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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 16, 2010 23:22:10 GMT -5
The sun rose cheerily over the Tialde mountain, glistening at its peak and raining warmth down upon the forest below, tendrils of radiance pressing through the canopy of trees overhead, shards of light that were very, very bright.
Scipio noticed this first, as the second he opened his eyes the back of his skull erupted in agony. For some reason, no matter how drunk he had gotten himself the night before, the poor bastard could never sleep in in an unfamiliar place, and that morning he again found himself in some place very, very unfamiliar. It took him a minute to remember that, after his brawl with the monster in the tavern a few weeks ago, Scipio had fled to Tialde for a "change of scenery", if Tialde's taverns were that different from his back home in Cados. Even this didn't help him much, though, as he was currently staring at the underside of a uprooting tree, lethargically watching a line of ants scouring its rotting trunk, for last that he could remember no tavern he'd even seen included an entire fucking forest.
With some difficulty he forced himself up, wincing as his chest pinched with the movement. The palms of his hands were scraped and his clothes were coated in a film of dirt- his mouth tasted sweetly metallic, and he found dried blood on his lips when he ran his tongue over them.
"Bloody hell," he muttered, rubbing the side of his face sleepily. He couldn't remember a thing from last night past the point when he had decided that, yes, he would have a fifth grog, thanks. Mutely he cursed the bastards that had dumped him out in the middle of nowhere, and staggered to his feet.
Brushing his hands off on his pants, he looked around, wondering how in the world he was supposed to find his way back to town.
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Post by Zephyr Strife on Dec 17, 2010 16:48:22 GMT -5
"Is there any reason you're so close to the mountain?" The voice was soft and pretty, but definitely that of someone commanding. She stood leaned against a nearby tree, eyeing Scipio with her bright yellow eyes. Her tight outfit didn't look like it would be very comfortable, hugged against her body and showing every curve. Her black hair fell down over her back, over the hilt and sheath of a large broadsword. She smiled a wicked smile at the man and stood upright, starting closer with a slow, threatening walk. The long braided streak of white hair fell down her front beside her face and it stood out against the purple of her shirt. "You know, it's very dangerous here," she said in that dangerous tone of hers.
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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 17, 2010 18:01:14 GMT -5
Well, this isn't too bad, was Scipio's first thought. An attractive woman out here, alone, with him. If he didn't look such a mess, he would have jumped at the opportunity.
"I'm a big boy, I think I can handle it," he said, patting the hilt of his sword. She, too, was decently armed, and she walked with confident, dominant purpose. "And my reasoning is that I am...lost. From last night."
He smiled. "Any reason you're so close to the mountain, my lady?"
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Post by Zephyr Strife on Dec 17, 2010 18:37:23 GMT -5
She tilted her head slightly as she halted. She had to look up at Scipio; he was nearly a foot taller than her. Her black hair trailed down her back, brushing her behind softly. Her smile remained, yellow eyes glinting as she studied his taller form. He was lost? That was funny. Maybe she'd play a game... "You got lost by the mountain in the middle of the night?" she returned, ignoring his question as to why she was so close to the mountain. "What are you, a drunk? Don't you have anyhting useful to be doing with your time than wandering aimlessly?"
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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 20, 2010 0:10:40 GMT -5
Ouch. "A man can have a relaxing night once in a while," Scipio said a little more defensively than he meant to, "besides, I'm merely sightseeing, not here on business. So, no," he said, smiling faintly at the woman. "I don't have anything useful to be doing. What's your story, miss?"
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Post by Zephyr Strife on Dec 20, 2010 8:41:39 GMT -5
"You look like trash," the woman stated, bluntly, giving him a once over with those cat-eye yellow eyes of hers. "Sightseeing probably doesn't involve wandering through the forest at night. I can tell you were drunk so don't lie to me, I don't appreciate it." She frowned almost childishly, as if she were insulted that he couldn't tell her the truth. But her smile returned, just as wicked and dark as before, and she lifted her slender arms to cross them beneath her breasts, holding her elbows. He'd asked her story. Not very smart for him considering the fact she had an enormous weapon on her back and seemed to carry it without issue. She looked up at his face with her bright eyes and shrugged. "What business is it of yours?" she said, rather rudely. "Just because you'll tell everyone what you're doing doesn't mean I will. Maybe I live out here. And, by the way, what's your name?"
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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 20, 2010 10:58:10 GMT -5
"Scipio," he muttered, rather annoyed with being called out on his worse-for-wear appearance today. And I wasn't saying I wasn't drunk...."
He decided to leave it at that, far too irritable and tired to argue. "Look," he didn't bother asking her name this time, anticipating some difficult response. "I am lost, alright? If you know how to get back to Tiaelde I'd be grateful."
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Post by Zephyr Strife on Dec 20, 2010 13:30:26 GMT -5
"Oh, I know lots of things," the woman said, giggling again. "Scipio Varick, correct? Yeah, I know you too. I'm Zephyr, but you can call me Zeph. I'll take you back to Tiaelde... For a price. How about your sword? It looks like a nice piece." Without giving him a chance to answer, Zeph shook her head and turned her back on him. He didn't really have anything she wanted, besides his blood. And she wasn't about to admit that because then her fun would be over and she'd have to kill him. She glanced back over her shoulder, yellow eyes glinting as she smiled even wider. "You seem like an interesting pet so maybe I'll take you back to Tiaelde in return for you doing small favors every now and then, when I come asking," she said, throwing the offer on the table as she dropped her arms. "That seems a fair deal to me."
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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 20, 2010 13:39:45 GMT -5
The expression Zephyr found Scipio wearing was not a flattering one; his mouth had dropped open slightly in disgusted disbelief, giving him a very thick, uncomprehending look.
"No!" he protested incredulously. "This is my sword, you seem to have a very nice one of your own. And I'm not your pet," he was gripping the hilt of his sword very hard now, as if afraid it would suddenly soar out of his grasp on its own, "so you can forget about these "small favors" you're talking about."
Fuming, he turned to leave, realized he had no idea where to go, and turned back. "How the hell do you know my name anyway, Zeph?"
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Post by Zephyr Strife on Dec 20, 2010 13:47:37 GMT -5
Zephyr giggled like a child again, completely amused by Scipio's reaction. She turned back to him and lifted a hand in a lazy wave. "I don't want your sword, I have plenty better at my home," she said, grinning and showing teeth. If he paid close attention, he might notice the sharp, pointed canines she had. "I'm sorry you don't want small favors asked of you, too," she continued, closing her bright eyes. "Goodness, now I'll have to find another man to spend the night with. Oh well, too bad for you then." She opened one eye and raised a brow, tilting her head slightly to one side. "You hear things from outside Tiaelde," she answered, moving from conversation to his question. "So I know who you are and various other things about you. Information isn't hard to come by, you know."
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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 20, 2010 14:04:56 GMT -5
Scipio frowned in confusion. Didn't she just ask for my sword?
At the woman's next words though, his chest skipped excitedly. "Now wait a second," he said, grinning charmingly, "I didn't realize that's what you meant."
He ran a hand through his hair, barely noticing the film of dirt that cascaded down, result of a night spent on the ground. "What else do you know about me, then?"
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Post by Zephyr Strife on Dec 20, 2010 14:29:15 GMT -5
"I know that you fled Cados after fighting against some strange monster in a tavern there, while trying to get something out of a Werecat," Zeph stated, sounding as if she had an upper hand and was confident. "And you said you didn't want to help me with my favors so you miss out. Unless you can convince me otherwise." She gave him that wicked smile of hers and dropped her hand back to her elbow. "So get convincing," she said flipping some loose strands of her black hair back over her shoulder, the white braid swaying as she did. "And while you're trying, I'll take you back to Tiaelde." At that, she started walking, attempting to look as pleasing as she could. This game she was playing was a dangerous one. At least for Scipio, it was. But she had already decided that it would be nice to have a little toy and so she wasn't going to change him or kill him. Not for now, at least. She glanced over her shoulder with those cat's-eye yellow eyes of her and winked at him, lifting a finger and beckoning him after her.
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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 20, 2010 15:37:43 GMT -5
Now, Scipio's usual method of picking up women was usually with blunt flirting and flattery, building himself up and pursuing the girl until they gave in. It was very odd for him, then, that Zephyr was clearly intent on taking the lead. Odd, but a huge turn on.
Catching up with her, he dared to put an arm around her hip. "Well," he said, "seeing as you seem to be the one that has been doing research on me, it seems like you have already made up your mind about us. And I happen to think you to be one of the more stunning girls I have ever had to fortune of bumping into on my drunken meanders home."
He smiled at her, trying to gauge if his compliment within a joke had won him any points.
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Post by Zephyr Strife on Dec 20, 2010 15:50:10 GMT -5
Now he was pushing his limits with her but Zephyr decided she would let him slide this time. As long as he didn't try anthing else, she wouldn't have to harm him. She looked up at him with one brow raised and gave him another smile, this one a little more charming and flirtatious. Might as well play him as best she could, she decided. Vincencio wouldn't be around for awhile... She laughed at his joke, finding it rather lame, but she would humor his growing ego in this situation and let him have some fun too. It wasn't often that she had fun with idiotic human men anyways. "So you stumble into other girls on your drunken meanders?" she questioned, teasingly. "You must get drunk a lot. Do you have a job? Other than wooing us 'stunning' girls, as you put it."
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Post by Scipio Varick on Dec 22, 2010 10:57:20 GMT -5
Scipio barely heard what the woman said next. When she had turned to him and given him that smile, he had been close enough to notice something that he hadn't seen before.
Barely conscious of what he was doing, Scipio drew his arm back as if he had been burned, stumbling away from the woman and drawing his sword unconsciously. "You're a vampire!" he yelped, now a good five feet away.
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