The Groove was alive with several individuals doing exactly what they weren't supposed to as Ersand'Enise students. Gambling their lives, ingesting aberrations, and encouraging others to engage in risky bets. Ren was not here to partake in that, or at least not personally. Joliin was still not at an acceptable level, and that irked the man. So, as a bearer of the fruit, he obviously had access into the groove. He'd brought with him the worms, of course, but a couple of extra bodies that he considered to be utterly useless just in case an opportunity for trade, or fun at the exchange presented itself. Others had done similar things in passing.
"You're due for an aberration, Joli. You'd better not embarrass us and cry." he smiled at the waifish yasoi girl, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a tight, reassuring squeeze. There would be no protest as they made their way to the aberration table. It was there however, that he was met with the delicious sight of opportunity - a recent addict suffering greatly. However grotesque this worm was, she was excellent for opportunities like this. He couldn't grin harder at the opportunity presented before him.
"Now, this is the perfect time for a test. The one who gets it right earns themselves a reward." he waved to the three of his main accomplices, releasing the hand that he had on the girls shoulder and immediately spraying it with a sickly sweet perfumed soap, rubbing them together after the fact. Touching that thing was more than she deserved.
Joliin jumped slightly at the touch, even though she had sensed it was coming. She swallowed awkwardly.
"I..." She took a small, nervous breath.
I-I shall do my best, Master." She took another. She hated when Ren was like this, but there was nothing she could do. He wasn't hurting her. He was spending his own money to make her stronger, but there were risks: so many risks! Then, she sensed the boy thrashing about, in the throes of minor aberration madness, and Ren's words followed hot on the heels of that.
"I can do it!" she chirped, offering up the ghost of a shy smile.
"I can help him if you wish it!" She nibbled her lower lip and turned hopefully towards Ren. (edited)
Zarina had been enjoying the quietude of the groove's corner booths. The recent events were overwhelming and the curse of being a social linchpin of her groups, as well as owning many rambunctious pets, led to very little peace. Being divorced from her current time, however, did the job.
She was drinking some regular wine - the sort that didn't require special coin - when Tku did a thing. Leaning to the side for a better view, Zarina quickly recognized the black anomaly by the artist. It was Way. Too. Big.
“Eshi-t. Seriously?” she muttered in frustration. Of course, she chugged the rest of her drink before precipitating toward the near-dead Tku and drew from the poison that was killing him.
“Hang in there, habibi. Your favourite bitch's got you.” she clenched her teeth in anticipation for unpleasantness.
Luckily, she didn't have to suck too much.
Everything should go alright, last time I got an aberration for the 3 of us. It should be fine... These were the last thought that Tku had before his stupidity and arrogance led him to an untimely end...
Or at least they should have been.
Tku had enough humility to think that he may not be so sure. Enough to bring his closest friend, Zarina. He was spared by humility and generosity this day, how many times can be so lucky?
There was no existence, only shades of color. Colors he had never seen, people took forms. Zarina was Hetraxa of all people, her hair became snakes and whips. No violence came from him but tears at his skin to paint what he saw
"Ah, your scales are so vibrant today!" He tried to grasp at things that apparently hovered above Zarina's skin, only grabbing a scrap of clothing at times.
Ren scratched his head, a little bit disappointed to be truthful. Mountain Goat had little to say or do in this situation, and he was obviously excluded from the potential reward. Gesté-Mago also had little to say about the current state of affairs, other than a forced half-smile he wore on his face at all times. That was why he was Ren's favourite. He knew his place, and he didn't speak out of turn. But Joliin loved to posture, and pretend to be something she wasn't - a saviour. Everything she'd ever accomplished in her pitiful, insignificant life was a result of his actions, but today, he'd give her a chance to show her what it meant to show mercy.
"What an excellent suggestion, Joli. I do wish you to help him." his expression changed to mild amusement as he spoke softly, binding the rest of the soapy substance away from his hands. As he stepped closer, he realized there may be a situation afoot.
There was another woman there, visibly Virangish in accent and skintone, and she seemed to show a degree of consideration for this boy. Was he one of hers? He couldn't imagine anyone ever referring to property in such an affectionate way, though he did know that some treated animals with more care and consideration. Maybe he was her Joli. Still, the way he was grasping at her was far from acceptable and definitely needed to be trained out.
"Do you really let it touch you like that? I'll let my creature fix it if you don't mind me borrowing it for something." he looked somewhat disgusted at this point in the affairs, waving Joli to attend to the boy.
"Truly, Master?" Joliin chirped, twisting and smiling. Her teeth were a bit crooked, but she was blind anyhow. She bowed deeply at the waist.
"Thank you! You really are kind and merciful." Then, however, he continued, and her heart and stomach came together in a mess inside of her. She could not control her face enough to retain her smile.
"I will obey... with joy." She remembered to add the last bit, sensing the aberration-afflicted boy, clenching and unclenching her fists nervously as she stepped forward when waved forward.
Zarina retreated her head back a little to avoid an accident. Her hair strayed a little to close to Tku's wandering hands, but she sighed in frustration as the inevitable ruining of her clothing.
“Tsk, Habibi ...” she pursed her lips and tapped the maddened Tku's cheek.
Then came a voice, one loaded with an accent she very much recognized. Virangish, but specific to a certain group. It took her back, and not necessarily to good places. Zarina twisted to regard the newcomers.
“Huh? You got some animal that can fix maddened lads?” she raised a brow, the obvious implications of Ren's voice flying over head ...
But only for a couple of seconds. She was, after all, from the same world.
“Ah.” it clicked when she noticed the Yasoi and her choice of words.
“Right. Sure.” She scooted, but remained close to keep her hand onto Tku's.
“He's not property. He's a friend. So there isn't any replacing, Habibi.”Gesté-Mago swallowed. He saw to sorting some of the supplies in Mountain Goat's many bags.
"Perhaps there is still room for us to help each other, no?" He wasn't sure why he spoke out. He could see Joliin's anxiety. He did not want her to foul this up. He did not want Ren to be in a black humour. He did not want the callow, waifish girl to take another lashing. He was old but sturdy, while
she looked as if she might break at any moment.
Tku played with the bit of fabric, it shifting in form and material until it end up as dust. His shoulders slumped as he wasted such a rare scale.
"I broke the gift," a tear fell down his cheek and he was left trying to press the dust back into a scale.
Again and again he tried to make it back into a scale and again it crumbled into dust. Frustration grew until it burst and he sent the dust flying with a huff of kinetic. Pissed as all hells, Tku looked back at Zarina's scales like they were taunting him.
"I will make something great out of you one day!" Tku proclaimed oh so loudly.
And then he saw her.
A heavenly figure draped in loose cloth with a blindfold over her eyes. His eyes went wide as a holy light formed with her.
"Ahn-Dami?" No matter the madness, Tku dropped to his knees in front of her greatness,
"Oh magnificent being, so kind and wise, I have wasted your blessing!" He clasped his hand together to pray,
"I have wasted your gift you have given me." He waited for the judgment on his very soul.
Before she opened her mouth, the disgust faded into a glance of respect, but then he actually listened to her speak. Her tone was offensive to his ears, and there wasn't a modicum of respect in her comments. Habibi? She wished. She prayed at night. She dreamt about it, and Vashdal spat this exact situation in her face to humble her. It was all a sick joke. A scowl graced his features before Gesté-Mago spoke up, and he found more joy in listening to the old croney goblin smack his lips together than a fellow countryman. No wonder he had so much to do these days. He simply turned to his slave and set the conversation with Zarina to the side for a moment. She'd already proven herself unworthy of his immediate attention.
"Reasonable as always, Gesté. If he's not property, then he's responsible for his actions and we can have him compensate Joli for my efforts. They had such a good suggestion, a reward is only fitting." his face changed once more to a smug smile, knowing full well what he was going to get out of this, regardless of Zarina's protests.
It was only after he was finished speaking to the cazenax that he even met her gaze again to speak once more. There was a part of him that wanted to completely ignore her, but that was beneath him.
"A friend?" he spat, almost laughing.
"You don't have to hide behind words when you've given yourself away through them. It's fine to have a little escapade here and there, but don't assume everyone wants to jump in." It didn't hold the venom that one would expect of a comment like that, but it was still obviously a remark meant to belittle her. Still, his smile held.
He spoke in such a adoring way about her master and, for a moment, Joliin felt a pang of jealousy: this pretty... no, he wasn't Belzaggic! He wasn't Joruban either... she recognized the accent. Obenjan!
She used her energy sense to make sure that she was facing him and attempted a reassuring smile. She knew what it was like to take too much of an aberration. She felt confidence that she could do it. Praise from ren was such a rare thing and he had praised her twice today already.
"You haven't wasted anything," she assured the pretty boy.
"There is simply a balance to be paid. Master will see to that." She reached out with her small, cold hands.
"Now be still, okay?"Zarina's skepticism was made clear as their gazes met again. But the remarks had her drop any sort of passivity.
“Escapades? Really?” she raised a brow and gave a general glance.
“Look, I appreciate the help. Really,” once Tku has in more competent healing hands she ascended back on her feet, hands on her hips.
“you have my total thanks.” there wasn't the cheekiness or sarcasm she'd usually have with this sort of discourse. In fact, she lowered her head a little.
“What's the favour?” she inquired, this time in Virangish.
"Yes Goddess," Tku took in the infinite grace and leniency of Ahn-Dami. He closed his eyes but the visions didn't stop. Scattering his mind against the cold ground spilled dozens of experiences.
The times he was unkind out of fear. The time he lashed out without understanding. The time he took more than he needed... Every time he gambled his life so haphazardly.
Connections to people formed. They were beautiful, they were burdensome. They were fulfilling! They were so frustrating!
She is kind, I'm flaky. Why am I flaky?Tku was surprisingly still despite being crazed.
Joliin laid her hands on his shoulders.
"Breathe when I breathe. Okay?" She reached out into the luminous agglomeration of energy that was the boy before her, finding the slivers of emptiness within: darkness within the light. She pulled them into herself, grimacing in discomfort, but discomfort was nothing. Her eyes had withered and fallen out of their sockets shortly after her ninth birthday. She gritted her teeth and extracted the wrongness - the one in his mind. This, she neutralized with her unquenchable light.
When it was all done, Joliin breathed a big sigh of relief. She could feel him right again and, even though she didn't know this boy, she felt like she did. A warmth rose inside of her.
"I have taken what I can. I hope you are better," she concluded. After a moment, she realized that one of her hands was still on his shoulder. Quickly she retracted it.
He cocked an eyebrow at her response, maintaining the same expression as he spoke. She was thankful, appropriately so for the aid he'd so generously delivered this mangled addict - and even carried a degree of shame about her. But it was oh so
boring. He too, switched to Virangish, not necessarily out of respect for her but seemingly out of instinct
"Are you concerned? Afraid?" he asked, smirking as he put a hand to his chin, continuing to examine. He'd phased most of what Joli and the aberration crazed youth said, but the word Goddess was uttered and he laughed.
"You hear that? Your friend thinks she's a goddess. he chuckled softly, menacingly almost to himself, before an annoyance gripped him.
Goddess, huh. Then she'd get to play the part.
"He'll have to thank it for saving his life. Appropriately." he continued in his native tongue, obvious traces of high society trickling through his accent, even as his tone was bothered.
He looked over to see Joliin finishing up and he clapped his hands together as if they were finished now, switching back to Avincean.
"Ah, very timely! Now, Joliin, would you like a reward for your efforts?" he spoke, a closed grin on his face as his hands moved to clasp together behind his back.
“No. I know your eminance wouldn't be satisfied with any common favour. I'm intrigued.” Zarina even performed a light bow after finishing her response, still in her mother tongue. Her attention then returned to the
mostly restored Tku.
“Wow, she actually did it.” she nodded, genuinely impressed.
“And I gotta agree, I say a resemblance to Lilith, actually.” she turned to regard Ren.
“Wouldn't you agree? With hair and blindfold.”Zarina watched with anticipation what the master had in store for the servant after a job well done. She had seen many extremes in this practice, more so the 'good' than the cruelty some imagined to happen on the daily. Her generation had grown with reforms, but she had seen the worst of it too.
“Still waiting on that favour. Or maybe you're content with tha satisfaction of helping the saviour of An Zenui?” she grinned slyly as she brushed a rebellious lock of hair over her ear.
Joliin bowed immediately, but her mind was racing. When Master offered things like this, experience had taught her that they also came with a lesson, and those lessons were usually... unpleasant. It was a matter of balance, but sometimes, Joliin thought it might be nice to just do good, wouldn't it?
"I am not worthy, Master, but if you see fit, I will not refuse," she answered carefully.
Tku's glum disposition only saved for the end of a bottle, cleared away at with the prodding at his mind. He finally came to open his eyes and what he saw was not Ahn-Dami. No, it was someone who cry out for her. A girl with a gentle touch and soothing voice from the little he could remember.
But beyond the superficial, the reality of their constraints. Tku could still see that beauty of her from moments ago. Serenity set atop his settling emotion.
I want to paint her.Tku steadily rose to his feet, trying to salvage what the artist could of his dignity. His eyes cast about at the mess and a subtle flinch came to him at the mess he made.
"I have made quite the mess," Tku admitted, shame lacing his voice. Matter rearranged itself to where it needs, his blood returned to him as makeup and the dust he had created returned to the intricate patterns of Zarina's outfit.
Such a high degree of 'binding' magic was used, no one would question it was binding right?
It's the Groove anyway, Tku reassured himself.
A quick scan told him enough, Virang had many of these types. Tku did a light bow to his mysterious benefactor,
"Thank you for pulling me out of that wretched place."Ren inhaled deeply, in a respectable attempt to keep the nagging comments from bothering him. The feigned respect was aggravating to say the least. He wanted to do more in this place, but the Groove had rules that even he had to abide by. So, he thought for a moment, pensively. He already had something in mind - the brat was to grant the girl a gift. Or multiple, if the one wasn't fulfilling enough. Benevolence must come around, it is never free, and whether you know it or not, you will pay.
"Saviour of An-Zenui, you say? Then I do believe one of my belongings owes you great thanks! Gesté, why are you standing around while a saviour of your people has dirt on her shoes?" he smiled smugly in return, and snapped his fingers for his cazenax slave to attend to the Virangish girl.
Needless to say, that was all to sidestep the other matters of the conversation. They irked him, when they shouldn't. He turned to the freshly awakened Tku.
"You see, that is how gratitude is shown. And much how your friend saved my properties people, you have been saved by this." he speaks softly, but there is the slightest undercurrent of a threat to his words.
"Joliin, I do see it fit for you to recieve a reward. From that man. Given as we're in the groove, I believe the exchange would be the best and most immediate way of gratitude." he clapped his hands together, and snapped his fingers once more, gesturing both Tku and Joliin to follow him to the riskiest game of chance in the world.
Zarina dismissively gestured the Cazenax away.
“Oh, my apologies, my lord. I misspoke.” Zarina scooted closer to a reinvigorated Tku and gestured his way.
“He's the savior. I merely helped.” she nodded curtly, but then perked up at the request.
“... The Exchange has a risk of death and other terrible things, sir.” she reminded with a slightly gravelly and deeper voice.
“I think it would be prudent to make use of his services rather than just ... Risk him?”Joliin was not master of her face in its entirety. It betrayed her discomfort with the entire affair, but she dared not speak out of turn. Attempting to cast her denial of Tku as humility would only earn her... discipline.
"I trust you have the currency to purchase a second fate." She tried to make it sound perfunctory, but there was no missing the subtle but very much present pleading quality to her words.
Tku kept a solemn face, listening and piecing together the rest of the details. Going to the Exchange would test his faith to Reshta too much for one day. He made it away with a minor headache today, he couldn't guess if he would make it out with his life. He has
seen what can happen.
Why don't you shove your hand in! I'll even pay for your hook if you loose it, Tku thought but wouldn't dare say. He respected Zarina and she was showing deference to him. He was an unsightly man, though blessed by Ipte,
what a shame beauty and cruelty so often go hand in hand. Stupidity usually follows.Seeing the opportunity to not risk his life, Tku followed up Zarina's suggestion. Raising a hand and respectfully waiting to be allowed into the conversation,
"Zarina's words do hold some truth. I am known on campus as a bit of an artist, perhaps something that takes laborious work might better show my gratitude?" he spoke as clearly and without accent as he could. The same way he spoke to any noble at Ersand'Ernise when trying to sell them on something.
Ren shook his head toward both Zarina and Tku. This was not the nature of transactions. Was he supposed to take them at their word? What sort of lesson would that be for his good compatriots here. No. Deeds must be paid upfront and in appropriate value if no contract is in place, an obvious matter when dealing in business. To trust and to show leniency is to show weakness to a hungry tiger right in front of you. Especially the likes foolish enough to damn near kill himself with an aberration.
"It's not about the degree of work, but about what was risked. This isn't just a monetary transaction, but a case of gratitude." he paused to say the boys name, but he didn't know it. Nor did he particularly want to.
"You're welcome to offer art as a gift of your own volition to myself, or my property but I wouldn't have any guarantee you won't go back on your word, or worse yet, perish to another unfortunate incident with an aberration." he waved his hands in the air as if the boy's death would particularly bother him. The thought of a potrait did intrigue him to be truthful, but he could always purchase those services.
However, his intention to teach a lesson was at the forefront of things today. Her aberration ingestion could be handled after the fact.
"It risked its life for you, are you not willing to do the same to make amends?" he clasped his hands together behind his back and smiled politely, the slight insistence or threat that could be interpreted in his voice growing slightly stronger due to their reluctance. Joliin, in the smallest way possible, shook her head when she caught Tku's eye. It was nearly imperceptible.
She took in her words and felt her action. Each part pained him. He knew that their wasn't anything he could do at the moment for her. At the very least he could not burden her with risking a single fate.
"You are correct," Tku tossed 3 more gold Exploits into the exchange,
"Such wise words I hope you practice them yourself when It is needed." He whispered something small and unknowable into her ear. With a light laugh and pat on Zarina's shoulder, Tku stuck his hand in.
Zarina blinked.
“You really don't hav-” but Tku was already at it with his hand inside the exchange. Zarina watched with a paler face and a figure frozen in place.
There was no place for fear. He was either going to die or not. And when he felt his hand grab an ornate jar, fate smiled at him once again. He pulled out a jug of mana, something he actually
really wanted.
He pulled it out and set it in front of Joliin.
"I hope this gift is great enough for you," Tku gave a small smile to hide his distaste at the game. She wasn't going to get any of this, he knew, nor does she need it. His eyes hid a 'sorry' to Joliin. He had led to this extra discomfort.
Even with knowing he had caused some of this, it did not escape him that this man was deeply unpleasant. How people like him are made boggles the mind, an unsettling enigma.
He went over to Zarina, and bumped his head to hers on the side, maybe smack some color back into her.
"Looks like I will still have my Banana and my shift tomorrow," Tku whispered through a smile to hide his worries from her.
She had tried hard and here my action brought her such great stress... It hurt him to see her worry like that.
And when he pulled them out of the inky void of the Exchange, he smiled and turned to Joliin. He thought of perhaps acknowledging the mans conviction, but he probably did it out of his junkie disregard for his own life. The comment about his 'banana' only made it worse, and in fact, he cracked a small chuckle through his smug grin.
"There's your reward. Don't leave it behind." and so, he nodded his head toward Tku, and then to Zarina. Whatever they had suggested or wanted, they hadn't got. He had proven everything he had wanted to, and perhaps taught a valuable lesson to their property. Even if they were to be 'free', none would truly escape his whims and wishes. Such was the priviledge and burden of the strong.
Still, even with a lesson taught, there was still much to do. He didn't come here to save some junkie kid.
She still had to have her aberration, after all.
A dispute in Killuaho to be resolved by neutral means. A joke, to be frank. A 'student' he was in some capacity, but he was a representative of Virang first and foremost. And he would not let posturing from the school or third parties interfere with this. But, to be the master of the situation, he would need to play these people. An easy task, to be frank. Among the men and women chosen for this task beside him, there were none that were threats. To be frank, it was almost an insult that they'd been chosen alongside him.
Maura, a cripple.
Kaureerah, a former prostitute and song artist.
Tku, the boy who'd he'd saved.
Zast, a charlatan.
Fiske, a cowardly charlatan.
There were three that had his interest however. Marz, a master craftsman who'd come into note through the auctioning of a beautiful piece of work in the Groove. He wouldn't mind having someone like him in his collection.
Raffie was a countrywoman. And there was far more to her that met the eye. A hunger in her eyes was something he recognized in several of the poor that he'd taken into his care, a fire. She'd certainly be an interesting case.
And Mahal. She was some sort of noble from his administration, but clearly not favoured. Yet, she seemed to keep her distance from him from the get-go. Was it due to her native blood? Radical political views? Or something more. Sooner or later, she'd break under the pressure though. The fear and anxiety was palpable.
All that was left to prepare for the venture. A variety of expensive equipment was packed on Mountain Goat, and Geste-Mago was brought with. Joliin had other matters to attend to, and he trusted they would be accomplished. But this mission belonged to him and only him. And everyone on this boat would know it sooner or later.
