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Meira
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Aug 19, 2010 12:43:57 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Aug 19, 2010 12:43:57 GMT -5
The city of Demas was beautiful. With its almost fluid architecture, all brilliant white in the sun, it was like jewels that had been unearthed and reflecting the light for the first time. It had taken Vesta nearly a standard month to find her way to Aiaru after she'd met an alchemist who said he was of the Light's Guide. Vesta had little time to visit with the man, as he was about to leave on a transport, but he encouraged Vesta to visit Aiaru and seek out the Stellar Mythics. He had sensed what he called Mythos in her. Vesta assumed this Mythos was what Jasper called the Force.
She'd worked her way on trading vessels after her encounter with the alchemist until she finally found a ship bound to Aiaru's capital city of Demas. But when she arrived, Vesta felt lost. She wasn't sure where to approach these Stellar Mythics. She'd heard of their Tower, a vast, looming fortress high in the mountains. But the stories of the dark Tower made it seem too foreboding to simply walk up and knock on the front door.
And now, in the capital city of the home planet of this... group, Vesta could not, for the life of her, find a Stellar Mythic. She wandered Demas for hours, but every person she asked simply told her the Stellar Mythics were housed in the Tower. She wasn't sure what it was she'd expected... certainly not a planet full of these people. But Vesta hadn't thought it would be so hard to find one.
Frustrated that she'd come all this way with nothing to show for it, Vesta sat herself down in a cantina and ordered a drink. She'd have to find a place to sleep for the night, it seemed, and then try to find some way to get to this Tower in the morning.
What a waste of time.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Aug 26, 2010 21:57:05 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Aug 26, 2010 21:57:05 GMT -5
"Alright Fas, we're going to try another bar, but do try to behave this time, okay?"
Kvothe looked down at his feline familiar, who sat on the ground in front of him, looking back up with big, innocent amber eyes. Kvothe didn't even need the bond to get the 'Me? Misbehave?' vibe that was washing off of the flickercat, but it came through anyway.
"You're hopeless, you know that?" Kvothe grumbled. Despite that, he couldn't help but allow a grin to break out across his face as he leaned down and scratched Fas behind an ear. "Seriously, though, if you get into another confrontation, I'm leaving you next time we come here."
Perhaps that wasn't entirely fair. Fas had been minding his own business in the last bar they were in... until some man that wasn't paying attention to where he was going stepped on one of his tails. That got everyone's attention. There had been a surge of surprise and anger through the bond, and before Kvothe was completely aware of what was going on the man was screaming and holding his bleeding leg and Fas was hissing at him, hackles raised, teeth bared, and two of his three tails held threateningly above him and pointed in the man's direction.
Now, considering that each of those tails could be pushed forward with enough force behind them for the pronged ends to impale a man in even light armor, that situation wasn't good. Kvothe intervened, only to get yelled at by the man and told to keep his pet on a leash. In response, Kvothe politely told the man to watch where he was walking, paid for his unfinished food, and left with Fas before someone got hurt.
And he'd been so hungry, too.
SO it wasn't all Fas' fault, though Kvothe thought the flickercat would have learned by now not to keep his (very long) tails laying out where people could step on them. Perhaps you'll be more careful now, eh Fas? he thought amusedly as he walked into the bar. Hopefully he'd actually get to finish his food this time.
When he stepped in, he looked around, taking in the people that were already seated. There were a fair amount there--not enough to call the place busy, but more than enough to keep it from being slow. None of them immediately stood out as anyone he recognized, and so he went on, looking for a place to sit.
That was about the time when he felt a presence in the Mythos--one he didn't recognize. He looked up, toward it and followed it to its source. His eyes shifted to an icy blue as he looked at the woman it emanated from, trying to remember if he'd ever seen her before.
Is she one of us? he wondered. While the Mythics weren't as large an organization as say, the Jedi, their numbers were far from small; it was entirely possible not to recognize one of their members, especially if the member was new. But Kvothe didn't recognize this woman, nor did he see a staff or anything of the like on her.
Or is she one of them? 'Them' in this case happened to be the Unum. Some might attribute Kvothe's line of thought to being a Sword, but his disdain for the group of traitors ran deeper than that. They were everywhere, seemingly, hiding amongst the people of Aiaru or even the ranks of the Mythics. The hardest part of dealing with them was that it was almost impossible to tell who they were if they didn't want you to know.
His grip tightened on his staff for a moment and his free hand moved slightly toward the sword that hung through the dark green sash that was wrapped around his waist. While he was unarmoured, he was rarely without either his weapons.
But that suspicion didn't last more than a fraction of a second, if that long; he wasn't so far gone as to be suspicious of everyone. Well not yet, anyway. And it'll be a sad day if I ever get there, he thought.
With that thought going through his mind, he decided to go over and sit by her, if she'd allow him. Perhaps he could see if she was a Mythic, and if so, what caste she belonged to. And if not? Well, he might find a new recruit.
"Hello," he said, coming up to the stool next to her at the bar. "Couldn't help but notice your presence in the Mythos when I got here. I'm Kvothe by the way," he said with a smile as the icy blue in his eyes shifted and gave some ground to a forest green. "Kvothe Algaterra, Stellar Mythic. And this," he continued, motioning down toward Fas, who was sitting on the floor next to him, "is Fas."
He looked around, wondering where the bartender was before shaking his head and looking back to the woman. "Are you one of our order as well? I can't say I recognize you."
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Meira
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Aug 31, 2010 16:21:14 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Aug 31, 2010 16:21:14 GMT -5
There was some kind of fly buzzing around the Vahla woman's head as she sat, nursing her second drink. The sound of its tiny wings would grow soft as it flitted away, but every time it came back, buzzing close enough to her ear to warrant an annoyed wave of her hand.
Shoulders were slumped slightly as she sipped at the glass in her hand. Her ice blue eyes studied the amber liquid as she sloshed the glass. She sighed. Had she really thought it would be so easy? That she might just land on Aiaru and there'd be a table set up somewhere with a friendly attendant ready and willing to tell her all about the Special... no, Stellar Mythics? She must have been a fool.
The music, a generic tune suitable for background noise, played over old speakers that complained if the notes strayed too high. A small shaft of light crossed the bar, and Vesta's back, each time the door opened to allow a patron in or out. The light lit up the mirror behind the bar, allowing Vesta a quick glimpse of the entering or leaving people, but only their silhouettes. Mostly, she kept her eyes down. The change of lighting made her squint.
When there was only one sip left in her glass, Vesta heaved yet another sigh. Evening was starting to set in outside, judging by the change in light that came through the door. Best find some place to stay. She thought to herself, looking down into the glass. Her previous drink, and the finished part of this one, had left her feeling just the slightest bit tipsy. Her head felt light enough, and the nerves that ran along her limbs pulsed with a faint hint of that lovely numb feeling. Vesta was by no means much of a drinker. She preferred to keep her current state as her usual limit. Last sip. Won't do nothing. She told herself as she lifted the glass.
The door opened and light poured in, reflecting off the mirror and striking the glass at just enough of an angle to send a bright beam into her eyes. Vesta closed her eyes tight against the sudden brightness and set the glass down. When she opened her eyes again, she could see nothing but black as her eyes tried to readjust to the darkness. Slowly, the black gave way around the edges of her vision. She blinked and rubbed her eyes, trying to speed up the process.
"Hello,"
Her heart jumped. The voice came from her left, and very close to her. No one had been close to her all evening, spare the bartender. She managed to keep any outward sign of surprise suppressed, luckily, as she turned her head in the direction of the voice. With her eyes still adjusting, Vesta was left to strain to make out the features of this person, male, from the sound of his voice. He didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, however, as he continued with an introduction of himself. Her vision managed to clear back up by the time he'd reached his name.
"Kvothe Algaterra, Stellar Mythic. And this, is Fas."
Vesta followed this Kvothe's gesture with her eyes down to... some kind of cat. She arched an eyebrow at the creature and its tail. No, there were three tails. The incline of the arch steepened before she looked back up at the man. She didn't even have time to say anything to him before he continued.
"Are you one of our order as well? I can't say I recognize you."
Her brow furrowed as she studied the man, his posture, his smile. He seemed friendly enough, but Vesta was no fool. She'd met plenty of people who seemed friendly at first, but turned out to be just like all the other sleeze balls in the galaxy. She tried to extend her senses in the Force or... Mythos to get a better sense of the man, like Jasper and Ryn had tried to teach her. It was hard to do while trying to maintain an easy countenance. She thought she felt something, but she couldn't be sure. Resigning to easier tactics, she noted the staff he walked with, but didn't seem to need. That one Alchemist she met had a staff too. The Alchemist didn't have a sword, however.
And here I was, about to give up for the night. She thought to herself before downing the last of her drink. She set the empty glass on the table, chewed at the inside of her cheek for a moment, and then finally resolved to answer the man. Someone so open about himself, giving out his name and affiliation so easily, well... he had to feel pretty secure about it. She'd been so cautious for so long, it felt strange to be so straight forward.
My name is Vesta Pyre. I am no Special... sorry, Stellar Mythic. But I have heard of your Order. I came here, actually, to find out more about it. This Kvothe was still standing. She motioned to the seat next to her own. No one is sitting here, if that's what you were wondering.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Sept 11, 2010 13:59:46 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Sept 11, 2010 13:59:46 GMT -5
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Vesta," Kvothe said with a nod as he took his seat next to her. "Always good to find someone who's interested in joining us." He looked to her, letting a bit of smile grow on his face. "And yes, we're the Stellar Mythics, though we're certainly a special group."
He grinned and then turned to look for the barkeeper. After a few moments of searching, he found him, off on the other end of the bar cleaning some glasses. He was a portly man, middle-aged with red cheeks and bright, beady little eyes. He looked up when Kvothe waved him down, and started to make his way over. Kvothe didn't miss the moment of hesitation when the man really saw him, taking in his robes and the staff that was resting against the side of the bar.
"Welcome, welcome!" said the barkeeper. "It's always a pleasure to serve a Stellar Mythic here! What can I get for you? We offer discounts t-"
Kvothe laughed and waved the man off. "Just water, please. I can't drink alcohol." Not without getting poisoned, anyway. Besides, if he was to evaluate this potential member for the Order, he'd need his mind to not be fogged by alcohol.
The barkeeper gave Kvothe a confused look and then shrugged. "I'll get you some right away then, sir. Anything else?"
"Some nachos would be nice, if you have any..."
"Any? We only have the best in Demas!" He turned to the back and yelled back for Kvothe's food before leaving him with a glass of cold water.
Kvothe only shook his head when the man walked off. "Right... Anyway, I'd be glad to help you out, Vesta." He shifted his gaze back to her.
Now he took in her aura, noting for the first time that it was different than the ones that surrounded most people. It was teal, which in and of itself wasn't anything that stood out too terribly much, but there were black spots around it, but there were swirls of black. It swirled around her hands and feet, around one of her eyes, and even her heart.
That's strange, he thought as the icy blue of his eyes turned a bit icier. I wonder what could have caused that... The colors had different meanings for different people, but black was never good.
"But first, I'd like to ask you to tell me about yourself." He took his glass up to take a sip from the water. "Where you're from, that sorta thing. And how'd you hear of us? Not many outside of Aiaru know of us."
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Meira
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Sept 22, 2010 8:40:54 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Sept 22, 2010 8:40:54 GMT -5
As Kvothe sat down, Vesta’s eyes drifted back to the feline creature, Fas. She’d seen pets before, but most tended to be more of the cute and cuddly variety, or the useful. This Fas looked useful enough, but not so much in the working sense as the fighting sense. Were these Stellar Mythics a military group? That alchemist didn’t make them out to be. But then again, any organization that got to a certain size needed security, and this was a group with a mystical perspective. Things like that always raised hackles at some point.
She wanted to ask him about this, about his sword, about the staffs. But he was engaged in conversation with the barkeep, who seemed hesitant before he was overly friendly. She glanced around the bar, noting the quick glances and hushed tones. One didn’t need the Force to know that Kvothe had changed the mood in the place. Not necessarily for the worse, just… more wary perhaps.
"Right... Anyway, I'd be glad to help you out, Vesta.” She turned her eyes back to him, wondering absently about what these… nachos might be. "But first, I'd like to ask you to tell me about yourself. Where you're from, that sorta thing. And how'd you hear of us? Not many outside of Aiaru know of us."
The question gave her pause. Was she already being screened? These Mythics wasted no time. She mentally shook the thought away, however. This was no interview. He was just being polite, curious. And besides, if his Order was indeed not so well known, then it made sense to wonder how she came to be seeking them out. There was no harm in telling him a few things. It wasn’t like he’d asked for her life story.
Umm, well I grew up on Concord Dawn but after… after my father died I started working with shipping crews. Cargo traders, stuff like that. I uh, I could always you know, feel the Force or… Mythos as you call it, right? My father taught me some things about it, but I was never really good at connecting to it. Not long ago I met a man who tried to help me, but he had his own life to deal with. He told me he’d heard of the Stellar Mythics, that your Order might be able to help me. I never could go to the Jedi. I’ve heard about their code and it just… I don’t know. Anyway, I ran into this guy who said he was an Alchemist, I can’t remember his name, and he told me to come here.
She finished the story with a shrug of her shoulders. Talking about Jasper had quickly sobered her mind. She’d never actually called him her father before, at least not out loud. But that’s what he was. He’d raised her, and she knew he’d seen her as a daughter. As the barkeep returned with a plate full of what Vesta assumed was nachos, she nodded her head when he gestured toward her empty glass. One more wouldn’t hurt.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Oct 11, 2010 12:11:34 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Oct 11, 2010 12:11:34 GMT -5
Kvothe listened quietly as Vesta talked, telling him of the man and the Alchemist that had pointed her along towards Aiaru and Demas. It was a common tale, in way; often times, a number of space-faring Mythos sensitives would run into a wandering Mythic and make their way out to Aiaru. That's how the Squib got out here, if memory serves correctly, Kvothe mused silently as he took a chip from his plate and popped it into his mouth.
"Well, I'm glad the Alchemist pointed you along," he said. "We can help you, teach you, if you decide to join us. I myself am not a teacher, but we've more than plenty in the Tower. And you'll find that we are very much different than the Jedi." He smiled a bit, glancing over to her. "The Jedi do what they do well, but their Code is harsh, perhaps too much so. They seem to fear emotion, and love--the ultimate expression of the so-called 'Light Side' they serve so dutifully."
Kvothe shrugged as he turned back to take another bite from his meal. "But they will do what they do, of course. Anyway, once we're done here, I can take you back to the Tower, where you can go through a full screening." He paused to take a drink from his water and chuckled softly. "I was born into the Order, so I can't say what it entails, but I've been told it's not too bad. There's no probing involved last I heard, anyway.
"However, before we get to that, I'm sure you have questions, yes?" Kvothe lifted an eyebrow slightly. "I'll answer what I can, if you'd like. I can't say I know everything there is to know about the Mythics, but I've been here all my life. I know more than most."
[Not that good x.x sorry]
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Meira
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Oct 16, 2010 18:46:47 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Oct 16, 2010 18:46:47 GMT -5
When the barkeep returned with her drink, he seemed to linger for a moment as Kvothe spoke. Vesta thought she sensed a kind of curiosity in the man, as if he felt like he was overhearing some rare but of juicy gossip. But then he noticed her watching him and he quickly moved on to serve another customer who'd entered the bar.
Were the Mythics such a mysterious group that even the commoners of Demas had to eavesdrop just to hear about them? She wasn't sure if shed like that. She had assumed that their lack of presence in the galaxy was simply because of their small numbers. What if she was wrong? What if these Mythics were something darker? Vesta had no real love for the Jedi, but Jasper had warned her against the dangers of the dark side as well.
She turned her eyes toward Kvothe as he spoke of the Jedi then shrugged. As he took a bite, the food crunching loudly in his mouth, Vesta couldn't see anything sinister about him. But that didn't mean much. She didn't look threatening, but there were plenty fighters on Tattooine and Nar Shaddaa that would say otherwise. Besides, he did carry a sword, and that staff of his didn't seem so innocent either.
But Vest didn't feel that queasy feeling in her stomach when he mentioned going to the Tower, though the prospect of a screening seemed a bit odd. Couldn't he tell she was a force sensitive? What else was there? Just them, Kvothe asked if she had any questions for him before they left.
She had many. What was the staff for, what did he do if he wasn't someone who could teach her. What in the galaxy were those nacho things he was eating... But none of these was quite so apparent a question as What do the Stellar Mythics do? That alchemist had been vague, and confusing nRyn had known very little. Maybe Kvothe could shed some light on the matter where they had failed.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Oct 31, 2010 14:10:22 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Oct 31, 2010 14:10:22 GMT -5
"What do we do?" Vesta's question gave Kvothe pause. While it was hardly unexpected, it was one of those questions that just had a way of catching you off guard. So, he turned to his beloved plate of nachos to stall for a moment as he gathered his thoughts on how to answer.
"Well... we do a lot of things, really, depending on where you fall within the order," he said, starting slowly. "We're a relatively young order, compared to some of the other large Mythos-using groups out there, with only being about six hundred years old, but we when the order was founded, it was founded on the belief that knowledge is everything, and since then, we've set out to gather it, as much as we can."
Kvothe laughed softly as he reached over to his water and took a sip from it. "It might be a never-ending quest, but it is what it is. Over the years, we've spread out to other roles, especially with the discovery and growth in the use of Etherium. Now we play a role in overseeing the extraction and trade of that as well.
Additionally, as we grew, we took on beliefs, as all groups like us do. Some of us spread those beliefs, sometimes going offworld to do so. Others venture out into the Galaxy in the ongoing search for knowledge; that Alchemist you ran into might have been such a member. Still other teach our students, or maintain our libraries, while some dabble in what many would consider to be 'darker' aspects of the Mythos."
Kvothe paused to take another bite out of his nachos. "Then are those like me. The fighters." He patted his sword and indicated the staff, which Vesta had no doubt seen already. "We help the defense forces of Aiaru deal with problems when needed, and help protect Etherium mines from pirates, mercenaries, and the like. Though large-scale confrontations or wars are a very rare thing on Aiaru, they happen from time to time..." Kvothe fell silent for a moment. The expression on his face fell a little bit, became more serious. Should I tell her? He glanced at her out of the corner of an eye. Well, she'll find out soon enough, if she's going to join us. I might as well.
"We're dealing with an outbreak like that right now, actually," he said. "There's an uprising that's been growing for the past few years. It hasn't turned into a full-scale war yet, but the potential is there. That's where members like me come in." Kvothe looked up again, turning to look at her as gold started to rim his eyes. "We fight to protect the order against the ones that would try to destroy us."
He sighed then and shook his head, turning back to his food. "Anyway, I hope that answers your question. There are always other back in the Tower who could tell you more, if you like. Got anything else to ask?"
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Meira
She don't mess around
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Nov 30, 2010 17:17:02 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Nov 30, 2010 17:17:02 GMT -5
He spoke. She listened. There wasn't anything to amazingly remarkable about these Mythics, as far as Vesta could tell from the first part of his story. People gathered around a common belief, goal, whatever, and they lived their lives accordingly. For most people, this was just the concept of making enough money to live and maybe have a family. Then there were those groups of people that needed more than that. There were countless religions across the galaxy, all with their followers, some more zealous than the rest. Then there were political groups, social activists. Heck, there probably wasn't an idea out there that didn't have some kind of group or club or what have you.
So these Mythics... they were people. If what Kvothe told her was true, then there'd likely be all kinds of paths before her when or if she chose to join them. Or if they accepted her. This eased her mind slightly. She wasn't sure about the path ahead of her. She had a lot of questions, and she doubted she'd know what she wanted until she could at least puzzle a few of them out. To know that she wasn't walking into something that was likely to lock her onto one path was reassuring.
She did pause to think when he mentioned the uprising, however. Did she want to get involved when such a thing was occurring? Would these Mythics force her to fight? She wasn't about to sign up just be made into cannon fodder for some cause she wasn't even sure she wanted to support. She chewed her lip for a moment thinking.
Kvothe was coming close to being done with his meal, and her glass was empty again. The barkeep came back around, reaching to refill her drink, but Vesta shook her head. From a pocket, she produced some credits and laid them on the counter. The barkeep counted through it and pushed the change back across to her.
And that too. She said, pointing at Kvothe's plate. The barkeep pulled the change back and gave her a nod. She returned it before standing up and turning back to her new companion. She was careful to avoid Fas' tails. It was time to decide. Walk away and figure something else out, or go check out this Tower. Her gut told her the Tower.
I guess you can only tell me so much, right? I'd like to see this Tower. If you don't mind.
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Twysper
Feared leader of SM*OTTOTU.
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Dec 5, 2010 3:30:26 GMT -5
Post by Twysper on Dec 5, 2010 3:30:26 GMT -5
A little black shadow glided in through the door of the bar noiselessly, perhaps fleeing the tinted red light of the afternoon. It paused, unnoticed in the dim light of the entryway, as predatory eyes scanned the room from under a hooded cloak.
Eventually, the odd creature fixated his attention on a couple sitting high above on bar stools. He skulked along the cool floor quietly, making a beeline for his target. He noticed Fas sitting on the floor at the same time as the flickercat noticed him.
This elicited the tiny shadow giving the flickercat a wide berth, swinging around to the other side of Vesta before clambering up onto the bar stool next to her.
Small, inky digits were visible for a moment as the cloaked being reached its hand towards the plate of nachos. Inexplicably, the plate heeded the beckon, sliding along until it stopped in front of the figure.
Once again, the black furred hand appeared out of the folds of cloth, this time to snag a few of the scarce chips before seemingly disappearing into the self-contained darkness again.
Then the Stellar Mythic Squib known as Mathathyper removed his hood, revealing no less than a pair of neon blue ears, bright yellow-green eyes, a mischievous toothy grin and a distended cheek full of nachos. The three-foot tall figure proceeded to wave cheerfully to both Vesta and Kvothe.
"Hi Delinquent. Hi pretty new person." Another chip was retrieved from the plate, but didn't quite make it to Math's mouth, being intercepted by the Tailring sitting on the Squib's shoulder. The Stellar Mythic, unperturbed, crunched the chips he already had stored in his mouth thoughtfully.
"Mmm' Maffaffyper Chesfeerfyk, Stellar Myphic, bes'ff Navy Captain, an' dat's Shyence."
Math chortled suddenly, craning his head around the woman to see Kvothe better, and pointing at Vesta, "Kvothe have girlfriend?"
OoC// Because more the merrier? =3
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Dec 8, 2010 23:19:16 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Dec 8, 2010 23:19:16 GMT -5
Kvothe's auburn brows lifted when Vesta indicated that she'd be paying for his meal. He was at once both amused and grateful, though she didn't need to pay for his nachos. The gesture was appreciated, though. "Oh, you don-" he started, but he was cut off when the credit chits hit the counter and the barkeep took them. Or maybe you do. Kvothe gave a mental shrug and took another bit from his nachos. Had he been paying attention, he might have noticed the familiar presence as another Mythic eased into the room.
-------
Fas noticed though. His furry ears twitched at the sound of the door opening and he glanced back. Amber eyes swept over the area before they settled on a cloaked figure in the doorway. It was the Squib.
Squibs were giant rat things.
Fas liked eating rodents.
A giant rodent would be wonderful
The Squib looked back at him. He looked back at the Squib. Two of his tails twitched on the ground.
Instincts told Fas this thing was dinner, but something got in the way. Something always got in the way, like the times he wanted to eat the fat bird that was always in the library. Fas looked up at Kvothe, who was busy talking to the strange girl.
Domestication.
It was Kvothe's fault.
Fas stole another look at the big cloaked rodent. Maybe if he caught it when no one was around to know...
-------
"Sure thing, we can go back to the Tower," said Kvothe with a nod. "I'd figured you'd probably want to see it at some point anyway." First he just had to finish his nachos, though there wasn't much left; Kvothe had a way of eating his fill, though.
Or he would have, if the plate wasn't gone. His brow furrowed. "What the...?"
"Hi Delinquent. Hi pretty new person."
Kvothe sighed. He knew that voice. Of all the places and times for him to show up...
He shifted in the chair, turning to face Math with a relatively neutral expression that fell away into exasperation when he saw that the Squib had his food.
"Mmm' Maffaffyper Chesfeerfyk, Stellar Myphic, bes'ff Navy Captain, an' dat's Shyence."
Kvothe propped his elbow on the counter and leaned back a bit, resisting with all he had the urge to keep from facepalming. "Hello Math."
"Kvothe have girlfriend?"
"No Math..." was the response through gritted teeth. Kvothe could feel his cheeks reddening a bit. A dusky maroon lined his hazel irises as he glanced away from Math. None of them knew about Ruusan, right? I haven't told anyone. Not specifics. He'd hinted to Iri and Magnus, but...
That subject became one of many Kvothe decided Math could never, ever find out about.
Ever.
"Vesta," he said, turning to face her, "this is Mathathyper. We just call him Math most of the time. He's a... character, to say the least." He glanced back at Math. "To say the very least."
Kvothe motioned with a finger, pulling the now-empty plate away from Math and setting it down for the barkeep to take. And while Math was here...
"Say Math, I don't suppose you'd mind flying us back to the Tower, would you? Vesta's new here and she'd like to see it."
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Meira
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Dec 9, 2010 11:32:46 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Dec 9, 2010 11:32:46 GMT -5
"Sure thing, we can go back to the Tower...."
Vesta didn't hear the rest. Her eyes locked on to the odd image of his plate moving, seemingly with no reason, past her on the counter. What the... Her words came out at the same time as Kvothe's. She shifted her body, turning in the direction that the plate was moving, to be met with the sight of... Well she didn't know what it was. It had big blue ears, round yellow eyes, and it was eating what was left of Kvothe's nachos.
"Hi Delinquent. Hi pretty new person."
Vesta's eyebrow arched as she looked down at the furry creature. She turned her head, looking over her shoulder to see that Kvothe that adopted and exacerbated expression.
"Mmm' Maffaffyper Chesfeerfyk, Stellar Myphic, bes'ff Navy Captain, an' dat's Shyence."
...huh? It was all she could manage.
Kvothe returned the greeting. Math? Vesta took a step back from the bar, careful of Fas, so as not to be standing in between the two any longer. She gave Kvothe a "you know this guy?" kind of look.
"Kvothe have girlfriend?" She turned as the creature spoke, to see it pointing a small... paw at her.
What? No. She said, at the same time as Kvothe gave his answer. She turned back to him. A bit of frustration showing through the confusion on her face. She opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but Kvothe beat her to it, introducing the being. She turned back, wary confusion still etched across her face.
Matha... Math. Ok. I'm Vesta. Hesitantly, she held her hand out in greeting. Was this another Mythic? They certainly were a... varied bunch.
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Twysper
Feared leader of SM*OTTOTU.
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Dec 9, 2010 18:47:45 GMT -5
Post by Twysper on Dec 9, 2010 18:47:45 GMT -5
The Squib simply cheshired politely as Kvothe introduced him to Vesta, inadvertently exposing his needle-sharp teeth.
Though Math really didn't see the need for the Sword to repeat everything he had just said, he let the Rilan continue his own version of the introduction without interruption.
Silly Kvothe and his brain problems. Math thought to himself, sa respectable maning quietly. Maybe he was dropped lots when he was likkle.
Shyence slunk out of the folds of Mathathy's hood to stand upon his shoulder and examine her current surroundings. The Squib amiably scratched her black scales as he watched Kvothe and Vesta look confused and then mildly annoyed in tandem.
"Matha... Math. Ok. I'm Vesta." When the woman finally proffered her hand, Math enthusiastically shook it, his own furred digits disappearing from view as they were dwarfed in comparison.
"Hi Vesta, nice to meet you." Math decided he had done really good in memorizing greetings from his Manners for Morons book right then.
He further moved her relatively large hand to his face, and rubbed it on the jet black fur momentarily before letting her have it back.
Math's olfactory coat of fur spoke to him about the different scents it had gleaned: where she had been, what she had handled lately. Unfortunately for the Squib though, it seemed that she hadn't been touching anything overtly extraordinary as of late, and Mathathyper mrrrrrr'd his mild disappointment.
On the flipside of the close contact, Math finally thought to feel for her presence in the Mythos, and finding it, cheshired again. Kvothe's secret girlfriend was Mythos-sensitive! This was wonderful news, he couldn't wait to tell Maggie and Iri and Cruentus!
"Say Math, I don't suppose you'd mind flying us back to the Tower, would you? Vesta's new here and she'd like to see it."
"I surely would guarantee a super free moonhoney flight for you two couple to The Tower." Math chittered rapidly, nod-nodding his head and causing his large blue ears to flop around enthusiastically. "Ready to leave now?"
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Dec 11, 2010 1:54:57 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Dec 11, 2010 1:54:57 GMT -5
Kvothe only sighed when Math took Vesta's hand... and started rubbing it all over his face. He couldn't decide if it was best that she was meeting the little buy now or if it would have been better for her to have been surprised by the Squib later on.
At the very least, if she could survive dealing with Math, she could survive damn near anything she might encounter with the Mythics.
Well at least she hadn't been greeted by Cruentus first. Mythos only knew what would have happened then...
Or of Math got to her before Kvothe did. Kvothe quickly pushed those thoughts away from his mind.
'Yeah, I know him,' his expression answered. There was also a touch of I'm so sorry.'
Really, if she can deal with Math... Kvothe shook his head and pushed himself from the bar and up to his feet. Maybe that's how we'll beat the Unum. Just pack Math up in a box and send him off to them. Kvothe let a hint if a smile touch his lips. The little furry Mythic, mini-dragon companion in hand, could surely do irreparable damage to Unum morale and sanity. It might just be an idea worth presenting at the next meeting of the Swords.
" "I surely would guarantee a super free moonhoney flight for you two couple to The Tower. Ready to leave now?"
Kvothe laughed and shook his head at once. "Math, I..." he paused and shook the rest of the sentence away. Who was he to tell Math that going back to the tower with his supposed 'girlfriend' on a 'moonhoney' would be the equivalent of taking a new wife to his backyard for a honeymoon? Kvothe would hate to ruin Math's fun.
Well, on second thought....
"We're not dating Math," said Kvothe, a bit more sternly. Never, ever, EVER let him find out about Alindra, he told himself once again.
"And yes, we're ready to go now." He eased Pietas to his grasp with a light tug of the Mythos and glanced down at Fas. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed a rather unusual interest in Math stemming from Fas' end of the bond. His eyebrows scrunched as he pondered what it could be, but when he looked at the way Fas was looking at Math...
"Fas," he said curtly, sternly. Fas jerked and looked up at him. The flickercat was trying to act as if he wasn't up to anything, but Kvothe knew. And Fas knew that Kvothe knew. "You cannot eat Math." Kvothe flicked his gaze between flickercat and Squib and let a grin break his face. "No matter how good he might taste."
Kvothe glanced over to Vesta, threads of silver worked through his now emerald-green eyes. "So, I guess I should have told you about our more, ah... colorful members." He chuckled. "We might not be the biggest of the Mythos groups out there, but I like to think we make up for that with character. Or that's what I tell myself, anyway."
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Meira
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Dec 18, 2010 10:23:32 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Dec 18, 2010 10:23:32 GMT -5
Math took her hand, or rather, let his paw disappear in her own, and shook enthusiastically. Vesta's eyes watched him, still a bit wary, but now more confused than on edge. When the fury being brought her hand toward it's face, however, Vesta's mind immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was going to bite her. She'd seen its pointed teeth as it grinned. She wasn't about to let it try. But as she yanked her hand away, she felt only fur. Math had... rubbed his face against his hand. When she had it back, she studied her palm and the back of her hand, to ensure he hadn't done anything to it.
She was about to ask what he'd done, but the conversation moved on. Math was chattering away, his speech too fast and jumbled for Vesta to understand. She only caught his inquiry of if they were ready to leave. Kvothe answered then, reiterating the fact that they were not dating. Vesta's brow continued to furrow. Her impression of these Mythics was changing, from that of a somewhat small order of knowledge seeking force sensitives, to something more akin to the kind of place that used straight jackets... or at least should.
She hesitated, unsure of her decision. But her gut still told her to go. She wondered if it was more curiosity than instinct, but it didn't really matter. She was here, and she didn't really have anywhere else to go. She might as well let them take her to the tower. If need be, she was sure she could subdue Math. Kvothe was likely to prove a challenge if it came to a fight, but she'd faced some pretty nasty opponents before. Then again, none of them used the force.. or... mythos.
Finally, she sighed and nodded her head. Whatever it was, Vesta was about to walk into the home of these Special Myth... Stellar Mythics. She'd need to keep that straight if she was going to be walking into their Tower. But the "Special" seemed like it might be as apt as "stellar" if this Math was any indication.
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Twysper
Feared leader of SM*OTTOTU.
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last online Nov 8, 2014 11:42:28 GMT -5
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Jan 13, 2011 12:46:43 GMT -5
Post by Twysper on Jan 13, 2011 12:46:43 GMT -5
Mathathyper beamed as Vesta consented to the ride. It wasn’t everyday he got to drive the welcome wagon for a new potential Mythic. An interesting person at that, judging from the scars under her left eye and the cut spiral pattern on the hand he had commandeered. The Squib hopped from the tall stool onto the floor, narrowly missing a collision with Fas. Undeterred, and without looking back at his passengers once, Math followed a wandering path usually traversed solely by alcoholics to the front door.
Math squinted his eyes to cope with the dying sunlight when he pushed through the door and back into Demas, shuffling into the street before peering around to orient himself.
He and Shyence quickly concluded he had parked his shiny baby… approximately somewhere thataway.... and waited to make sure Kvothe and Vesta were following him before skipping off again.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jan 15, 2011 16:17:15 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jan 15, 2011 16:17:15 GMT -5
Kvothe gave Vesta an amused look and shook his head, standing to follow the Squib as he bounded from his seat and toward the door. "Come on Fas, he's not so bad," said he as he took Pietas from where it was leaning against the bar. "You know you like him."
The flickercat looked up at Kvothe flatly, shifting his annoyance from the overly-energetic Squib to his Rilan master.
"Well at least he didn't step on your tail, did he?"
Fas snorted and turned around, heading for the door, followed by the sounds of Kvothe's chuckling.
He glanced around at the city that stretched out around them all once he got outside. The sun was near to setting, painting the sky a brilliant array of oranges and reds that gave color to Demas' beautiful white architecture. The streets were no less busy, though, nor would they be anytime soon; Demas' nightlife was near legendary on Aiaru.
After Math they went, weaving through the throngs of people as the Squib lead them... somewhere. In the direction of the ship. Hopefully.
"It shouldn't take too long to get back to the Tower from here," Kvothe said to Vesta, having to speak a bit louder as they passed in front of the booming music from a club. Kvothe glanced over to it. The giant glowing letters on the front of the building marked it as Electrum Jace. The Sword only shook his head, chuckling to himself.
"And Math is a pretty good pilot," he went on, "even if he is a bit... well... unique."
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Meira
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Half awake in our fake empire
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Feb 5, 2011 19:17:33 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Feb 5, 2011 19:17:33 GMT -5
Vesta followed behind the other two as they led the way from the bar. Math led in an... altoghether haphazard tragectory, and so Vesta kept herself far enough back so as to be able to follow, without feeling entirely stupid and moving with each of his, mostly useless, turns.
They stepped out into the evening and Vesta couldn't help but look around as they walked. The streets were busy with life of all kinds going about their own business. In fact, the streets seem busier than they had when Vesta arrived. With the sight of many businesses open now that hand't been earlier, Vesta deduced that this area was popular among those who enjoyed spending their free time in the night hours.
"It shouldn't take too long to get back to the Tower from here," Kvothe said, his voice elevated so that she could hear him over the music booming from the night club they were passing. She nodded, her eyes glancing up at the sign over the club's doors. "And Math is a pretty good pilot," he went on, "even if he is a bit... well... unique."
"So what you're saying is," she responded, stepping around an overly amourous couple that seemed oblivious to anything around them, "he's crazy... but it works for him?" She allowed a slight smile out with the words. With her decision having been made, her apprehension was decreasing. She was still warry of Math, but she was giving these Mythics the benefit of the doubt. If he were a hazard to others, surely he wouldn't be allowed to wander free, offering rides to unsuspecting recruits.
"How's about a dance, sweetheart?" The man stepped suddenly in front of her, cutting off her path to follow Math and Kvothe. His hair was thinning and greasy, and his breath was heavy with drink.
"Some other time maybe." She said, trying to step around him. But the man followed, continuing to block her path.
"Don't be rude." He said, his smile revealing browning teeth. His hand reached out to grab at her waist, but Vesta had no trouble with being faster. Her own arm lifted, swatting the man's hand away. From a table nearby, people who must have been friends of the man let out strings of laughter and jeers.
Embarrassed, and now angry, the man stepped toward her, now with both of his hands moving to grab her. Seeing no way around it, Vesta moved quickly, both hands shot out quickly to strike in between his ribs on either side of his body. He stumbled forward, the air knocked from his lungs. Vesta moved sideways, allowing her leg to trip the man, sending him to the ground. She moved forward quickly, closing the gap between herself and Kvothe and not looking back. Hopefully none of the man's friends were stupid enough to follow
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Twysper
Feared leader of SM*OTTOTU.
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last online Nov 8, 2014 11:42:28 GMT -5
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Feb 20, 2011 1:50:59 GMT -5
Post by Twysper on Feb 20, 2011 1:50:59 GMT -5
An over-sized, neon blue ear rotated backwards at the sound of two voices above the din of Demas's night life, black feet stopping in their convoluted tracks.
"How's about a dance, sweetheart?"
"Some other time maybe."
One of those voices even sounded like someone he had met recently...
Mathathyper pivoted to see what was going on, but found his view obscured by a number of pedestrians. Still, he caught snatches of the two having the conversation, and assembled a fragmented picture of Vesta with someone else in close proximity.
"Don't be rude."
What if he missed the good stuff? Kvothe was surely going to step up and protect his girlfriend and maybe kill that guy!
The tiny Squib darted through the legs of the citizens between himself and his passengers just in time to see the new girl deftly send the harassing fatty onto his rear. Kvothe had found a nice violent girlfriend!
He stopped to clap, cheshiring brightly as people sitting nearby laughed.
However, the Force warned him of further danger a half-second before the inebriated man's friends got up from their seats, eyes fixed on a retreating Vesta.
Math scurried forward preemptively, black cloak swishing around him as he moved between the group of men and Vesta and Kvothe. His brain constructed the words he needed from a hard-studied passage in "Manners for Morons," and Mathathyper cleared his throat impressively to get their attention.
"Excuse me good sirs, I cannot help but inform you that if you do not cease and desist I'm going to have to engage in a bout of Squib sound asskicking, you bet."
So he might have forgotten the actual courteous lines and ad-libbed the end…
They quieted and stopped in their tracks for a long moment, as the two sides looked at each other.
“Did that giant mouse just talk?” One of the men holding a bottle finally ventured, face creased in perplexed awe. Two of the others nodded somberly in reply, while a contorted grimace slowly spread on the last man’s face.
“Kriff it all, city needs pest control!” he slurred, groping around his belt frenziedly. “…Giant talking rats running around...”
Math saw the harsh metallic gleam of a blaster in the dim light, and ignited his crimson lightsaber with an authoritative snap-hiss. Almost instantly, the space around them cleared, passer-bys giving them a wide berth, some stopping to watch.
By this time, the drunkard Vesta had knocked on the ground had finally regained his footing and breath, ready for a fight, only to find a saber-wielding Squib directly in front of him.
Math waved a black furred hand casually in front of him, while telepathically pushing into drunk angry man’s mind. A multitude of thoughts swirled around aimlessly, and it was no trouble to guide them the way he desired. The Mythic grinned at the easy success.
“You don’t want any trouble.” The Squib enunciated clearly, leading along his partner in this mental dance.
“I don’t…want any trouble.” The man followed awkwardly, tripping over his own thoughts, but still put away the blaster.
“You want to give me all your shinies.” Math twirled his drunken mind around perfectly.
“I want to give you all my shinies.” A pouch was thrown over to the Squib, who caught it deftly before deactivating his lightsaber and storing both under his cloak again. Math promptly proceeded to fade back into the crowd, blending into the shadows of people standing nearby as he looped his way over to where he had last seen Vesta and Kvothe.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Feb 22, 2011 23:17:30 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Feb 22, 2011 23:17:30 GMT -5
"So what you're saying is he's crazy... but it works for him?"
Kvothe mulled over these words for a few moments, titling his head this way and that. He hadn't quite thought of it like that before, but he couldn't lie to himself; there was some truth to Vesta's words. And she doesn't even know the little guy. A merchant's aide moved about with a silver plate full of bread samples that he offered to all that came near him as he floated through the crowd. Kvothe knew the place the bread came from--as did practically everyone in Demas--and took one gladly. Juno's Bakery, it was called. World-famous and the source of some of the best bread he'd ever tasted in his life.
To make things even better, these samples came with a little sliver of cheese imported from the southern plains.
"Y'know, now that you put it like that," said he, speaking around the bread as he popped it into his mouth, "I suppose that works. In fact, you could probably say that for mo-- Vesta?"
At some point during his eating and speaking, Kvothe became aware of a stirring in the Mythos. Turning to look back over his shoulder, he noticed that Vesta had fallen behind. More importantly, he noticed some rough-looking fellow giving her trouble.
The spike of apprehension he felt echoed through his bond with Fas. The flickercat's flickers flickered from blue to red and back again, and his claws were quite visible all of a sudden.
"Easy Fas," Kvothe muttered around his bread. "No need for that just yet." Orange threads eased into his hazel eyes. Despite his calm words and outward appearance, Kvothe was wary. He'd seen this type of man; they were rarely anything more than trouble. If that man doesn't take a hint, I might have to step i-
Or Vesta could just punch him like that.
Auburn brows lifted in pleasant surprise. At least the new girl could take care of herself. But now the man was angry. Worse, his friends felt the need to move to get involved.
Ripples of danger echoed through the Mythos.
"Greaaaaaaaaat." The Sword sighed, thumbing Pietas' shaft. "Couldn't just get back to the ship normally, could we?"
Three sharp clacks sounded from Kvothe's tongue. It was a signal for Fas to melt away into the surroundings; the crowd, as the current situation dictated. The flickercat gave Kvothe a momentary look and then did just that. He darted off between the legs of the people around them and out of sight.
Kvothe gauged his options as he looked back to the rowdy group of men that were getting to their feet. Letting them harass Vesta further was out of the question, but what to do to make them stop?
Oh look, there's Math.
Well the Squib would prove a nice distraction. Perhaps if he go-
Oh look, there's Math's lightsaber.
Every eye saw that. People backed away, leaving a clearing around the Squib and the drunk, who was starting to get back to his feet. Kvothe moved back with them. An idea was forming in his mind.
Behind. I need to be behind the man. As Math went about his Mythos-assisted robbery of the man, Kvothe slunk through the crowd. Most of the people moved aside at noticing his robes and staff; a simple "excuse me" or something similar proved sufficient for the others who were too fixated on the large black rodent with the glowing sword to notice Kvothe.
He reached a spot behind the man just as Math caught the bag that was tossed to him. The Squib disappeared back into the crowd, just as Kvothe eased forward. he stopped behind the fellow and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. The man turned around
Kvothe decked him in the face.
Down he went, spinning as he fell until he hit the street, unconscious. Kvothe shook out his knuckles, flexing his fingers. "I would advise you," he started, turning to address the man's friends before they could start any more trouble, "that you take your friend here and go back to your business." The temptation was there to use the Mythos to make his command more persuasive, but he figured he'd given them enough of a show; they didn't feel the need to leave after watching Math and Kvothe do their thing...
"Unless of course," he added as Fas leapt out of the crowd to stand near him, teeth bared, "you want to start trouble with the Tower. I can assure you gentlemen that you do not."
Silence held for a moment. The group considered his words.
"Alright." The man that spoke was a tall, spindly stick of a man. "We won' cause no trouble. Jus' let us take 'im."
Kvothe nodded. They grabbed their friend, took him away, and that was that.
As the crowd started to break up and go back to what they'd been doing, Kvothe shook his head. "Stupid drunks."
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