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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Feb 24, 2023 23:59:59 GMT -5
“ ... Does something seem off?” It’s a simple question that Leni-Aura pitches; and it’s in regards to where they’ve ended up after navigating the labyrinth that is Darkveil City. Here, where the crowded streets of ragged buildings shift into open-faced stalls beneath the overhang of a bridge above, she feels that something isn’t quite right. Leni-Aura offers a cold leer over her shoulder, hazel eyes narrowing at a group of halflings nearby.
They’re leaning up against the wall of the stone staircase they’d just descended to get to this bottom layer of Darkveil’s maze of buildings and alleys; they’re murmuring amongst themselves— but their eyes follow the traveling pair with a curiosity that makes her uncomfortable. She lowers her ears, lips pursed in an attempt to mask her unease, but it shows instead in the way she takes a miniscule step closer to Ulrich. She’d been too busy bickering with Alvis to pay too much attention to where they were headed; but as she tunes back into the world around her with new attentions, she’s realizing she doesn’t quite like what she sees. She turns away from the group as they burst into restrained laughter and shuffle away, cloaks swaying in the wind.
She can’t hear what they’re saying, but she can hear their footsteps as they ascend that same staircase and tromp across the bridge over their heads. The sunlight doesn’t peer through the ashen clouds of Darkveil; so even as they step from underneath the bridge, they’re still cloaked in the shadows of Mount Drakolt. She turns to look at storefronts as they pass; some open-faced, and some tucked further into the shadows. Some beneath overhanging eaves, and others pushed into full buildings.
The murmur of people is notable, but the population on this street feels scarcer than the others; individuals pocketed away into what feels like purposeful groups, hovering with meaning in a way that feels like the new arrivals are eavesdropping— or, maybe like they shouldn't really be here.
Occasionally, eyes fall on them and linger for too long; wondering, or curious of their presence.
Nimbus starts shuffling nervously on her shoulders; his tail curls around her neck.
“ Where are we?” she lowers her voice, reaching up with one hand to rest it against the side of the drake's face; he leans into her touch. " Marketplace?"
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Mar 2, 2023 5:16:00 GMT -5
"Something always feels off here when you're an outsider."
He spares a look at Leni as they traverse further into the heart of Darkveil City. Ulrich hadn't been here too often on his travels. Not as much as he frequented the locations in other regions. He didn't really have any business here in the past. Really, he'd only be passing by if the situation called for it in the past. Yet, here they found themselves.
He wears a half smile as the eyes of the locals follow the group uncomfortably. Even though he's been here a few times, it seems that you can never get used to the feeling of the locals 'scoping you out' as they would say.
Lil' Frijole slinks a little tighter around Ulrich's shoulders. His eyes darting back and forth every which way.
"I don't like this at all, foos." To Leni and anyone else around them, it was all squeaks and chirps coming out of the little Behir. "They keep staring at us, like what, you have a problem?"
Ulrich reaches a hand up to gently bop the Behir's head, "Hey, what did I say about talking like that? That's how you get into fights." He said scolding him.
"I'm sorry."
A familiar voice chimes in in between them.
"Oh, don't scold the boy, Ulrich. If he were to get himself into a fight, Uncle Alvis will have his back. That goes for Little Nimbus over here as well."
Nimbus lifts his head happily, and replies with his own series of squeaks and chirps, "I know I can always count on you, Alvis!"
"Stop enabling them, Al. I'm trying to teach them that violence isn't always the best option here!"
"Oh come now! You'd want them to be prepared, wouldn't you?"
"Yes I would, but I need them to learn control first." Ulrich said, his eyebrows furrowed a bit.
Lil' Frijole turns his head towards Nimbus, "Yeah Nimbutt, learn how to control yourself!" He teased his drake brother.
Nimbus shoots a glare back at his Behir brother, "I can control myself!" He fires back sharply.
Again, this is all a series of squeaks and chirps between the two creatures and everyone else present. Except for Ulrich and Alvis who— thanks to the necklace around Ulrich's neck, and the fact that Alvis shares a bond with the man through way of the soul— can understand the two bickering with each other in common. Let's not forget about Xavier as well, but he is currently minding his own business resting at Ulrich's hip.
"Boys, that's enough!" Ulrich doesn't exactly yell this out. He just says it firmly enough to get his point across to the two brothers. They startle a bit before exchanging worried glances and quieting down.
Ulrich looks to Leni, "And to answer your question. Yes, that is where we are currently heading towards."
The group continues down the paved path into the marketplace. They arrive at a circular juncture where many merchants and traders have made shop around a fountain. It would be quite a nice location if it weren't for the fact that it's home was in Darkveil City.
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 5, 2023 15:24:57 GMT -5
Leni-Aura offers Ulrich an uneasy side-eye at his response; she supposes it’s comforting to know that even he could admit that something about this situation feels off; but she’d be remiss to admit that she doesn’t have an itch to arm herself. “ I do not like it.” She remarks, ears turning back as she purposely ignores the lingering glance of an elf hovering near a dark alleyway. She looks up towards the Behir on Ulrich’s shoulders when he starts to squeak, her expression growing exasperated when several other voices— including a squawk from Nimbus, on her shoulders— pitches into a conversation she can’t actually hear in its entirety. She listens to Ulrich and Alvis having a back and forth with the creatures they’re accompanied by. “ Violence is a fine option,” she interjects halfway through, “ …but these two will get very big one day.” She has no idea what they’re talking about; she can only gauge it by Ulrich and Alvis’ responses. “ If they cannot control themselves, people would be scared. They wouldn’t be able to come into towns— people may even try to hunt them down.” She reaches up to brush her fingers against Nimbus’ cheek; he leans into the touch, his tail curled around her collar thumping against her contently; before Lil’ Frijole must say something that annoys him. “ They just need to know when and where, to keep themselves safe.” … Which is a rich comment coming from a woman who has barely attained the concept of violence not being the only option, herself; granted, the fact that she is not currently throwing a spear at the Darkveil citizens giving her strange glances is a testament to her growth on the matter. She cannot be faulted for trying to kill anyone who actually approaches her, though. Still… Overall, she is not visually as much of a threat as both Nimbus and Lil’ Frijole will look one day; there’s a number of people who would probably consider them monsters to be eradicated; while she could get away with just being a problem. Even she had once considered their kind only ferocious beasts: although, their presence has given her a different perspective on that belief.
The last thing she would want to see is the two of them causing deadly issues for themselves. She blinks when the drake suddenly lashes back with a squeak, causing Ulrich to halt their bickering with a firm voice. It’s out of character enough for even Leni-Aura to give Ulrich a surprised glance at the steady outburst; she blinks a few times, her ears tilting back slightly, before she readjusts herself. She clears her throat, “ What are they even fighting about?” She asks; Nimbus rests his head over the curve of her shoulder, pouting about Ulrich raising his voice to scold them. Ulrich might hear the drake grumbling about how, " Lil' Frijole started it..." She turns her attention back to the paved pathway, ears twitching as Ulrich confirms they’re heading the right way. “ You… said these people are your family?” She asks, exasperated; she takes in the small marketplace as they approach it. “ Why are they here and not in King’s Valley?”
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Mar 8, 2023 5:12:28 GMT -5
Hearing the little drake's grumble about his brother having started the argument; Ulrich huffs a sigh through his nose. He brings his hand up to rub his temples a bit.
"Now I understand the stress I must've put my parents through as a child," he says quietly. "Except I wasn't a drake or a behir."
He thinks about the fact that they won't stay this size forever either. Both of them will grow to to tower above them one day. They were, after all, magical creatures that they duo had decided to take in. He had to make sure that they knew when it was the right time to bring out the claws, so to speak, and when it would be better not to.
His silence is interrupted when Leni poses her questions about the people they going to meet here in Darkveil.
"Yes, they are my blood related family as a matter of fact," he looks around the marketplace, and spots two familiar faces. "Come on, they're just over there!" A smile forms on Ulrich's face as he gestures for Leni to follow him.
Their conversation can be heard as the group walks in their direction. The two voices have a peculiar accent to them, which, Leni may have never encountered before either in her time traveling with the caravan or with Ulrich.
"Look 'ere! I'm just tellin' ya, ya shoulda just sold it to 'em right then and there!"
"Well how was I s'pose ta know that he was gonna walk away like that without hearin' what I was gonna say?!"
The group comes to a halt in front of the two men; they were enjoying a bit of lunch outside one of the cafes. Engrossed in their bickering; they hadn't noticed the group walking up to them. Ulrich clears his throat loudly for the two of them to hear. The two men turn around and look up towards the source of the sound.
"Hiya, Cousins!" Ulrich says with an energetically happy tone. He hold his arms out wide; a big smile planted across his face.
The two men spring up from their seats towards Ulrich; obscuring everyone's view of the bespectacled man behind the bear hugs he was receiving from the two men.
"Cousin Ully!" The two men exclaimed simultaneously.
"How've ya been?! It's been a long time, ain't it?!"
"Last time we saw you was at the last family git together back in the Valley!"
The two men were playfully punching Ulrich in his abdominal region while he laughed.
"Yeah, that was quite a while ago, wasn't it?!"
The three cousins' laughter is interrupted by Ulrich, "Oh yeah! Let me introduce you to my, uh, traveling party!" He shifts the two men's attentions to a Rabbitaur, a Floating Dagger, a Drake, and a Behir. All standing there a bit dumbfounded at Ulrich's slight, but sudden change in personality.
"This is Leni-Aura Thunderpaw! My apprentice— well not so much anymore. She's grown into quite the Electromancer! She's quite an amazing woman, actually!"
The two men raise an eyebrow at Leni. Smirks form on their faces as they side eye their cousin.
"This is Alvis Worthington! Former great Pirate Hunter, and now, soul trapped within a dagger!"
The two men vigorously nod their heads in approval and acknowledgement towards Alvis.
"And these two little ones here are the children we decided to take in! Nimbus and Lil' Frijole are their names!"
The two men both bring a hand to their chests, tapping them in joyous approval.
"Now everyone, these two knuckleheads here are my cousins! Theodore and Jeodore O'Reilly!"
"Howdy y'all!" Theodore says happily. Jeodore quickly follows up with, "Howdy do?!"
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Mar 16, 2023 14:31:15 GMT -5
“ Oh,” Leni-Aura pointedly keeps her voice flattened, but restless butterflies rise in her chest at his explanation. She avoids looking at him to look instead at banded rooftop stalls of ash-speckled reds and blues. She doesn’t think meeting part of his family’s really that big of a deal; and its not. It definitely isn’t! Still, Leni-Aura starts to neaten the crinkled edges of the cobalt sash around her waist; but purses her lips in annoyance when she catches herself. She furrows her brows, pulling her hands away in the same breath that Ulrich calls out and gestures for them to follow. Before she does, she messes up her neatened sash with a sharp jerk— because obviously she has no one to impress— and bounds after him towards an outdoor seating area. She slows just off to the side of Ulrich with a nervous gait, her ears perking when she catches the curious accents the distracted men are speaking with; are… are they even speaking in common? Or, maybe they have a cold? Are these really them? She narrows her eyes quizzically, but Ulrich interrupts their conversation; before she can so much as glance at him, a pair of blurs swoop by to engulf him. “Wh—“ She steps back, a natural muscle memory causing her to reach back towards her spear, only to hesitate as laughter bubbles out from the group. She blinks in surprise, ears twitching back as she relaxes her shoulders and breathes a short, hardly audible chuckle beneath her breath while the two strangers manhandle Ulrich.
Now she sees the similarities.
Nimbus trills curiously, seemingly excited by the glee of their reunion; and Leni-Aura redirects herself, shifting her weight between her paws as she only brushes her fingertips across the haft of her spear, and drops her hands back to her sides. It’s weird; she feels a little odd watching them interact, maybe because she’s not really seen much like this before. There’s something very warm about the playful banter and overexcited jesting that almost makes her feel lonely in comparison; she allows herself to consider her own family’s dynamic for only a moment before quickly deciding that it’s better if she doesn’t. Leni-Aura clears her throat and leans over to Alvis. “ Is… is this… normal?” She whispers to the dagger; she watches while Ulrich’s cousins wail on him while he laughs about it. Is it just her, or does even he seem a little different? “ Do, um… do families here do this kind of greeting a lot?” She looks at Alvis, puzzled; but then Ulrich’s voice rings out over their contained chaos. She leans up, ears perking towards the three men with a wary expression— one which quickly flickers into a chain of surprise, embarrassment, and then frustrated sheepishness after Ulrich’s introduction. “ Tsk…” She might have more choice words, or even offer Ulrich a sharp elbow in the side had he not been a.) Over there, or b.) Catching her off-guard. Instead, she turns her head to stare intensely at the curled feet of a nearby chair, avoiding any and all eye-contact with Ulrich or his family while she internally processes a compliment that makes her feel a little lighter on her paws, and stirs up butterflies in her chest. He’s over-exaggerating though, certainly; she just doesn’t know why. Maybe he’s making fun of her? Her learned electromancy really doesn't hold a candle to his. She wills the heat from her face, clears her throat softly, and looks back to the group that’s gathered; Nimbus chatters curiously towards Theodore and Jeodore— what kind of names are those?— although only Ulrich knows what in the heavens he might be saying towards them. “ Uh…” Leni-Aura shifts her weight, “ How… howdee.” She repeats everything but their accent; she looks quizzically at Jeodore and Theodore, before looking at Ulrich as though seeking confirmation on how she’s supposed to greet them. She looks back at the two, ears tilted back while she nods a greeting to them. “ It is nice to meet you. We’ve traveled a long way to get back to Darkveil City.”
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Apr 11, 2023 5:12:07 GMT -5
Alvis makes a gesture towards Leni similar to that of leaning in to whisper back, "I'm guessing that it has something to do with where our dear Ulrich comes from. Greetings aren't usually this...rambunctious."
Their attentions both snap back towards Ulrich and his two cousins as he introduces everyone to each other.
Ulrich smiles warmly at Leni as she attempts to respect his cousins' greetings. He nods in approval as she looks to him for confirmation. The two men smile brightly at her; it must've made their day to hear someone attempt to greet them back the same way. Even if it was a little uncomfortable for the poor girl.
"Oh, you'll get used to saying it, future cousin!"
"Yeah, spend enough time with this guy and you'll definitely get used to greetin' people that a'way!"
A chuckle escapes Ulrich as his cousins address Leni.
"Oh we know y'all have been travelin' a lot!"
"We barely ever get to see Ully here, he travels so much!"
"But never mind that now! Y'all come on now and sit!"
The two brothers quickly pull some of the tables and chair together; excitedly gesturing for the group to sit and dine with them. Ulrich nods his head to the tables and chairs; signaling the others to join in and sit. Nimbus plops himself down on one of the chairs while Lil' Frijole quickly scutters up onto the chair next to his brother. The little ones exchange glances and chitter at each other excitedly. Alvis appears on the table, propping himself up on the point of the blade. Ulrich waits for Leni to take a seat before he takes his.
Theodore and Jeodore exchange side glances with each other as Ulrich waits for the rabbitaur woman to a seat at the table. A waitress comes to the table with a puzzled look; the two explain the situation to her and she shrugs. They place orders for everyone and take their seats at the head of the long improvised table.
They both clear their throats; Jed speaking first.
"So, we assume that Ully hasn't told you why we asked him to come here, right?"
He's then followed by Ted.
"We've got a situation here that might require some... sneaky sneak. If ya catch ma drift?"
A silence falls upon the party as the two let their words sink in.
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Apr 27, 2023 22:36:47 GMT -5
Leni-Aura looks between the two as they interchange sentences; her expression grows somewhat exasperated in her attempt to keep up with the switching dialogue. “ I have never heard Ulrich say that,” she objects to their bantering. How's she supposed to get used to it if she never hears it? She crosses her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes while the two continue to switch between sentences. She’s never heard anyone talk like this before; how do they know what they’re going to say to continue it? Do they even know; or is this some kind of a performance that they’re just used to? Maybe they know each other that well? She’s not sure. Leni-Aura lowers her ears back, arms still crossed while the brothers rush away to jumble the tables and chairs of the cafe together into a somewhat larger table. She steps back, wincing slightly at the screech of one of the table legs as it’s pushed from its original spot; for a moment, she watches them excitedly bumble about to do. Their gestures seem a bit exaggerated; their voices too excited; and their smiles too warm.
Unbidden, she offers Ulrich a side glance, “… I suppose I do see the family resemblance.” She remarks quietly, out of context but without the usual sarcasm, before she turns and notices their excited gestures. She breathes a slight sigh before moving to join them; as Leni-Aura takes her seat, Nimbus flutters off her shoulders, and plops ineloquently onto the seat next to her.
He squawks at Lil’ Frijole when his brother joins him on the chair; and habitually, once she’s settled, Leni-Aura pulls her canteen from around one of her belts. She offers Ulrich an idle glance when he finally sits down, before looking up at the waitress when she approaches. After orders have been placed, including one particularly specific request for ‘a bowl, or something’ interjected by the rabbitaur, the cousins take a seat at the head of the table. One of her ears swivels in their direction to acknowledge the sound of their throat-clearing while she pours water into the bowl she’d asked for from her canteen. “ … to… visit?” She answers, her voice punctuated with a slight question. Leni-Aura tips up her canteen to stop the flow, pushing the patterned cafe bowl over to Nimbus and Lil’ Frijole once it’s been half-filled; the former proceeds to dunk his entire nose in the bowl, tail slapping against the back of the chair. Which is exactly why she has learned not to fill anything all the way, especially if it's given to the drake. Leni-Aura furrows her brows while she caps off her canteen, blinking at Ted when he gives her a… weird answer, to Jed's previous question. She offers Ulrich a puzzled, somewhat exasperated glance before she looks back at the cousins with a frown. “ ... No, I do not catch the drift. What do you mean?”
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on May 20, 2023 3:55:46 GMT -5
Ted and Jed briefly exchange glances with one another before turning to look at Ulrich. He meets their gazes with a nod. They each take in a breath to continue. Hushing their voices so that only those at the table could hear them.
Ted speaks first, “Well as Ully here knows, my brother and I are in the business of tradin’ and sellin’ rare artifacts. Got ourselves a shop right in this here town.”
Jed then continues for his brother, “Can you believe it? A couple of Valley boys ownin’ a shop in a city like this?!” He quells his excitement; clearing his throat, “Anyways, uh, a little birdy of ours told us that our neighborin’ merchants have gotten their grubby little paws on a certain item…”
Their demeanor shifts with the more serious atmosphere now.
“As you can see, Darkveil isn’t what you would call… Uhhh… What’s the word I’m lookin’ for?” Ted taps a finger on his lip as he ponders.
“What he’s tryin’ to say is that the city is shady. It’s no stranger to havin’ it’s little dealings under the table, so to speak.” Jed states.
Ulrich takes his turn to speak, “So what is it that you need us for then? What do they have that has the both of you so worried?”
Ted and Jed glance around to the others and there’s a brief pause of silence.
“We heard that they’ve got their hands on one of them Thunderbird eggs.”
“Yeah, one o’ them zappy flyin’ critters.”
Ulrich’s head dips in his realization; he gives them a stare from over the top of his circular rimmed glasses. His eyebrows raised in an incredulousness.
“You can’t be serious.” He finally manages to say. “An Arcuila. Your competitors are in possession of an Arcuila?”
“Not only that, Ulrich, they mentioned that this one hasn’t even hatched yet.”
Ulrich lets his forehead fall into the palm of his right hand; rubbing his temples as he sighs.
“Are you two sure? How do you know that this information is true?”
Ted and Jed shift in their chairs and sit straight up.
“We ain’t got no reason to think that isn’t true, Ully.”
“Our little birdy is trustworthy. They’ve never let us down.”
Ulrich spares a glance at Leni and the two little ones. He gives them a shrug as he tries to process the information that Ted and Jed just gave them.
“We’re all from the Valley, Cousin. We care about critters just as much as you do.” They nod over to Nimbus and Lil Frijole across the table, “They’re gonna sell that poor thing on the black market, Ully. We can’t have that.”
“So you want us to try and steal it from them?” Alvis speaks up.
“Yep, you got it.”
“And what if we’re successful? What will you do with the baby Arcuila?”
“We know someone who can care for it back in the Valley. Until it’s old enough to be in it’s natural habitat.”
Ulrich gives them a knowing glance.
“Please Ully, you guys are the only ones we can think of to ask.”
“Ain’t nobody cares about critters as much we do except you.”
Ulrich’s shoulders sink as he considers his cousins’ request. He looks over to Alvis and Leni, waiting to hear their response to the whole thing.
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on May 29, 2023 22:42:34 GMT -5
Leni-Aura looks between the cousins and Ulrich as she slowly tightens the cap to her waterskin; eventually, her eyes fall to Jed— uh, or maybe that’s Ted?
… She’s already lost track of which one is which.
“Uh… huh.” She prompts hesitantly, looking to the other as he continues Jed— Ted?’s— sentence; his excitement is almost palpable, amusing in the way his voice heightens over simply owning a shop in a ‘city like this’. She breathes a small chuff, rolling her eyes as she finally tightens the lid on her waterskin and moves to latch it back to her belt; she fumbles with the clips, ears turned towards the conversation to idly listen to their chatter, up until—
“We heard that they’ve got their hands on one of them Thunderbird eggs.”
Leni-Aura stops, both of her ears perking; she blinks, lifting her head to turn and look back at Ted and Jed from across the table with a new attentiveness. “An Arcuila?” She echoes Ulrich’s incredulousness, but with an edge of notable disdain to her voice; it’s enough to give Nimbus a slight pause in the middle of his noisy slurping. He swipes his tongue over his wet maw and looks up at her, droplets falling from the tip of his nose when he lifts his head. Leni-Aura proceeds to listen quietly, a distant look in her hazel eyes while they offer details and Ulrich banters with his cousins.
An Arcuila…
The rabbitaur purses her lip, ears turning back; she knows the Arcuila well. Even though Avasha has since been proven… even though Avasha…
Leni-Aura squints her eyes shut and shakes her head to dislodge thoughts of the deceased gods which had rocked her world those many months ago.
The Arcuila was a sacred bird to her warren.
A physical representation of the storm goddess; a descendant; an idol. She had seen the bird many times throughout her life in Dragon’s Cradle; silhouetted against the clouds, highlighted by flashes of lightning.
She had wished so many more times to fly away from her troubles with the warren, with as much ease as the Arcuila could crest the howling gales; and even though she knows, now, that the Arcuila’s sanctity was nothing but a conjuration of her ancestors, it still… sits strangely to hear that one has wound up here…
…on the black market… and it’s not even hatched yet…
Her mind reaches back to Winter’s Crown; to meeting Beist outside of a place that looked like a simple pet’s shop; but held much more cruel machinations in the back, beyond the lobby. She feels uneasy thinking about it again, and the strange creatures she saw locked up there.
Leni-Aura blinks back into the conversation, tapping her fingers nervously against the cafe table while Alvis starts to speak to the cousins; she glances towards the little ones, receiving a concerned trill from Nimbus when she makes eye-contact with the little drake.
It had settled wrong with her then, and it settles wrong with her again; what’s going to happen to it if it ends up in the wrong hands here? After a moment, her gaze refocuses, and she meets Ulrich’s eyes for a moment before she realizes, and looks away swiftly. She clears her throat and lifts her head, glancing across at the cousins; she keeps her voice low, but addresses the table.
“A few months ago, I was caught up in a heist here; they were playing gods with the animals they had. I do not know where they came from, and I do not know why they did it; but I do know there are some people who are not above it.” She furrows her brows, shaking her head grimly before continuing. “Those creatures were average animals; dogs, and cats, and lizards that were all… mixed together… They were not like an Arcuila; but I do not… wish to imagine what more people like that might do to it should it end up in such a place.”
After a moment, she glances to the two draconic creatures with an edge of fondness before looking back to Ulrich.
“Ulrich, I think we should help.”
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Jun 4, 2023 19:00:58 GMT -5
Ulrich’s eyes linger on Leni as she suggests that they help in freeing the Arcuila before it hatches into a life of misery. Alvis is silent, but he gestures in a way that seems as though he would be nodding his head in agreement. His gaze drifts towards the two boys sitting at the table with them; they’ve stopped and started to look concerned as they’ve now felt the energy shift. A warm smile forms upon Ulrich’s face, and he nods reassuringly towards them. He looks back to Leni and gives her a smiling wink before turning to address his cousins.
Alvis caught that little wink. He was smirking, but of course, he had no face so no one would know. He’d make sure to address that smooth little gesture later.
“Well, you heard her. We’ll help you with the Arcuila.”
Jed and Ted both flash a thumbs up gesture enthusiastically, and then they fist bump each other with huge smiles on their faces.
“Alrighty, we knew we could count on ya!”
“We can’t thank you enough y’all!”
Ulrich brings his palms up and waves them politely, “Haha, you don’t have to thank us too much! We’re just trying to make sure this Arcuila doesn’t end up hatching into a miserable life.”
“Yeup. Our thoughts exactly, cousin.”
“Couldn’t’ve said it any better ourselves.”
“So what’s the plan then?"
The brothers’ eyes dart around inconspicuously; clearing their throats before pushing their chairs in closer.
“So we heard that they’ve actually had someone buy it already.”
“And they’re gonna have the poor thing delivered to wherever it’s supposed to go tonight.”
Ulrich listens silently; taking mental notes in his head.
“Now we know where it’s gonna be picked up. Where it’s gonna be dropped off is, well, we don’t know. That doesn’t matter anyways. Y’all will have made off with it before then.”
“Ully, we know you’ve got a knack for bein’ sneaky. You was trainin’ with that fighter lady back when we were kids. She had you wearing an all black get up at some point, right?”
Ulrich nods, “Yes, she had me train heavily in stealth.”
“Perfect! So all’s we need y’all to do is sneak on over in the dead of night-”
“And pluck the poor thing right from out of their greedy hands. Uhh, pun intended!”
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Jun 8, 2023 20:43:46 GMT -5
A wave of embarrassment crashes over Leni-Aura when she catches Ulrich’s wink; her breath catches in her throat when she pulls back in surprise; and she blinks a few times before furrowing her brows and scoffing softly beneath her breath at him. She turns her face away quickly and subtly places a cool hand against the heated flush of her cheeks while he goes about talking to his cousins and agreeing to their scheme. She’s certain he’s just being an idiot and trying to get a rise from her, but it never quite seems to stifle the somewhat pleasant warmth of butterflies in her chest even with that knowledge. She clears her throat while the cousins celebrate their agreement, ears twitching back as she lifts her head higher. “ No creature deserves to be born into a life like that.” she agrees with Ulrich; but she purposely avoids looking at him for now. “ Arcuila or otherwise.” She crosses her arms over her chest, still feeling the warmth of sheepishness on her face while she leans forwards in her chair to hear the cousins better; she rests her elbows against the table, idly playing with a stray lock of her hair, twisting it around a finger while the cousins share the rest of their information with them. “ Tonight?” She frowns slightly; but their conversation of stealth, and some fighter lady which Ulrich had trained with causes her to perk her ears. … And then, promptly, offer Ulrich an exasperated look and a quirked brow. “ You are saying you have been trained heavily in stealth, but you still go tripping into merchant camps unannounced?” She seems to be referencing the first time they’d met; although, admittedly, there was less tripping involved; and with Leni-Aura’s heightened hearing, Ulrich probably wasn’t realistically as loud as she remembers him being. She breathes a soft and subtle, “ Tch,” of a chuckle regardless, somewhat bemused at the idea of Ulrich sneaking around. To her, at least, he seems so prominent. “ A man of many talents.” Since their travels together had started, Leni-Aura’s language has grown notably softer; less sharp, with less poison attached to her tone; sometimes, almost bordering jesting like it does, now. She covers her lips with a curled fist to hide a smirk, before looking back at the cousins. “ So you want… to pull off a heist?” She inquires with a similar quietness; she lowers her hand from her mouth. “ It is not ideal, but I will have to lose my armour, if silence is the goal…” She purses her lips; leaning away from the table while she lifts her head to look at the cousins. “ Where is this place you talk of? Are there guards to watch for?” A slight hesitation; briefly, she recalls the mass amount of men who had tracked her and Beist until they had left Darkveil; and she can't help but wonder if this will go similarly. She recalls the beast man's distress; and the fact that she may or may not be a familiar face to Darkveil's lowest does cross her mind.
She lowers her voice, ears twisting backwards. “Are they involved with the Ashen Fathers at all?”
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Jul 4, 2023 17:15:14 GMT -5
“To be fair, I wasn’t planning on sneaking around that night, Leni. Although, you were trying to kill nonetheless.”
Ted and Jed look at each other with smirks on their faces. They’re thinking the same thing. Their cousin really knows how to pick them. Ulrich can sense this and turns to them with a light hearted shrug.
Ulrich turns his head at the mention of the Ashen Fathers from Leni. He has a vague idea of who they are and their shady dealings. He’s heard many a tale from fellow travelers throughout the decade, and he’s smart enough to know that getting on their bad side would not be the greatest idea.
The two brother tense up; their eyes dart back and forth attempting to make certain that no one was listening in.
“Well, if ya know about the Ashen Fathers then you have to know that they’ve got people in their pockets.”
“Yeah, most anyone ya meet out here could be workin’ for ‘em.”
Ulrich’s jaw visibly clenches as the weight of his cousins’ words hit him, but he makes sure to keep his composure, and attempts to keep the appearance of a jovial family meet up. Looking too suspicious can attract attention, and that’s the last thing you want to do when discussing something like a criminal organization right out in the open like this.
Alvis disappears briefly only to reappear closer to the two brothers at the end of their table.
“I’ve heard of these Ashen folk. They were around even before I was born; probably longer than that, even.”
“If we had to take a guess. I’d put money on it that they’re working for ‘em too.”
“If they’re wantin’ a Thunderbird like that, who knows what they could be fixin’ to do with it.”
Ulrich nods in agreement. He takes in a deep breath contemplating the preparations needed for an operation like this to be successful— or at least, not go awry, hopefully.
“So as Leni asked, where is the location and what sort of security should we be expecting?” Ulrich inquires.
The two brothers look at each other and nod. Ted pulls out a regular sized piece of parchment paper and unfolds it for Ulrich and Leni to take a look at. It’s a mapping of the warehouse where they will house the aforementioned Arcuila egg.
“As y’all can see here, obviously there is the big entrance in front. We pretty much know there’ll be about two or three guards there.” Ted states in a hushed tone; pointing to the front of the mapped building.
“So that ain’t the ideal place to enter through.” Jed then points to the roof of the building. “Darkveil warehouses have these ventilations on the roofs. Maybe y’all can ply the grates off quietly and slip through there.”
Ulrich studies the map; taking mental notes of the entrances and thinking about how the security might operate. He hands the map to Leni for her to look over.
“I will have to leave most of my things with the two of you. I have a change of clothes for just the occasion in my satchel.”
The two brothers chuckle at their cousin.
“Wait, you mean you have a sneaky suit?”
“Like the ones yer teachers had their people wear?”
Ulrich offers a smirk towards the two of them. “Gifted upon graduation, so to speak.” He looks to the two young draconian creatures sitting at the table with them. “I trust that we can count on you to take care of these two while we carry out this operation.”
Nimbus and Lil Frijole squeak in disagreement, but they relent when Ulrich shoots them a stern look with a shaking of his head.
The two brothers laugh nervously, attempting to reassure the two boys.
“Don’t you boys worry. We’ve got some things we could use your help with.”
“Soundin’ like Uncle Rick more and more as we get older, Ully. ‘Cept it’s Auntie Meena we wouldn’t wanna piss off!”
Ulrich nods with a smile. “Okay, if everything’s in order, let’s get things prepared then.”
A couple of hours had passed; nightfall quickly approached. Ulrich and Leni had left most of their equipment with Ted and Jed. The two draconian youngsters looked saddened that they wouldn’t be able to participate, but Ulrich and Leni assured them that maybe next time they could.
The warehouse was in view, and the two of them scoped the place out for a while, noting the any exchanging of guard duties. Seems they were quite prepared for anyone to try and steal their acquired goods, but they were a lax with their security a fair bit. Must’ve been due to their complacency of having no one there to mess with their business. They were in Darkveil City, after all.
Ulrich’s usual attire was back at Jed and Ted’s. On this night, he donned an all black outfit made of cotton. Alvis sat in his sheath fashioned to the back side of Ulrich’s waist sash. He pulled a mask from out of the folds of the clothing of his torso area.
This probably was a fair bit strange to Leni. As evidenced before by Ulrich’s cousins, not a lot of people knew he’d been carrying around a suit like this with him.
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Jul 24, 2023 23:51:38 GMT -5
“ Well, what else was I meant to do? Planned or not, you were sneaking.” Leni-Aura counters with a chuff; she turns her head slightly, ears turned back. Her pointed defiance softens into a slight, but subtle atmosphere of disgruntled embarrassment, and her next words come quietly despite a roll of her eyes. “ It’s not like I could hit you, anyways…” Truthfully, memories of that night are a bit embarrassing in hindsight. She sinks back into her chair, crossing her arms over her chest in a slight huff while she listens to the men ramble back and forth. However, when Ted and Jed suddenly start to tense up, she furrows her brows. Leni-Aura sits up again, concern flickering across her expression for a moment, as she lowers her palms to lie flat against the table; very suddenly, the curious glances of the people of Darkveil feel so much more sinister in that context… and who knows if anyone has recognized her from that break in with Beist? If anyone has, they’ve not made any move to approach her. She offers a quiet glance away from the table, briefly catching the eyes of a halfling sipping from a mug at a table adjacent to their own; their eyes are quick to dart away from her when they’re noticed; and that tiny detail makes her all the more paranoid. She purses her lips, turning back to the table as the brothers pull out a piece of paper. This… this might not be good… Maybe she shouldn’t have agreed to come here with Ulrich; he probably would have been safer doing something like this for his cousins without a potential liability at his side. A tiny bloom of frustration bubbles within her that she was dumb enough to believe this was just some quick, family reunion: what was she thinking? Why did he even bring her? Maybe it was just convenient at the time; but her presence has the chance of turning into an inconvenience. Leni-Aura runs a hand through her bangs, exhaling slowly to maintain her neutral expression; but tilting her rabbit-like ears to catch the conversation of the men around her. She looks down at the paper they pull out; she watches the motions of Ted and Jed’s hands; as they describe the entrance, and the best places to enter. Still… regardless of her doubts, she feels empathy for the Thunderbird; she’s seen what those ‘Ashen Fathers’ could do; and the idea of the avian going through that same process chills her to the bone. She takes the map when Ulrich offers it to her, brushing over his hand when she takes it. She pulls the page towards her, studying the map briefly while the men around her continue to chat. She remains somewhat involved in the conversation as it continues, but she can’t help but continue to worry just a little about what comes next.
As nightfall approaches, Leni-Aura leaves the cousins’ with Ulrich. She offers their draconic youngsters stern words of encouragement before they leave; but eventually relinquishes and agrees after too many puppy-eyes and hopping at their heels; that next time, they could maybe come with them. Maybe. Normally, she wouldn’t have much of an issue with Nimbus accompanying her into a potentially dangerous scenario; she’s taught him to be wary, and to return to her when he’s in trouble… but a stealth mission is just a little different than what he’s used to. It’s different than what she’s used to, as well, which is… well, it’s a concern that she will deal with when the time comes. Leni-Aura looks out across the warehouse, waiting quietly at Ulrich’s side while she scans for the security guards patrolling the outer border. Much like the man beside her, she has forgone her usual wardrobe and weapons; leaving a great portion of her armour back at Ted and Jed’s with great reluctance on her part. The sleeveless doublet she wears underneath is black, and clasped around her neck and chest with similarly colored buckles; but is overall significantly more quiet than her armour. Leni-Aura turns her head slightly, watching Ulrich pull a mask from the hem of his outfit; an outfit which is most definitely strange and unfamiliar to her. She had no idea he was even carrying it around with him. “ Have you… always had that with you?” She asks quietly before turning her eyes back to the warehouse. She narrows her eyes, catching the distant dark silhouette of a guard passing by the light wall, and through a wide-mouthed door, into the building. No one seems to be wise to the quiet raid waiting at their borders from what she can tell. “ It is…” she trails off, trying to find the right words. It’s… what is it? “ … strange.” She’s not sure that’s the best way to describe what she’s feeling, and her own words leave her feeling conflicted; she’s so used to seeing Ulrich the way he usually is, that seeing him donned entirely in black feels like she’s looking at somebody else. Although… Now is hardly the time to talk about this, is it? And before they go in, there’s one other thing that’s been bugging her since their meeting with his cousins that she doesn’t entirely know how to voice. She furrows her brows. After a moment, she takes a short inhale. “ Ulrich,” She remarks, a hesitation in her quiet voice as she glances his way. “ I said earlier that I was caught up in a heist here; it is not a guarantee, but if we are to get separated, or if someone is to recognize me here—” Don’t get hurt? Don’t be a hero? “ Don’t do anything stupid. Last time you did something stupid, you got yourself eaten. If something happens, I can handle myself; just focus on the bird.”
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Aug 4, 2023 4:59:10 GMT -5
Ulrich stares down at the mask in his hands; he looks as if there are memories associated with it that are coming back to him in the moment as his eyes are fixated upon it. His gaze drifts back up to Leni as she asks the question; has he always had it with him?
The answer is obvious only to himself; he was trained to be a Shadow, to use them as a weapon and a tool. Except no one would ever really be able to come to that conclusion... Ulrich did play the part of just some guy quite well; bumbling and quite oblivious was thrown into the mix as well. Although the latter was genuine to an extent.
"Yes. I carry it everywhere with me. You never know when the need for stealth will arise. My Masters were quite adamant about that." He states, also doing his part in watching for the switch in duties between the guards.
A slight chuckle escapes him as she voices her feelings of concern on strangeness of the situation.
He turns his head to face her as she seems to struggle to get the words out. He's taken aback slightly; his eyes blink in rapid succession as he processes what Leni said to him. It's in this moment that a realization hits him; had he really not thought about this until now?
When did Leni become so soft and caring? How long had she been like this with him? How long had they been traveling together, and only now was he realizing this about her? It was such a far cry from the Leni he first met on that night.
Was she worried about him— in her own Leni way?
A nervous chuckle escapes him as he manages to answer her concerns, "Heh, I uh, well that happened because I wanted to protect you...and Astrid!" He whispers to her quietly. He shakes his head and quickly fashions the mask onto his head; obscuring his identity. The only familiar thing were his blue eyes, and of course, his voice.
A rattling can be heard immediately following the cute moment the two of them shared. Alvis shakes in the scabbard fashioned at Ulrich's waist sash. Leni can hear Ulrich say something under his breath towards the dagger.
Oh, shut it, will you?
"I can't promise you anything, Leni." He says through the mask. His tone definitely giving off the idea that he's giving her that warm smile he usually has on— which he absolutely is. The guards are about to switch off; their opportune time has arrived. "Follow closely. We can get to the roof rather easily. It's once we get inside that will be the hard part."
And with that, Ulrich leads the way for the two of them. His cat like grace was something that Leni would be surprised about, surely. She's never seen him actually sneak around like this. He's always tripping over something, floating around without realizing it, smiling all the time just because! If he could fly around, wouldn't there be no need for him to be this graceful and agile? What kind of things did his Masters teach him, one would wonder.
They managed to sneak by the guards rather easily given the fact that they were switching off— that was when their attentions were most lax. Climbing onto the roof; carefully making sure that their shadows would not be cast onto the ground below them, they spot the ventilation duct that Ted and Jed had mentioned before.
Prying the grate off was enough— no one in their right mind would be crazy enough to break into a warehouse that was part of the city's criminal network, right? The lower themselves onto some beams lining the ceiling of the warehouse within, just far enough away from the catwalk to be hidden away from the dancing lights of the torches below.
They take the time to scan their surroundings and familiarize themselves mentally with the surrounding environment.
There were no guards patrolling on the catwalks below them. Perfect! They had no reason to have a man up here— at least they felt like they didn't. Scanning around he can see that the guards below patrol around the large quantity of crates stacked around the warehouse. They periodically switch off with the ones outside and they do this cycle it seems until the morning. They both spot another guard standing near a cage of some sort which houses a peculiar looking egg.
Ah, there was their target!
All that was left was to either wait for one of the guards to leave his post and get distracted... or extract the egg by some other more non stealthy methods.
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Post by Leni-Aura Thunderpaw on Sept 1, 2023 23:01:41 GMT -5
She rolls her eyes. “ And you got eaten, Ulrich.” she reminds him, her ears turning back just slightly; she still keeps her body low, lest her silhouette be picked out amongst the landscape around them by the guards below. If there’s anything she’s picked up on in her time with Ulrich, it’s that he can be reckless when danger arises; particularly, around others. But what happens when good intent becomes self-sacrificial, intentional or not? The answer to that question makes her brows furrow. Admittedly, it took her some time to realize that this protective behaviour wasn’t because he didn’t value her as a warrior; nor was it that he thought she was helpless or fragile— it was because he was being himself. It was not something exclusive. With her upbringing, she had been so convinced every word he spoke to her was a slight after their first meeting. She understands him better now— not entirely, because she does not understand in the slightest this part of him that has surfaced— speaking of the suit and of masters she’s only heard less than a handful of times… Still, why can’t he just look out for himself the same way he looks out for everyone else? What happens if he…? She clears her throat; grateful for the cover of night to mask the way her complexion darkens in embarrassment.
She hears the rumble of Alvis in the scabbard, but she seems too caught up in her own thoughts to actually process what might have been said. “I wish you would.” She objects, her shoulders rising and falling in a subtle sigh; and in contrast to their time together in the mines of Dragon’s Cradle, there’s not much venom in her words this time despite their firm intent: “I do not need protection, Ulrich; worry about yourself, for once.” There’s little comfort for her concerns and less time to talk when the guards finally switch positions. She turns her head slightly, grateful for the darkness which shields them; and Ulrich leads them into the warehouse. It’s strange watching him like this; she’s so used to how he typically is— all smiles, laughter, and tripping over his own two feet while floating in the air. Her perception of Ulrich, while she knows he’s skilled, has never truly included coordination or silence by any means…
On one hand, she’s genuinely impressed; on the other, it’s almost like he’s an entirely different person. Who were his masters, exactly…? She tucks these questions away for later. Past the guards, and over the roof; through the ventilation duct, and onto the beams below. Leni-Aura balances herself cautiously, knowing that the brunt of her weight is held differently than most. She lowers herself as low as she can go, ears flattened back, as she looks out across the warehouse floor below. She pinpoints the roaming guards first, tilting her ears towards the sound of their footsteps as they circle crates, sacks, and other evidence of goods being stored— but none of them are quite like the cage holding the egg they’ve been seeking. She blinks, studying the cage and its guard for a moment, before sharing a glance with Ulrich. They had to get that guard away somehow, otherwise be stuck waiting; and the longer they were here, the longer one of them— likely herself more than Ulrich— risked blowing their cover within the warehouse. So… She may as well blow her own cover strategically. With this in mind, she takes a slow breath and gestures at Ulrich; she’s not willing to speak given their sensitive position; but she gives him a gesture towards the cage and hopes that he can put the rest together after she leaps from the beam and lands gingerly just above the catwalk down below. (1. Step of the Wind)Wind buffets around her paws in a circle, spiraling upwards as she lands. Invisible and barely noticeable to those below, it keeps her steps silent as she keeps low and paces the catwalk. She slows her steps when she gets to a certain point, sinking down into the metal and shadows, as she watches one of the patrolling guards pass. She counts to five and bounces over the catwalk (2. Long Stride) behind one of the larger stacks of materials, which masks her approach from the guard at the cage and the few patrolling across the warehouse. She books it, finding a small cove which to temporarily shelter in; and breaks her line of sight with Ulrich. A few moments pass, in which the moon vanishes behind the clouds (3. Overcast), further darkening the warehouse from within. An unexpected, rumbling crack of thunder drowns out the sound of Leni-Aura slamming her hind legs into one of the bottom crates. The motion sends a stack of crates tumbling to their doom, and the sound of thunder alarms several of the guards just enough to get them to head towards one of the doors to the outside, presumably to check on the perimeter. Another few guards head towards the spilled crates, their contents tumbled across the floor in the farthest right side of the warehouse; and briefly, the man who had been at the egg’s cage jogs over to join them, shouting a puzzled, “What the hell was that!?” as he disappears behind one of the towers of boxes.
It certainly was not stealthy in any way, but for a time, the egg sits unguarded in the midst of the warehouse.
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