Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Frostgale
Forgiveness is for Quitters.
319 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Sept 15, 2023 13:38:47 GMT -5
“Her name’s Dora? Aw, that’s cute.” Ak’ka resisted the urge to ask if she could pet the griffon. She, uh, didn’t always do the best with skittish little guys. They got scared of her easy. They had a better time with Beist, though. He was a big guy but he wasn’t… menacing. Animals were smart critters. They knew a threat when they saw one. That was why they usually kept their distance from gals like Ak’ka and played with folks like Beist. Didn’t bother her none. She could watch from a distance while the skybeast teased her master. “Yer a real pretty gal, Dora. Don’t listen to Teach here.”
She got to work hanging the beast upside down so Beist could do his work, moving per his instructions. Hard to turn inelegant hammers of hands into something that could do real precise work, but she wasn’t too proud to admit that this wasn’t her forte. She was the one who’d offered to help, after all. As she was movin’, though, she noticed somethin’… weird. The fuzzy sheep guy - what were they called again? Woolful! - was lookin’ at her all intent like. Ak’ka stopped what she was doing, turning to raise her brows silently at the little guy. Not threatening, just confused, ‘till Beist leaned over and explained what the little guy wanted.
Holy hell.
She didn’t think these guys could get any more precious than they already were.
It took all the strength in her body - sayin’ something, cus she had a lot of it - not to lean down and start pinching this little guy’s chubby cheeks and scream, who’s my vicious little predator? You are! Yea, you are! Partly cus Beist was right there and she didn’t wanna get made fun of, and partly cus she didn’t wanna piss the little ball of wool off by being condescending. So instead she rolled her shoulders back and waited for the bit to come. The little guy barely came up to her knees. Normally she ate pipsqueaks like this for breakfast, but she promised she’d play along.
He hit her legs with a little, BONK! It’d hardly leave more than a bruise, but she staggered back, taking a knee anyways to make the little sheep feel good. “Aw, shit. Ya got me, killer. Yer so damn strong.” Ak’ka grunted.
She then turned and gave Beist a very unsubtle thumbs up. Maybe she didn’t fully understand, but she had the spirit.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
10
Renown
Male
Moonglade
The most powerful dadbod in Charon
588 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Beistmild on Sept 20, 2023 15:49:06 GMT -5
"Oh yes, I named her Dora because she's a-Dora-ble!" Beist chuckled, ruffling the feathers on the sides of Dora's neck as she rolled her eyes and screeched. "But you are, you're so adorable!"
Dora looked like a daughter who was being publicly embarrassed by her parent smothering her with far too much affection in public. She tried to pull away, but Beist hugged her and his grip was too strong even for the large griffon to escape. She trilled in defeat as he held her against him with two arms and continued petting her with the other two.
"Of course, she's very pretty too. She keeps her feathers very clean. She grooms herself quite oft-" Beist started to ramble on, but was interrupted by another screech from Dora that cut him off from going further into explaining her grooming habits. Some of the other animals came forward, wanting some affection from the giant man as well. Beist released the thoroughly embarrassed griffon and started showing them some love, petting them and talking to them affectionately.
When he'd finished petting all of his companions, Beist started to help with the preparations, getting out a bucket to collect the cockatrice blood in and pulling out a folding table and tools to cut the meat with once it was done draining. The cockatrice was pretty large, so there was a lot of blood to drain. In the meantime, he walked off a small distance and held a hand out, closing his eyes and concentrating. From the ground, plants started to rapidly sprout, growing an assortment of fruits and vegetables to use in the cooking. Oversized carrots, potatoes, onions, and even some cloves of garlic popped out of the soil. From some small shrubs, lemons, oranges, and apples grew and made the branches sag down from their weight. Some vines sprouted tomatoes and snap peas, and a small field of lettuce sprouted like a leafy carpet.
Beist collected all of the ingredients, separating them into a few baskets based on what he planned on using them for. Fruits for making juices and for desert, tomatoes, lettuce, snap peas, and some of the carrot for a nice salad, and all the potatoes, onions, garlic, and the rest of the carrot for adding to a stew with the cockatrice meat. He also planned on making a little tomato sauce to have with some breaded cockatrice meat and goat cheese. With how many ingredients he'd conjured up and the size of the cockatrice, it looked like they'd be preparing a veritable feast tonight.
Beist returned Ak'ka's incredibly subtle thumbs up with a chuckle. Leon looked pleased to have knocked Ak'ka back, but his happy look immediately turned to an almost tearful expression as he felt guilty for hurting her so badly. With a bleat, a green light enveloped Ak'ka and the slight pain she felt in her legs from the bonk faded away, her wounds healed.
Create Food
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Frostgale
Forgiveness is for Quitters.
319 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Sept 22, 2023 8:56:26 GMT -5
The little guy looked pretty proud of his hit, but apparently Ak’ka’s acting was too good, because it started fussin’ and frantically tryin’ to heal the injuries on her legs. Ak’ka moved to pet the fuzzy friend’s fluffy wool, a fond smile growin’ on her face that the woman didn’t even seem to notice. “Aw, you don’t gotta worry about healin’ me. I’m alright.” Really, it hadn’t actually hurt none, the little guy didn’t need to waste its magic on her. And yet, he did.
“See? Look, I’m all good. Yer as great at healing as you are ramming folks.”
Couple minutes later Beist returned with a cornucopia of vegetables in his hands, ready to start makin’ some sides for their meal. Ak’ka stood, moving to help with what she could. She didn’t know much ‘bout preppin’ vegetables but at the very least she could grill the meat pretty damn well. As they got the dinner ready, Ak’ka turned towards the big guy, an oddly thoughtful look on her face.
“Uh. Thanks for invitin’ me to hang, Beist. Most folks’r too scared by me to bother hanging around after the mission is done. But ya didn’t. And it’s nice, real nice.”
Ugh. This touchy feely crap was so awkward, but Ak’ka felt the need to say it. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten to hang with someone who made her feel welcome. There was Ein and Gabe and stuff; a few folks here and there, but they were rare. Ak’ka was used to living alone. Solitude didn’t bother her none. But sometimes, there were moments like this, where she realized just what she was missin’ out on.
She’d enjoy it for as long as she could.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
10
Renown
Male
Moonglade
The most powerful dadbod in Charon
588 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Beistmild on Sept 22, 2023 19:01:29 GMT -5
Beist looked at Ak'ka in surprise while he flipped some meat and vegetable skewers over. He hadn't expected something like that all of a sudden, but he smiled happily.
"Well, thank you for hanging with me." He replied, trying to copy the young lingo she was using. It didn't sound right at all coming from such an old man. "I can understand people being afraid of your appearance. I mean, well, look at me. I look like a monster, don't I? But none of my companions here mind that." He said as he raised a hand up to stroke a cat-sized, very fuzzy bumblebee that was perched on top of his head.
Beist's happy smile changed to a guilty expression.
"I should apologize for earlier... I think you noticed. I was a bit afraid, seeing you fight that cockatrice. It was just... A bit more brutal than I'm used to. I'm not really one for fighting. But still, it was horribly hypocritical of me to judge someone else like that. I'm sorry."
His smile returned and he put a hand on top of Ak'ka's head, ruffling her hair slightly.
"But, you don't seem scary at all to me now!" He said teasingly. He really didn't find Ak'ka scary anymore. She seemed like a normal girl, playing with cute animals and wanting to help him cook. He wondered if this was what it would have been like to have a granddaughter.
"Oh, I think these are just about ready. I enjoy cooking, especially for company. Cooking is a lot like alchemy you know. Heating things to the proper temperatures for the correct amount of time, combining different herbs and spices to get the flavor you're looking for. Just like potions, combining the ingredients to get the magical effect you want. It's funny how many herbs used in alchemy also make great seasoning for different foods. Why, just basil alone has such a wide range of uses, and that's not even mentioning the different varieties of basil. Did you know there's a type of basil with purple leaves? I used a bit of basil on these chicken cutlets here, with the tomato sauce and goat cheese. Basil goes amazingly well with tomatoes and cheese you know..."
Beist rambled on and on as he cooked, moving things around on the fire to cook evenly, taking things off when they were done, and shooing away any of his animal companions that tried to sneak a bite of something before the meal was finished and ready to be served to everyone.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Frostgale
Forgiveness is for Quitters.
319 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Sept 28, 2023 15:42:38 GMT -5
“Nah. You don’t look like a monster to me. Yer big and fuzzy, and most folks might see somethin’ scary in ya. But I dunno how anyone couldn’t look at yer fancy clothes and your kind eyes and see anythin’ but a real peaceful guy.” Ak’ka shrugged, nonchalant while uttering the declaration. A simple truth, but one she’d seen with her own eyes either way. Beist was about as ‘Scary’ as a bear cub. He flinched from violence, went on and on about his hobbies, and he seemed like just a real gentle guy. Ak’ka’d met monsters on the battlefield. Cruel bastards who deserved to be nothin’ more than a bloodstain on the ground they died on. Beist wasn’t some of ‘em.
Though maybe that was less about his lack of a threatening nature and more about how Ak’ka was a notoriously tough bitch, and hard to scare to boot. Didn’t matter either way. So what if the rest of the world found Beist frightening? Fuck ‘em. They didn’t matter. Ak’ka had too much self respect to bother with folks who were too chickenshit to bother with someone that spooked ‘em a little for looking different.
Ak’ka blinked when Beist started sayin’ sorry outta the blue like he had something to even be sorry for. She hadn’t even been all that upset, really, but from the way he was talkin’, you’d think he insulted her pa’s grave or something.
“Ah, don’t worry ‘bout it. Like I said, whole point is to look like a freaky tough bastard when I fight. Just means it worked this time.” She let out a laugh from deep within her gut, smacking the remains of the carcass they were about to feast on. “‘Sides, ya stuck around! That’s pretty damn cool in my book even if you mighta been a bit spooked at first.”
Man, he really was a sweet guy, though. Ak’ka’s old man was tough as old leather and just as sour - he wasn’t the kind to be super sweet or whatnot. And she couldn’t remember her ma. But she had a feeling that in terms of human family, Beist would be well loved by those that surrounded him.
And then he started goin’ on about food and Ak’ka tried to listen - again, she really did. Problem wasn’t that he was goin’ on and on about things Ak’ka couldn’t even begin to understand. It was all just over her head. She nodded along until the food was ready to eat - yeah, now the language of eating? That was universal. Ak’ka helped him set things up as quick as she could, ready to enjoy the shit outta this feast.
“Bone app the teeth, or whatever it is!” Ak’ka said in lieu of giving thanks or whatever polite society said you were supposed to do before enjoying food. Then she dug into the meal with her bare hands and started devouring with reckless abandon.
Yep. Tasted like victory.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
10
Renown
Male
Moonglade
The most powerful dadbod in Charon
588 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Beistmild on Oct 6, 2023 15:30:11 GMT -5
Beist blushed and looked at the grill, away from Ak'ka sheepishly. He was touched by what she'd said, holding back some tears. No one had told him he had kind eyes before, and being told he didn't look like a monster meant a lot to him without him even realizing it. He'd been told it before, but that was by friends he'd already met previously. To be told it by Ak'ka, someone he'd just met today, it got to him. He didn't notice his tail swaying side to side behind him. It took him a moment to pull himself back together and flip the skewers that had begun to burn slightly while he was distracted.
He cleared his throat. "Sorry, some smoke in my eyes... I guess being big and fuzzy isn't so bad..." He mumbled with a smile.
"A freaky tough bastard." Beist chuckled. "Yes, your technique definitely worked on me there. Maybe I should be asking you for some lessons in intimidation. If I could just scare away my foes without having to fight them, that would be much better for me."
Leon bleated next to Beist and he reached down a hand to rub the top of the woolful's head. "Yes, you could also watch the lessons, if Ak'ka agrees. You're already quite tough though, are you sure you'd even need them?" Beist asked asked with a chuckle while Leon let out another bleat and looked determined.
With all the food done and served, Beist followed Ak'ka's lead and dug in along with all his animal companions. It was a much more extravagant meal than he usually made thanks to the cockatrice meat, and he'd also gone a bit overboard with how many fruits and vegetables he'd conjured up. It was practically a feast, really. The cockatrice was surprisingly delicious and he especially enjoyed the cockatrice cutlet with tomato sauce and goat cheese. The stew wasn't bad at all though, and the skewers were perfectly seasoned. He was proud of how good everything had turned out. He ended up eating enough to make his stomach hurt, which was really saying something considering his size.
Lying back with a hand on his gut, Beist considered asking Ak'ka about her workout routine, like she had asked about his nonexistent one earlier. He thought now even more than he then that he might be in need of some exercise. Well, it could wait until tomorrow. He still needed to clean the pots and pans from all the cooking. But, as he lied down, he was already starting to be surrounded by fluff and feathers as his animal companions lied down next to him, some on top of him or across him. Awd jumped right onto the center of his aching stomach and made him wince and groan.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Frostgale
Forgiveness is for Quitters.
319 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Oct 7, 2023 16:05:09 GMT -5
Ak’ka huffed a good-natured laugh while Beist cleaned out the ‘smoke’ in his eyes. He really was a big softie when it came down to it. She wasn’t gonna call him out, though. If she had to guess, even though they were as different as night and day, in some ways, they were really similar. Namely just ‘cus of their height, and their stature, but that mattered more than most people mighta thought. People judged what they could see and touch, and that meant everything that looked like a threat had to be a threat in their eyes. But Beist was probably the gentlest person Ak’ka’d met. Her life was mercs and knights and warriors and there was little room for such kindness in her world. But Beist had it in spades.
“Well, yeah. If you wanna learn how to spook the shit outta your enemies just ask. Though I think you’d be pretty good at it all on yer own with yer alchemy knowledge. Just make somethin’ big and bright and scary and most animals will equate that with dangerous. But I’d be happy to show ya what I know and be the teacher this time.”
And the hardest edges of her seemed to soften just a touch as she bent down to run her hand over the little guy’s head.
“And you can learn too, killer. But I don’t think there’s much I can teach such a vicious predator.”
Meal eaten, enjoyed until they were both overfull, Ak’ka leaned back against a rock. She felt pretty damn content right now - made a bit of coin, slayed a beast, and even made what she hoped was a new buddy. The orc didn’t have many of those, so it was always nice to meet a new one. She hoped Beist wouldn’t mind her stickin’ around for the evening. She wasn’t in a rush, and she enjoyed the company.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
10
Renown
Male
Moonglade
The most powerful dadbod in Charon
588 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Beistmild on Dec 2, 2023 13:26:22 GMT -5
As if he could hear what Ak'ka was thinking in that moment, Beist escaped from the critters starting to pile on top of him, sitting up with Awd and Moe scooped off of his stomach and into his arms, and looked to Ak'ka with a warm smile.
"Would you like to camp with us for the night? It'd be nice to have the company. And there's too much of this stew leftover. I'll need help getting rid of it all in the morning." He asked, motioning to the big pot that, even after the two huge folks gorging themselves, wasn't empty. That cockatrice had been a lot to cook and adding all the vegetables to the pot didn't help to lower the amount of portions in the slightest.
Beist stifled a burp and looked embarrassed. His ears drooped and his face reddened. He cleared his throat before apologizing sheepishly. "Pardon me."
"I'd also like one of your lessons for being scary in the morning, if you don't mind. Though I wonder if your lesson could be a bit more focused on scaring people... I'm more scared of bandits than animals..." Beist admitted with some more embarrassment.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Frostgale
Forgiveness is for Quitters.
319 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Dec 3, 2023 9:45:20 GMT -5
Few folks Ak’ka worked with on merc jobs or ones for coin bothered lettin’ her stick around after. Didn’t bother her - at least as much as she didn’t let it - but even the tiniest blows could add up to a bit of damage in the long run if ya weren’t careful. Point being, folks didn’t care for havin’ her around. So when Beist offered to let her stay for the night, she honestly hadn’t been expectin’ it, no matter how kind he’d been in lettin’ her stay for dinner. She’d been ready to camp under a couple trees in the distance and fuck off in the morning to whatever job there was for her next.
But this was. Uh. New.
Ak’ka nodded, rubbin’ at her chin with her hand. She looked away so she didn’t have to stare at Beist while she spoke, but her voice was rough all the same. “Yeah. Uh. ‘Course I’d like to stick around for the night, if you’d have me. And I’d never say no to more of that stew.” Which there was still a metric fuckton of. Big folks like them needed a lot to eat, so they’d made a lot - apparently a bit too much for one meal, but damn if it wouldn’t be appreciated as leftovers. So she went about settin’ up her bedroll and all that shit, talkin’ with Leon when all of a sudden Beist spoke up, all shy and shit when it came to askin’ about being tough.
Man. How anyone thought of this man as scary, Ak’ka had no fuckin’ clue.
She had to resist the urge to call this dude cute as hell, because he was probably the most precious motherfucker she’d ever met in her life - and instead cleared her throat and grinned at him.
“‘Course I can.” She promised. “I know ya don’t like to fight, so I’ll show ya exactly how to make yerself big and scary so no bandit will ever wanna fuck with ya again. And you’ll never have to fight, either! And if that doesn’t work… you come get me. I’ll take care of ‘em for ya.” It was the least she could do for someone who’d been so kind to her. Ak’ka wasn’t the kinda gal who got close to people often - but when she did, her loyalty was as fierce as the rest of her.
A loyalty and friendship which now extended to Beist.
“Get ready for the morning then, bud!” She laughed, clapping him on the shoulder while she picked herself up and made her way to her bedroll for rest. Jestin’ aside, she did look forward to the chance to help her new friend.
And maybe if she asked nicely, Beist would give her some tips on how to be not so scary, too.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
10
Renown
Male
Moonglade
The most powerful dadbod in Charon
588 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Beistmild on Dec 9, 2023 17:08:18 GMT -5
Leon gave an excited bleat and ran over to where Ak'ka was lying in her bedroll, getting ready to rest for the night. He spun in a circle a few times before plopping down on the ground next to her, half covering her with soft green wool, and laid his head down on the ground. Almost immediately he was asleep, wanting to be well rested for the lessons on how to be tough and intimidating in the morning.
Beist smiled, holding back his chuckles as he didn't want to wake the woolful up. He was a little sad that one of his companions had abandoned him for the night, but he still had a whole pile of other animals on top of and around him to snuggle with, so he didn't mind it too much.
He laid back and let himself drift to sleep, also looking forward to the morning. Good food, good company, and some lessons on how to hopefully not have to fight any bandits anymore. It was all something to look forward to. Almost as quickly as Leon, Beist was snoring, his stomach rising and falling with a large, fuzzy bee and raccoon-dog rising and falling with it as they fell asleep with him.
|
|