#lucierin

Riz returned to the Vengeance but not to sleep. There was a little space in the hold, a room built and carved with loving care and inside the instant calm of a trickling fountain, the tiny twinkling lights offering, at least at this hour, the dull glint like starlight over the myriad of plants surrounding his meditation mat. He remembered when he first found the place; the little garden Saeris had built as a winter veil present. His heart still skipped a beat and made him blush, thinking about the fact that the salty sea captain with all his ‘fuckin fuck you’s’ also secretly talked to plants like tender tiny children.

He stood on one hand, doing the splits in the air until each foot bent down nearly to rest on the floor on either side of him. With his free hand he reached for a large marble ball and while holding his position, but for a few flicks and twists here and there, he managed to toss the heavy ball from hand to foot, then rolled to the opposite knee and again lofted airborne while he switched his weight from one hand to the other and caught it again. Then he started the whole exercise again, but in reverse. Back and forth. Balance.

He replayed the argument with Mavas in his head. All of it. The spoken and unspoken, more importantly the things left unsaid and the bond the two shared. He wasn’t sure he would ever like the other man, nor the reverse, but there was something about having him near that both put Riz on edge and felt comforted by. He had reminded Riz that night exactly how rusty he was letting himself again. In a way, Mavas was trying to protect the contortionist from the danger they both face: complacency.

No, perhaps not rusty... his skills were sharp, as the ball dancing with each toss in the air proved, the man could bend his body by each twitch of a muscles into any shape he needed. It was true he had few opponents to really push himself against but he was still deadly. He was still skilled and perhaps stronger in a real one on one fight than he had ever been, but each step away from being a killing machine and a step towards being a person took sacrifices. He had to find balance.

That night there was a new feeling for him. One he had not been acquainted with over the years, and one that was painfully obvious during the harsh words against Mavas. He was not arguing with a fellow operative, not really. Mavas might have been the one he exchanged words with but his real battle was with his place in the world. Perhaps the conversation would have gone much differently if Kurel had not be there to listen and comment. Then it would have just been once again Shades of darkness trying to break the Reed as it had always been. The audience shined a harsh light that Rizzy was facing this new emotion head on and not his rival. In that dilapidated old shack, Rizzy stared down his own ambition.

It was a good battle, but the war was far from over. He found a line he would not cross. One he nearly threatened out loud, but more importantly internalized. He also found the grin on Kurel’s face as negotiation and debate happened without the man’s authority being required... rewarding. Yet the scrutiny of both men and the challenges they presented, Riz was no longer arguing for the moment he was subtly arguing proof as a man who could follow orders, protect his charges, and perhaps even lead properly on his own someday, not through a puppeted figure head.

Ambition. Balance. ...Patience.

That was the thing he still needed. Patience. This new life required many new skills, and while patience had formerly been his strong suit it was now at risk of being pulled from him by the demands of may voices. He lifted one leg and balanced the marble on the ball of his foot. Remaining there, unmoving until Lucierin’s damned rooster crowed out the new morning. Time to pick himself up from the mat and wrestle with the needs of the many another day.

Maybe General Cero, and Vel were right and he was made to do great things. Maybe Kurel and Saeris were right and he could handle the word he still couldn’t stand to say aloud. In the end, there was really only one way to find out; get back to work.

“When did you start wearing glasses?”

“It helps to see, and I’m not as perfect as I once was,” Mira shrugged as she looked over the dark-haired woman sitting on the examination table, “Well, it seems that you’re in good physical health,” she said as she made a few notes, “I don’t think we can expect differently from phoenixes, but… it is nice to ensure that every now and then. Did you have any other concerns?”

The sirens at least didn't kill her, they didn't even attempt to attack the bird that flew their lost child near their shore. Lucierin stayed a moment in that form, ensuring that this group were safe and that they didn't attempt to call any sailors near before she took flight again. Her ship was gone, her crew had long went to shore. What to do, where to go? Luce closed her eyes, followed the wind and flew away from the sun as her form shrunk to a smaller bird, one that may not be noticed. Granted... magpies were not birds normally seen near open water. She doubted that anyone would pay close enough attention. 

There was the familiar pull from her bond with Kit, but the other was sleeping, had been for some time, and Luce saw no reason to wake her so long as she kept far from the Nightmare that plagued them both. Memories that she had once tried so hard to forget clawed their way to the surface, and she flapped her wings, putting a burst of speed between herself and them, they weren't hers, they never were hers. Yet she refused to give them back to the child they did belong to, Kit did not deserve what was in them. That jar of black feathers was sealed somewhere at the bottom of the ocean now... she hoped that it would remain lost. There would be more... many more until the curse was done, the Nightmare truly gone. She could smell a shore nearby. Other birds were calling towards her, and she turned course and followed their directions to make landfall. The elf stepped out beneath a tree, frowning at the fields below, reaching up to her dark hair to pull out a black feather, burning it into ash instead of trying to seal it away.

She took a deep breath, she'd have to contact someone eventually, and she took a moment to gather her bearings, then turned back to bird, calling out for directions and then changing her heading. Home was not a luxury they had just yet. Perhaps one day they could stop their hopeless wandering. Until then, she hoped that Kit slept peacefully.

I missed Luce’s birthday O_O It was September 22nd. But here, have what she’s up to!

From the Serpent’s Kiss Prompt:  “What drew your character to the sea in the first place? Furthermore, what brought them to their ship?”

"Come on Lucy!" Kit yelled, "It's going to be so much fun," she pulled down her goggles, "Ready..."

"Set..." Lucierin chirped as she folded her wings. "GO!" both yelled as Kit hung onto the saddle and Lucierin fell off the cliff runway and dove to the waters below, flinging open her wings a second before they hit the ocean and then soared across the surface for a few moments before she flapped them and they rose up to the air. Kit grinned as she started to stand when they got altitude, holding on to the tether tied to the saddle, then... She flew down from Lucierin to the kor'kron raider before, using her pole-arm to knock him from his wyvren and then bounced to the next one as the phoenix used her talons and beak to take care of the leader of this squadron, then used the tether to fall again, diving with Lucierin to the waters below and grabbing onto the saddle right before they hit. They never would hit. Lucierin was too good, her wings always came out just as Kit grabbed the saddle and they rose back to the air. She hadn't looked at that saddle in a few years. It was one of the things she had stuffed in the closet at her father's house, and since she never was there, she had no reason to look. Besides, there was no use for it anymore, there was no reason to fly to war. Both of them were at sea, on mostly peaceful missions. We used to fly just for fun too... diving down until the last second. Stupid kids... what if the wings came out too late... They never did. She brushed her hair from her eyes, glancing up at the stars from where she sat on the rigging. Those were her first real memories... aside from the Nightmare... Everything before that were implanted images, Kit's life channeled to her when she was in the egg. Why did you create me Father? And why so well? Kit was crying in her sleep again, and Lucierin frowned at the tug in her chest, connected to the heart in the monk's, She'll never tell anyone about the new nightmares, she won't worry anyone. Idiot. Should she? She thought about the vial of blackened feathers on her desk and snorted. I'm an idiot too. The Captain took out her pan flute and started to play, feeling the heart across the sea start to ease and Kit fall into a more restful slumber. Lucierin looked up at the stars again. I should get that saddle back. Ellyri might want to fly. @generalcero @arcanistchi

It was a simple question with a simple answer. Lucierin didn't care for anything about Vel being given her soul back, or demons or any of that extra crap. All she wanted to know was whether or not the woman that Vel saw as her mother ever loved her. Yes or no. "Things aren't that simple." Lucierin growled at the memory of what the death knight had said to her. Bullshit. You're just someone who took things for granted until you died, then everything turned sour. Ava's explanation for what she did still lay heavily at the pit of her stomach, "Our affections..." Vel was her little pet. To her, she was nothing better than a little puppy or a snake or a b... Or a bird. Lucierin screamed as she stabbed the training dummy in her room, fully ready to admit that if Darnath hadn't kicked Ava off the cliff, that she'd have attacked the woman herself. Father and Uncle may have been worried about the organization's reputation, about what to do if Ava wanted retaliation. She never gave a crap for any of that. Yes or no. Do you love her? "Things aren't that simple." Theravir was able to answer for Sunny and Luna... she didn't ask Cero his answer for Kit. And as far as demons go, if someone asked that of Mira about Leona or Serene. Alright, so some parents don't get a choice. The ones who do though... No wonder Mira dislikes Ava. She knew long before any of us, didn't she? Lucierin stopped, putting her knives away and looking over the damage she did to the dummy, a small part numbly telling her that she probably should make a new one. No. Things weren't simple. Her little love life was testament to that much, Kit's was an even worse witness. When it came to love things were never simple. Memories not hers only worked to prove this. Did she love Ellyri? She wanted to. Oh dear gods, she hoped that she could. But there was a difference between that and between Ava and Vel... or Mira and Leona... or Cero and Kit. Between love shared between two people and love shared between a parent and a child.  Why didn't I ask Father? A simple question. Yes or no. Do you love her?

Captain Lucierin Kaela Featherblood had... well she had several vices, but she had one rather large one that would have caused tragedy long ago had she not set up some very simple rules for herself. One. Never bet the Kiss. Two. Most crewmembers are off-bets too. And Three. Know when to walk away from the table. One and Two were easy to follow. She liked the ship and most of her crew way too much. Number three... "All expenses paid..." she frowned, then crossed her arms, "Explain yourself." The goblin winced, then winked at her, "Ah! Thought you'd be that shrewd. I mean, the room, the spa, the hot springs, food, though you've gotta pay for the drinking you do." "And it's a reputable resort?" Lucierin paused, then glanced behind her, "Rubes, get me the dirt... all of it." It was a pretty sizable pile of loot in front of her, she had been on a winning streak tonight, and between her and her salespriestess/cannoneer, the cartel might just be broke. So it was fair to let the house try and get it's money back. Rubiaura twirled her halo as a form of salute and slipped away, and Lucierin turned to the man she was playing the dice game with and leaned back in her chair, "Say I want in, how much would I be betting?" His eyes glanced over the pile of gold in front of her and she raised an eyebrow, "A minimum bet for such an extravagant..." "All of it, right? I lose the next roll, me and mine are kicked out until we go pilfer some poor sap's trove?" "It's a promotion! We just acquired this place and we need business there!" Rubes had come back by then and whispered to Luce, who blinked in surprise, "You sure?" The priestess crossed her heart, and the Captain shrugged, "Alright! All-inclusive romantic vacation coming right up," she pushed the gold forward and picked up the dice.