Under Blue Skies [Open]

[Vareal]

At the mention of the Lambs of Dalamud, Isaac's expression turned dark and he drifted off in thought, staring into nothing. He idly touched his left arm covered by the loose fitting black sleeve, his fingers slowly gripping into a fist. After a moment, he blinked and looked around. Shaking off his reverie, he leaned back in his chair, keeping his left hand on the table.

 

"Voidsent," he let out a low whistle. "That should make things interesting."

[Shikei]

Genevieve sighs and knocks on her own forehead with her right knuckles, closing her eyes as she tries to avoid eye contact with the others. Even Hope was taking to calling her a nervous kid, when she was likely at least a dozen years her senior. But that's just the way things were going to be it seemed. However young she may be, Hope WAS conducting herself with more grace than she was, so the bottom of the pecking order seemed to be her lot in this group. Opening her eyes slightly, she looks over at the others and continues listening quietly, wondering just what mischief she might be getting herself into with this group.

[Merri]

"Well," Endemerrin leaned forward in his chair while placing his hands on his hips. "As fun as it is to sit around and chat~" The playful sarcasm in his voice was almost palpable. "I figure we've piqued enough interest to at least get started. Who knows, maybe we'll run into some folks along the way or come across some like-minded individuals in the deepcroft itself." He said with an ever-so-familiar smirk while swiping his Sphairai off the table and snapping them back down to his hips. "Unless anyone has objections, or has changed their mind?" He glanced between the people surrounding the table, brow raising in curiosity.

 

"D.B, Lumu." Endemerrin nodded towards the Sea Wolf and Dunesfolk sitting off to the right of him. "You two can head off whenever. I'll hit you up on the pearl when we're nearing completion of our tasks." He held his right hand up and jingled a small bracelet with several linkpearls hanging off it. The Dunesfolk neatly folded up his paper, tucked it under his arm, and adjusted the brim of his hat before hopping off his chair and strolling out towards the exit of the Carline Canopy. Offering nothing but another wide, toothy grin, the Sea Wolf turned and winked once more in Genevieve's direction before rising from his seat and hurrying after his miniscule friend.

[Shikei]

Nodding her head once as Merri calls everyone to get ready, she looks up just in time to catch the Sea Wolf shooting her a wink. Blushing brightly, she gives a chaste little wave before turning her attention back to Merri.

 

"As tempting as it might be for me to turn tail and run right now, I'm committed to seeing this through to the end. Though, if it's all the same to you, I would prefer that end not be MY end." she says, giving Merri a quick glance and giving a joyless little laugh.

 

The fact that she seemed to be in more capable company really was the only reason that Genevieve hadn't turned tail and ran already, that and the fact that she was rather intrigued by the company that had gathered for this task.

 

"I'm ready to move out whenever the rest of you are..."

[Yssen]

"Yeah!" Hope snaps herself out of the chair by doing a short vault over the back of it. She shoots a grin and wink to Genevieve "Thats the spirit!"

 

"Lets blow this apple cart and get to the fun stuff!" Hope punctuates her last statement by enthusiastically punching her right fist into her left hand. She makes a couple of quick glances over her shoulder to various points in the room, before she settles on a spot by one of the entrances and gives it a two fingered wave. She then turns her attention to the rest of the group. "Sooooo. How are we getting there?"

[Xenedra]

"Fiiinally," Xenedra huffs, standing and shouldering her bag and bow.

 

"I hope you lot have everything you need 'cause we're not coming back until we're done~" she calls back over her shoulder in a sing-song voice as she exits the adventurers' guild.

 

Not waiting to see if any of them follow on her heals, she heads directly down toward the eastern gate. She pouts as she surveys the area with old eyes. "I miss the bridge. I wonder why they filled all that in."

[Merri]

Endemerrin rose out of his chair, taking a moment to stretch his right arm out before lacing his fingers together. He pushed his hands out in front of himself, causing his knuckles to crack and his left hand to emit the faintest sound of steel groaning under stress Quickly drawing his hands back, Endemerrin laughed quietly to himself before gathering up the rest of his things and nodding towards the exit of the Carline Canopy. "Well, in that case," He brought a hand up to adjust the chain mesh underneath his tabard before confidently strolling forward. "Let's get moving, then. The sooner we get the ground covered, the better!"

 

Endemerrin made his way outside, stopping to inhale deeply and stare up at the bright blue skies above. With a happy sigh and a smile, he glanced back over his shoulder and gestured for the rest of the group to follow.

[Shikei]

Genevieve nodded and collected all of her things as well, all of the none of them. Stepping up behind Endemerrin quickly, she falls in step beside and behind him. Maybe it was the fact that he was the leader of the ragtag band, maybe it was the fact that he was also a monk, or maybe she just found him cute. Whatever the reason, Genevieve decided quickly to stick close to Endemerrin and do as he did, following the example of the more experienced adventurer as she followed him like a giant, lumbering shadow.

[Yssen]

Hope claps her hands and swiftly begins to check her gear. Knuckles, chakram, tricks, and traps. A place for everything and everything in it's place. She strides out of the Adventurer's Guild grinning and giggling. She quickens to a brisk pace, places her hands behind her head, and sets herself smack in the middle of the group's current spread. As she heads for eastern gate she begins slowly humming a tune to herself. When the gate comes into view she switches from humming to whistling, her demeanor shifting from excited to a sort of calm as she slowly whistles the tune.

[Vareal]

 

sorry, been super busy.

 

 

Isaac scooted back his chair back and stood up. He made sure his bow was secure around his shoulders and made his way up the stairs and out of the adventurer's guild, keeping pace with the rest of the group. He looked to the north east over his shoulder, in the direction of the conjurer's guild, a private thought crossing through his mind. After a moment, he turned his focus back to the task at hand. He reached under the sleeve over his left arm and scratched idly, partially revealing a gnarled scar trailing up his arm from his wrist. It looked almost black against his skin.

 

He was rather excited for this little venture, even if it was random and out of the blue. Nothing better than to waste time taking care of Voidsent and the Lambs of Dalamud. He grinned to himself as they exited Gridania.

[Xenedra]

Having posed her questions just as most, if not all, of the others came within earshot (just to be clear : P), Xenedra pouts slightly at the lack of answer, "No one knows? Ah well, why do the Gridanians do anything. I bet the elementals told them to."

 

Glancing around, she considers, "Is this even the same path exactly? Or~" she adds sarcastically, "I heard there were a lot of geographic changes. Maybe that's why it's different~ Sooomeone should really work on updating the maps around here, doncha think~?"

[Zesiro Ghalib]

From his corner in the Canopy he watched the gathering of adventurers with great interest. They seemed to be a fairly capable lot, there were only a few fresh faces among them. He allowed them a few minutes head-start from him, he wouldn't have too much trouble following the group, they had only announced their destination to the entirety of the Canopy. After a few moments he placed down his gil, gathered his belongings, and headed out some ways behind the group.

[Merri]

Endemerrin shot Xenedra a toothy grin as he strolled in on her left before fiddling blindly to lock fingers with her hand while he glanced around the area. "I, for one, think it's exciting to have no idea where I am for a change~" He let out a faint chuckle. "I almost feel like a kid again. Almost." His gaze momentarily shifted to Genevieve, and a mischievous grin spread across his face before he offered his left hand to her. "Didn't want you to feel left out, love~" He gave her a sly wink before playfully nudging his elbow out a few times.

 

The sun still hung high in the air, and shone brightly through the trees of the central shroud. It was a fairly average day, and a light breeze swept through the forest. Small groups of adventurers wandered about, while woodwailers and archers patrolled and ran their daily exercises in the rather tame wilds outside Gridania."You know," Endemerrin mused to the group, "I think the most exciting thing about the shroud these days is that you can actually see the damned sun for a change. Instead of, you know.." He paused for a moment as if contemplating something. "...Leaves." The Hyur droned out in a rather dis-satisfied tone.

[Shikei]

Genevieve fell along behind the Merri and Xenedra quietly, looking around at the changes that the others seemed to be noticing. She hadn't been to Gridania before today, so all of this was new to her, but she knew full well that the great calamity that had befallen all of Eorzea had transformed this verdant sanctuary the same way that it had changed Ul'dah. Aeron had told her at length about the city of his birth many times, speaking with such emotion that she had often wondered why he never ventured here anymore. There was a part of her had expected it to be a wholly uncivilized place, that there would be some plainly obvious reason why he chose to stay away, but she certainly couldn't see it. All she saw was a lush, pleasant forest.

 

Roused from her reflection as Merri nudges her, she looks to him suddenly with a confused expression. "Yes? No? What?" she blurts suddenly, looking down sharply at the offered hand. Blushing brightly, she shakes her head and squares her shoulder. "I...I'm not a child. I don't need my hand held..." she finally manages to say, not seeming to notice the fact that Merri was also holding hands with Xenedra, nor catching any other connotation to the gesture.

[Yssen]

Hope ceases her whistling and grins, placing her hands behind her head. "I don't think he thinks your are a child, Nervous Kid. Otherwise, why did he not offer to hold MY hand." She puts on her best mock pouting face,giggles, and twirls forward in a circle. Once she has completed a couple of rotations she snaps to a pause, and tilts her head to the side. She stands in the middle of the path, calmly closes her eyes, and remains motionless. Her ears twitch slightly, just as she opens her eyes again. She remains in place, tapping her chin as she kicks at the dirt and dust in the middle of the path for a few moments.

 

"W.W.Y.D." She mutters to herself softly, glancing at the group as she continues to tap her chin. Her expression shifts to a wide, excited grin, and she bursts into to a sprint. At first it looks like she is just trying catch up with the rest of the group, but she makes a line for the side of the path, vaulting herself up onto a tree branch. She continues her impression of a young opo-opo, swiftly jumping up from one branch to another. When she has gained a good amount of height, she starts branching from tree to tree. Her jumps becoming less swift (and more soft) as she closes distance on the group. She moves past them, and carefully crawls out onto a branch a fair distance ahead. She perches among some leaves, and squints at a point farther along the path. Once nested, Hope slowly closes her eyes, concentrating on the point in the distance.

[Abaigeal]

A yawn bubbled from pink lips as pale thin arms stretched toward the open sky with a hint of a wiggle in her finger tips. Or rather the bits of sky that peeked through the greening canopy of leaves casting an almost extra particularly warm sunlight glow to the forest. It was warm and inviting, almost as if proffering a peaceful place to nap. In fact, that was exactly what the short russet haired hyur had done. A nice long refreshing nap was well received to the weary traveler whose feet, bare feet, had padded over the dusty cobbled main road.

 

Often times she had wondered why she hadn't invested in a descent pair of shoes. Oh right. That required quite the amount of //coin//, especially, if she wanted something pretty and still useful. Like the pair she had seen made from the soft and supple hide of albino mountain peiste. Though, those ones were not left in their natural skin. They were dyed the most elegant of blue; bluer then the skies and certainly more vibrant then a pure freshly mined sapphire gemstone. They were a thing of pristine beauty and definitely the envy to anyone who wished to own them. Much like herself of course.

 

A pitiful longing sigh passed airily through her lips as she reminisced on the object of her affection. It was really sad to have Wineport Special taste on...Sour Red coin purses. She jingled her meager warn leather pouch pushing away at the dream that was simply that. A dream. A shadow of a dream that may never exist. Not unless she found work of course.

 

Ugh. That was another issue. Work.

 

A frown painted over her features as she pushed her back against the tree using it as means to assist to a standing. Work...again something that was...well, a girl has got to eat. And quite frankly hunting small marmot was getting rather irksome. There was something about the texture. The chewy gamy texture. She shuddered at the thought trying to keep the pervious nights meal down. That however was far better that any marmot meat. She actually had the pleasure of Gridanian salmon that she was able to catch. It was rather ingenious honestly. She never thought to use her skirts as a sort of scooping method or net of sorts.

 

Once to her feet the vibrant emerald hued woman twisted and contorted her body relieving the stress placed upon her joints and vertebrate. Stooping over she brushed the remnants of debris free from her flowing skirts that seemed to swish and move with her every movement. Luckily it was the one thing that hadn't failed her yet. It still had the ability to entrance others with the way it moved. A captivated audience was a paying audience. And well...paying audiences meant shoooes.

 

Before standing she reached about once more collecting the curved sword that was upon the moss covered ground next to her. It wasn't anything special, admitting it //was// good at killing small game or meal prepping. However still mostly just a prop that she could use while she danced. It was actually her specialty. Sword dancing, though not a whole lot of people were interested in those anymore. Pity too.

 

With sword in hand and pouch tucked away, the youthful twenty four year old made her way up the unpaved path back to the main road. She had ways to go before reaching the next town, or rather its out skirts for those without friends...or //friends// when in lack of monetary substance. A soft scuffing noise of her bare feet could be heard if one was listening carefully. Wait...

 

Wait.

 

Were those people? Or rather A group? Well of course it had to be. She was just outside the city. Travelers came and went. Even if she didn't travel with them...perhaps maybe...just maybe...hm...

 

Friends certainly were a good thing to make these days...certainly wouldn't hurt either...unless they were bandits...then in that case the joke was on them.

 

'Easy there..yer never know wot trouble awaits ye...' she thought to herself as she curiously crept closer to the sounds that were heading for her.

[Xenedra]

(/follows super long descriptive post with lame short post. /feels no remorse )

 

"Don't pick on the shy one while we're still in short range of the city! She'll run away!" Xenedra admonished, whilst bopping Endemerrin lightly upside the head. "Wait until we're farther out~"

 

She then watches Hope monkey-squirrel swing through the canopy with an eyebrow arched. "What'd he raise her on, sugar cane?"

[Shikei]

Glancing over her shoulder at Hope and then over to Xenedra, Genevieve blushes once more and runs her fingers through her hair, looking every bit as awkward as she was feeling. It seemed weird to her that she, the largest of the group, would be the nervous one. But the confidence that the others possessed daunted her easily.

 

Surely much of their confidence came from experience and training, something that she sorely lacked, but there was something more. There was something about them that just exuded power, an air of strength that made her feel safer in their presence. Surely, traveling with a group was already a step up from traveling alone, as listening to the conversations was a welcome distraction from her own nervous thoughts.

 

Nervous. Sheesh. It still mortified her slightly that Hope had taken to calling her that. Looking over her shoulder back at Hope, she is suddenly startled to find her no longer there. Pausing on the path, she looks around curiously.

 

"Hope? Where did she go? She was just here."

[Vareal]

 

again I apologize for not keeping up, i've been busy and the last two days I've been out of commission due to a rather nasty knee injury that kept me in excruciating pain. forgive me.

 

 

Isaac raised an eye brow as he watches Hope fly off into the tree's, impressed at her keen acrobatic skills. He heard a slight rustle from the forest after Hope had settled on a branch, staring off at something, and pretended to ignore it. He unslung his bow from his shoulder then removed his cloak, revealing a quiver of arrows that rested against his waist, presumably attacked to his double banded black leather belt that had various pouches.

 

Isaac moved is way up to Genevieve as he folded up his cloak. He smiled up at her reassuringly. "Not to worry lass," he said pointing off into the distant trees. "Hope is perched just up there, scouting ahead most likely." He reached into a burlap sack slung over his right shoulder and pulled out a pair of gloves, the right glove only having sleeves for the thumb, ring and pinky fingers, then place the folded cloak inside. "And don't worry about being nervous, it's perfectly natural. None of us will allow anything bad to happen."

 

After slipping his hands inside his gloves, he removed the sleeve from his left arm, revealing the gnarled, twisting scar running up and around his arm like a myriad of lightening bolts, disappearing under his black and gold trimmed sleeveless doublet, then stuffed the sleeve into his bag.

[Yssen]

Hope opened her eyes, and shifted her attention back to the group. She took note of how their pace and how they were spread out. She then returned her gaze back to the girl. Taking note of her ready sword, Hope quietly pulled one of her chakram off of her belt. She took careful aim and slowly drew her arm back, gripping her chakram tightly. One final look at the target, and Hope relaxed her arm. Bandits usually have shoes. Usually. She took a moment to ponder her options, slowly returning the chakram to it's place on her belt, and replacing it with a smoothed rock. She could hear Yssen's voice whispering in her head. "Distraction and stealth are better weapons than blades. Never forget this, and apply them"

 

Hope flung the rock at a tree opposite of her perch, and sprung to a new perch flinging another smooth rock just in front of the barefoot girl just before the jump. She let another rock fly, this time back toward the group, hopefully landing just in front of the with a noticeable enough thud. Finally she spun a rock to the girl's left, curving it so that it's origin was some what masked. She then placed her hand on her throat, just as she'd been taught.

 

"You're not a bandit are you?" Hope said in a voice that seemed to come from a general above direction. "Bandit's usually have shoes. If you are a bandit, you and I are going to have a problem."

[Abaigeal]

[spoil]I hope its okay I am posting again out of my turn as it seems that depending on my actions or response is necessary of other responses/actions of others--um also do...you folks have a posting order? I just want to make sure I am not stepping on toes!I know most forums have them â¥great thread btw~![/spoil]

---

 

The green eyed dancer cautiously paced herself through the brush. Plants and trees were still green but they had a saddened weaker coloring to them. Almost as if the land itself was still sick or heading into an like autumn setting in and spreading it fiery colors among the greens and greening yellows. There were memories and visions that flooded her head the past day or so. Memories that seemed like yesterday but were clearly not of thief time. Things that she noticed that once were in existence but now were not. It was most curious, just what had happened in that flash of light moments before...before...

 

The reddish brown haired female kept her gaze of to her left side as she continued to make her way up the dirt cover road. Slowly choosing her steps meticulously to avoid some of the larger sharper rocks and stones, it would almost appear as she was delicately prancing. Her vibrant emerald orbs continued catching glimpses of what could have been ears or a tails? Something tall and maybe perhaps a male, or...maybe it was female? It was rather hard to discern what was what and exactly how many there were. Still from the sounds of the party it seemed pretty descent sized.

 

A smile painted faintly over her lips as bits of her conversation could be heard. Still the sounds and voiced were muddled with the sounds of the trees and the forest. From what she could tell is they were all rather friendly; at least toward each other. Sort of...close knit, that was always a good thing. It reminded her of her time with the traveling caravan. The jokes, the smiles that linger upon features, the bickering, oh the bickering and bantering was the best! Though, the one thing that always stayed the same was the camaraderieâno was left undefended for any reason at all and everyone had each other's backs.

 

The mouth of the off road path was with in viewing distance and not but a few paces off. Dainty filth covered toes continued to maneuver about the ground heading for the stone cobbled way. That would be a nice change, not having to really worry about ones step then. However it seemed that someone had other plans in mind for her. A stone bounced a mere inched before her feet. Well, that was unwelcoming. Either this group was overly suspicious of a single traveler and was the type to attack first asks questions later, or perchance just an untrained scout that was silly enough to cast stones and should realize that no one would be stupid enough to forge an attack just outside the city.

 

"Eh! Wotchit!! Wot do ye think yer aimin' at!" The young woman looked in the direction of the cast stone. 'really...who honestly throws stones?!' Caution to the wind...that was rather annoying. Though, she supposed it was to be expected, then again it's not as if she was sneaking up on them, just merely being cautious along a side road.

 

The voice echoed above and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. A trick of sorts, one she was well familiar with. Working with the performers, there were a few that liked to use such a trick to dramatize the action of the show. Well at least someone was taught well in that regard, the voice did seem to come from above. However, it still needed some work...not bad. Just...could be better.

 

She paused with the slightest hint of trepidation in exactly how to respond. It already seemed the travelers or their scout was rather touchy. Who knew they may not have her sense of humor. "Ah assure ye, Ah'm no bandit..." She laughed wiggling her toes on the ground as her gaze went to them. "Though as ye have so eloquently pointed out, if Ah were, you'd think Ah would be good enough to take a descent pair of shoes. Wot about ye? Are ye a bandit..." She shrugged her shoulders with a bit of chuckle shaking her head, russet locks bounced about her face.

[Shikei]

Noticing some of the finer details of Isaac's appearance as she turned toward his voice, grinning slightly. "Yeah...I figured that you all would, that's really most of the reason that I decided to join you. I had decided that it would probably be best if my first real adventure was with some more experienced travelers..." she finally admits allowed, slipping her hand behind her neck sheepishly. "At this point, I'm more concerned about the very real possibility of me making a complete ass of myself out here. Thankfully, you all seem a forgiving sort...so OW!"

 

Jerking her head forward slightly, she whips around and looks for the source of the small stone that just knocked off of the back of her noggin. Looking more confused than angry, she looks around at the others. "Are we under attack? Or am I being chastised for something?"

[Zesiro Ghalib]

Zesiro couldn't believe what he was seeing. He hadn't been an adventurer for very long, but he was certain that they took themselves a bit more seriously. Perhaps strange opo-opo children were commonplace among adventuring parties, after all she was pretty good at climbing trees, and hitting her own party members with rocks.

 

Thankful that he hadn't approached them in the Caline Canopy, he maintained his hiding place among the forest underbrush. His ears shifted forward and tail gently swayed back and forth as he observed the group. Cautiously he crept closer to the group, making absolutely certain that he did not compromise his position. He would have to observe them a little bit longer before he decided to reveal himself.

[Merri]

Endemerrin continued to stroll along, acting almost oblivious to the commotion going on in the woods surrounding them. The new strange woman yelling, Hope dangling from trees and tossing rocks. He bit his lip slightly as a means to stifle an ever-growing laugh. It wasn't long before he burst out laughing. Doing his best to quell his laughter, he leaned down towards Xenedra and held the back of his hand against the corner of his mouth before whispering in her direction. "I think Dalamud made everyone loopy while we were gone~"

 

Glancing once over his shoulder, he gave a slight shrug and kept his pace down the path, making certain to watch for flying rocks. "Don't tire yourselves out!" He shouted behind him, "You're going to need your energy later~!" Before long, sight of the large Chocobo Stables near Camp Bentbranch came into view, and the camp itself not soon after. Endemerrin's eyes glazed over the Aetheryte momentarily before he came to a stop near the gates leading out of the camp and down to Tam-tara. He turned about and hopped up to sit on the fence. "I suppose we'll give people a bit. Let them have one last chance to gather what they need before we head down into the deepcroft."

[Yssen]

"That all really depends on your definition of bandit." Hope kept her voice cast out in the general above direction, shifting positions in her perch. "Also, where the heck are you from, and why can't they teach their children how to speak there? Also, I'd put the sword away. It seems less than friendly."

 

Hope tilted her head as Endermerrin strolled on through and shrugged, vaulting out of her perch. She lands softly, asafe distance away, rises up, and dusts herself off for effect. She grins at the shoe-less girl, placing her hands on her hips.

 

"Hi! I'm Hope. Who are you, and why do you lack shoes?"