"You've heard of this place? Odd." He'd been a marine for a couple of years and hadn't heard about it. "But since we're on the subject what kind of rumors?" He turned his face towards the island. The place looked like something out of a renaissance fair.

Jasper watched the woman head towards the boat's exit with a raised eyebrow. When she stopped and cursed the situation he nodded. "It hasn't been a day yet. I doubt you'd be able to heal very much with only a night's rest, especially if there's structural damage. If anything its impressive you're not bed-bound." He paused to let the idea sink in before continuing. "Though, it might not be a bad idea to resign yourself to staying in bed, and keep from complicating the injuries further."

Shade cursed and sat on the railing, closing her eyes and lowering her head. “I wanted to be free of that nightmare...I wanted to show myself that I wasn’t going to let what happened there be a part of my story...I guess I should have been more careful...”

She looked terrible. She was still hot to the touch and her body was half broken. It was sheer will that was keeping her from being bed ridden. But it was coming fast if she didn’t stop pushing herself so hard. She looked up at him again and said “the rumors I’ve heard are that this place is like a trip back in time...all on a floating island. Never in the same place. And that it’s a whole world unto itself. No outside forces rule here...what ever that means...” shade suddenly coughed, holding her mouth and chest at the same time.

"It's understandable" Rintin's eyes wondered over the people milling about at the fair grounds several dozen yards away from them. Beyond that as a large castle that towered into the sky. It looked like mankind was giving god the middle finger and daring something to be done about it. "The marines aren't gentle during the best of times. If they think you were responsible for hurting one of their own or making the world government look bad then they take off the kid gloves and strap on the widowmakers." A pause. "I can't imagine anyone not wanting to hurry up and leave those memories in the past."

"No outside forces huh?" Jasper rubbed his chin. Somehow he doubted that. The area they were on looked massive. There was no way it could move quick enough to remain out of notice by the world government, especially in such a peaceful sea. There had to be something going on.

"It does look like a location out of time, doesn't it." He looked down at the woman. "So shall we go?"

Shade nodded and slowly got up, shaking slightly as she said “we should get a good look around…better safe then sorry” she looked around them and felt her body aching for relief from the pain and stress. But she didn’t want to seem
Weak in front of this man.

She paused and turned to him. “You don’t have to keep calling me Shade…you can call me by my first name…” she wiped her face from the sweat and headed to get off the ship. She paused as she climbed down, her legs barely working.

"Alright then?" Rintin shrugged. "I'll move on a head then, and you can keep up at your own pace. Just let me know if you need any help then, Asteria."

Jasper took a moment to frown at the young woman. She was like a deck of cards standing before a hurricane, held together by will and cheap glue. At the slightest breath, Shade could crumble. He doubted she'd get back up. Much as he would've preferred to argue he didn't. The woman's pride meant a lot to her and he'd respect. With a shrug he turned and walked off the ship into the crowd.

Jasper wasn't the largest man by any means. He wasn't a large man by the average of the individuals around him, but he was a big man in that he made others want to give him space. Which most did, until a young lady dressed in blue stepped up to him.

"Hello, Mr." The child couldn't have been more than twelve.

"Yes?" Jasper stopped, hands in pockets.

"You look hungry. Would you like something to eat? WE've got deals at our place today." Jasper would've responded in the negative but the girl's face stopped him. There was a deep scar under her chin, and a terror in her eyes. When he didn't tell her nw, she turned her back to him. "Come on. This way." She started walking.

Frowning, Jasper turned back towards Shade and motioned that he was going to follow the child.

Shade followed him slowly, cursing her pride at the moment. She looked around at the shops and bright signs trying to push away her pain but it wasn’t working. She knew if she took one more hit she would be down for the count.

She paused when the child came up and she nodded at his path. After a few minutes behind the girl she said softly “You can call me Ash…by the way. My old crew did…” she flinched and held her side as she asked the girl “what can you tell us of town?”

"Your old crew?" Rintin arched an eyebrow back at the woman. He would've liked to hear details on the specifics of the story, but figured it would best to wait for another time, when things quieted down. "Ash it is."

"Well." The girl stopped to look at Ash, her eyes wide, bright, fearful. "Nothing really. I mean, we're not supposed to talk about the background stuff. We just bring people to the restaurant were given and hope they'll spend a lot, because." She paused.

"I mean, our place is this way." She turned a corner and continued walking until she stopped in front of a door with a picture of a unicorn on it. The place was called the horned pub and grill. "Come on in. First drink is on the house, if you order some food." She motioned her guest to go inside.

Ash frowned and muttered “I am not liking the feeling I am getting here Jasper…” she followed the girl inside and looked around. It looked like a nice pub, nothing crazy. Ash turned back the other and said “well, food wouldn’t be bad…” but then she turned and hit a table hard and cursed softly, holding her bad leg.

“Crap…” blood dripped from her leg and she knew she ripped the wound open.