A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru)

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

There. She had said it. Although Meara did have an idea of the way Pasha felt, given the eagerness by which her loving motion was returned, she actually wasn't quite sure exactly how her younger sister would react to this bold confession. After all, both of them knew it was 'wrong', or at least, from what they were taught. She had an idea of why, too, as what she had with Pasha up until now, their bonds of trust and loyalty, were an absolute necessity for her, and the thought of them being threatened by potential repulsion was frightening. While some watching from the outside might have called her the more responsible of the two, Meara knew in her heart that she too would feel lost without the Su-Ku-Ta that she could very well call her other half. It just wasn't something she could risk that easily, not until those feelings had overwhelmed her enough to act on them the way she did last night, with the fae wine helping to further remove her inhibitions.

But when Pasha began to compliment her, spilling feelings that mirrored her own on multiple levels, Meara's reservations regarding her feelings quickly eroded. As she welcomed the other girl into her arms warmly, she smiled, squeezing her eyes shut as tears rolled down the sides of her cheeks. Tears of relief, more than anything. After all, losing her sister over something like this would have been far too devastating, and she had prepared to take everything back, to stuff it all down and away if she needed to. But with the confirmation of their sentiments towards each other being mutual in nature, she didn't have to. So strong were her overflowing emotions that she couldn't help but begin to question exactly why they were so taboo, why it was so bad to display her boundless affection for her Sha-sha when it wasn't for the pleasure of a male master.

"You're right... you said it. I mean, just about everything I felt about you. I... I'm so blessed to have a sister like you." It was a line that some siblings might have considered cheesy or utterly embarrassing to deliver, but just saying those words roused the butterflies in her stomach once more. She didn't need to say it, but hearing it out loud was far different from thinking it in her head. "Yes... we, um... we can..." added Meara, averting her eyes for just a moment with a deep blush. Her mind flooded itself with thoughts of other things lovers do--some of which they had already experienced together in some form, and the Su-Ku-Ta found herself more than just a little excited from it all. They did need to go fairly soon. But the door was closed, it was dark, and no one would see if they kissed just one more time, for now. Meara wanted nothing more than to feel the breath-stealing rush that came along with the simple gesture, and dipping her head down, she moved her lips ever closer to those of Pasha's.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Trembling, and hesitant still, just in case this was all just some perfect dream about to end, Pasha stood on her tip toes and closed the distance between the two sisters' lips. Meara's mouth felt so soft, so full, so wonderful against her own, Pasha could have stood there all night bathing in her sister's warmth. She hugged her Ra-Ra tight and curled her tail around her. Pasha didn't want to push her tongue forward, as she felt it might spoil the moment. She'd already kissed her sister in lust earlier tonight. This was about something different.

It was not the first time in her life that Pasha had looked upon Meara as an object of her desire. However, it was the first opportunity she had to act freely upon that, and express it in full.

"Ra-Ra... I need you so much," Pasha said in between loving kisses. This went on for a minute before eventually the younger sister would need to pull away, albeit reluctantly. "We should get dressed and get back to the caravan. Once we're there, we can finish this properly."

If Meara would let her, Pasha would get dressed along side her, a giddy smile plastered across her face, stealing glances at her big sis. When they were ready, she'd open the door to their room and head downstairs.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

The voice at the door was surprisingly patient during the sisters' earnest confessions. Their conversation went entirely uninterrupted by impatient shouts from beyond the door, even as they explained that their love was something a bit more than sisterly. Even as they dressed there was no disturbance, but when they opened the door it quickly became obvious as to why. As soon as the door swung open they found the bartender kneeling at eye level with a small crack in the door that had been hastily patched. His surprise at seeing the two catgirls looking at him sent him falling backwards onto his rear. "I didn't see or hear anything, I swear! And I definitely didn't watch you two hugging each other without any clothes on and talking about how you love each other as more than sisters! Nope! Nothing like that!" He would move to scurry away from the door, and would scurry all the way back down the stairs and to his place behind the bar if they made no effort to stop him.

Short of a loud and violent murder of the barkeeper, they would eventually be able to make their own way downstairs without any issue, although how they did want to handle his peeping was up to them. There they would find Caitir and the relatively newly named Ephsana, fully clothed and beaming with energy. They would also find, courtesy of the broken and poorly patched windows, that it appeared to be very early morning with the light just beginning to filter across the sky. The two faeries were in the table they had been in the day before, and they beckoned the catgirl siblings over to them. "Good morning!" Ephsana would call brightly to them if they began to approach. The bar was empty save for the fey, the su-ku-ta sisters, and one man sitting in the corner of the tavern furthest away from the brunette and blonde.

"We were beginning to fear that you would sleep all day, and I do believe you have an appointment to keep today," Caitir would quip after her sister's call.
"We paid for the room for the night for you, since you were both so exhausted."
"My sweet sister paid for your room. She was going to pay for another few hours until I reminded her that you had someplace to be." The brunette smiled sheepishly at her succubus sister's comment.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha blinked in surprise to find the innkeeper kneeling just outside their door. Her face grew redder as he stuttered and backed away, proving his guilt with every word he spoke during his retreat. She was annoyed with him, but also embarrassed to have such a delicate, special moment have been observed by some perverted man. She clutched tighter to Meara and buried her face in her shoulder. Her tail once again intertwined with her sister's, and she wouldn't move until the man had slinked down the stairs and out of their vision.

"I suppose we should be more careful about who we let know... it's probably a taboo thing here too," she mumbled.

When they descended down to the ground floor, she did her best to keep her eyes off the innkeep, and instead gladly focused on the two Sidhe.

"Ephsana! Caitr! You're both still here!" she said, happily. When they got close, she unentangled from Meara and went to take Ephsana by both hands. "I was worried you might have left us without saying goodbye. We do need to leave with the caravan soon, but I'm glad we could see you again. If only you were coming with us. You've both helped us far more than we could every thank you properly for."

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

During the embrace, Meara's eyes fluttered halfway closed as she inhaled through her nose deeply, feeling a heady rush more intense than even she expected in their second shared kiss. She was overcome with a vaguely familiar longing, the kind that only took root when faced with a new and intense love. Even if Pasha was practically the paragon of familiarity and comfort in her book, the different kind of love that she had been holding inside, previously stuffed away dutifully out of tradition and social obligation, was now free. And it felt amazing, in such a way that she would never want to stifle it again. Everything they knew from the once thriving desert civilization was gone, but one thing about Anudor that Meara would never, ever miss would be the societal norms that kept her from freely expressing these feelings towards her own sister.

Her heart raced upon hearing Pasha's words, with the very thought of 'finishing' what they started making her ever the more eager to hurry on down to the caravan. "Yes, of course, Sha-sha," she replied breathily. Naturally, her tail curled back around that of the other catgirl's as the pair exited the room. Walking out only to be faced with the stuttering innkeeper, Meara raised a brow at first, only to find herself overcome with a deep blush, as if she wasn't advertising her feelings here already. "Excuse me! Could you not say that so loud?" she whimpered in response to the man, looking around nervously as they descended the staircase.

The mention of keeping it under wraps for now caused her to pause momentarily before giving up a nod of painful agreement. "Yes, of... of course," replied the older Su-Ku-Ta to her sibling in a rather wistful tone.

Upon finding two familiar faces waiting downstairs, Meara heaved a sigh of relief. Surely those two had to understand, and so it brought about a degree of comfort to know that the catgirl sisters' arrival to the downstairs level wouldn't be met with a series of awkward stares and laughter despite the owner's babbling. Still, she couldn't help but smile when seeing them again, bowing her head in thanks to each of the fae half-sisters in no particular order. "It looks like we have some work ahead of us, but before we go, I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Not only for the room, but also for the um... the training last night," she said with a shy smile. "Surely there has to be a way we can meet again. We are truly indebted," added Meara, essentially echoing her sister's words. "Our caravan is headed to northern Badaria... exactly where, I'm not sure, but the merchant's name is Doozer, if you happen to come across any of our known stops." Really, it was far from the best way of locating anyone, but she couldn't help but feel thankful to the two Sidhe on several levels, enough to truly wish to find them again somehow. After all, if it weren't for them, things between her and Pasha might not be the way they were now, and Meara knew this well.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

Rolls

Spoiler

Caitir flips a coin!
Roll: 2. It comes up tails.

"Maybe," the blonde airily replied to nothing in particular. "Maybe not. My sweet sister has kept us here for a long time, and it is time for us to move on. It's not usual for our kind's rite of passage to leave us among mortals, let alone for any extended period of time."
"Come now, you know this place needed our assistance." The brunette gently pulled one hand away from Pasha's grasp as she turned to face her sister following the woman's comments.
"They did and do. But as sidhe we have a duty to broaden our horizons and come back ready to lead our kind against threats to this world, and the more time we spend here the more human habits we pick up." Caitir's words caused her half-sister to frown. "And now these sweet kittens need us too. I am sure you wouldn't mind keeping them some company, it would help you become more worldly~" Ephsana's expression rose, but only until her half-sister spoke again. "Why don't we play a little game of chance to decide?"

The blonde faerie removed a foreign coin the likes of which the catgirl siblings had never seen before, apparently from between her breasts, and presented it. She rotated it a few times to show two differing sides. "I'll toss this into the air, and whichever side shows when it lands will decide whether we join you or not. Heads, we come with you, tails, we remain here for a while longer." Ephsana looked like she wanted to protest, but didn't. "Up we go." Caitir flipped the coin into the air...

And it landed on tails, causing Caitir to sigh and a pained look to cross Ephsana's features. "Fate has spoken~ But never fear, I expect that we'll meet again sooner than you might think." That offered the brunette some comfort.

"Thank you, Pasha," the spirit wielder said once she had accepted the situation. She grabbed onto the thief's hands with a renewed vigor. "It's hard to explain what the name you have given me means. My kind cares very little for names in general, and it's why we aren't given one by our parents. But it's a mark of great pride to me that a mortal thought enough of me to deem me with a moniker special to her. And I'll remember the name you've given me for the rest of my time. If you owed me any debt for my part in helping you, you've already repaid it several times over." She briefly bowed her head. "I wish your sister and you the best of luck in your journey."

Caitir focused her own words towards Meara. "Think nothing of it. I'll remember it, and your mouth, fondly, trust me." She smiled. "Good luck to both of you in your journey, and keep your sister safe," she added with a wink. The blonde succubus stood up and moved to kiss the warrior on her cheek. "We'll definitely look you up again soon~"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

It hadn't really been in Pasha's mind that the sisters would actually come with them, so Caitr's coin flip took her by surprise. In a way, it almost hurt more that the blonde fae had momentarily given her a partial hope, only to have fate slap it away again. After all, with the two Sidhe with them, they could recreate last night's slice of heaven again and again, perhaps even improving upon the experience.

The face down coin quashed these aspirations. Pasha's ears flattened.

Then Ephsana had taken her hand again and thanked the Su-Ku-Ta thief again, and her words had such a genuine appreciation to them, they brought the smile back to her lips.

"Then we've both helped each other more than we each can say, and for that I'm glad. Ephsana, what you and Caitr did for us, I'll never ever forget it. This is one mortal who will always remember you fondly. Take care of yourself wherever you end up. And if we meet again, you can tell me all the wonderful new names you've picked up. And maybe we can show each other our appreciation again.~"

Their goodbyes said, Pasha took her place by Meara's side, hand in hand, tail around tail, and walked back to the caravan. On the way, she would lean her head against her sister's shoulder.

"I hope we're not holding them up. Once we get under way, they'll expect us to be doing our jobs, but on our first break..." She looked up into Meara's eyes and grinned. "You have to treat your little sister right!"

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

It proved difficult for Meara not to frown at the result of the coin flip, but there was also little she could do to protest. The catgirl sisters didn't really have the right to make the two fae relinquish their own goals just for the purpose of their own selfish reasons, and were already technically in their debt anyway. "I see... that's a shame," she commented, huffing softly. "I suppose this is where we say good-bye, then."

Her eyes wandered to the exchange between Ephsana and Pasha for just a moment before meeting those of Caitir's, and she smiled softly with a bow of her head. "I'm glad that I could make such an encounter memorable for you, too," she replied, winking and curling the edges of her mouth into a fittingly feline expression afterwards. "And same to you."

While it would have been easy for her to draw the farewell out much further, into one that would likely turn into a more sentimental affair, the older sister still managed to buckle down and turn away when they needed to. They did have a caravan to catch, after all, and it was a chance that she wouldn't pass up anytime soon. Outside of the two sidhe, there wasn't much reason to stay in the depressing environment of this particular town, and besides, with Doozer they had a job that would at least keep them fed.

On the way back to the wagons, Meara mirrored her sister's loving motions in kind, feeling a warm shiver down her spin when the other Su-Ku-Ta laid her head upon her shoulder. Other eyes were upon her, and she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. This was taboo, after all... wasn't it? But when she saw Pasha's content face, her wide grin, and that ever so tempting suggestion, she couldn't help but return it all with a genuine smile of her own. "Oh, I will," she promised.

With that, she walked alongside her sibling back to where the caravan was before.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

After their farewell, they were able to make their way to the caravan uneventfully. The streets were as crowded as they had been on the siblings' initial entry, but though Meara might have felt like the eyes of the entire town on her the truth was that most were too busy dwelling on their own woes. The beauty of the two sisters' blooming love was lost to all but them among the tragedy of the place. Though the two women did receive a few whistles as they past some of the lewder beggars.

They would arrive finding Doozer's trading caravan ready to leave the town. "Good ta see ya!" The big man called out to them once he had spotted them. Lonnie and Aganzo were both present, along with a few other colorful-looking people, though they were all in position around the carts and horses. "Worried you'd gotten lost! No problem though, you got 'ere with plenty of time to spare. But the sooner we get outta here the better, I want to be back on real road before dark sets tonight. C'mere, c'mere," the boisterous man rolled out a map against the side of one cart and motioned with his head for them to come take a look.

"We're 'ere," he placed a fat finger on a small dot which was labeled Southberry just barely north of the border between Anudor and Badaria. "Gonna be 'eaded up this way for our first stop," he traced a line up and toward a river, through a forest, and toward another dot. "From there we'll take a route somethin' like this," his finger moved a bit quicker, going north through a small gap between depicted mountain ranges and then to the east, crossing a few forests and a few more dots depicting towns, before cutting north and traversing a few more mountains before stopping at an area marked with a star that was just north of the Crolian-Badarian border.

"I'll give you the details when we get that far. We used to 'ead east and stop at Necropolis." he pointed to the dot that represented the former capital of Badaria. "These days you'll not be wantin' to go there unless you feel like you've a shortage on tentacles and slime. For today though, it's just the river and the forest that we're 'oping to get past. I've been through both on a few occasions, forest is usually pretty peaceful, if you're lucky you might spot a nymph or a satyr. Can't say anything about the road to the forest, so we're gonna be taking that careful."

"Pasha, you'll be scouting ahead with Paisley," he didn't look back, still studying his map intently, but pointed to a hooded figure standing at the front of the carts with a bow in hand. "You'll be taking this whistle," the big man rolled up his map and finally turned to face the sisters again. He produced a small wooden whistle attached to a necklace of twine and passed it to Pasha with an underhand toss. "Keep your pace ahead of us and use short, repeated whistles if we should stop, long if you're jumped and in danger and we'll come runnin'. Should 'opefully keep us from walking the carts into an ambush. Meara, you're with the caravan, standard stuff. Just keep an eye out and make sure nothin' gets the jump on us. Get ready to get your hands dirty if we get stopped, by bandit or mud. Any questions, or are we ready to get on the road?"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Pasha liked maps. Ever since she was a tiny kitt she'd enjoyed imagining how big the world was and knowing what was beyond that particular mountain range or beyond that stretch of dunes. Eagerly she studied the parchment Doozer had rolled out before them, and made mental notes of where they'd be going and what path they were going to take.

She nodded as the big caravaner explained the various dangers and points of peril.

"I'll keep my eyes peeled out on that road, Mr. Doozer. Nothing'll get the drop on ya."

She craned her neck at the cloaked figure named Paisley, nodded and then hugged Meara.

"Guess this is where we part ways until camp tonight. Keep safe, sis."

Leaving things at a sisterly hug, Pasha swished her way over to her fellow scout, slipping the whistle and its twine around her neck as she went.

"Hi Paisley. I'm Pasha. Nice to meet ya." She put forth a hand to shake.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Despite her initial paranoia, Meara felt relieved to see that most of the town had gone about business as normal, or whatever could qualify as such in a broken-down place like Southberry. She didn't quite know what to make of the locals even after having spent a night here. On one hand, there were lewd, dirty beggars of men waiting to try any number of things with her and her sister, as made evident by the incident just the day before. On the other, there were beautiful travelers like Caitir and Ephsana. Provided, the half-sisters were no less lewd, particularly in the case of the former, but were nonetheless certainly more pleasant in terms of both actual helpfulness and personal hygiene. The whistles, she could handle, for the most part--so long as they weren't followed by further attempts to usher her into some dark alleyway. But if she had to, she would fight each and every one of them off, armed or otherwise, if it meant Pasha's safety at the end of the day.

Meara felt a tinge of nervousness, for once, with her sister that close to her as they returned to the caravan. For once, it actually meant something more, and she knew it--but would everyone else? Shaking off the bothersome thoughts, she greeted Doozer, Lonnie, and Aganzo with a slight smile and a wave of greeting. "Oh, good to hear! We just went to uhm... relax the other night, but everything is fine now," she explained, before increasing her gait by just a notch in order to take a look at the map he presented to them. Forests, mountain ranges... a diverse range of environments for someone who had only known sand and arid desert, for the most part, before her trek to Badaria. As a child she had no idea that she would be travelling to this extent--then again, she also didn't know that her civilization would see collapse in the way that it did. But thanks to a series of circumstances imposed upon her and Pasha, they were here now. Best to do what they could, and as dangerous as the trip itself looked, it was a living. Southberry only looked like a place in which they would simply rot.

"Sounds good to me," replied the older of the two catgirls. "I'll be sure to keep my eyes and ears open for you."

"Of course. You do the same." Returning Pasha's hug, she slowly uncoiled her tail from around that of her sibling's, then took her position at the lead cart's forward flank, or wherever Doozer would have her. "Ready when everyone else is!"

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

"Oh aye, I've done quite a bit of 'relaxing' myself between towns before," the big man would reply to Meara's comment about relaxing with an exaggerated wink, apparently having picked up on her awkward pause. "No worries, I'm not as stiff as these Badarian types or even yer Su-Ku-Ta men, I don't care if my people go looking for a good time in the taverns, even if they're of the fairer sex, so long as pull their weight on the road when the time comes."

When everything else was concluded, Doozer gave a nod and dismissed the catgirls to take up their positions. Paisley grasped the thief's offered hand as the su-ku-ta introduced herself and gave a single, firm shake. "The pleasure is mine. Keep your wits about you and this will be a nice, peaceful trip." There was a noticeable sense of imperiousness in the hooded figure's tone.

Moments later, following Meara's announcement, the big caravan leader called out. "Alright lads, you know the drill! Time waits for no one!" After a few knocks on one of the wagons as a signal, the drivers spurred their horses to move, and the caravan filtered out of the town on the main road -- which happened to be the only road wide enough for the sizable group -- causing the beggars and refugees to part like so much water before it. The two guards manning the road toward Badaria cleared the path as soon as they spotted the caravan and the large group wasn't even required to stop. Indeed, the two men seemed almost glad to see the siblings' new employer leave. But with that, they were officially out of Southberry, and Pasha and Paisley were sent ahead.

Despite Doozer's warnings, they had few issues once they were on the road, or the rough dirt path that served as one. The most major problem that Pasha and Paisley initially ran into was ensuring that they were still navigating the proper pathway, which would occasionally cut out for hundreds of feet where it simply hadn't been filled in. It was made more difficult by the grass, which had grown as high as Pasha's waist all around the shoddy road. But once the sun was fully in the sky even that challenge faded. Still, Paisley was constantly swiveling and looking around for nonexistent dangers. The hooded figure wasn't particularly talkative either, with their mind entirely on business, but if Pasha attempted to make conversation then she would get some response.

Meara's only looming threat, on the other hand, would have been boredom. With a caravan group that numbered in the dozens, every side was well covered enough that it was unlikely that anything would sneak up on them or even try to. And over the course of several hours, nothing did. Some of the hired hands began talking to each other in order to kill the time as they walked, but nobody had yet included the new catgirl into their conversation. Aganzo, Doozer, and Lonnie were each walking alone, and the first two were looking around like paranoid birds. There was one man, wearing a black, wide-brimmed hat with a feather in it, who was eying the martial catgirl whenever she happened to look in his direction, but he didn't seem like he would be approaching her unless there was a lull in their travels. Nothing was stopping her from trying to talk to some of her new comrades if she so desired, at least.

Regardless of the sisters' choices, the tedium would continue for the better part of the entire day, and it was well into the afternoon before Pasha and Paisley finally found something worth considering halting the caravan over. They had spotted the river and the bridge that Doozer had spoken of, but they also saw someone standing on it. In the distance, the stealthy su-ku-ta spotted a stout, broad-shouldered figure with golden skin and tusks protruding from his mouth. His arms were entirely too long and his legs were entirely too short. He was wearing surprisingly formal clothing that looked like it had taken a team to stretch it onto his muscled body. It was hard to tell whether he had noticed the two scouts or not, though they had been able to take cover in some of the tall grass near the road as soon as they noticed him.

"One target, we might be able to handle him. I doubt it's an ambush, too flashy. If we whistle it will definitely alert him to our presence. One of us could run back and alert the caravan," Paisley whispered urgently to the catgirl. Though they still bore an imperious tone, Pasha's fellow scout wasn't ordering her so much as asking for her opinion on the matter.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

"Oh you don't have to worry about me!" Pasha said with her best Su Ku Ta smile and her the traditional Anudorian good fortune gesture of pawing her left hand forward twice next to her ear. "I've had some good training."

Truthfully though, the thief's proper training had been in not being spotted rather than spotting things herself. Working the problems backward, she tried imagining what she would do if she wanted to ambush the caravan given this terrain, and then kept her eyes peeled on the danger spots.

It was easy going for most of the trip. The only problem being able to spot the road itself.

"How did these roads get so overgrown?" She asked Paisley when they were in a roughly clear area after having traversed a rough patch where the brush had encroached heavily on the dirt path.

When they eventually came upon the odd, golden skinned creature, Pasha knelt beside Paisley and spoke only in a whisper.

"What is that thing? Perhaps if one of us approached it while the other waited in ambush, we could find out if it's a foe? No sense in attacking it outright just because it looks odd." Pasha advised. "I'll go talk to it, you cover me just in case he's a meanie. If things get real bad, whistle for the others."

As long as Paisley went along with the idea, Pasha would sneak back along the road the way she had come before coming out into the open and walking down the road as if she were just a lone traveler. She wouldn't show any fear or concern when approaching the strange traveler, using her innocent visage to her advantage. Even if he were a foe, maybe her approach would be so disarming that he wouldn't consider her a possible threat.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

"Eheheh... I see," replied Meara to the portly man's claims, showing him a toothy yet slightly awkward grin. The mental imagery of him engaged in 'relaxation', if it meant what she thought it meant, was a thought she could probably have done without, but on the other hand, she was more than thankful for her new boss's level of tolerance for her lifestyle. Dealing with the stigma of being a courtesan, particularly with members of a race she hadn't interacted with all that often in the past, was one of her major concerns coming into Badaria, and for the caravan leader to illustrate that he was indeed far less uptight than even the men of her old homeland was a great comfort to the older sister. "Well, that's what I'm here for, so you can rely on me," she said with confidence before taking her position with the caravan as it set off.

Despite the apparent lack of things to do, the green-clad Su-Ku-Ta did her best to stay vigilant, fighting back any temptations to yawn or show disinterest. Her tail swished about as she walked, and she would occasionally exchange glances with those around her, attempting a smile so as to stay cordial with her fellow sentries. Even the man whose name she hadn't the opportunity to learn, with the wide-brimmed hat, would not be exempt from a polite nod and a grin during the less eventful stretches of time, which seemed to be often enough. Still, she couldn't help but wonder as to why Doozer and Aganzo were so intent on remaining vigilant, and figured it had to be something. Provided she didn't leave any side terribly uncovered, she would wander over to the one eyeing her so often and attempt conversation, though instead of giving him a "why are you looking at me," or anything to that effect, her manners steered her towards something different. "Hello, I'm Meara. Do you happen to know what tends to lurk upon these roads? Everyone seems quite careful."

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

"These roads were never finished," Paisley replied to the catgirl thief. "The Badarian military dedicated several-hundred men to building roads to the towns and villages neighboring Anudor, rumored reason being to enforce their claim and to have a road their armies could march on if needed, but that ended when the aliens invaded. Nobody maintains them anymore. Most traffic to Southberry comes from Anudor and never goes further north. That or they head southeast toward Acheron."

"I'd say troll but too short. Likely fey-blooded, but his looks could be the result of magical corruption so caution is best," Paisley would end up replying to Pasha once the two had found the odd man standing on the bridge. "I've got you covered," the catgirl's fellow scout withdrew a hand crossbow and a handaxe from their robes as the thief made to approach the bridge.

Whatever the being was, he didn't seem to consider her much of a threat. He stood impassively as she approached. It wasn't until she was close enough to hear him talk that he put up a hand to halt her and called out. "Oi. Sorry lass, but ye can't pass here, it's too dangerous in the forest right now. Orders of the priestess say that all mortals have got to find another way around."

~~~​

As she approached, Meara got a better look at her apparent admirer. He was tanned and quite handsome by the standards of Anudorian beauty. His face was masculine and clean shaven and upon it sat a charming, roguish grin. She also discovered that his eyes were a dazzling crimson red. "I am always pleased to make the acquaintance of a pretty lady, especially on a rough road," he replied with a widening smile and a doff of his cap. "I am Erasmus," he added as he replaced his wide-brimmed hat. "As for what lurks on this road... small snakes, mostly, I would think. It seems the right climate and locale for them. Perhaps a few frogs." The man laughed at his own joke.

"Bandits are far less likely. What sane man attempts to steal from anybody who would come from a place like Southberry? You can't even steal the dignity of most people who have stayed in such a place, for it is already long taken. I've seen Doozer's type. Very serious, even when there's no need to be. Too serious for his own health in a world as mad as the aliens have made this one. Don't catch his seriousness, or your own case of it, as it doesn't suit a pretty lady like you," he offered with a wink toward Meara.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

"Dangerous, huh?" Pasha said, halting in the middle of the path, her hands behind her back, easily within reach of her daggers in the blink of an eye if need be. "What sorta danger? And what sorta priestess? I need to get north and there isn't any other road. Can't ya tell me why I'm getting detoured, mister?"

Pasha tried to pour on the meekness, to see if the fae blooded guy would have any twinge of sympathy for a lone girl's plight. At the very least, he might try to make the young girl understand.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

As disciplined as she was, Meara tried her best to make sure that her smile didn't get too much wider when she saw that one of her fellow guards turned out to be quite easy on the eyes, far more than she initially expected anyway. The peculiar color of his irises certainly added to his mystique. In addition, he proved to be more pleasant than any other male she had met in Badaria, with a grace that she would be a fool to not appreciate. "You flatter me," she replied smoothly, her ears twitching and tail curling at the very end as she walked. "Erasmus, was it?" she repeated aloud in response, as if to check whether or not her pronunciation was correct. "Nice to meet you. I'm Meara!" As she had gotten somewhat more comfortable with the situation on the road, she opted to fold her arms under her bust, finally managing to keep her hands away from her weapon belt for once.

The man's initial quip earned him a slight giggle from the older catgirl. "Really? You've got to be joking!" she exclaimed before hearing the rest of his story. "Hmm... but you do have a point. I'm sure robbers are the least of their concerns in Southberry." Her mind flashed back to thoughts of the many beggars sitting on the sides of the roads in dozens. It was not a cheery place, to be sure.

"Still, as depressing as it seems, I have to admire the fact that they're even surviving to begin with. Which is probably better than can be said for much of my people," admitted the Su-Ku-Ta, struggling not to frown towards the end of the sentence. "But it's no use finding anyone to blame. I should be glad that my sister and I are blessed with a job such as this one so quickly. When I was younger, I never would have thought that I would be serving as an armed escort to any kind of caravan, but here I am now. And I don't think you have to worry about my level of seriousness--I was raised an entertainer. Helping people forget about their daily grind was part of my original purpose, so I'd like to think that I know how to relax! Or at least help other people do so..."

 

[Hafnium]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

Spoiler

Pasha: HP = 54, PP = 41, EP = 41, Status = Fine.
Meara: HP = 81, PP = 43, EP = 44, Status = Fine.

"The priestess," he started, as if that would somehow clarify everything. "Y'know, a Lady, as in the lords and ladies of the courts. The boss. As fer why... The golden skinned brute scratched his head. "Well, no orders against that. Damned goats went and got their brains fucked out by some demons. One started fancying himself the lord of the hunt and has led the fools back up here and they're making a bit of a fuss and generally making the forest a less pleasant place to live. So, you're gonna have to find another way around, 'cos it's a bit too dangerous for a sweet little lass like you."

~~~​

"Ah, you were in Anudor at the time? My apologies, it must be a touchy subject," he offered with an incline of his head. "But for what it's worth, I think that looking for the bright side is a noble endeavor, and it sounds like things are starting to look up for your sister and you." Erasmus briefly met her eyes as the caravan continued down the path. His lips hadn't yet lost their charming smile. "Though you said you were raised an entertainer? It's a nobler profession than most would give it credit for. People need to love and laugh and sing at the end of a hard day to give them hope for the next, and friendly, lovely entertainers provide that for them when they can't find relaxation in other ways."

"But I must say, I've seen it to be a stressful job. The responsibility of relieving other people of their woes can leave a person exhausted, tense, and unable to relax. I might not be able to believe that you are an expert in such. But perhaps we might entertain each other so that we may both find some relaxation on some of the boring nights? Your sister could join us. I'm told I have a bit of a talent with instruments and singing," he offered with a grin.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

"Ooh... so a Lady... that's like, a Fae, right? I really like Fae! At least, the ones I've met recently were very nice! Hmm, goats? Oh, you mean satyrs? Well, I can't say running into one who's been all demonized would be very fun. Still, I'm in a bit of a hurry and really need to get north beyond the forest. My sister's on a wagon back the road a ways and really, if we don't get north soon, we won't get paid for doing our jobs, and if we don't get paid, we'll starve! Mister, you seem like a nice fellow, and I know you're just doing your job, but isn't there some way I could convince you to let us pass? I'll promise to not stop for anything while in the woods and any danger that's in there, I'll take full responsibility for the journey, you won't have to feel guilty about it if we get in trouble!"

The Su Ku Ta fixed the gold skinned guardian with hopeful, pleading, wide eyes and placed a hand on his large arms. Tapping into her innate succubi talents, she attempted to Charm the creature into agreeing to let her and the wagon by. After all, she didn't want to have to hurt him, seeing as he was being nice enough and just looking out for her interests as well as doing his duty to his priestess, whoever she might be.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Tale of Two Sisters (Blueslime and Takimaru) GMed by Hafnium

"No, it's um... it's fine, really," assured Meara with a smile that was only partially forced, waving off the concern of the matter with one hand. "Experiences like those, if nothing else, allowed me to be thankful for what I do have, and that is my sister. I simply wouldn't even be alive without her."

She tried her best to hold back the very natural smile and the blush that spread across her cheeks that came along with thoughts of Pasha, especially given that the experience from the previous night remained quite fresh in her mind. However, along with it came a bit of guilt, knowing that her family and Su-Ku-Ta society as a whole would have probably preferred her to be with a man such as this one over her own sister, let alone another woman to begin with. Provided, even given first impressions it was difficult for her not to find him charming, if not good looking at the very least. If she ever did have to choose a man, it would probably be someone like him... though she probably blew that chance now, with the warning signs she had just given away.

Still, it was very much unlike a Su-Ku-Ta courtesan to dwell over their own worries when a client was to be paid attention to, and those instincts aided her in getting back to the conversation before her brief pause could turn into a noticeable one. "Mm, that I was," she replied. "Rather, I was a courtesan in training, as was my sister, though we hadn't even been appointed to a proper master before the greys arrived. A shame, though they are not skills I'd soon forget."

As bold as the declaration was, it wasn't a profession to be embarrassed about, not in her former civilization, anyway. Their reputation was built on the idea of sheer enjoyment and extended periods of pleasure rather than just a cheap fuck, as girls like her were meant to bring their client true escapism, to a world where they would suffer no shortage of love and attention. It just so happened that fulfilling their sexual desires just happened to fall safely within that range.

"Yes, you're quite right. Strain and tension on a burdened heart can at times be a traveler's worst enemy. And even when it isn't, it's still more dangerous than well, small snakes and frogs," remarked the catgirl with a giggle. "I certainly wouldn't be opposed to the idea!" said Meara cheerfully, her face taking on a look of genuine interest when the man mentioned his talents. "Oh? A bard of sorts? I'd absolutely love to hear you sometime," she declared, her pupils dilating just slightly while her tail stuck straight up in the air, swishing back and forth gently. If Erasmus didn't have her interest before, he certainly had it now. "Whereabouts are you from, if you don't mind me asking? I've always been curious about other styles of music, though I've had little opportunity to experience them, as we haven't been in Badaria for very long." While her inquiry wasn't a lie by any means, it was just her way of begging a deeper question about the traveler's origins, given the color of his eyes.