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Sand and Stones May Break My Bones (P)(Marakai)

Started by Blink, June 13, 2017, 03:43:30 PM

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Blink

All she could do was blink at the mention of cutting her leg off. "That would definitely be inconvenient" Her worry though wearing off after he unwrapped her leg and delivered the good news. She was healing, so well in fact that he said she could leave the bandage off for the day.

Her attention was then on him as she watched him try and piece together why she was healing so efficiently. The entire in her mind she just kept going "Sand and stones, sand and stones, sand and stones" as if she hadn't already repeated it enough out loud already. And then he figured it out and it was a 'there ya go' moment for Jaela.

Pulling herself up with his help Jaela only smiled, having been quite throughout the entire process. It really was fun enough just watching Itachi try and figure things out without her added opinions. She also saw something she imagined others often saw in her, which is why she so easily noticed it. He was always thinking... his mind was always going some place where his body was not. That sparkle in his eyes the same as when Jaela was trying to figure things out.

The moment they stepped out of the tent the game was back on for 'Princess Bird'. Immediately she shot her arms straight out at each side while she walked, her palms flat as if she were signaling to stop. "No one come near me or you may be infected by my lack of infection." She then looked at Itachi over her shoulder. "It has to go somewhere doesn't it?"

"And what of that horseradish! We don't have all day people! Those witches never stop!" Of course, all of this was a way of keeping the men busy instead of going for the food that Itachi had mentioned.

Marakai Trin

Itachi followed behind her as they exited the tent, quickly taking notice of her change in mannerisms. He gave a small smile, putting a hand over his eyes and slowly shaking his head.

"Yeah, i's gone somewhere, alright. Straight ta yer head,  methinks." He winked as he stepped past her, walking straight toward where the food was located.

He thought it rather comical, the way other native Adelans took straight to superstition, rather than fine proven facts. A little less comical was the way she had managed to wrap the lot of them around her little finger.

That thought had him turn slightly, and he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, stopping halfway through filling a plate of grub.

Silently, he resolved not to let that happen to him. While it was all fun and games to her, perhaps, he took his position seriously. He turned his attention back to the food.

She might be pretty. She might be powerful, and smart enough to perhaps rival even him. But he wouldn't be outdone.

Best stay away from that little finger. The gears turned.

Blink

"Straight to my head!" she stopped immediately and grasped one of her hands on the crown of her head. Her eyes looked panicked as they jumped between members of Craol. "I told you! They've gotten me!" Then as if on cue Jaela just fell back, letting her body go limp before she fell to the ground.

Dust blew up from around her and even as it settled she did not move a muscle. She just lay there with her eyes closed and even her breathing seemed to stop. Of course, nothing was really wrong with her but Jaela had always been one for dramatics.

After a few seconds, both of her eyes shot open and her usual smile returned. "Just kidding!" she yelled as she pushed herself up, taking extra care not to injure herself for real in the process.

Once she was on her feet Jaela acted as if she had not just fallen down. In fact, she acted like there was no looming threat of 'butter witches' overhead at all. Casually she walked over to the firepit where the food hung over and then looked around for a rock to sit on. As if in deep thought she placed one hand on her hip while the other brushed her lips.

"... now where to sit." She tapped her mouth with her fingers at the thought.

Her hand then shot up as she extended a finger. "I know!" Turning her head she set her sights on a rock inconveniently nowhere near the fire. The rock then began to at first slowly skid across the earth and before long, had been scooted the perfect distance from the flames.

"Perfect" she chirped as she sat down, quite proud of herself for figuring that out all on her own.

Marakai Trin

Itachi groaned at her dramatics, keeping an eye on her while he finished their plates. He knew it was an act, but he had to wonder....why? Was it to keep the others thrown off, or for her own personal amusement?

And so the gears kept turning.

After a monent, she seemed to shoot right back up again, just as he'd expected her to. He made the motions like he was still filling their plates, one jade eye kept on her at all times.

She's an odd one... came the thought, and idly he wondered if he could use her eccentricities to his benefit.

Eh. Probably not.

After a moment, he made his way to her, two plates piled with sausages and eggs in tow. He arrived just as she used her power to slide a seat towards her. He stepped next to her with a practiced grin in place.

"Wassat, then? No seat fer me Princess? Ya wound me, truly ya do. 'Ere, eat up. After every'uns fed we're breakin' camp an' 'eaded north. Back up ta the Serha."

Blink

Happily, she took the plate offered to her and smiled at Itachi. As she went to take her first bite he would notice how a rock suddenly began to move forwards and stop once at a good placement at the fire. She said no words as she did it but merely giggled through bites of the eggs.

With every bite, she remained silent as her peridot eyes wandered across each man in the camp. Each one had a story of their own just as hers. That was usually how a lot like this ended up together in the first place. Pushed or driven away by something that led to banding together with others like them. Deep in thought, Jaela's eyes slowly became less crazy and softer as she thought further on it.

Just as he had been watching her out of the corner of his eye she did as well. Already he was beginning to forget the girl in the tent the night before. That was the plan, wasn't it? Start the day out acting so crazy that even he wouldn't be able to believe the real her he had met the night before. Her actions would be so outrageous that they would take over anything else remaining of the real Jaela in his eyes. Yes, that was the plan... that was always the plan.

Itachi was not the first person she had ever disclosed her true demeanor to and honestly, he probably wouldn't be the last. However, if you asked anyone she had ever told the truth they would still describe her as the crazy girl without a sane thought to speak of.

"And what after that?" she asked. An attempt to make conversation while she still sorted things out in her head.

Marakai Trin

Even as he nodded his thanks and took his seat, Itachi's mind continued like a well oiled machine. Every so often, through a veil of gray-blonde hair, he'd glance at her out of the corner of his eye, sizing her up and trying to figure her out.

Her mind was a puzzle, an anathema compared to nearly every person he'd come across before. He'd scammed people, literally sometimes to death if necessary. He'd manipulated people into working towards his goals, his devices. People were easy.

Usually. Now he was faced with this girl, this three billion piece jigsaw puzzle that he desperately felt needed pieced together, if only to better know who he'd be working with. He needed to figure this girl out.

When she'd asked her question, he turned his head to look at her fully, his face again neutral as the game continued.

"Eh. No' much planned, jes' yet. Need ta resupply, an' tha' means we need coin. 'Sides, ya can't be takin' me tent an' bedroll forever. Sleepin' on th' ground is killin' me back." He winked, and turned forward again.

"Time ta get rich quick. How ya feel abou' robbin' Ketra, cuz they're too damn dumb ta stop fallin' fer th' same trick ev'ry year?"

Blink

Taking the last bit of sausage Jaela plopped it in her mouth and chewed not only on the food but his statement as well.

"Get rich quick scheme eh?" Swallowing she then set the plate down beside her on the ground. "But maybe I like your tent and bedroll, it's already all worn in and comfy. So clearly the only option here is for you to get yourself a new one cause'... I stake a claim on the ones you have now."

"What trick do you pull in Ketra?"

Marakai Trin

"There's a sayin' among the Craol, bird. 'Wha's mine, is mine.' I been nice so far, cuz yer hurt, but yer gonna have ta learn tha'." He winked again, glancing at her again with a grin.

He finished his plate, setting it at his feet, and turned his whole body to face her. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Now listen. Me bounty is one-hunnerd-twenty thousand crowns, posted all ov'r Adela. 'Ell, ya mighta seen it an' no' even realized it. But 'ere's th' thing. Me boys? All unknown. So! I 'ave 'em take me in fer th' bounty, get th' gold...an' break ou' again. Works ev'ry time."

He grinned, teeth flashing. "So, whatcha think?"

Blink

She would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed in having to get her own tent and bedroll but then again... did she really need one? Constructing a shelter for her was child's play and a bed... she had slept on worse things than dirt.

Shrugging it off she continued to listen as he described their trick. It was smart, she would give him that but also risky. There were too many opportunities for something to go wrong, too many variables and unpredictable circumstances that played in a game of cat and mouse like this.

Even Jaela wouldn't risk getting herself imprisoned on purpose although her chances of escaping a stone or metal cell were probably much higher... and easier. But Itachi didn't know that in truth she had only scratched the surface on what she could really do. She had mentioned before that the Black-Hearth only took interest in truly 'unique' people and Jaela was the very essence of the word.

She could not only manipulate rock, dirt, and sand, but also basic metal types. And then there was, of course, the ultimate trick of all, the one that would burn if you got too close. Each of these abilities really not that impressive unless you could combine them all together like she did. Jaela was a jack of all trades when it came to earth magic, not only mastering just one or two different types but instead mostly all of them.

"I think you are an idiot..." she paused with a serious face before her mouth curled up in a smile. "... I love it!"

Jaela then jumped up from her rock, excited to get this show on the road. "Let's do this!"

Marakai Trin

At first he frowned at the word 'idiot,' before grinning at her exclamation. "Yeah, bird, tha's wha' I like ta hear, now. Le's get our stuff together an' get on th' road, then, eh? Ya wanna 'elp me take down th' tent an' pack an' whatnot? Mostly jus' throwing it all on th' wagon..."

That made him think. Suddenly he stood. "Zamik! Where's the damn 'orses!? Ain't seen 'em since yesterday, ya bloody oaf! If ya lost 'em, yer pullin' us 'ome by yerself AN' breakin' the new 'orses!"

"Yes, boss, right away...where the hell did they get to..."

Itachi sighed, hanging his head between his knees. "It's gonna be a long fuckin' day, bird."

He turned his head to the side to glance at her. "Don't s'pose ya got a 'orse 'idden somewhere, do ya?"

Blink

Turning her head Jaela eyed the tent in question. It had officially made it on her 'mortal enemy' list at the mention of taking it down. Who knew traveling with a group would be so much work?

When Itachi began screaming about horses Jaela whipped her head around, her eyes scanning the parts of the horizon she could see for them. He was right, she hadn't seen a single one since she got there.

"Scorpions," she said under her breath. "They banded together to follow the one I swatted and took the horses in the night." Again her tone insinuated she was completely serious with her comment.

The statement of it being a long day was an understatement. Not only was Itachi practically asking slave labor to take down the tent, but now the horses were missing. "Sure thing let me just pull one out of my pocket." Her sarcasm dry.

Stepping away from him Jaela walked over to the tent and stared at it, a standoff of sorts happening between the two. It would be a battle of the ages, wrapping this alleged helper of man into a small bag. Jaela had never packed a tent before and as far as she was concerned before today, they were useless. What did you need them for anyways? She could easily construct something much better without having to worry about carrying it around.

Or it could just be the fact that she had no idea what she was doing.

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