#trashmerc

Anju: Anju’s quick on her feet as she weaves through the night vendors of Lower Beryl. Her red cloak flows behind her, gleaming wet in the lantern light. She carries little with her aside from her wallet and the carefully copied map that is stowed away in the bosom of her shirt. 

She's meant to meet Vikata at the lion statue near Vegoia’s abandoned flower shop. Unsure if he will recognize her for who she is, she had taken the time to search for his reflection before she signed off tumblr. Insectoid with teeth and a shaggy mop of hair. He  would smell of cemetery earth and the rot of flesh, she supposes. It seemed a sensible guess, given what he ate and where he lived. 

She jostles through the nocturnal crowd, thankful that the bazaar is busy tonight. It means no one will notice when they slip away together, down, down, down into the bowels of the city. Anju ducks left down an alley, emerging on a quieter side road. The lion statue looms in the distance, large and golden. Her eyes flick around as she approaches it, on the lookout for Vikata.

Vika: Vika had been to Lower Beryl a number of times and knew his way around  decently well at this point.  The lion statue was a landmark he was well familiar with.  He took his preferred route through the back alleys and darker streets, scavenging whatever might catch his eye as he went, and stashing it in the dirty leather sack he kept slung over a shoulder.  Pausing at the mouth of the last alley, he peered across toward the lion statue.  He wasn't entirely sure what sort of person he was looking for, but how many people would be hanging around the statue at night, really?  Adjusting his sack on his shoulder, he left the alley and loped across the open streets to the shadowy side of the statue to wait.  For him, waiting looked rather a lot like lurking.

Anju: Anju pauses in her advance, nose flaring as she watches a large figure dart towards the statue from the shadows. Whey they make no move to go further, she strides forward, doubtful that they could be anyone other than Vika. She's careful to make noise with her approach, hoping not to startle him with a sudden appearance.

"Good evening," she greets, once she's close enough. There's a roughness to her voice, as though she has not used it in several days. Anju lifts the hood of her cloak and stares up at Vika, thick brows furrowed while she scrutinizes him. "Sir Vikata, I presume? I am veintea from the mirror. You may call me Anju."

Vika: Vika peered down at the figure, looming unintentionally as he scratched at his bristly hair with a head-limb.  "Oh, hey...!  Um.  I dunno that I'm a sir, really....just Vikata's probably okay."  His massive maw split three ways in an expression which might have been intended as a smile, but came across more as a toothy grimace that most might find unsettling at best.  "It's really nice of you to come and show me around."  His voice had a crumbly, sandy sort of quality - rather dark and dank, and her predictions about his scent were spot-on.  "It's really nice meeting you..."  He paused a moment, working his two lower jaws against each other uncertainly, before sticking out a spindly, skeletal hand to shake.

Anju: She doesn't react to the smile or offer one of her own, though her expression softens into something less brooding. "A pleasure to meet you." She's delicate when she takes his hand, shaking it with a practiced sort of elegance. "Nonsense... It would be quite improper of me to refer to you in such a way. We know little of each other."

Anju releases Vika's hand in favor of withdrawing the map. She rolls it out against the side of the statue's base and beckons him to peer at it with her. "Tonight, we shall venture here: The Onyx Boneyard." Her finger slides over a cavern that offshoots from Blood Stone proper. She glances up at him briefly before continuing. "It is a popular location amongst criminals. They often dispose of their undesirables there. It is intimate in its privacy; no one shall give you a sideways glance, should you venture there to eat."

She wraps up the map and hands it to Vika, already sauntering off towards an alley to the right of the abandoned flower shop. "I am well-aware of the way, thus I advise you to read the map as we journey onwards and make note of landmarks that shall help you in your journey."

Vika: While Vika seemed somewhat unsure about her formal demeanor, he did his best to go with it.  He loomed behind her to look over the map as she spread it out, making note of the locations she pointed out.

"So what...the Boneyard is like....a graveyard for bodies people won't miss?"  He took the map, stashing it in his ragged robes as he matched her pace, loping along behind her toward the alley.

Anju: "Indeed. Only those forsaken by the world are laid to rest there..." Anju comes to a pause at the back entrance of the flower shop. She peers through a cracked window, assessing whether it's safe to go in. When nothing seems amiss, she budges the old wooden door open with her shoulder, slipping inside the decrepit store. "Mind your head" she murmurs, "This establishment was not made in mind for those of your stature." She shuts the door behind him  , taking one last glance outside to ensure that they aren't being followed.

Vika: Vika ducked in after her, having to stoop low under the doorframe.  Despite his size, he seemed to be a natural at this skulking business, able to blend into shadows and move fairly silently.  He glanced around, picking up on her caution, and staying quiet as he followed her lead.

Anju: Satisfied, Anju picks her way through the debris, her fingers catching on Vika's garments as she leads him towards an innocuous closet. She pushes aside old floral supplies, clearing the way to reveal a trapdoor.  "This is one of many entrances to Blood Stone. I have marked others on the map as well. In my experience, this particular road is less traveled... I suppose it is due to the winding nature of the descent."

The rusted hinges give a creak as the trapdoor is opened. Gaping darkness stares back at them, and the distant drip of water on stone can be heard below. A ladder leads down into the cave, though it is difficult to tell how far down the floor below lies. "I must inquire towards the strength of your eyesight, Sir Vikata, as I myself am able to see through darkness quite well. Do you require a candle or spell of some sort? I am afraid I did not grab many supplies upon leaving my home."

Vika: Vika peered over Anju's shoulder and down the hole, seeming distracted for a moment. "Huh?  Oh um.  I'm fine in the dark.  Kinda a night person too...heh..."  He peered down the hole again, brow furrowed. "Is it uh....very....wet?  Down there?"

Anju: She gives a noncomittal shrug, beginning to descend to the path below. "It is a cave. Caves are usually wet in some fashion." She's surefooted as she climbs downwards, not needing to double-check whether her feet will meet soundly with the rungs below. "It is by no means equivalent to a bath, if that is what you are wondering." There's a note of amusement in her voice. And if one looked closely, they could see the ghost of a smile playing across her lips.

Vika: He laughed a little at that, though he still didn't sound entirely comfortable.   "Well, as long as it's not like a bath..."   Pulling his ragged hood over his head, he began to descend the ladder after her.  His long, spindly fingers and toes served him well, grasping the rungs with as sure a grip as she.  he looked very much like an oversized spider, all hairy limbs and elbows and knees as he climbed down.

Anju: At the pace they're going, it doesn't take them long to reach the floor below. Anju waits for Vika after she steps to the ground, then continues on once he is with her. "For reference, this particular pathway is marked intermittently with square, luminous stones." She points one out as they pass by it, and once more when they come across another. "Yet, I will advise you to stick close on this initial journey and keep me within eyesight at all times. It is quite easy to lose one's way among these caverns... It is important to remain cautious. The unknown lurks in every unmarked passage. Down here, you may never know whom or what you will meet." 

Vika: Vika nods, noting the stones.  He's at the very least attentive to his guide.  He shifted his leather sack on his shoulder again, adjusting it after the descent.  He stuck close, as instructed.  Aside from his concern over the damp, he seemed at home underground, falling into an easy lope behind her and shifting into a mode of watchful caution, eyeing side caverns and tunnels as they passed. "I didn't even know all this was down here....d'you come here a lot?"

Anju: She hums as they travel, a lilting tune with the occasional nonsensical lyric thrown in. "They say that these paths are left from the Kvendi ancestors that founded the city. Over time, others made use of them and adapted the caverns to suit their needs. Blood Stone is a place of secrets... a desirable location for those that wish to hide their deeds from the world above."

When the first fork in the path appears, she leads Vika down the passage to the right. There's a light in the distance and the cacophony of people can be heard faintly. "At one time, yes. In recent times, no. My current employer has done well to keep me fed, thus I have little reason to venture here beyond the occasional assignment."

Vika: Vika listens to her humming, then looks off across the cavern toward the distant light.  He rubs at his bristly hair with a head-limb, ruefully. "I never thought I did things I'd have to keep secret....but I guess I didn't have anybody around to tell me if I did or not..." He kept close, following her lead and making note of the luminous stones as they passed. "You got a nice voice..."  He adds this quietly, not wanting to interrupt her humming further.

Anju: "In truth, it would be accurate to call Aventurine a place of secrets as well. Blood Stone simply conceals those of a darker nature. Anarchist plottings, illegal magics, the exchange of hallucinogenic powders and potions... It is considered the underbelly of the city for good reason."

The compliment catches her off-guard, enough for her face to flush with an embarrassed sort of pride. "I am... thankful for the sentiment... It is appreciated." She's self-conscious now, enough to cease her humming entirely as they draw closer to the light.

Anju signals Vika to halt behind her once they're at the end of the passageway.  They are about to enter a market much busier than the one they had left behind with a worse reputation to its name. She bites into the fat of her palm, fanged teeth piercing skin and quickly drawing blood. A dagger forms in her hand, crystalline red and sharp. She conceals it within her cloak to keep from drawing attention. "From here on out we must tread carefully. Do not look anyone in the eye. Do not converse with anyone aside from myself. One wrong move could result in peril."

Vika: Vika pauses behind her, peering out over her head at the bustling marketplace.  Never having gone to the upper marketplaces during their busiest times, he's rather taken aback by the number of people moving about.  Daunted, he tugs his ragged hood a bit further forward, shadowing his face and tucking his head-limbs in alongside his head.His posture changes - less of an easy slouch, and more of a tense and ready one

It's clear he's had to defend himself in the past, and he's ready to do so again, if need be.  He gives her a small nod of acknowledgement to her warnings, ready to follow her into the crowd.

Anju: She keeps them on the fringes of the market, skirting the packed rows of stalls and the rough individuals that peruse them. Sellers bark at them when they move past, attempting to seduce the pair into staying awhile and buying goods neither needed. Anju is resolute in ignoring their offers and does not react when they spit and curse at the lack of interest. She looks back at Vika to see how he's faring, nearly bumping into a well-built minotaur before whirling aside at the last minute.

Vika:  Vika is not so steadfast - this is far FAR more people than he's accustomed to.  The further they wade into the crowd, the more his shoulders creep upwards and his head ducks down, hiding in the shadows of his hood and trying to appear smaller than he is.  Despite his tension, he manages to stick close, though the crowd jostles his larger frame and he looms over most of the other marketgoers.

Anju: A withered crone reaches out, knobby fingers catching one of Vika's arm. Her skin feels worn, like aged leather, but the grip she has on him is tight. "Boy. Boy, look here. Won't you come into my tent and spend a while?" She gestures towards the frayed construction behind her, attempting to yank Vika closer to it. "I can tell you things, boy, if you will let me. My crystal ball knows all. Your future will unfold before your very eyes. Love, life, fortune. You will know more than you could dream of after I have revealed what lies ahead." She's insistent on getting him into the tent, ruthless in her sales pitch.

Anju watches the exchange warily a small distance away, measuring whether she needs to step in.

Vika: Vika freezes as a hand catches his arm in a vicelike grip.  He glances over at the old woman, testing her grip with a little tug. "Lady...leggo my arm, lady."  He tugs against her grip again, more insistently, only to have her yank on his arm.  "I don't wanna know the future...lemme 'lone..." When she again ignores his efforts to disengage, he snarls, his face splitting three ways and baring his many rows of huge, sharp teeth.  He rears back and makes a fast, snakelike snap at her hand, attempting less to bite and more to startle her into loosing her grip.

Anju: The old woman shrieks at the display, scrambling backwards to get away. She crashes into the side of her tent and the whole structure falls down, revealing several thugs that had been in hiding. They look too confused to draw the blades that are at their sides, thrown out of sorts at the unexpected development. Their appearance has Anju backtracking fast, her face twisted into a snarl. "Slavers," she hisses as she tugs at Vikata, attempting to pull him away from the spot. "We must leave. Now."

Vika: Still bristling and tense, Vika doesn't at first recognize Anju as she tugs on him.  He rounds on her, rattling his lower jaws together, before the familiar red of her cloak registers.  He glances back at the slavers, snarling again before hastening after Anju at her urging.

Anju: Anju snaps back at him, instincts driving her to retaliate instead of recoil. Her lips are pulled back, revealing the needle-sharp points of her teeth. Her growling lessens in ferocity when he recognizes her, lowering to a rumble as they make their escape. Anju's cloak shifts while they run, drawing up to sit atop her head as a jaunted beret. She can't do anything about the cap's color; it is a part of her, the trademark of her redcap ancestry. But at the very least she can lower its visibility and keep the slavers from honing in on the ichor red.

She glances behind them every so often to make sure they aren't being followed. It looks as though the crowd has swallowed them up, sheltering them from possible pursuers. Anju pulls Vika off to the side after they're some distance away, turning down a dark passage that sits next to a tree trunk-thick stalagmite. She takes a deep breath as she collects herself, her dagger gripped tightly in her hand.

Vika: Vika ducks down low as they run, back arched and longer forelimbs assisting his movement.  His altered posture adds to his speed and disguises his height in the shifting crowd.  He keeps pace with Anju easily, moving as though burrowing through the crowd.  He snakes after Anju as she turns down the side passage, before drawing upright again once out of sight of the marketplace.

His maw twists into an ugly grimace as he glances over his shoulder, catching his breath. "They're lucky they still got all their limbs..."  He snarls back toward the markeplace, pushing a head-limb through his bristly hair. "You okay?  Sorry about....y'know....you just startled me..."  His feral manner slides away, replaced with an apologetic, almost sheepish expression.

Anju: When no one bursts into the corridor to attack them, she releases her dagger. It splats to the ground, losing its shape. Anju licks the palm of her hand to deal with the flow of blood, keeping any excess from sliding to the floor. "I am fine. You were in the moment, as was I." Her posture is still tense, but is not as aggressive as it had been a short while ago. "I do not believe you would have done me much harm. 'Tis true that you are much larger than I, yet that has not stopped me from mauling one of your size in the past."

Vika: Vika laughs a little - more of a quick exhale than a laugh, really. "Yeah well...I don't wanna have to fight you anyway -  you're nice."

Still tense himself, he doesn't let down his guard as he talks, scanning the surrounding passageway and it's exit back to the market.

After another quick glance around the area, he withdraws the map she had given him previously.  Clutching it in a two-clawed, spiderlike limb which emerges from his ragged drapery somewhere near his left shoulder, he unrolls it with a similar limb and looks it over.

"Does that kinda thing happen a lot here, or do I look that much like a target?"

Anju: She shakes here head, turning her attention to the dark path before them. She can't smell anything aside from the damp earth and Vika's natural odor. It seems as though they're alone for now. "You are quite wrong in that observation, for you lack the knowledge of who I am and what I have done. 'Nice,' is a descriptor that is far from the truth."

Anju brushes past him, beginning down the corridor. "In this place, your appearance is not one that would immediately draw attention. It is likely that she was drawn to your stature, in the hopes that it implied strength and durability. I was quite relieved to see you react so strongly... There would have been serious consequences otherwise."

"We are not far from our ultimate destination. This passage shall lead us directly to the boneyard."

Vika: Vika shrugged, an odd, undulating motion that moved down his body and encompassed several pairs of limbs.  "I dunno, you're being pretty nice to me, even after I upset you so much last night..." He looked down the passageway, rather relieved at the thought of not having to venture back out into the crowds.  "So is that the kinda thing I oughta do if people try'n mess with me down here?  Cause I mean...I can handle that."  He started off after her, easing back into his long-legged bipedal lope as he followed.

Anju: "I suppose it is more that I pity your circumstances... They are uncomfortable in their level of familiarity. Meddling in the lives of others is something I am adamant in avoiding, yet I feel too ill at ease to leave this matter be." Anju ducks past a low-hanging stalactite, continuing, "And in truth, I am hoping guiding you here will make up for my past actions. I would like to move forward and focus my attentions elsewhere."

She's slow to answer Vika's question, pondering an answer. "You cannot use one encounter as a frame of reference for every experience to follow. What works in one situation will not always aid you in another. You must think out every action whilst traveling through Blood Stone. Have a secondary plan at the ready; prepare for the worst. Brute force cannot help you in a battle of wits and vice versa."

Vika: "Oh...sorry.  I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything."  He frowned a little - an expression made rather gruesome by his countenance.  He cleared his throat a bit, considering his next words. "I uhm....appreciate your advice, and uh...showing me the way down here.  Don't feel like you owe me anything after this.  I don't wanna interfere in whatever else you got going on." He paused, considering again, before nodding to himself and deciding to hold his tongue, instead taking in the surroundings and making mental note of landmarks so he could find his way here again.

Anju: "It is not you specifically that brings me discomfort..." She's wearing a frown of her own as she sorts out her thoughts and how she wants to convey them. "It is... myself. And it is what lies in the past that causes me to feel this way." Her voice goes soft with the admission. Anju crosses her arms, fingers scratching at her sides. "There is nothing for you to interfere with; I lack goals and possess little obligations at this time. I simply do not consider myself pleasant company --for many a reason. I have limited my interactions as a result."

Vika: "I don't mind your company...I mean.  I'm not great with people really...but um.  I dunno.  I'm not great with words either..." He scratched his head with a head-limb, searching for the words.  "...but you're helping me out and it's nice talking to you....even if I kinda messed up at first..."   He trailed off, awkwardly. "I guess what I'm saying is I wouldn't mind talking with you more, if you wanted...even if it's just over the mirror and stuff..." He glanced over at her as though to gauge her reaction to this.

Anju: Others enjoying her company is something Anju still doesn't understand, not even after the few friendships she has managed to form since acquiring her mirror. Anju stares at the floor as thought it can explain the enigma and will slot everything neatly into place. It doesn't, of course, leaving her to turn her bewildered gaze onto Vika.

"I suppose... we can continue conversing in the future. And I suppose it would be alright to meet once more like this. I shall have to request that we rendezvous in the late afternoon or evening hours, however. The sun and I are often at odds with one another."

Vika: Vika fiddles with the edge of his bag as Anju's silence stretched on, with the look of someone going over every word he'd just said, searching for the place where he went wrong.  He looks up as she finally speaks, his face at first anxious, then spreading into a smile that many might find unsettling. "That'd be neat..!  And I don't like the sun, either...it's too bright and hot and it hurts my eyes.  I like nighttime much better."  He seemed sincere in his openness, keeping pace beside her now.  He peered ahead into the darkness. "I hope it's not too much longer 'til we get there....I'm getting really hungry."

Anju: She doesn't get to reply, their abrupt arrival at the boneyard speaks for her. The passage opens up into a cavern, where a ravine rips through the rocky floor like a jagged wound. A mixture of whole bodies and parts line the sides of the ravine, marking where criminals had dumped the dead without much thought. The freshness of the cadavers ranges from bone to slightly-decayed limb. It is a smorgasbord of food laid out like a buffet.

Anju settles herself on the ground, plucking a broken skull from the ground to inspect. "I myself do not require sustenance at this time. If you wish to eat your fill now, I shall wait for you."

Vika: Vika pulls up short, taking in the sight before him with wide eyes. "Oh...-wow-.  All of this is okay to eat?  It's not gonna upset anybody?"  Even as he says this, he's already striding forward, grabbing the nearest corpse and pulling off an arm.  He stuffs the limb into his open maw, not even bothering to chew before he gulps it down whole and raw like a lizard. He drags the rest of the corpse behind him, snacking as he gathers up a variety of less recognizeable and rotting morsels and stows them in his bag.

Anju: "If anything, the malefactors that frequent here would thank you. You do them the service of creating space for new corpses." Anju watches Vika eat with mild interest, curious towards his habits but trying to remain polite. "As I stated before, this is the largest boneyard in the area. Although it may suit your needs currently, it would be worth it to venture to the other locations and become familiar with them. It will prove fruitful if a food source is no longer a viable option."

Vika: Piece by piece, Vika devours the entire corpse, finishing it off just about the time his bag is filled.  "I'll check out the other ones too...wow, this is great!" Dropping his full sack next to a boulder, he plonks down on the ground next to another corpse, this one mostly intact and partially mummified. He sets into it eagerly, somehow still having room for more despite having just consumed far more than even one his size ought to be able to.

His manner of eating is messy and straightforward.  He tears limbs and large chunks off to swallow when able, and occassionally uses his teeth and lower jaw mandibles to separate larger bits into smaller mouthfuls. 'Small' for him seems a subjective term, as he appears able to gulp down entire limbs without any apparent effort.  His ability to devour and pack away so much so quickly is something to behold.

Anju: She stretches out and makes herself comfortable, leaning onto a nearby pile of bones. Anju had considered herself a sloppy eater, but it seemed she had nothing on Vika. She gave an amused snort, remember past complaints made by her family and wondering at the appalled expressions Vika's eating habits would've brought to their faces. Her attention turns to her mirror after a while, checking the passage of time. She lets Vika eat for as long as he wants to and seems content to peruse dreary blogs while she waits.

Vika: It's not until he's devoured two entire corpses and part of a third that Vika finally pauses.  He sits back on his haunches, gnawing on some unidentifiable bone contentedly for a moment, before shoving it down his bottomless gullet.  He gets to his feet, stretching a bit as he wipes his maw with a head-limb, before looking over to Anju.  He grins a satisfied sort of grin. "Wow you weren't kidding about this place, that was great..!  And I got enough to last a while too."  He hefts his bag back up on his shoulder, loping back over to where Anju had made herself comfortable. "Stuff down here tastes way different than the stuff you find out in the dunes."

Anju: She glances up when he approaches, eyebrows raised. "I take it that the fare here is more to your liking? I suppose there are more recent remains than one would find up above." She rises to her feet and stretches, catlike and fluid. Her joints pop as she sorts herself out and she gives a sigh once she feels a little more limber. "I believe it is time for us to head back. We have been out and about for some hours and I would like to return home before the sun creeps across the horizon. I do not wish to run into our slaver friends from before, thus we shall leave Blood Stone through a different route."

Vika: Vika nods, pulling his lips back to pick between his teeth with a ragged claw.  "Yeah, it's not as dry, and it's got a whole different flavor." He glances around the cavern a moment more, rolling his shoulder and adjusting the bulging sack on his back. "Kinda wanna avoid sunrise too...and the slavers."  He grimaces, showing teeth.  "Though still got room if anybody tries anything."  The grimace pulls into a grin as he pats his midsection. "Let's go."

Anju: Anju sets off the way they came after she's double-checked that she has all her belongings. The journey's quicker now that they both have an idea of where they're going. "I take it that means you could swallow another body down. The volume of sustenance you can consume is quite impressive. I almost find myself jealous of your ability." There's no one waiting around the entrance to marketplace. After a brief check, Anju surges forward, heading towards a naturally-formed staircase at the far end of the bazaar.

Vika: Vika laughs a little.  "Yeah, I always got room for more.  I don't think I've ever been all the way full."  He pauses at the marketplace entrance as well, making his own scan of the area before starting after her. Again he adopts a low, multilimbed stance, almost scuttling along the cavern floor, snaking between the various shady marketgoers as a serpent might move through sand.  He keeps the glistening red of her cap in sight, catching up with her despite his pause and keeping pace behind her.

Anju: The onset of the morning hours has thinned out the crowded marketplace, making it easier to navigate through the remaining people. The more dangerous folk have retired elsewhere, going into hiding to rest and bide their time until night falls again. They reach the staircase without any negative encounters. "This could be considered one of the main entrances into Blood Stone," Anju explains as they start the ascent upwards. "We will emerge near the docks in the private room of a bar --The Siren's Song. No one will question us as we exit..."

Vika: Vika favors her explanation with a brief nod of acknowledgement, heeding her previous warnings upon entering Blood Stone.  He pulls back upright as they reach the staircase, hefting his bag again and adjusting it to his different stance.  He glances back over his shoulder over the marketplace, then back at Anju. "Wait, the docks?  Like....on the ocean?"

Anju: "The establishment itself is not on the docks; it resides on the coast. Yet it is located near the shipyard and the sea. At most you will see the ocean. We will not be close enough to the water to risk becoming wet." At the top of the staircase is a queue of people, gathered underneath a trapdoor in the stone ceiling. Groups of threes and fours are allowed up the ladder into the bar above in intervals. Anju joins the line, waiting for their turn to exit upwards. "If this matter deeply troubles you, I shall permit you to take my arm or hand as we travel past."

Vika: "That's uh.  That's really nice of you...Thanks..." He joins her in line at the top of the stairs, fiddling with the edge of his bag, his brow crinkled up a bit in consternation.  He doesn't seem to have much else to say, perhaps metally preparing himself.

Anju: Their turn comes after several minutes pass. It's a short trip up the ladder and they're ushered out of the private room into the bar proper. Anju shuffles off to the side and prepares to go out, cap shifting once more into a cloak. Dawn is nearing. The dark sky is slowly but steadily edging into grey. "Are you ready?" she asks Vika, checking to see if he needs a little more time to steel himself.

Vika: Vika goes where he is ushered, sticking close to Anju.  As they reach the door, he takes a couple of deep breaths, clearing his throat once, then again.  He works his lower jaws together - you can almost see him bracing himself.  He nods. "I...yeah, I'm ready."

Anju: Anju slides her hand into his upon getting a whiff of his apprehension. She gives his hand a light squeeze in an attempt to reassure him. She has no idea what she's doing, simply echoing a gesture that she had once heard brought comfort. The docks have yet to waken, sailors still wrapped in a sleepy haze as they begin their morning tasks. True to her word, they're at a distance from the ocean and do not venture near it as they make the upward climb to Lower Beryl.

Vika: Vika clutches her hand as they exit.  He hazards one glance toward the sea, and hastily looks away, his grip tightening on her hand ever so slightly.  Adamantly, he keeps his gaze anywhere but the direction of the ocean, despite nearly stumbling into a passerby on his blind side. Only when the expanse of water is out of line of sight does he relax, chancing a quick glance in that direction to reassure himself.

Anju: She releases his hand when they're back in Lower Beryl, looking him over again to see if he's alright. "Fear not, the ordeal has ended. You have done well." Anju stretches her muscles again and yawns, politely hiding the gaping of her mouth behind her fingers. "I believe I must take my leave. Slumber calls. I trust that you will be able to make it to your own abode."

"You may message me over the mirror regarding queries on the other boneyards. I shall try to answer them as best I can." Anju curtsies a farewell. "Safe travels home, Sir Vikata."