[Nexus] NO XIII: Do Clockwork Penguins Dream of Mechanical Fish?

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

"Ha! My mother went into labor while my tribe was moving between the cliffs of perum, I was born walking. This just remind me of my home actually, the snow the mountains. It's something I'm very familiar with." She replies before gesturing to Scorn who with a grin starts to walk after them on all fours like an gorilla. "But what about you? I guess you were born in less hostile climates?"

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

"It depends on how you define climates. I grew up deep underground. Let's just say it had its own set of dangers." Though Kirk is referring more to people than weather.

[5a Violista]

[Training Room - A Little Hot]

No. Bianca says, taking a defensive pose.

"Um...." The girl takes another step backwards, trying to think about what she can do. She really wants to save her Transformation for the battle against this Evil Vincent, because, after using it, it takes a whole day to recharge. If she uses it now, she won't be able to use it later. "Pretty please?" Adults usually say 'no' until you say 'please'.

Unfortunately, the whip is actually messing with her ability to think and plan out the battle, as evidenced by the slowly-diminishing purple bar. Physically taxing, too, but not as much. It just makes her Endurance bar regenerate more slowly.

In fact, the only thing that she can think of at the moment is using a Transformation. Her magic bar's replenishing too slowly, her endurance isn't too hot at the moment, her Star Power's not high enough, and her Mental bar is getting damaged by fear.

She gets ready to press the button combination, but doesn't use it quite yet, just in case saying 'please' worked.

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

"Underground? Yeah, if that is anything like the underground in my world, I see what you mean. I mean my home wasn't exactly a paradise but a whole life without stars... that's harsh." Shalyn says with a shake of her head while continuing to follow Kirk.

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

"Not my whole life, thankfully, just the beginning of it. Long enough, though. Not that it matters anymore." It's been a long time since Kirk's really had to worry about Underdark nonsense, and he intends for it to be even longer.

"I'm curious, is being a beast master a typical profession from your homeland, or is it something you picked up later?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

"It's more of an way of life, it's not a job you choose, it's a job you're born with. My mother was a beastmaster and so was her father and so was his mother etc. It runs in the family, it's not something you can really learn that easily once you're older, you need to grow up with them." Shalyn explains. "Besides, where I'm from we only have three valuable resources, ore, tree and gargoyles. So one really don't have that many career choices." The beast master says with an gesture at Scorn. "But what about you? Have you always been a mercenary? What made you pick that line of work?"

[Lex-Kat]

{Training Room- Getting Hotter}

"Um...." The girl takes another step backwards, trying to think about what she can do. She really wants to save her Transformation for the battle against this Evil Vincent, because, after using it, it takes a whole day to recharge. If she uses it now, she won't be able to use it later. "Pretty please?" Adults usually say 'no' until you say 'please'.

Unfortunately, the whip is actually messing with her ability to think and plan out the battle, as evidenced by the slowly-diminishing purple bar. Physically taxing, too, but not as much. It just makes her Endurance bar regenerate more slowly.

In fact, the only thing that she can think of at the moment is using a Transformation. Her magic bar's replenishing too slowly, her endurance isn't too hot at the moment, her Star Power's not high enough, and her Mental bar is getting damaged by fear.

She gets ready to press the button combination, but doesn't use it quite yet, just in case saying 'please' worked.

Bianca sighs and seems to let down her guard. Okay.

But then, with a quick flick of her wrist, the whip snaps up and tries to wrap itself around Shanaya's neck.

[5a Violista]

[Training Room - Getting Hotter]

When Bianca agrees to put the whip away, Shanaya sighs out in relief.

Which means that she's totally not prepared with her hand at the level of her head to catch the neck-choker.

The whip succeeds!

The lacking of air in her lungs weakens her hand enough so that the flaming sword clatters onto the ground.

"But you said..." is what she tries to say, but no voice comes out.
Now, there's no choice! If Shanaya wants to win this practice fight, she's got to use her SUPER SPECIAL TRANSFORMATION! She musters up all her willpower to be able to use it.
Mustering up willpower is a little hard when there's a whip around your neck, by the way.

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

Ah, the topic switches back to Kirk. Oh well, it can't be helped. "This job was a fairly recent development. Really, I just wanted somewhere to put my talents to use, and this seemed ideal. I'm certainly not cut out for the more mundane career choices, I can say that much. I like to squeeze the excitement out of life wherever I can."

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

"Ah, so you're one of those adventurers are you? Never being able to settle down, always looking for new adventurers. You must be pretty successful if you managed to stay alive this long." Shalyn comments with a curious look at Kirk. "I suspected it the instance I saw you, you do look like the type."

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

Kirk chuckles. "Well, I suppose it depends how to define adventurer, but it's more or less accurate." The drow stops walking suddenly and gestures for Shalyn to look ahead. The main thing she'll see is that there is a very steamy area up ahead. Clearly visible are a number of bare rocks, while the surrounding area is snowy. They'll have to get closer to see exactly what it is. "This is the place."

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

Shalyn looks around curiously as they come closer to the fog until she finally realizes what Kirk had meant. "I think I might have heard of these kind of places, people say they're hunted by Neck's though. Evil water spirits taking the form of handsome men that drown their victims in the springs..." She glances at Kirk conspiratorially, "Now isn't that interesting huh?" She says with an amused smile.

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

"Really now? I heard a similar story, except that sometimes if a particularly beautiful woman comes along they won't be able to bring themselves to drown her." The drow says. The corner of his lips turn up in a wry smile as he glances at her out of the corner of his eye.

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

The beastmaster looks no less amused at the drow. "Yes, I heard that part of the story too. Instead he impregnates her so she may carry his evil spirit child who kills her in childbirth. They're always so dark these fairy tales, aren't they?"

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

Kirk has to laugh at that. "They are, aren't they. Thankfully you don't strike me as the type to let a water spirit give you trouble. Shall we go for a swim then? I don't know about you, but I'd like to get out of this cold."

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

"Sure, but why don't you dip in first? Show me the ropes so to speak. I've never been to a place like this after all." Shalyn says as she approaches the spring.

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

Kirk raises an eyebrow, but says. "Alright." He proceeds to strip off his suit and fold it neatly to put in his bag. (Clearly it has an anti wrinkle enchantment.) Underneath he's wearing a pair of plain, black swimming trunks. With a glance at Shalyn, he slips into the water. "Care to join me? The water's great."

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

As soon as Kirk starts to strip down, the beast master puts away the bow and the quiver and starts to undress as well. Underneath the anorak and a simple long-sleeved linen tunic is a simple brown-colored one-piece 'tank' suit. Her build is what one can expect of a person doing this kind of work with healed scars from various beasts covering an hefty physique earned from a life-time of physical work. While she's pale in comparison to others who work outdoors a lot, she's not completely white either. Showing a light tan. She is wearing her blond hair into a single tail bound up by a black leaf-shaped ornament.

But Kirk's attention might instead be drawn to her left foot once she takes of her shoes as it appears to be made of wood carved into a remarkable likliness of an actual foot. Even stranger is that she appears to be able to move it.

Shalyn shivers as she slowly steps down into the water, goosebumps appearing all over her skin. "This is... unusual." She comments while joining the drow into the hot spring. "You do this often?"

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

Kirk watches her appreciatively as she removes her clothing and steps into the water. "Not often, no. Swimming alone is not very enjoyable, and I've never taken anyone here before you." The drow replies.

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

The beast master grimaces as the heat sets in, now it was awfully warm instead. "Really?" She asks while trying to get used to the sudden change in temperature. This had to be the warmest bath she ever had. "Why is that? I heard you have had a lot of 'lady friends'."

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

Kirk chuckles and shrugs. "I try to be original I suppose." The drow glances away, but then looks at hr out of the corner of his eye. "You know, you never did tell me who you heard all there rumors about me."

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

Finally relaxing a bit Shalyn stiffly leans back, trying to find a good place to sit in the spring. "Not everything I heard was from one source mind you, but there was a woman with skin just like yours who introduced herself as Dena who first mentioned your name. We met at the black dragons den and got to know each other fairly well. I'm guessing she's one of your 'lady friends' huh?"

Meanwhile Scorn is staring at the spring critically before attempting to swoop up some water with her hand and drink it, something she immediately spits out, possibly landing on Kirk.

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

Kirk moves a bit out of the way of the water being spat out, and he just wipes away what did hit him. That gargoyle is going to a pain, isn't she?

Shalyn will find that there's a shelf a bit to the side of where they got in that would be perfect for sitting on. The drow laughs. "Of course. Dena's a friend and a coworker. And if you talked about me, then I'm sure you noticed how she likes to take jabs at me." Kirk moves to sit beside Shalyn and rests his arm up on the rocky edge behind her.

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

Moving to sit on the shelf, she can't help but to smile at Kirk's annoyance at the gargoyle. "Yeah, I quickly got that impression of her, I'm sure she makes it sound much worse then it really is too. Or are you really such a 'loose man'?" The beastmaster asks while noting where Kirk just placed his arm, very interesting.

Meanwhile Scorn grunts and starts to wander in a circle around the spring. Wonder what she's up to?

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

"Dena is the master of exaggeration. I expect she's told you all kinds of outlandish stories." Kirk shakes his head. Silly Dena, even if she probably wasn't exaggerating that much.

[Lex-Kat]

[Training Room - Getting Hotter]

When Bianca agrees to put the whip away, Shanaya sighs out in relief.

Which means that she's totally not prepared with her hand at the level of her head to catch the neck-choker.

The whip succeeds!

The lacking of air in her lungs weakens her hand enough so that the flaming sword clatters onto the ground.

"But you said..." is what she tries to say, but no voice comes out.
Now, there's no choice! If Shanaya wants to win this practice fight, she's got to use her SUPER SPECIAL TRANSFORMATION! She musters up all her willpower to be able to use it.
Mustering up willpower is a little hard when there's a whip around your neck, by the way.

Bianca gives the whip a hard tug, attempting to pull Shanaya to her. If successful, Shanaya may find a fist waiting to hit her pretty face.

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

"She told me you once had sex with an entire theater group at the same time." Shalyn remarks. "And that you have several children running around that you don't even know about. Then she hinted that she could even tell the worst thing you ever did, it was what really got me interested."

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

...Well, Kirk is going to have to have a talk with Dena after this. He keeps his extreme annoyance off his face, however, and instead he chuckles. "She's quite the story teller, isn't she? Let me guess, she had a few drinks in her by this point?" Kirk shakes his head. "I have to ask why you were so interested, though." The drow looks at her expectantly, seemingly amused.

[Shadowcaller]

[Date Time]

"We've had a few drinks yes, but it wasn't that bad. Still though, we stayed on the subject you for quite some time and it was pretty funny... so here I am." She replies with a flick of her hand. "I was actually hoping you'll tell me more about your life, I mean, you have been alive for an awful long time, and will stay alive for much longer. I find that fascinating."

[Gullara]

[Date Time]

"Really?" Kirk smiles a little bit. Hm, now where will this go? "I don't usually tell people my age, hosestly. Some people can be a bit put off by it, especially shorter lived individuals. How old did Dena say I was exactly?" He's knows he's never told her his exact age, though she could surely guess that he's older than he looks.