The Beach (http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=0CAUQjBw4KA&url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-B0xAp4a2IZc%2FT_Pk-SsaMgI%2FAAAAAAAAFSc%2F7rrkHaNCVpA%2Fs1600%2Fblue-sky-on-beach-with-white-sand.jpeg&ei=s7KqVPX2KMOLyASq8IKgAw&psig=AFQjCNEmj-p5t9KCP2pIsLYqzw0s1HykyA&ust=1420559411784918)
It had been a long while since Abigale had last spent time in Serendipity. It had been even longer since she last wasted a day soaking up the sun on the white sandy beaches that made up its coast. She had often thought about coming back, but had hardly had the time to do so, that is until recently. Now she could and she had wasted no time in catching the first carriage heading out this way. Earlier in the week she had arrived at a quiet coastal town not ten miles away. It was often over looked by tourists and so it had remained relatively untouched for years. This was why the Lamia had chosen it to be her destination. It was quiet and small. The same could be said about her chosen beach.
She was stretched out on the beach, laying on her stomach next to the waters edge. Her clothing had been placed in a pile several feet away to prevent it from getting wet. She had been like this for several hours now, happily soaking up the warmth of the sun. She had even managed to nod out once or twice on occasion while she relaxed. While she relaxed she would slip her long white tail into the water allowing it to cool her down when needed.
Gen always enjoyed his trips to Serendipity. He had always found the beaches to be very relaxing. Even though he couldn't completely enjoy the sights, the sounds, smells, and cool ocean breeze still did the trick. As he made his way to the beach he noticed that there was someone already there. Not only that, but it was a very unusual somebody. She seemed to be half snake and half human. That was odd, but Gen had seen many odd things in his lifetime.
Gen walked up to the waters edge a short distance away from the snake woman and simply took everything in. The cool breeze, the smell of the salty see air, the sound of the waves on the shore. It was the little things that meant the most.
Abigale heard the sound of approaching footsteps, even over the gentle sound of the waves on the beach. Rather than react or even open her eyes she simply flicked her tongue out to try and identify the approaching person by scent. immediately she noticed that this was not someone she knew, nor was it someone that she had recently met. This was a new stranger and by the smell of it he was not from around here. Slowly she opened her eyes and cast a gaze at the man as he approached the waters edge. Under a normal circumstance she might try to scare him off, either in some display of ferocity or with a casting of magics. That is normally if he had been some pervert trying to sneak a peek at her for his own amusement. In this case he seemed to ignore her.
She continued to watch him for a moment, even propping herself up on her elbows to tempt the man with a look at her cleavage, and still he did not bat an eye at her. This was strange, not unwelcome just strange. After another moment she lowered herself back down enjoying the feeling of the warm sand on her breasts and stomach. Abigale continued to watch him, flicking her tail playfully now. She wanted to know what he was doing, why he chose to be here as a pose to the miles of open beach. But mostly she was curious as to why he seemed to not be interested in looking at her naked body. She flicked her tongue again taking in the scent of the sea air.
She gave a little smile as she watched him before finally speaking. "Is the Ocean truly more attractive than me?" She teased playfully as she propped herself up on one elbow in a casual posture. She was by no means a modest person.
inhale
Aun'Vratyis took in the air around him, letting the smells, sounds, and touch of the tropical forest grass permeate through him. Serendipity's coastline was known for its untouched beauty, and the many mysterious beaches that dotted it's surface. He'd found himself staying in Serendipity for the past month, admiring the country's staggering variety of natural environs as he continued his endless wander.
Exhale
Finally, he reached the edge of the treeline, sliently emerging from the relatively dim forest. He was pretty well concealed, as the heavy bundling of robes her wore to conceal his alien physiology from the rest of the world was a mix of blacks and browns.
When he emerged, he immediately saw Abigale basking on the beach, talking with a stranger, and paused, unsure of what she was. He'd never seen a creature like her in his life! Yet, she seemed friendly enough, he supposed.
Stepping out onto the sand, he made his presence known. "Such a coincidence, that three strangers find themselves on the same beach like this."
He said it loudly enough to get their attention as he walked away from the brush, slowly making his way down to the shore. He wasn't heading directly for them, but definitely in their direction, most likely to join the conversation.
Gen chuckled softly at the snake woman's remark.
"I am a blind man," Gen told her. "I cannot truly admire your beauty, but your voice sounds quite lovely."
No sooner had Gen finished speaking did another stranger emerge from the treeline and mentioned the coincidence of their meeting.
"The world is a small place."
It hadn't occurred to her that he wasn't able to see. Even after he mentioned that he was blind she still had to stop and think about what he was saying. How did he live like that? Certainly it must be difficult to get by. This did however explain why he wasn't gawking at her naked figure. If anything this disability made him a gentleman. She didn't move but instead continued to smile. She opened her mouth to speak again but found herself interrupted by the sudden appearance of another man.
She twisted over exposing herself further so as to better see the newcomer. He was well bundled and effectively hidden from sight. This further drove the Lamias curiosity. She rolled back over onto her stomach as she flicked her tongue again. This new person had a unique smell. It wasn't human whatever it was. Its voice sounded male so at the very least she knew it was a he.
"It is indeed sir?! She asked half agreeing and half questioning his statement.
While Gen might have been blind, Ky (The super convenient short version of Aun'Vratyis' name) most certainly wasn't. Yet, as he got closer, it became increasingly apparent that he wasn't really interested in her human body. He gave her bare skin little more than a passing glance of acknowledgement , seemingly more interested in the long, sleek tail that was, well, the rest of her.
The only parts of him that properly showed was his eyes, and the area around them. Dark, slightly almond shaped, pure black, surrounded by skin that was bony in color.
Continuing to walk forwards, he adjusted the wrapping on his hands, until he stood more or less with them. "If you don't mind me asking, may I ask what's brought you travelers here?"
"This is simply where my travels have brought me," Gen replied. "I always like coming to the beach while in Serendipity."
Abigale smiled at the question. It was very foreword. Most people would not be so bold as ask without a proper introduction. But to be fair most would not give her the benefit of an introduction. The blind man had stated that his travels had simply brought him here. It was a wise, if not evasive answer, that was quickly followed with a like of the beach. Abigale did share that sentiment of enjoying these beaches, since her last visit she had thought of returning many times.
She flicked her tongue again as she watched the men. Her natural instincts made her wary of people, but her confidence in her size and abilities made her feel comfortable enough to not see them as a threat. Instead she would see them as interesting conversationalists. One man was blind, and the other was... not normal. Who knows this might prove interesting she thought playfully to herself. "I came for the beaches, the sand and the sweet sea air." as she spoke she stretched out playfully in the sand running her hands and fingers underneath it while her lower half writhed and wiggled with satisfaction.
Her tongue began to flick out more actively now as her excitement began to rise. While she had come out here for the quiet she found the potential conversation to be exhilarating. She was also feeling the need to be far more active as her body temperature continued to rise. If she wasn't careful she would overheat, she made a quick mental note to take a dip in the water soon, but not before asking a few questions of her own. "You don't smell like a human." She cooed playfully towards the robed man. She turned her gaze towards the blind man now. "You seem to get by very well for a blind man"
Ky listened to the both of them intently. As he did so, he knelt down, taking up handful of fine white sand. It reminded him of home, in a way. After a few moments, he stood back up, patting his hands off. He had his upper set of limbs out, because those looked the most normal. The other set he kept held to his body, underneath his coverings.
"I'm a wanderer. I don't have a home, it...doesn't exist anymore. I've dedicated my life to seeing everything Le'Ranna has to offer. This is my first time on a Serendipity beach."
He looked out towards the endless ocean, taking in another deep breath.
He chuckled lightly at Abigale's statement, looking down at her. "No, I'm not."
He started walking forwards again, just past the two of them, and stood at the shore, allowing the waves to splash over his covered feet. He turned around to address them again.
"My name is Aun'Vratyis Ky'For'Ua, but you may call me Ky."
"Blindness is only as much of an impairment as you make it out to be," Gen explained. "It is possible to find other ways to know your surroundings."
Gen turned and faced the other two, showing that he knew exactly where they were both located despite his lack of eyesight.
"My name is Gen, professional swordsman and wanderer."
He threw in the fact that he was swordsman just to observe the reaction that he would get from the other two. Most would consider and blind man swinging a sword around to be a scary thing.
Abigale stretched out one more time as the men spoke, this time however she raised herself up onto her tail so that she was standing before them. She took a moment to wipe the sand from her body, taking special care to make sure that she thoroughly cleaned under her breasts as well as her pubic region. Both men had introduced themselves and it was time for her to do the same. She raised a little higher on her tail before lowering herself down in a playful bow. "I am Abigale." she said pleasantly.
She took a small moment to bring her once outstretched tail in, wrapping its coils neatly around her self, creating a spiral in the sand. All the while she absentmindedly continued to lift her breasts making sure that no sand was stuck under them. "Gen the blind swordsman, and Ky the... Not human wanderer. I am very pleased to meet both of you."
She was impressed with how Gen had managed to track them, he was blind but he seemed to be aware of his surroundings in an almost surreal way. Perhaps his other senses were strengthened. She thought back to her own sense of smell, flicking her tongue again as she did, and how she could tell where and what things were by scent. This of course brought her mind back to Ky who did not smell human and had stated that he was in fact not. She took a second looking back to her clothing pile and then dismissing it again. Neither men seemed to have too much of an interest in her in any inappropriate way, so she was more than comfortable staying unclothed and comfortable.
"I am just a Lamia" She said at last. She had no interest in revealing her previous mercenary career just yet.
"A lamia," Gen repeated. "I have never encountered one of your kind before."
As for the other stranger with an incredibly complicated name, he was obviously not human. Gen wasn't going to pry him for information though. That would be rude.
Ky nodded his head lightly when Gen proclaimed himself as a blind swordsman. That was...impressive. Ky could relate to the man, since he himself could fight without using his eyes. It was challenging, yet...fulfilling.
"A pleasure to meet the both of you," Ky said, bowing his head slightly. When Abigale brought up her race, Ky looked towards the ground, in thought.
"I've...heard of Lamias in my travels. Your kind is not particularly common, much like mine." He commented.
As he spoke, he lowered his hood and face covering, showing his head to the both of them.
Abigale looked up in time to see Ky lower his hood and facial wraps. While she knew he was not human she was not expecting what she did see. His skin was bone white with a triad of bony crests on his head where hear should be. His mouth seemed to be full of sharp dagger like teeth. But the thing that really threw her through a loop was his eyes. Or at least the black voids where eyes should have been. He was not human, but to her he looked not of this realm, a demon of sorts. The Lamia reared up, using her tail to swiftly lift her self up several additional feet, casting her at nearly ten feet tall now. She held this posture for a moment before realizing what she was doing. A blush crossed her pale cheeks as she lowered herself down to a normal height again.
"I'm sorry for that. You startled me... I was not expecting..." She trailed off searching for the proper words to use without sounding offensive. Her reaction had been the same one she used when startled or afraid. Lamia would often raise themselves higher on their tails when frightened so that they would appear bigger, and effectively ward off potential threats. This man, Ky, was not a threat to her, If he were he certainly would have done something by now.
In all the excitement she had almost forgotten about Gen. She looked over to him wondering if he could tell what had just happened. It was then that she remembered that both men had made a statement in regards to the rarity of her own kind. Gen saying he had never encountered other Lamia, while Ky had mentioned that she was not common like himself. She half chuckled now at the memory of his words. If only she had known what he was about to do before he had she might have come up with some witty comment in regards to his own rarity.
"Lamia tend not to go on adventures or leave our homeland" She said at last in an absent minded way. Her gaze had now shifted from her companions to the waters edge, where just a few inches away cool refreshing waves lapped gently at the shore. "Im unique." In truth she had not left her clan willingly. She had been forced out at a young age along with several other females when a battle for control had erupted.
Gen said nothing as the scene had unfolded in front of him. That Ky fellow wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't from around here. He was like nothing Gen had ever seen before. The lamia girl, Abigale, seemed to have been startled as well, rearing up like an animal that had been threatened. After apologizing for her behavior she explained that her kind weren't ones to travel. How boring that must be to stay in one place for your entire life.
"I think we're all fairly unique," Gen said with a smile. "A blind man that's a champion swordsman, and girl with a snake's tail, and an otherworldly being that has never even seen a beach before. We're all in good company I think."
Ky didn't flinch as Abigale reared up. It was a common reaction, he was used to it. He pursed his lips, hiding his teeth as his eyes hovered between Gen and Abigale. He turned his head when Gen spoke, and shook it lightly.
"No, I've never been to a Serenian beach. I've walked the beaches of Thanatos, and..." He paused, dull pain entering his face as he looked down. "You get the point."
He continued to unwrap himself, removing his hood and neck covering and dropping them to the side, stretching his neck. He traced Abigale's stare out towards the ocean. "The waters look nice. I was going to go for a swim, actually."
Ky removed a few more layers of wrapping from his head and neck exposing more of himself to the sea air. Abigale handled this much better now that the initial shock had warn off. Her gaze wandered now back to Gen, who was proving a model of composure, he had mentioned that they were all unique and subsequently all in good company. He was much better with words than others she had dealt with. He was also considerably politer. She wondered if this was a result of his being blind. "Well as you both are well behaved I seem to have no reason why we all cant get along and share this beach." There was a hint of flirtation returning to her voice. Despite everything it was nice to have people around who were comfortable with her, and with themselves.
Ky had mentioned that he was going to go for a swim. She looked back over at the inviting crystal clear water. She had swam here earlier today. This section of beach was perfect for it. The water was free of rocks and debris, there were no plants growing, and the waves were not threatening. There were points of varied depths even spots further out where an average man could touch the bottom. She had played around among these underwater hills and valleys swimming neatly through them before returning to the surface for air. Now at the prospect of others to swim with she was even more excited about the prospects of a swim.
"I was thinking the same thing." She said earnestly. Her eyes met the sea again and she wondered if Gen would be a swimmer as well. While she was not sure how a blind man could manage she was not about to put it past him. She flicked her tongue again, passively smelling the air before speaking. "Gen were you planning on taking a dip as well?" As she spoke she began to move smoothly towards the waters edge. She was at an advantage now as she had already removed her own clothing hours before. Moments later and she felt the cool water against the bottom of her scales. It felt wonderful.
"I'm not much of a swimmer," Gen replied. "But don't let that inhibit you from having a good time."
Gen smiled inwardly to himself. Neither of them caught on earlier when he had mentioned Abigale's snake tail even though no one had told him about it. It was fun pretending to be completely blind even though he still had a way to see. He didn't know why. He just found it amusing.
(just to let you guys know, I updated Ky's character sheet, more specifically his appearance bit. You might want to check it out.)
Almost ritualistically, Ky started stripping off his wrappings, letting them flutter to the ground. After his shoulders were revealed, he removed his chest coverings in a single swipe, exposing his upper body. His muscles tightened as he stretched his bottom set of arms.
Stepping into the water, he'd walk until it came up to his waist, apparently unbothered by the temperature. He cupped water into his hands, and splashed it onto himself.
Abigale bowed slightly towards Gen when he indicated they were free to enjoy themselves. With a smile on her face she swiftly turned on the spot and bolted for deeper water. Her powerful tail pushed her along making a giant "S" shape in the shallow water, moving her with surprising speed. Before long she was four or five feet deep and there she dove submerging her entire body to swim swiftly along the shallow sea floor. Her hair traced back over her body providing little drag as she cruised along for several moments before emerging again. The water rushed off her body and her pink hair fell flat concealing her breasts for only a moment.
She smiled playfully as she brushed her sea soaked hair from her face and swam easily back towards the shoreline. One of the benefits of being a Lamia in the water was that she did not ever need to tread water, she could move easily in both shallow and deep water. Ky was already waste deep in the water and when she looked at him she noticed that all his skin was the same tone. His frame was lightly built but packed with what looked like dense muscle. He also had four arms. He had been hiding the second set before but now they were out and clearly visible. Of all things this was not shocking to Abi. Using her spells she was able to manifest three additional arms made of magic for herself. If anything she had a greater amount of respect for him now as she knew how hard it could be to actively control additional limbs.
Abigale began to swim lazily around Ky, until she found the tip of her own tail. She continued this loop around him taking the opportunity to see him from all sides. Her pace was slow and more relaxed now.
As the other two went for their swim, Gen took the time to sit cross-legged in the sand and meditate. He took slow deep breaths and manipulated the air around him to create a nice relaxing breeze for himself. Surprisingly, there weren't many moments like this where he could simply relax in peace. Another rare treat was good company. They were unusual company perhaps, but good company. This was the most absolutely ideal moment to just let go and enjoy himself.
Ky just seemed to absorb himself in feeling the water, his lower set of arms moving slowly back and forth beneath the surface. He closed his eyes, letting his other senses soak in. Then, he felt something swimming around him. Cracking an eye open, he saw Abigale looping around him, not unlike a shark or serpent, and he chuckled. He also saw that she'd used magic to grow a few additional arms.
For him, controlling both sets wasn't difficult at all, it was natural for him. He had to admit, it was tempting to suddenly thrust out an arm and grab the tip of her tail, but he decided not to.
"Interesting imitation you're doing there. Are you trying to flatter me?"
Abigale only smiled as she lazily twisted onto her back exposing her bare breast and stomach to the sun. The additional limbs soon faded away into nothingness. "They say imitation is the sweetest form of flattery. In many ways we are not so different it seems." She purred happily. As her orbit took her between Ky and the beach she noticed that Gen had taken a seat and was meditating or something on the beach. She noticed something though, air flow. Moments earlier the air had been still, but now, it moved. This was evident to her in two ways. The first being she could see the fabric of his clothes ruffling, and the second being she had a plethora of new tastes in the air carried on a wayward breeze. Strangely looking around at the trees and plants proved that no natural wind was occurring. Gen was moving the air around him.
In a moment of seriousness Abigale stopped and twisted over right side up and raised up on her tail to get a better look at Gen. He looked peaceful. She recognized this behavior, or at least she thought she did. It was definitely him changing the air. "Your a mage?!" She blurted out without realizing it.
Gen's head immediately snapped in Abigale's direction. He looked her way for a couple seconds, and then started laughing.
"You caught me," he said chuckling. "I am indeed a mage. An air mage to be precise. I'm also not completely blind. I use the air around me to see. That's how I knew you had a snake's tail even though you didn't tell me."
"Not so different, hm?" It wasn't really a question that was meant to be answered, but it still pertained to the situation. As she floated onto her back, this time Ky couldn't help but notice just how alluring this lamia girl was coming off as. At first, he'd paid her no attention, since they were strangers, but her sheer comfort with him and Gen, and her propensity for putting herself in these naurally enticing positions meant that Ky had no choice but to eventually take notice of her.
Before he looked at her long enough to be more than a passive glance, he returned to what he was doing.
"It wasn't that hard to fathom," Ky interjected, looking back towards the beach. It looked like he was preparing to do some meditation of his own, as he started slowing down his breathing even more. "For a blind man, his level of perception can only be explained by the supernatural."
He started to do martial arts forms in the water, slowly moving from position to position, the water rippling around him in an almost zen manner. His martial arts were unique, like no other style seen on Le'Ranna.
Suddenly that made a lot more sense to Abigale. She knew that mages could use their powers in different ways to achieve different effects. She took a moment to think back to Gens earlier words. HE had in fact mentioned that she was half snake, and she hadn't even noticed. She would have recalled if he had touched her tail but he hadn't, so he had seen her through his gift. "that's quite a gift you have there" she said at last. she had always wanted to be a mage like others, but her own lack of talent had forced her to use the precast spells of other mages.
Abi noticed her other companion had gone quiet. She turned now to look at him not knowing what to expect. She was surprised to see that he had started some form of slow martial arts. It was not like any she had seen, and her assumption was that it was an art of his people. She had never been one for such things, meditation and martial arts. They took too much time and focus. She had always been a fast person, seizing her moments and over powering obstacles with brute force. She was curious now and wanted to watch Ky practice his art.
The Lamia slithered back onto the beach and coiled neatly several feet away from Gen, facing the sea. She had settled her upper body into her own coils like a chair of sorts so that she might relax as she watched Ky. As she did she took several handfuls of hair and began to wring the water out.
"I also know that you are naked," Gen said slyly as Abigale came up beside him. "I just didn't say anything so I wouldn't embarrass you. I also know that your clothes are right over there."
Gen pointed to the exact spot where Abigale's clothes were sitting.
"I apologize for my deception. I just find it amusing to pretend I'm completely blind and see if people catch on. Could I perhaps make it up to you by telling you how my vision works?"
Silently, Ky noted that Abigale had left the water, but this was of no consequence to him. His forms did require him to take a few steps ever once in a while, however, so he did find himself gradually moving back to the shore, until he ended up ankle deep.
He knew Abigale and Gen were probably watching, so after he finished the martial forms, he entered the meditative ones. Long, fluid movements of all four of his arms, each doing a different thing as their movements sprinkled the water that was clinging to them.
Abigale couldn't help but smile as Gen pointed out that he knew she was naked. She also giggled at his mention of not wanting to embarrass her. He certainly was proving to be quite the gentleman. She looked over to where he pointed when he mentioned her clothing, he was of course exactly right in pointing them out. When he asked if he could explain how his sight works abigales smile grew wider. "Id love that" she purred softly.
she cast a glance back to ky watching the way his movements matched the water in fluidity. They were slow and methodical. Each one exacted with absolute precision and purpose. Kys people were most likely skilled combatants with such a precise art. She could see the dedication he placed in it. She flicked her tongue excitedly as she watched ky's movements bring him closer to shore. She wondered if he were noving in to hear about Gen's sight as well.
"Alright then," Gen said spinning himself to face Abigale. "As you know, air is everywhere. However, air cannot be where something else is. It is not where I am, not where you, not where a tree is, etc. I can see where things are by where the air is not. Since the air is a fluid, it forms a perfect mold around whatever object is immersed in it. I am able to see these molds, even down to some of the finest details. It's a skill I've been perfecting since I was eleven years old."
After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Ky spoke up.
"That's a very intriguing skill, Gen. I have done similar things before, through meditation. If I enter meditation on a ship, I can percieve all that happens on it, through the sounds in the air and the vibrations in the wood. I admire your dedication."
With a sudden, lightning fast flourish that sent the water around him cascading into the air, Ky finished, and bowed. He approached Abigale and Gen, and sat down, crossing his legs and placing his hands on them, palms down and elbows up.
He found his eyes wandering to Abigale's snake half again, and he released a thoughtful sound. "Abigale, may I...feel your tail?" He asked, curiosity in his voice.
Abigale listened intently to Gen's explenation of his abilities. It truly was a remarkable adaptation to a rather sever disability. It was very admirable. She particularly interested in the concept of air molds and what she herself looked like. It was such an odd thought that he saw her as simply a void in the air. She partially wanted to test his ability to see just how precise it was.
Before long Ky was sitting next to her cross legged. She looked him over again taking a mental note of how his second set of arms connected to his frame. They were remarkable. It was also the first time she noticed that he had only four fingers. She looked at her own five fingered hands and the question arose in her mind. Which finger was he missing? She knew that he wasn't actually missing a finger by his standards, but by human standards which finger did he not have. Her thoughts were interrupted by a rather id question that caused her to smile. Ky wanted to feel her tail.
Abigale held her smile and gave him an approving nod before uncoiling a section of her tail and presenting the scaly limb for him to touch. The section she was offering was about halfway down her length, a rather thick and muscular section. It would give him a better idea of what she actually had going on underneath her skin.
"It's not a complete substitute for actual sight, though," Gen continued. "There are still things I can't see, such as colors, two-dimensional patterns, reflections, things like that. That's also why I can't read or write. I can't see words written on paper. They're too flat."
Though he had heard Ky's unusual request to touch Abigale's tail, he had let it slide and kept talking. He didn't want to draw attention to him and make him feel uncomfortable, and Abigale didn't seem to have a problem with it.
Although he didn't hesitate, it was clear Ky was still rather reluctant about touching her. His curiosity had gotten the better of him, however, and he took the section up in his four hands. At first, he just felt it under his fingers. He passed them over her soft scales, and traced the patterns to see if they were textured any differently, or if those scales were harder (or softer) than the others.
His touch, however, had nothing really emotional to it. Born out of legitimate curiosity, this was done without any feeling on his face, other than the intent stare he was giving it.
"Even just feeling it, I can tell this is powerful..." He paused, squeezing it lightly, finding his observation to be correct. "You could break a man in two with a tail like this."
He brought his eyes up to hers, and began to study them, before turning his head to Gen.
"My people had a method of writing for the blind. I never really learned about it, for obvious reasons, but I know it was based on textures."
As he spoke, he continued to examine Abigale's tail, bending it slightly to see how dense the muscles were.
Gen continued on explaining the finer points of his sight while Ky gently took hold of Abigales tail. As his fingers traced over her she began to gently flex the various muscles along her length. This took a degree of concentration as she did not want to contract too tightly. This task was made all the more difficult by her own hedonistic enjoyment of being touched. Regardless of Ky's reasons for wanting to feel her, she did posses her own guilty pleasure with the act. Ky had also paid her a very high compliment stating that she was powerful and able to break a man. Within her culture strength was prized as an attribute as only the strongest females were allowed to breed with the pure blood Lamia males. Needless to say his words had brought a slight blush to her cheeks.
"Indeed I could. But I'm not so inclined to do so unless absolutely needed" Abigale retained her playful tone as she spoke. She looked back at him her own eyes meeting his, or at least what she perceived to be his eyes. The eyes were her favorite part of any person, they were honest and true and capable of such beauty, but never had she seen eyes like what Ky had. They were deep, almost like an endless expanse. One could easily be trapped in those eyes. Her tongue flickered again bringing her the familiar sea air, and the newly familiar scents of her companions.
As Ky's attention turned to Gen he had explained that his own people had determined ways for the blind to read using textures. It was a remarkable idea, one that would bring a great deal of equality to those with the disability. Not to say that Gen was disabled, if anything he was made more competent by his adapted abilities. As he spoke his hands continued to move the length of her tail, he even went so far as to bend it gently, to which she applied a gentle amount of resistance, before allowing it to bend in the manner he so wished. This was to show that despite the muscle mass she retained a great deal of flexibility.
"No one has managed to escape once I've wrapped around them" She said proudly. "And there have been those crushed beyond saving in my grasp." she continued to smile as she stretched out a little more moving her tail through Ky's hands so that he could feel her tail moving in a more practical manner. Her stretching out took a moment or two, and rather than stretch out in a straight line she curled gently around Gen before crossing back over herself and doing the same around Ky creating a figure eight with her length.
"We also have something like that," Gen informed Ky. "We call it brail, I believe. However, my father abandoned my mother and I after I was born, and we couldn't afford to have someone teach me."
Gen watched as Abigale's tail weaved its way around the two of them. The control she had over it was extraordinary. Gen reached out and stroked her tail once. It was smooth and cool to the touch. Very fascinating.
"I don't imagine anyone would want to escape from your grasp," Gen replied with a grin.
Ky noticed the blush on her cheeks, and he blinked. As she began to move her tail in his hands, he placed one hand underneath her tail, feeling the wide scales underneath her as they passed over his palm. The finger he didn't have on his hands was the equivalent of a pinkie, but his fingers were spaced in a way that this didn't really impede him, and they were slightly thicker than human fingers, if only by a margin.
Ky was about to reply to Gen, before he realized it was a joke. Ky wasn't the best with humor, not by a long shot, and he sometimes confused sarcasm for seriousness. Instead, he returned his eyes to Abigale's.
"That's good. A life should ever be taken unless no other choice is present. Unfortunately, we have to accept that many times, there is no choice."
He wanted to see just how tight her scales were to her muscles, so he pinched it lightly. His two lower arms let go of the section in his hands, and they rested on the part curled around him.
"I'm fairly confident you could crush a rider and his horse, if you had the opportunity. I've killed many as well. I'm...not particularly proud of it, but I can tell you're a great warrior, Abigale."
Abigale gave a small shiver that seemed to go her entire length as she felt Gen's hand on her tail. She hadn't been expecting it but it was pleasant none the less. Her surprise was multiplied ten fold when she observed what she believed to be a flirtation come from the blind man. She looked over at him and saw the grin on his lips, which seemed to be contagious as she to started to grin. She did love the attention that was being placed on her, and it was not often that she received such kindness without someone having sinister motives. The best thing was that neither male seemed at all uncomfortable by her which was a rare thing indeed.
"So youd be fine with a late night embrace? A tender squeeze as it were?" She teased as her tongue flicked out playfully at Gen.
Her attention fell back to Ky. The mysterious stranger who seemed to have a depe appreciation for her as a creature. He had made a comment that suggested he was far more fond of life than other people of the world who would kill each other without blinking an eye. But given his current appreciation for her form it stood to reason that maybe his people and him put a higher value on life. A light pinch made her raise her body only a little and giggle a little more. "You have a very refreshing view on things. And I have no doubt that someone of your caliber would easily find an equal on the battlefield." She wondered now what fighting him would be like. With his well trained body, his skill in combative arts and four arms at once. He would certainly prove overwhelming for ten men let alone a single combatant.
Gen chuckled at Abigale's question.
"It does get awfully lonely while traveling," Gen replied. "I've just never really had an interest to settle down anywhere I guess."
While Gen did feel somewhat left out that Ky's combat ability was complimented and not his, he let it slide. He had received countless compliments from many people, including opponents of his. Ky probably hardly received compliments at all. He probably needed it more than Gen.
Ky smiled at her compliment, not having heard one in...forever, actually. Only when he helped someone, did he get anything remotely close to a compliment, but even this was rare, and opportunities to help were even rarer, especially for a wanderer like him. It was usually just a "thank you" or "bless your soul!'. Sometimes, he didn't even get a thank you.
"Someone of my calibre..." He repeated, and shook his head. "I've yet to find an equal. Soldiers, guards, bandits, mages, I've fought what felt like thousands, but nobody's been able to match me yet."
He looked back to her eyes, leaning forwards and resting an elbow on her tail, cupping his head.
"But, maybe I've finally found my equal? Or equals?"
Abigale couldn't help but flash another grin at Gen. Whether or not he could tell that she was smiling at him she didn't know. From his statement she could tell that he traveled a lot. And if he hadn't found a place to settle down then he would keep on traveling. She knew that that was lonely life to live and almost felt bad for him. But some people did choose that life for a higher purpose, maybe he had chosen this for himself. Or maybe he just hadn't found anywhere worth settling. "If yer brave enough yer always welcome to share an embrace with me. Though I cant always guarantee yer safety." she teased
Moments later an interesting prospect occurred. The idea that Ky may have found equals amongst them. She wondered if she could really stand against him, she wasn't trained like he was and she was certain he had a lot more combative experience than she did, but maybe her size and strength was enough to win. Maybe her spells would level the playing field. But what would Gen think of such a thing? and was Ky even actually proposing what she thought he might be? It was a lot to think about. Rather than do anything drastic she simply looked over at Ky, cocked her head to the side and responded with an "Oh?"
"I suppose there is only one way to find out," Gen said. "Anyone up for some friendly sparring?"
Even if he hadn't meant it to be taken as such, considering them equals was obviously an offer to see if they were. That was just the way of things. Regardless of what he meant, Gen enjoyed sparring among friends. It was the only time he could fight for fun instead of super serious tournaments during which no one seemed to have a good time.
Ky looked over to Gen, and he stood up, dusting the sand off of himself. "I was about to suggest the same thing. We're all warriors here, we're all friends."
Turning to fully face Gen, he crossed his arms. "I'll take up your offer. Though be warned, you might leave with a few more bruises than you came in with."
Gen let out a good-natured chuckle at Ky's remark.
"We'll see who has the bruises, my friend."
From his sitting position, Gen launched himself upward with a blast of air, did a backflip just because, and then landed on the other side of Ky.
"I fight just as well without my blade," Gen said as he entered a ready stance.
Abigale got up swiftly as the pair rose to their feet. It turned out there was to be a friendly sparring match and she wanted in. Gen was already engaged in surprising acrobatic feat that put him in a great starting position. The lamia was going use this opportunity to get her clothes back on. It seemed like the proper thing to do if she were to be engaged in a more physical interaction.
She slipped over to her pile of clothes and from it pulled the black kimono style dress with gold trim. It fit neatly over her curvy frame hiding her intimate parts from view. Next she pulled from the pile a belt with a triad of swords attached to it. She wrapped it around her waist so that the weapons fit neatly behind her. All that remained in the pile now were a few pieces of armor and a cloak.
with her gear equipped she turned to face the pair rising up almost 8 feet as she did. Her tail curled up behind her tightening into an s shape so that she would be ready to strike. "well now things have gotten interesting" she said through a mischivous smile
Ky ignored Abigale now, pretty much tuning her out as he focused his vision on Gen. Fighting unarmed, Gen was definitely at a disadvantage against Ky, but Ky respected his decision to not use a blade. It's not like Ky had any blades of his own.
He looked to Abigale, who seemed to be ready to spar as well.
Cracking his neck, and all of his knuckles, Ky gave Gen a respectful bow, before entering his ready stance. Extending an arm, he beckoned Gen towards him with two fingers,
Instead of simply charging straight in, Gen approached his opponent slowly. He had never fought anyone with four arms before, so he was already at a disadvantage, and since Ky was unarmed it wouldn't be right to use his sword. The only other equalizer he had would be his aeromancy.
"Just one more question before we start," Gen said. "Would I be allowed to use magic to make up for the fact that I'm not as.... well armed?"
Abigale stopped. It seemed the two males were going to square off on their own. She smiled wanting to watch this play out. She wondered who had the real advantage, after all Gen may be blind but he was a mage, and all the while Ky seemed to be a master of martial arts with four arms to deliver a hail storm of strikes. She guessed that they might be evenly matched, and should the pair ever meet for real on the battlefield, it might come down to mutual destruction. Luckily this was friendly with rules, and if things got out of hand she would intervene herself.
Rather than cross between the two Abigale began slithering around the pair, until she found a spot to stay and watch from. Ky was ready to go at this point, entering into a combative posture while gesturing for Gen to make the first move. It was at this point that Gen requested to use his Magics. She had assumed he was already going to do that, but was impressed that he was prepared to go into battle without if needed. He had also cracked a joke, Abigales grin widened deeply as she tried to keep a straight face. "If you boys would like swords Im more than willing to share" She gestured to weapons on the back of her hip as she spoke.
"You may. I presumed you were already going to," Ky said, maintaining his posture. His eyes flashed over to Abigale, who'd spoken, offering her swords. He frowned, shaking his head. "I've renounced weapons, Abigale. Although I can use them just as my fists, I'd rather not."
He looked to Gen, who'd slowly approached him, and spoke up. "What are our rules, or limits?"
"Let's just try not to hurt each other too severely," Gen replied. "I trust that you are an honorable warrior."
Gen pulled his sword out of the sash around his waist and tossed it to Abigale.
"Hold this," he told her. "Be careful with it. It is my most prized possession, and do not draw it from its sheath."
Gen then turned back to Ky.
"Alright, I'm ready now."
Gen returned to his ready position, but then immediately launched himself at Ky with the assistance of his elemental abilities. He aimed a kick directly for Ky's midsection, hoping to overwhelm him with the sheer speed of his strike.
"Noted. As per the normal rules, we'll spar until one of us yields or concedes."
He tightened the coverings on his legs, so they'd be less baggy. He studied every movement that Gen made. Zoning himself out of the world, Ky allowed it all to melt away from him, leaving only his opponent and the area immediately around them for him to perceive.
Even Abigale sort of just faded away for him, washing into the background.
When Gen made his first move, it all came rushing back in, and Ky acted. Springing into action, he stepped to the side, and aimed to grab Gen's leg with the two arms on his left, and stop Gen's momentum with the two arms on his right. As he would come to find out, Ky was strong, easily twice as strong as a man.
Once Gen's momentum would be stopped, Ky would take the two hands he used to stop Gen, and ball them into fists, intent on forcing him to the ground with two simultaneous punches to the chest.
Gen was slightly shocked at how easily he was brought to a stop. That wasn't good. The next thing he needed to be concerned with were the two fists coming down on him. Gen caught both of the fists and created a cushion of air beneath him to dampen his impact with the ground. He would then place the foot of his free leg on Ky's stomach and attempt to use it as leverage to flip Ky over and off of him.
Ky actually rolled with Gen's push, letting go of his leg and elegantly cartwheeling over him with the aid of his leg, and landing behind his head, facing him. Rather than do anything, however, he took a few steps back, and waited for Gen to stand up again.
Gen took his time getting up since Ky was letting him and reassessed the situation. Those for arms of his were a bigger boon than he had anticipated. Never before had he fought someone with an extra pair of arms, and now he was almost wished that he had an extra pair. There had to be some way around it. By the looks of things so far, Ky had a defensive fighting style. He would simply stop any attack Gen made and then counterattack with whatever arms he had free.
"This is going to be more difficult than I had originally thought," Gen commented. "And I had originally thought that this was going to be very difficult."
Abigale reached up her hand catching Gens sword easily as he tossed it to her. She was shocked at its size and weight. Compared to her own feeble weapons it was clearly a much more powerful item. Gen had also thrown her a warning, instructing her not to unsheathe the blade. To be honest her first thought was to free the weapon from its casing and see what kind of sword a blind swordsman used, but rather than risk the rage of a mage, she held her curiosity at bay and cradled the weapon in sheathe tightly against her body.
The sparring match started fast with both men moving in a very acrobatic manner. This was the kind of movement and speed that she herself could not manage, She had always been envious of the smaller humans and human like creatures that could move with a swift agility. Her own speed was quite good, and no biped could out run her in a straight away, or out swim her in the sea. She could even out climb most others and move easily through trees. These men however practically flew, each movement was precise, it was almost as if they could dance in the rain and not get wet.
AS she watched she desperately wanted to get involved, she loved to fight, almost as much as she loved to relax in the sun. Even without spells or weapons. It was the feel of someone pressed against her, using their own passion and fury. She loved getting a coil around someone and pulling them in close, the feeling of their body heat against her skin, the sound of their heart, and the smell of seat. Her cheeks had begun to flush bright red as she thought about it. As it turned out the idea of intimate combat was arousing to the Lamia.
Ky smiled, taking the compliment to heart. Suddenly, his stance changed, something that looked much more aggressive than before. He glanced over to Abigale, and chuckled. The poor girl looked like she was just raring to go. A little desperate for it, actually.
"You're looking a bit fidgety, Abigale. Should we make this a three-way?" He asked, maintaining his stance.
Abigale smiled at the thought of sparring with both males. She could picture herself moving in, as swiftly as her tail could carry her. Before they could respond she would sweep into Gen, moving silently to bowl him over. She could see herself then cutting in low towards Ky to swipe a higher section of her tail at his waist. She would throw a coil around him securing his arms to his hips and pull him to the ground as she rolled a second length of tail around him. Gen would respond by attacking her with his magic, aeromancy, and she would of course roll to the side before lunging at him to pin him down with her upper body using her weight to control him further. Her thoughts were so vivid that she could almost feel ky struggling against her grip, the hands that once gently explored her tail now fighting against its muscle.
It was then that she realized that she had been lost in fantasy and she gave her head a quick shake to clear the images from her mind. She was still flushed and her own heart was racing. Maybe it was the duel in progress, maybe it was the thought of moving in close, maybe it was the warm sun or the fact that the moon was going to be full in a few nights, whatever it was she was excited. Abigale looked back and forth between Ky and Gen. "Only if you boys think you can handle me" She purred teasingly.
"You only have two arms," Gen teased. "I think I could handle you at least."
"Although my reasons are different from Gen's, I too believe you can match me."
Instead of facing Gen completely, he turned slightly so he face the both of them instead, putting himself into a more neutral stance.
"You say nobody's escaped your coils. I think I can put that to the test."
Ky was being humble, of course. Back on Kath, he would lead the hunts for the great serpents that resided on its deserts. He knew a thing or two about how fighting large snakes worked, a card he'd hopefully get to play to Abigale's surprise.
Abigales grin grew until she could hardly contain it. "Alright." her voice was soft and sweet, and she bowed after speaking. She took a second placing Gens sword gently onto the cloak that was still left on the ground, and removed her own blades tossing them to the side. They landed with a clatter in the sand with one of the sheathed blades sticking up out of the sand. In a flash she burst forward whipping her tail in a large S shape to give her more speed and allow her to bridge the gap between them quickly.
it took only a second until she was in range and she started by raising up high on her tail while sweeping it out towards Gen. Her intent was to trip him while she lunged at Ky.
Abigale's sudden burst of speed was surprising, but not unexpected. It was in the nature of a snake to strike with blinding speed, so Gen had fully expected Abigale to do just that. He launched himself into the air again and landed behind Ky. Perhaps he could get a shot in edgewise while the two of them exchanged blows.
Ky waited for his opportunity, and when the snake-like lunge came, he knew exactly what do to. Putting up his bottom arms defensively, he used Abigale's momentum against her, deflecting her impact and allowing her to soar past him (and probably into Gen, since he was standing behind Ky).
Although, he didn't let her go with out hitching a ride. Immediately after her human half went sailing past him, he jumped forwards, intent on getting his legs around her waist, more or less.
Abigales Lunge had failed along with her sweep. In the chaos Gen had escaped leaping to safety and Ky was now straddling her waist. She flicked her tongue to pick up Gen's scent locating him again quickly. As her momentum carried her further along her path than intended she made use of her long tail and anchored herself down stopping her self almost instantly. She then responded quickly attempting to wrap her arms around Ky's body as she retreated her upper half back towards her tail. Immediately it began to twist and turn as she prepared to try and snag him in a massive coil of muscle.
Instead of getting involved, Gen sat down cross-legged once more. They would surely be occupied with each for awhile. Whoever came out on top should be worn out and easier for him to defeat. An underhanded tactic for sure, but it was definitely the most fun.
Since Ky was straddling her waist from behind, Abigale would have a tough time trying to get her arms around him. Actually, it wouldn't really be possible at all. He tried to loop his lower set of arms below hers, and pull them up, sort of into a full nelson. He pressed his body in close to hers, so he wouldn't be knocked off by a passing coil. After that, he took his upper set of arms, and placed one around her throat, tightening while he kept his other arm free, in case he needed to do something with it.
He was constricting her! Trying to choke her out until she yielded. And with his incredible strength and good hold on her, it'd be a mission to shake him off.
She had made a mistake. She had not twisted fast enough to catch him. Now he had her upper body locked up. His lower arms restraining her while his upper arms held her throat. This was truly a dangerous scenario... for a normal human. As much of a mistake as she had made he had made one as well. The entire time she had been pulling herself together bringing her tail and upper body to meet up in a massive ball. Given that he had made no attempt to move or distance himself from her meant that he was now in range of her tail. Her own breathing was hammered now but soon he would know the same feeling.
Abigale jerked quickly to the side, her goal was not to remove him, instead it was to keep him there and bring him closer to her tail. In a flash she threw a wrap of tail around his midsection and began to squeeze. She could feel the texture of his skin within her grasp and she began to roll around bringing coils gently around herself, and throwing more tightly around Ky. She had forgotten about Gen for the moment, as she continued to twist and spin. Hopefully she would manage to disorient Ky in the process.
Given that Ky had himself pressed to Abigale, he'd actually planned this situation out perfectly for himself. If she wanted to wrap her tail around him and constrict him, she'd have to wrap that same tail around herself. Ky simply left no gap for her to slip under, at least not without a fight. Ky was also not easily disoriented. He kept his eyes focused on her head, his target.
Even then, he was intent on holding off her coils as much as he could with his free hand. He tightened down on her throat some more, really bringing his superior arm strength to bear here as he completely blocked off her air supply.
If she did manage to start constricting him, Ky supposed this would turn into a battle of endurance.
Abigale continued to tighten up her coils pulling them in closer to her body and applying pressure on his sides. From the outside she wondered if Gen could even see any sign of Ky or herself within the ball of coils that now continued to twist and writhe. If this had been a real fight or even a fight with blades she would never have made such a bold move with two combatants in play. Gen could easily strike a crippling or fatal blow at this point if he had had any ill intent.
Abigale specially worked to press in on his sides now knowing she could not fully squeeze. Her goal was to keep pressure on his arms and force his grip to falter. At the very least he would find it as difficult to breathe as she did while her coils continued to squeeze in on his sides compressing his chest and forcing air from him. It was now a game of endurance. She did not want to hurt him so she dare not squeeze tighter for fear of breaking his arms, shoulders or ribs.
As Abigale put the pressure on him, Ky found himself a little short of breath, but still in this. Constricting his arms was doing nothing substantial for her, other than making Ky tenser. In fact, the way she handled this whole situation just was not the way it should've been handled, and Ky had to admit, he was kind of betting his success against that probability. If she'd decided to slam her back against the ground instead of coiling up, the situation would've been very different.
Ky took his free arm, and wrapped it around her diaphragm, just below her breasts, and he began squeezing down on it, intent on forcing whatever air she had left out of her.
Gen began to grow concerned as he watched the ongoing struggle. Each one was so determined to choke the other one out, someone was bound to get hurt. Gen decided that enough was enough. He would end the fight himself. Using his abilities, Gen completely took the air out of both of their lungs. Now they would have no choice but to release each other and catch their breaths or fall unconscious.
Abigale felt a hand creep up her torso stopping over diaphragm and applying pressure. She knew immediately what was going on and began to use her powerful core to resist the strain being placed on her. It was at this point that another unusual feeling occurred. Despite resisting Ky's attempt to squeeze the breath out of her, she found that her breath was taken anyways. She gasped out loud as all the air vacated her lungs rather forcefully as if it had been pulled free. This was a problem, without any air she would lose consciousness fast. Suddenly this was more dangerous.
The Lamia released her coils and stretched out onto the sand while she tried to breath. The spar was over, the match had been called. She suspected Gen had done something, winning the fight without even trying.
Ky was confident that he could do this. She wasn't even squeezing him hard enough to constrict his breath, so he could still breath more or less fine. When his air was sucked out through his nose, however, he immediately suspected foul play, most likely on Gen's side.He knew Abigale wouldn't be able to recover her breath as easily, so he let her go, finding himself among her coils as she tried to catch her breath.
Ky took a few breaths to himself, but he was back up shortly, standing among her coils. His eyes rolled over to Gen, and he smiled, chuckling lightly, before stepping up to Abigale's torso, and squatting in front of her.
"Does this mean I win?"
"It means that I win," Gen said standing up. "You two were getting a bit carried away, so I ended it before anyone got hurt."
"You interdicted. You stole away the air in our lungs."
Ky turned to Gen. He wasn't frowning or anything, but his eyes were narrowed. Yet, he relaxed. "I suppose you did win, no matter how underhanded it was."
"I assure you I would not have interfered had it not been for the safety of you both," Gen replied. "But I believe both of you let your warrior instincts take over a bit too much during that whole episode."
As the air returned to her lungs Abigale looked up at Ky and shook her head. She had not been defeated by him, not yet, and he still had yet to escape from her on his own. In fact while she had made many mistakes she had been certain that she would have won. He did have more experience than her, and he was a more dedicated fighter, but she was stronger and far more stubborn.
Her assumption of Gen's interference had been correct. he had stolen their breath claiming victory in his own way while the pair had tired themselves out. She did not think his move had been underhanded, he was after all still a participant in the sparring match. It had been Her and Ky who had gotten wrapped up (Pun intended) in each other and forgotten about him. If this had been a real duel they would both be dead right now. It seemed that she still had much to learn. As she raised herself back up onto her tail, and a normal height, she turned bowing to Ky. "You are very skilled, I look forward to your next attempt to escape my grasp." Her confident teasing had returned instantly showing just how light hearted she truly was.
Abigale then took a moment to turn to Gen, and bowed lower still. "You acted decisively and proved yourself to be the superior foe. I will take this defeat as a lesson and improve myself."
Ky looked like he was going to say something else, but he held his tongue. Abigale was right.
He bowed to Abigale, and then to Gen. "I'm sorry, I forget how things work on this planet sometimes. My people had no magic."
He looked back to Abigale, and smiled. "It was an interesting experiment. Next time will go differently, regardless of who wins." He said as he rolled his four shoulders. He breathed deeply again.
"So, will I be the only one staying the night at this beach?"
"I'm sure that there is an inn nearby," Gen said. "It'll just be a short walk from here."
Abigale looked up as Gen mentioned the inn. There was really only one real inn at the town. Lodging could be alternatively found with the locals, but that was usually reserved for special guests or friends and family. She herself had a room at the inn. She was lucky in that they were kind enough to cater to her for a price. The bed had been stripped from her room and a pile of straw had been placed there instead allowing her the ability to coil up comfortably and snuggly.
"I think you might be the only one here over night." She said in response to Ky's question. While she was accustomed to sleeping outside she had splurged on the room so that she might know a little more comfort for this time of rest.
She turned now an slithered over to where the swords were laying. She picked up her own and once again strapped them to the back of her waist. She then slipped over to Gen's which lay still on her cloak and picked it up. Its weight still surprised her even though she was expecting it. She also picked up the cloak itself and the armor shoulder that she wore before moving towards Gen. Abigale held out the sheathed weapon in front of her. "I believe this is yours."
Ky nodded, looking out towards the ocean. It really was beautiful out here...
His eyes remained on that image for almost a minute, before he spoke, still facing away from them.
"Will you two be coming back tomorrow?" He asked, sitting down on the shore. "Normally, I'd pay for the inn, but I want to experience this. True calm is hard to find in this world.
Gen smiled as Abigale returned his sword.
"Thanks," he replied.
He then turned to Ky.
"Enjoy your night on the beach, my friend," Gen said. "I was planning on hitting the road again tomorrow, but I certainly wouldn't mind coming back here before I leave for a final farewell."
It seemed like Gen was preparing to leave, and she wondered if it wouldn't be time for her to depart as well. The sun was still in the sky, but she knew if she stayed she would fall asleep and end up out here in the chilly night air. She gave a little smile and bowed to Ky. "I suspect this is where I will part ways for the time being." Her voice was still soft and sweet. She turned to Gen and bowed a little lower as was expected of her when addressing someone who had bested her. "It was a pleasure to meet you, and learn a bit about you... Both of you."
With that said she took the armor shoulder and strapped it up on her right side before turning around. She was carrying her cloak over her arm as it was still rather nice out, too nice to be so covered. "I hope to see you both again. stay safe." She called back over her shoulder as she glided down the beach.
Ky watched Abigale leave, before returning his vision to the horizon. Gen spoke, and he nodded. "I look forwards to it."
Using his arms, he made a circle around himself, and then laid them on his knees. Crossing his legs, he closed his eyes, and started breathing in time with the waves.
[Exit Ky until one or both of you goes back to the beach, I guess. Shoot me a PM when that happens.]
Gen followed after Abigale on his way to the inn. It was the only one around, so he knew they were going to the same place.
"So what do you do for a living," Gen asked trying to start up a conversation. "You're obviously a warrior of some kind judging by those weapons and the armor."
Moments later Abigale heard foot steps coming up behind her. She flicked her tongue catching a familiar scent on the breeze. Gen had followed her. She stopped a moment to wait for him to catch up before starting to slither along again. She smiled as he tried to make conversation with her, asking about what she did for a living, and he was right in his assumption of her being a warrior. "I am a sword for hire." She responded promptly. As she spoke her hand trailed down stroking the hilt of her swords in a comforting manner. "Or at least I was. I think Im retired now."
She looked back at him still impressed with how well he moved without sight. He seemed to be just as graceful on the uneven ground, if not more so, than other humans who could see. "And you are a swordsman, competitively, but I don't think that's all you do." She teased
"I see," he replied.
He was about to ask her why she was retired when she mentioned that he was a professional swordsman.
"I do indeed fight in tournaments," Gen told her. "But I also serve as a mediator and negotiator in domestic and sometimes even national disputes. I'm also a recruiter for the Elementalist Guild."
Abigale was right he was more than a swordsman. She smiled at him before speaking. "I knew. Your too composed to be just another warrior. You proved that earlier." Her tongue continued to flick in and out drawing in more scents around her. It was nice that someone was taking such time to get to know her like this. Most people either hired her and never spoke to her again, or wouldn't bother speaking with her to begin with. Despite the fact that she was different, she was still a person, and it seemed that Gen knew that.
"Your a guild recruiter? for elementalists?" she asked returning him some attention. "I was not aware there were very many, let alone a whole guild that needed to recruit."
"I don't know how many elementalists there exactly," Gen said. "But they are out there. The Guild is merely there to help them better understand how to use their abilities."
Gen turned his head toward Abigale.
"Surely there is more to you than just being a retired mercenary. Those weapons and your armor give the impression that you're still in business."
Abigale laughed. Despite his obvious disability Gen was quite observant. "Yes.. You are right. I am no mercenary any more, but I am still in the adventuring business. I just don't get paid." In her own mind the only difference between what she used to do, and what she does now was the guarantee of pay. Now she just collected what she found to compensate her own expenses. "So what really brought you out here?" She asked playfully. "Just relaxing or perhaps something more exciting?"
Gen shrugged.
"It's just what I do, I guess," he told her. "I just like to travel. See new places, meet new people, try new things. And any places that I like I can always go back to whenever I feel like. Besides, there's not much of a point in staying in one place. I go to tournaments all over, and I don't have any family. Staying in one place just isn't practical for me I guess."
A small frown crossed abigales face. In a way Gen was like her. She had no family anymore, nor had she managed to find a comfortable or stable home. That's why she became a mercenary to begin with. It was a sad part of life and something she wished she had been able to change, but she couldn't alter the past anymore than she could predict the future, so rather than feel bad about it she chose to keep living. "I think you and I have a few things in common."
"So how does a blind man learn to use a sword? were you always like this or... did it happen to you?"
"My mother taught me," he told her. "As soon as I learned how to see in my own special way, my mother began teaching me how to use a sword as well as helping me refine my sight."
Abigale nodded understanding what he was talking about. It had been her own mother, and clan members who had taught her how to use a sword. She turned her gaze back to the path for a moment, just in time to catch sight of a fallen branch. She lifted herself up easily over it and carried on as her tail dragged lightly across the branch. She wondered what it would be like if she saw through Gens eyes, or however he received his images. She wanted to ask more, but chose to remain silent to allow him to ask something now.
Gen also saw the branched a stepped over it with ease. He couldn't even imagine what it would be like if he were to go completely blind again. Figuring that her silence meant that it was his turn to ask a question, he did.
"Do you have any family?"