OOS 109

Korrinoth 22, during the morning while waiting for Belxari to return with the Raquesval for their next adventure. It occurred during session 49. It is preceded by OOS 107 and 108.
== Transcription ==
Ephemera, Veggrek presumably still on her shoulder, leads the way across the beach to where Teer and Sors are (p)laying in the sand. She twirls the halberd and stabs it into the sand before placing Veggrek near Teer's head. "I see you two have made some progress toward building our party a home on the seaside."
Veggrek:
Veggrek snickers.
Teer:
"Yes, I'm naming it Tira va-Arel."
Ephemera:
She squats beside Teer with a laugh.
Lei:
lei giggles, and looks around at the busy beach.
Sors:
“yeah! i made teer a mermaid”
Sors:
it looks nothing like a mermaid
Teer:
Teer beeps, and pats down some of the sand. "She's done a very good job, considering she's never seen one before."
He looks up at the group. "So, how did shopping go?"
Lei:
"operation X is well underway," lei says with a smile.
Sors:
“operation X?”
Teer:
"Excellent. I will rendezvous with you later for details, agent Leitha."
Lei:
salutes sand-bound mermaidified teer
Ephemera:
Ephemera makes a confused face, which then transitions into one of resignation. What a lame name for a secret mission.
Sors:
sors crawls up to where she thinks teers head is and whispers “what’s operation X?”
Teer:
Teer raises a finger to his lips, despite Sors not being able to see it. "I will explain later. We have to keep it a secret from... those who might be listening."
Sors:
“like spies?”
Teer:
"Yes! Like spies."
Sors:
sors nods seriously and sits beside him now that her mermaid sculpture is done
“what did you guys get from shopping?”
Lei:
"we got you some potions." looks to ephemera, who is presumably carrying them
Ephemera:
Ephemera will hand some sort of carrier bag with a currently undetermined number of potions in it to Sors. "If you're coming with us, then you need to be able to fix yourself up if you're hurt."
Sors:
“ok! cool” she smiles “if you have found any herbs i can also make medicine or potions potentially as well!”
Veggrek:
“I found a rock that l... with a face on it.”
Sors:
“what kind of face?”
Veggrek:
“...Friendly, I think. Want to feel it?”
Sors:
“yeah! sure!”
sors will hold out her hands smiling
Veggrek:
Veggrek places the rock in her hands.
Sors:
sors feels it around
[does the rock have a indented face or is it drawn on like from otgw?]
she hands it back “cool!”
Lei:
lei is looking around again at the beachgoers.
Woman:
There is a tall, horned woman in the far distance, who appears to be headed in the group's direction.
Sors:
sors is drawing in the sand now
Ephemera:
Ephemera looks at the halberd beside them, and lets out the tiniest sigh. "I'm going to let Kiono enjoy the beach some. Perhaps later I'll rejoin properly."
"Not that I'm... leaving. I'm... here," she adds, patting the halberd.
Sors:
“kiono!”
“not that i don’t sound like i don’t like you but i also would like to meet everyone equally!”
Lei:
"hm?" lei is somewhat distracted by their new potential visitor. "oh, um...well, it's a good thing you can communicate with us without the requirement of touch now, at the very least. let us know if you need anything."
Teer:
"Indeed. Also, would anyone like to destroy this ancient elven city so that I can stand up?"
Ephemera:
"I fully intend to remain in the conversation," Ephemera says to everyone's minds. "Thirty foot radius, mind you all."
Kiono:
Kiono scoots away from the bulk of the group and promptly pulls out her journal and notes.
Lei:
lei regards kiono, goes to say something to her, then hesitates. maybe not now....
she then whips out a mage hand and starts absentmindedly directing it to scoop sand from atop teer's body, most of her attention concentrated elsewhere.
Sors:
“can i help?”
“i wanna be akaros!”
Ephemera:
"Someone save the man!" Ephemera says in a less-than-convincing tone of distress. "Hurry, before someone decides he belongs in a museum!"
Sors:
“look i have a dragon floaty!! i can destroy the city!”
Ephemera:
"I don't know how I feel about encouraging Akaros-like behavior..."
Veggrek:
Veggrek thwacks his tail into the side of a tower, toppling it.
Sors:
sors jumps lightly kicking wear the sand castle should be and makes a rawring noise
Lei:
lei dismisses the mage hand and laughs. looks like the excavation is being taken care of.
Sors:
she makes her hands curl like claws and swipes down giggling a little at the same time
Teer:
Teer emits a series of half-beeping, half-laughing sounds, strange and musical.
Sors:
sors finishes with flopping down atop teers castle ruins “fear me! i’m the great dragon akaros!”
she lets out a fit of giggles laying atop teer her hair wild and messy
“and fear veg! the goblin king!!”
“we have taken this city!”
Teer:
"And so the city has fallen..." Teer lays back on the sand dramatically.
Ephemera:
"You didn't take the city... You destroyed it," Ephemera says softly.
Lei:
lei looks towards the stranger, who is getting closer yet. indeed, definitely coming this way.
Sors:
“yes! but it’s mine now!”
Woman:
The woman is close enough now to see that she is a tiefling with gray-blue skin, metal-covered arms, and a knee length white dress.
Veggrek:
“What is a city, really?”
Woman:
She appears to be approaching with intent.
Teer:
"A miserable little pile of secrets? No, wait, hm," says Teer.
Lei:
“ah, hello. can we help you with something?” lei calls out.
Veggrek:
“Someone’s here.” Veggrek says softly to Sors. “A tiefling wearing a dress.”
Ephemera:
"It generally requires buildings and people to live there. A lot of both."
Ephemera is watchful, prepared to hop back into control if necessary.
Ecostress:
The tiefling woman stops not far from the group. "Perhaps you can. I am Lady Ecostress." Her gaze shifts to Sors. "Do you know this child?"
Veggrek:
“You know, I don’t think any city built on top of a giant robot can last.”
Lei:
“ah, yes. are you one of the members of the team xelbari sent?”
Teer:
"Or hundreds of smaller robots," says Teer quietly.
Ephemera:
"Oof," Ephemera says just as softly.
Sors:
“ECOSTRESS!”
Ecostress:
"Ah, 'allo again." she says
Sors:
she jumps up to the voice and makes huggy arms
Veggrek:
“You know each other?”
Kiono:
Kiono glances up at the tiefling, then back down at her books. Then slowly back at the tiefling. And watches.
Ecostress:
"Yes, I was hired by... Xelbari." she says with some detest. She hesitates in front of Sors for a moment before relenting and holding out a single hand for her to hold.
Sors:
she happily takes it
“yeah! i turned her into a giant!”
Lei:
lei’s brain is buzzing with questions....but. manners first. “i’m lei.” she extends a hand.
“we found sors unexpectedly in our care yesterday.”
Ecostress:
"A pleasure."
She sighs. "Indeed, after our job was done, Xelbari teleported this child away under some silly notion of meeting a powerful dragon. Though if you are aware of this man, I am assuming Sors must have told you what happened."
Sors:
“yeah! he’s right here! he’s in the robot man!”
Lei:
lei resists a facepalm.
Ecostress:
Ecostress eyes Teer, who waves.
Lei:
“yes, she has recounted some things about what happened.”
“what brings you here now?”
“how did you manage to locate her?”
Sors:
"you live here?"
"ah! i should have visited!"
Ecostress:
She frowns. "Any attempts at scrying on her were... how you say, fruitless? So I passed word around that there is a potentially unattended girl, and have been taking... a lot of long walks. "
Ephemera:
"Good to know the rings work," Ephemera says to the party, not Sors or Ecostress.
Lei:
"you passed word around, you say...." lei looks to sors with uncertainty.
Ecostress:
Ecostress looks around the party. "You are an... odd group."
Lei:
"we're not oceanside natives."
"what, um, were you intending to do once you located sors?"
Ecostress:
"I will inform the others hired by the demon lord that she is alright. I intended to try and find some lodgings for her as well. Unless," she raises an eyebrow, "You have such a matter under control."
Lei:
lei looks at teer and veggrek.
Ephemera:
Ephemera heaves something between a sigh and a groan.
Lei:
hired by the what now???? she wonders
Veggrek:
“We don’t.”
Teer:
"The what now?"
Sors:
sors stops swinging happily and looks to the group a bit sadly
Ecostress:
"Very well," says Ecostress. "Then you may leave her with me, and I will handle it."
Sors:
"im sorry echostress but ill have to decline"
Ecostress:
"Oh?"
Sors:
"i have to help akaros!"
"and this group may see me as young and naive but im not"
"i can handle myself just fine"
Veggrek:
“You’re twelve.”
Sors:
"you know this!"
she looks up to echostress
"and renn is 16!"
Ecostress:
Ecostress turns to Teer. "Are you this 'Akaros'?" 
Teer:
"No, but close enough," he says.
Sors:
"hes probably still eatting the bag of meat i gave him"
Lei:
lei does facepalm this time.
Ephemera:
Ephemera would be facepalming if she had a face or palms.
Ecostress:
"Do you take responsibility for this child?" she asks Teer, almost disinterested.
Teer:
Teer looks at Sors in mild panic.
Lei:
"what manner of lodgings did you have in mind?"
Sors:
sors lets go of echostresses hand
Kiono:
Kiono, who has not taken her eyes off Ecostress since her arrival, continues to stare at her in silent interest.
Sors:
"i dont like decisions being made for me without my consent"
sors cheery 12 year old mask is starting to fall a bit as she tones down her voice to a pitch lower and more serious
Teer:
"What... what do you want to do, Sors?" Teer asks, even though he knows the answer.
Sors:
"this is getting a bit frustrating and i understand you care, and thank you echostress for looking out for me but it wont be needed"
Veggrek:
“What about our consent, Sors?” Veggrek asks at the same time as Teer.
Lei:
lei turns to sors. "we're listening to you. there's a lot more to consider though."
Sors:
"look, i dont know why but i need to be here"
"something is pulling me to stay by akaros's side"
"i can fade into the background if you want me to but i can't leave this"
Lei:
"we don't want you to fade into the background." lei speaks more harshly than intended. "what do you mean, something is pulling you to stay?"
Sors:
"i dont know"
Sors:
"i just have the need to stay here with him then to look for something else"
Ecostress:
Ecostress is simply watching this exchange, she pulls out a cigarette and lights it.
Sors:
".... this is getting frustrating and i dont know what to do and im getting a little overwhelmed"
Ephemera:
"Something pulled me to that temple beneath Alibrook. It turned out it was... me," Ephemera says softly, leaving out only Ecostress this time.
Sors:
sors speaks a bit quicker twiddling her hands together
Lei:
"sors, you aren't doing anything wrong. it's not your fault." lei bites her lip.
"it's not whether we want you to stay around or not. it's whether this group can handle it."
Veggrek:
“Sors, if you stick with us, like it or not, you’re going to be a priority.”
Sors:
she puts her hands on her horns as if she was rubbing her eyes in frustration
"echostress, please i can handle myself, you saw what i am capable of.."
"i dontt want to burden you all.. i didnt know akaros had so many friends with him"
Lei:
"you are not a burden." lei speaks harshly.
Ecostress:
"She can fight," Ecostress says simply, taking a drag.
"But that isn't the point, is it."
Sors:
"no.. i just dont know what else to do"
"i just feel tied to this string thats pulling me here to stay with them.."
Lei:
"did you encounter any of the people who are after her?" lei looks to ecostress.
Ecostress:
Ecostress frowns again. "Yes. Ze cultists. Dragon priests, whatever you call them."
Lei:
"what manner of lodgings did you have in mind for sors, knowing she is being hunted?"
Ecostress:
Sigh. "I did not have extensive plans. I have connections of course, I know other established members of our race in the city who might be willing to look after her. As far as protections go however, I can offer little that would truly be safe from the determined."
Lei:
"i see."
Lei:
looks to teer and veggrek again
Teer:
Teer has been watching Sors. He looks up at Renn, then to Ecostress.
"I'll take responsibility for her."
Veggrek:
“You couldn’t keep her away from us, could you?”
Ecostress:
"Non," Ecostress says to Veggrek. Then to Teer, "Very well. Then I shall inform the others she is being looked after, and it is your business now."
Sors:
sors lightens up and rushes to where teer laid and goes to try and hug him
Lei:
lei looks to teer, somewhat relieved but also worried.
Sors:
she whisper to him lightly "thank you...and im sorry.."
Teer:
"It's alright. We'll figure it all out," he says gently.
Kiono:
Kiono tears herself from her staring to look at Teer in fear.
Lei:
"what is the procedure in oceanside for getting proper documentation for someone?" to ecostress
Veggrek:
Veggrek buries his face in his hands.
Sors:
She lets go and leans back into the sand
"Wait what?"
sors looks to renn
Lei:
"ah, do you already have some form of identification? i ran into problems with it last time we traveled, and it seems you are....well, if you are going to be....accompanying us after all...."
Sors:
"oh! i ah thought... no i dont!"
Ecostress:
Ecostress shrugs. "You can take her to the city hall, and request the proper paper work. I meanwhile, shall be enjoying the rest of my day in relaxation. This job was worth far more than I recieved." She takes another drag and turns. "Au revoir."
Sors:
"wait!"
"echostress!"
Ecostress:
"Hm?"
Sors:
"is there a way i can keep in contact with you or the group...? i mean if you want to.."
"you all were just so kind to me..."
Ecostress:
"Hm." Ecostress produces a card from a pocket inside her dress. "This is the blacksmith's information. I believe you should be able to reach him by phone."
Sors:
"ah! ok thank you!"
she quickly sneaks a hug in mostly just around her legs before joining the group again
Lei:
"do you work closely with prince haziz, by chance?" lei asks ecostress before she departs.
Ecostress:
"Yes, unfortunately."
Kiono:
Kiono looks back to Ecostress. She makes a mental note of that information.
Lei:
"maybe we....perhaps we will run into each other again." boy do i want to ask her about those arms. hold your tongue, lei. hold itttttt. but oh my gosh, they are so cool.
Ecostress:
"Perhaps indeed." She looks around the group appraisingly. "Do you all have some sort of... name? Purpose?"
Lei:
"uh....we're, um. The Kids?"
Ecostress:
She glances at Kiono, who has yet to say anything.
Lei:
is about to make herself facepalm
Ecostress:
"Ze kids?"
Veggrek:
“Of Belxari.” Veggrek adds.
Lei:
"We’re an adventuring group."
Ecostress:
"Ah, the Damsel. Of course."
Kiono:
Kiono's eyes widen at the eye contact. Takes a deep breath. Then hastily looks at her journal.
Lei:
"it was....pleasant to meet you. i think it would be appreciated if you called off any searches for sors, in case the wrong party hears of it."
Ecostress:
"Indeed. I would call them off anyway, so that they do not waste their time." Ecostress turns once more to leave. "I wish you all luck. Especially you, little cleric." She looks at Kiono one more time before she goes, and the ghost of a smirk crosses her face, before she heads down the beach.
Lei:
as soon as ecostress is out of earshot, lei's posture loosens and she whips around to look at teer like 'what the heck what the heck what the heck'
Sors:
sors waves happily
Teer:
Teer is still sitting on the ground. He holds up his hands placatingly.
"Um... none of you have to... Er. Like I said, I'll take responsibility."
Kiono:
Kiono risks glancing up again, perhaps seeing the tiefling's expression before she leaves. She looks at the ground, focusing hard on it before she curls up tightly around her papers.
Ephemera:
"Your responsibilities sort of are ours as well, Teer," Ephemera says calmly.
Veggrek:
“You’re not... forcing our hands, I don’t think.”
Ephemera:
"I think we had already decided that we were the best bet for keeping her safe. This just... confirms it, I suppose."
Sors:
"im truly sorry everyone that you feel that you have to take care of me.. i know its a situation you would all rather not be in.."
Teer:
"Taking care of you isn't the hard part. The worry is what happens if we fail," says Teer, standing up properly.
"We're going to protect you, Sors, but hopefully one day you won't need to be in danger at all."
Sors:
"thank you.."
shes claps her hands together and jumps up
"can we go swimming again?"
sors smiles wide
Lei:
"identification." lei says, looking to teer.
Teer:
"Sure. Maybe somebody here can teach you how to swim - Oh. Um, yes, we should get you some identification later. But not now," he adds.
Lei:
"unless it could be used to track her somehow?"
Teer:
"Right now we are at the beach."
"I doubt it could be used to track her very quickly, given how fast we move around."
Ephemera:
"We do tend to have a few places we go consistently, though. They could set up a trap for when we return to Kiono's home or the Burnetts."
Teer:
"Alright, so... no identification, then."
Ephemera:
"Or... perhaps under a different name."
Lei:
"or we acquire a fake one, or smuggle her in when necessary."
Ephemera:
".....would it be worth perhaps registering her with the Adventurer's League?"
Sors:
"ouh!!"
"can i come up with it?"
Teer:
"We all have badges, we might as well set her up in the Adventurer's League." Teer pauses. "With a fake name."
He looks at Sors. "Yes."
Sors:
sors jumps happily then does a thinking face
"do i need a last name?"
Teer:
"Er, no, not everyone has one."
Ephemera:
"...do children even need identification? Can't we just tell everyone that we found this small child and are on our way to taking her home?"
Lei:
"in wolis? that may not go well."
Sors:
"arko teersh!"
Teer:
"Arko what?"
Sors:
"teersh! its like your name"
"i hope thats ok..?"
Ephemera:
"Arko T-shirt," Ephemera confirms.
Sors:
"hmm"
"or akro teer!"
Teer:
"Acrotier?"
Lei:
secret spy name, lei stops short of saying to sors.
Sors:
"yeah! arko first name, teer last name!"
Teer:
"Oh dear," says Teer.
'How did this happen.'
Ephemera:
"Ah, perhaps it would be best if you didn't share a name with one of us, Sors."
Teer:
"Um... yes, she may be right."
Ephemera:
"Nox knows who we are. If he sees Teer's name, he'll know something is going on."
Sors:
"hmm ok!"
Ephemera:
"Frankly, having her name next to ours is just as dangerous as having her real name on the paperwork now that I think about it more."
Sors:
"arko exitium?"
Lei:
"being with us is just as dangerous."
Teer:
"What if we talk about this - later," says Teer.
"And for now, we enjoy the day."
Ephemera:
"We'll probably just... go without paperwork and if we get in trouble, explain that we just found an orphan... Adventurers do that all the time, right?"
"But yes, enjoy the day. Good idea."
Sors:
"ah..ok"
Teer:
"Um... Kiono?" ventures Teer.
Kiono:
Kiono hesitantly glances up at Teer, as though afraid of what he's about to say.
Teer:
"Could you... you like to swim, right? Would you be willing to show Sors how?" He brushes some sand off the tiny tiefling's floaty.
Kiono:
She looks at Sors, then at Teer, then at the sand somewhere near her lap. "Alright," she sighs softly, straightening her papers and closing them carefully in her journal.
"In five minutes," she says after stowing her belongings back in her bag.
Teer:
"Er, that's fine. Are you casting a spell? That seems like a spellcasting sort of time."
Kiono:
"Yes," she says simply, pulling a piece of straw out of one of her pouches.
And Kiono sets about ritual casting Water Breathing.
Teer:
"Right. That's fine. You don't have to tell me what it is I guess." Teer lays down on the ground again, his back to the sand.
Lei:
lei has plopped down in the sand not too far off, arms outstretched, face down.
Kiono:
After five minutes of work, she stands up and shrugs at the group. "You can all breath under water now." Quieter, she says, "It seemed a waste to just cast it on her."
Sors:
sors smiles and wiggles into her floaty and arm floats
Teer:
"Thank you, Kiono." Teer says warmly.
Kiono:
Kiono glances at Teer, then back at the sand, biting her lip. She hesitates a moment, then nods at him. She turns toward the ocean and waves toward Sors. "Let's go," she says softly.
And then remembers Sors doesn't really know where they're going, and sighs as she turns back to attempt to steer the child toward the ocean.
Sors:
sors smiles wide and lets herself be guided
"thanks kiono!"
Kiono:
"Mhm," Kiono intones. "Let's just... get you taught."
Sors:
"yeah!"
Veggrek:
“I’m gonna walk into the ocean.” Veggrek announces, already in the process of doing that.
Sors:
"can we do that later kiono?"
Kiono:
"No, I'm supposed to teach you to swim."
Sors:
"ok!"
Sors:
sors jumps a little at the water touching her toes
Ephemera:
Ephemera shouts after Veggrek, before he gets too far, "Don't get lost!"
Veggrek:
“I won’t!”
Teer:
Teer watches Veggrek go, with some concern, before laying his head back down on the sand.
Teer:
"This is fine." He reaches over and wraps a hand around the halberd, but doesn't say anything.
Kiono:
Kiono shoves Sors farther out into the water until it comes to about Sors' chest. She then proceeds to, perhaps badly, teach Sors how to swim. It probably consists of insisting she remove the floatation rings and instructing her on body movements necessary to doggy paddle.
Sors:
sors gets rid of the akaros floaty for better movement and keeps the arm floatys
Kiono:
[Kiono rolls an 18 to teach Sors how to doggy paddle.]
Sors:
sors picks it up easily enough and even trys for a bit without her floatys. she smiles at kiono "i did it!"
"kiono i did it!"
Kiono:
Kiono, finding herself holding all of these floaties, has sunk into the water, using the floaties as a sort of arm rest to keep her head above the water. Not entirely insincerely she says, "Good for you."
Sors:
sors smiles reaching for the akaros floaty
Kiono:
Kiono hands it back, along with the arm floaties if she still has those.
"I've taught you how to swim. Is that enough?"
Sors:
shell take them "can we go out just a little further?"
Kiono:
Kiono opens her mouth, then closes it. With a sigh of resignation she says, "Yeah. This way." And she rotates Sors so that she is pointed away from shore.
Sors:
sors paddles a bit along happily
"hey kiono?"
Kiono:
"What?" She is trailing behind Sors, just close enough to be considered watching this kid.
Sors:
"can you tell me what you look like..?"
Kiono:
She isn't watching this kid. She's watching the water. "My appearance isn't particularly relevant. 'My hair is the color of brass' doesn't mean anything if you don't know what brass looks like."
Sors:
"brass is a type of metal right?"
Kiono:
"Yes."
Sors:
"i.. can sort of understand? it makes a different sound then other types of metal.. the feeling is different too"
Kiono:
"I guess. My hair isn't metal though. It just sort of looks like it."
Sors:
"thats cool!!"
Kiono:
"I... I guess."
Sors:
"um...can i uh feel your hair?"
shes super shy about this her face turning beat red
Kiono:
Kiono gives her a look like, What the heck? "I... I suppose...?"
She takes the few big steps necessary to reach Sors. After a moment's hesitation she sinks into the water so her head is just above the surface, within Sors' reach.
Sors:
sors reaches out and gently holds the strands of hair
"touching something helps me get an idea of what i could be seeing"
"your hair is short... little dry and you have a braid?"
she moves her hands carefully around kionos hair
Kiono:
Kiono shivers a little, the sensation somehow surprising. She gives a small nod. Quietly she says, "It... it used to be longer. Some... things happened to it so it's short now."
Sors:
"do you like it shorter?"
Kiono:
She shakes her head. She doesn't trust herself to answer that question without crying.
Sors:
sors lets go of her hair and gently pats her head "if you like it short then i like it, if you like it long then growing will only take so long!"
Kiono:
Kiono lets herself float away from Sors. "It'll take a while," she confirms softly, sadly.
Sors:
"a while isnt so long when you dont count the days between!"
"though the best thing about hair, it always comes back and stronger!"
"though i wouldnt really understand as i cant count on my appearance or know what changes with time.. all i know is my horns a way to drive people away"
Kiono:
"It doesn't take much to drive people away," Kiono mutters at the water.
"People are fickle and shallow."
Sors:
"unfortunately" shes kicks the water beneath her floating forward or where she is directed
"on another topic!"
"how big are your eyes?"
"do you have two or more?"
Kiono:
Kiono stares at Sors.
"T-two? They're... normal sized?"
Sors:
"normal sized?"
"like a walnut?"
Kiono:
"I.. I suppose? I... haven't... had need to measure my... my eyes..."
Sors:
sors giggles "if i had eyes i want them to be big! so i can see everything!"
Kiono:
"I... don't think that... eye size matters for eyesight..."
Sors:
"no?"
"even if i had really big ones?"
"couldnt i see more?"
Kiono:
"I... maybe? I don't... Are you ready to go back to shore? Teer and the others—" She turns to look back at the shore and sees that Teer and Lei have wandered off. She is alone with a small child. "Oh, they... they're somewhere... else right now..."
Sors:
"oh?"
"we can go back if you want"
Kiono:
"No, it's.... It's fine." She sinks back into the water. There's nobody available to dump the child on. At least she's in water, and that's nice.
Sors:
sors leans on her floaty
"since we are here what do you do?"
Kiono:
She makes a face, confusion, offense. "What do you mean?"
Sors:
"like uh do you punch stuff or do magic?"
"i didnt think to ask the others because we were always on the go without a break to talk"
Kiono:
"I... do magic. That's... that's how I cast the spell to... let you breath under water..."
Sors:
"oh yeah!"
"do you have a god that gives you the magic?"
Kiono:
"No, I learned it myself," she says somewhat harshly, defensive.
She sinks lower in the water, pouty.
Sors:
"what! thats so cool!!"
"i couldnt do that, it sounds hard and taking a lot of skill"
Kiono:
Kiono eyes Sors, expecting sarcasm or blatant lies to become evident. She's being mocked, right?
But no, it is a small child who is impressed. She nods. "It... I've be... working on it my... whole life," she blubs.
Sors:
"your whole life??"
"oh my gods i couldnt think of doing that"
"Thats so cool , you must be liike crazy powerful!"
Kiono:
"No, I... I'm not..."
Sors:
"i don believe you, someone working that hard is going to be good"
"because they worked hard to do something important!"
"you have more dedication then others"
Kiono:
"I... I d— I guess..." I didn't have a choice in the matter, she doesn't say.
Sors:
sors smiles wide and paddles a bit
Kiono:
"How can you stand to have to rely on someone else for your magic?" Kiono asks abruptly after several moments.
"Especially someone who is relying on someone else to even exist right now."
Sors:
sors tips her head curiously "hm? oh, cuz i trust the one that gave it to me..."
"hm, i think its because i dont expect anything from it? i was just given this power and its helped me hurt the people that hurt me.."
"i.. dont really have much of anything other then this magic, and if hes still able to let me be his cleric even in the state hes in, he has to trust me to some extent..."
"does that make sense..? im not really good with words.."
Kiono:
"He didn't even know you existed," Kiono points out.
Sors:
"maybe, but he does now and he hasnt taken anything away"
Kiono:
"He's the god of destruction. Nothing is more destructive than an unattended child with magic." She sounds bitter.
Sors:
"maybe, but i get to use my magic for what i see fit and yes i may be a child but i also know right from wrong, in the sense i dont hurt people without purpose or destroy something"
Kiono:
"Nobody knows right from wrong. Not really." She looks out over the water, the sunlight glinting off it and causing her to squint her eyes shut, momentarily blinded. "They just do what they want and claim that it's the right thing."
Sors:
"but isnt it the right thing what the person perceives then?"
Kiono:
"What's right for some people isn't for others. It can't be subjective like that."
"Otherwise there can't be proper justice and everything we work for is futility."
Sors:
"justice a imbalanced scale that favour those who dont deserve it"
sors mouth turns a bit downward
Kiono:
Kiono has stood up and is glaring in the general direction of the light on the water, as though her glare will make the light stop burning. "There's only one way to ensure the wrong are delivered justice," she mutters. She grabs the floatation ring and starts dragging Sors back toward shore. "I have work I need to do. I can't be wasting my time like this."
Sors:
sors lets her "its by doing it ourselves, and thats why im prepared for the worst"
she answers quietly
Kiono:
Kiono's movement slows, surprised by the sentiment. She looks at Sors a moment before continuing toward shore, a little less forcefully. "We must indeed," she whispers, more to herself than Sors.
Sors:
when they reach shore sors walks and start to slow both of their pace "kiono...theres bad people out there..they have to be punished.. i want to be the one that does it"
she grips the floaty and looks to the ground, she looks upset but not sad upset, she more so look angry
she quickly realizes where shes at and relaxes and lets go of the floaty "Ah! sorry, i shouldnt talk of such things..um we can wait for the others to come back"
Kiono:
Kiono looks at Sors for a long moment in silence. "The people who took you, Nox's followers, is that who you mean?"
Sors:
her happy go lucky smile fades a bit and she nods
Kiono:
She nods. "Perhaps you will. What if someone gets to them before you?"
Sors:
"followers dont stop when the main source is gone"
"there will always be someone"
Kiono:
A sly smile plays on Kiono's lips. "Perhaps. Shouldn't you just want justice, no matter who enacts it? Or are you a revenge person?"
Sors:
"i cant be both?"
Kiono:
Kiono shrugs. "Life is full of disappointment. You can't count on revenge if justice is dealt without you."
Sors:
“then what would you do?”
Kiono:
"I'm not seeking revenge, only justice."
Sors:
“isn’t it both when you look at it?”
“i’m doing it for me but for the others that have suffered or who will”
Kiono:
"Can you enact revenge upon someone who hasn't hurt you?"
Sors:
“i can if i know that they will hurt someone next”
Kiono:
She shakes her head. "That's not revenge. That's... protecting people, I guess."
Sors:
“then is it still bad?”
Kiono:
"Is what bad?"
Sors:
“for me to want to do all of that?”
Kiono:
"I never said it was."
Sors:
“oh”
“i’m sorry i assumed”
Kiono:
Kiono shrugs. "I was just warning you to not put all of your hopes on revenge when there is the risk of justice coming from another's hand."
Sors:
“i understand”
Kiono:
Kiono nods. Her work here is done. She turns back toward the group's things are, then stops and looks back at Sors. "I don't suppose you know Prestidigitation? I'm too wet to touch my papers without destroying them."
Sors:
“i don’t, sorry.. uh i think teer got me a towel though”
Kiono:
"It's okay." Kiono shrugs and trudges back to their spot on the beach. Sand is hard to walk through, and when it's sticking to your feet, it's even worse.
She sits heavily near her things, careful to not get sand on them.
Sors:
sors takes a bit to wander to where everyone’s stuff is
she feels how messy and tangled her hair is and tries to pull it out of her face or do something
Kiono:
Kiono shakes her hands, trying to dry them. She quickly realizes this is a useless endeavor, as her clothing is also soaked and won't be dry enough to work anytime soon. Resting her elbows on her knees, she buries her face in her hands and just sits there silently.
Sors:
“uh..kiono... can you help me?”
Kiono:
Kiono slowly peaks through her fingers, then sighs and drags her hands the rest of the way down her face. "Yeah, fine," she mutters. She gets on her knees and shuffles over to Sors.
She plops down in front of the girl and examines the mess before setting to work disentangling knots and putting it in a more manageable arrangement. How did she get her hair so messed up?
Sors:
sors hums and leans her head back
“i should probably cut it”
“or learn how to keep out of my face”
Kiono:
Kiono eyes the bow on the back of Sors' head. Is it a clip or ribbon or?
Sors:
[ribbon]
Kiono:
"Why not use your ribbon to tie it back?" She asks like this is the obvious solution, why weren't you doing this already.
Sors:
“oh that’s a good idea, tho i always miss half of my hair whenever i try to tie it up and out of my face”
Kiono:
"Then cutting it is probably the better option," she says, tugging at a particularly ridiculous clump of hair.
Sors:
"mm maybe"
Kiono:
She reaches a point where she isn't sure she can do more to unclump Sors' hair. She sits back on her heels and considers, then tugs at the ribbon until it's loose in her hands.
She quickly ties it around the bulk of Sors' hair, forming a ponytail at the base of her neck.
Sors:
"oh! so light"
"feels nice, thank you"
Kiono:
Kiono is silent a moment. "Y-yeah..." She looks around for something to do, a way to change the topic.
Sors:
"whats it look like right now?"
"the beach?"
Kiono:
"It... it looks like a beach. People and sand and water," she mutters.
Sors:
"is it dark out?"
"whats the people look like?"
"what are they doing?"
Frickle:
Kiono rolls her eyes, stands, and plops back in her previous seat. "No, like people, and they're doing... beach things, I guess."
She really needs to learn Prestidigitation.
Sors:
"what kind of beach things kiono?"
Kiono:
"I don't know, just... Beach things. Playing. Swimming."
Sors:
"anyone making sand castles?"
Kiono:
"Yes," she says without checking.
Sors:
"could you help me make one?"
Kiono:
"I don't know how to make one." She is only half-lying this time.
Sors:
"we can try to make one together? im pretty sure teer left the bucket!"
Kiono:
Kiono groans quietly into her palms. "Fine. I'll... get water..." She finds the aforementioned bucket and marches toward the waterline with it.