles signaled that he was still alive and kicking. Only a couple minutes had passed then Ploy was up again, grinning doggishly at full height. One ear flopped down against his tousled cocoa locks. <font color=khaki>"Thare,"</font> he began, slowly unplugging his nose, <font color=khaki>"Ye see those bubbles? I was lettin' somma ma air go as I was down there. Ye' think you got it?"</font> </p> </td> </tr> </table>
Jynx hesitated a moment before copying him, plugging her nostrils and taking a deep breath before plunging under again. This time, she didn't take a breath; rather, she let the bubbles out after a while before coming back up. <span style='color:blue'>"Like that?" </span>She asked excitedly, bouncing up and down again. She grinned up at her swimming teacher, still bouncing, before a flash of black caught her eye. Looking toward the shore, her eyes widened and she pressed her ears back, cringing a little. <span style='color:blue'>"Uh-oh."</span> ____________________________ Amaroq had just finished his job, deciding to try and find something for Jynx down by the beach-a shell, or a starfish, maybe-when he saw his little sister in the water, talking to a stranger. As if that wasn't bad enough, it was a significantly older arden, who was insane enough to tell his sister to duck under the water. She couldn't swim! Striding forward, he caught Jynx's small "uh-oh" and crossed his arms over his chest, his glare icy as he regarded the pair. <span style='color:purple'>"What is going on here? You're supposed to be at home, Jynx!"</span> Anger simmered just beneath the surface as his eyes narrowed at the arden, waiting for the older male to turn around. ooc: Let the chaos begin! *evil laugh* :D
