Island coast

[CrimsonKlaw]

Sabriel Thurirl

"Lots of training, to be honest. I have to be fast so I can capitalize on my opponent's mistakes. Having that speed as a way to escape is always helpful, too."

Leon reflected on how his previous fights had gone, and tried to put into words how his strategy generally went. After a bit, he turned to Callisto, genuinely curious.

"Callisto, did you have a mate back home? You mentioned that where you come from, your parents will eventually pick someone for you."  

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

Her mind conjured up an image of him, chest and face slick from sweat, at the mention of training. She tried to suppress a smile but failed, for the most part, to hide how much she liked the idea of it. She couldn't help it, his body was a work of art. Even if she'd only seen his upper body she knew that sort of physique needed a lot of maintenance. So she didn't think it was wrong for her to admire it. She didn't want to distract him from his passion but one of these days she'd have to follow him so she could watch him train. When he turned towards her, she tried her best to look neutral. She felt like her face was radiating enough warmth to rival a bonfire. In order to distract herself she fixed her gaze up at the sky and tried to focus on his question. She folded her hands over her stomach and began to tap one of her fingers against the material of her dress. "Uh--Well... It is different where I come from, yes."

She closed her eyes briefly, annoyed by the answer she'd given him. She'd only repeated what he said back at him. But surely she could tell him a bit about it without betraying her race? "Let me see... What a mate means in my culture is pretty similar to what the people here refer to as a husband or wife. Where I'm from that sort of relationship is based more on compatibility but it's not like feelings aren't considered too. But it's mainly for the benefit of both people and their families. If you wanted a good mate, you needed to be really impressive! The best at something that could actually be of benefit to more than just yourself. I didn't have a mate but it wasn't for lack of trying on my mother's part. I went on plenty of dates with different men but we just didn't get along. I'm... not that easy to get along with, I guess. I like to explore and I've always wanted to travel. That's not really an ideal attitude to have, at least where I'm from. It's more favorable to stay with your mate and compete to improve your family's name. Does that make sense?"

She knew well enough that she had a tendency to wander and was easily distracted. It didn't help either that she was the type of person who trusted others at first meeting. Or that she was impulsive and in general just gullible. She also had a bad habit of making light of things and being too playful. Despite her skills and not being all that bad looking, she'd been unable to match with any of the men she'd been set up with.

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Knight Of The Dark Void

 

[CrimsonKlaw]

Sabriel Thurirl

Leon sighed and looked at her again.

"Living for the sake of a family name isn't worth it, and being simply tied down is terrible. Life is a journey, and no one should tell you otherwise. Hell, look at me. I spent my life going everywhere, training and learning martial arts. I couldn't imagine having my wife that my parents picked out nailing me down to the same old city every day. Not to mention I met someone way more attractive than most human girls."

He playfully elbowed Callisto at his last statement, though the more he thought about it, he found he honestly believed it. Callisto was beautiful to him, and there were several times when he caught himself staring, or considering stealing a kiss. But he knew something like that wasn't right, and he tended to push those thoughts away.  

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

She propped herself up and turned to be on her side, facing him. She tapped her fingers on his stomach, smiling lightly as she looked at him. "You're being charming again, Leon. Were you being pressured to date before you left? Are we similar in this way as well? If love means attraction to you, then I feel the same way. If it means fondness, I am very fond of you." She walked her fingers up his chest until she reached his collar bone, then lightly tapped his chin. "I think I prefer this way of dating... I didn't understand at first why anyone would care to do things this way. It seemed like a waste of time. But I'm happy it's different up here, where you are." Her eyes which had been looking over his face, lingered at his lips for a moment before she looked to his eyes and smiled again.

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Knight Of The Dark Void

 

[CrimsonKlaw]

Sabriel Thurirl

Leon's heart was beating a mile a minute as Callisto began teasing him a little. She faced him, and she seemed to have a look on her face that almost tempted him.

"Callisto..."

He paused for a moment, before deciding that this was the time. He leaned in, and kissed her, lightly holding her waist. It was wonderful. To feel accepted by this woman, and see her take interest in him was a blessing. In a way, her lips tasted like the sea. but, in a sweet sort of way. he could feel the heat from both of them in that one moment. He was worried he had made the wrong call, and he would get slapped, but chose to take the risk, with the hope they would both be happy.  

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

Callisto's lips felt all tingly at the contact. She'd been thinking about kissing him, but hadn't expected to be kissed by him. She'd seen couples kissing and hadn't understood why they seemed to like doing it so much. But now she definitely got the appeal. She returned his kiss, reveling in the warm and fuzzy sensation it brought on. It was exciting, different and also made her feel a bit lightheaded and giddy. As he pulled away, she couldn't hide the blissful grin on her face. She bit her lower lip, trying to calm herself down and noticed her lips tasted sweet. There was also a faint smell of sweat, but not her own. She realized that sweetness was from his lips because of the popsicle he'd eaten. She thought she must look so foolish from such a simple action, but she couldn't hide how much she'd enjoyed the kiss. As she stared down at him she was speechless and needed a moment to catch her breath. The color to his face and the look in his eyes was intoxicating. She could tell just how much he'd like it too and it made her want to kiss him again. Callisto stretched her arms behind his head and started to close the small distance between them, simply longing to share another kiss with him. She could so easily get carried away like this.

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Knight Of The Dark Void

 

[CrimsonKlaw]

Sabriel Thurirl

Leon's worries were calmed, when Callisto returned his kiss, and put her arms around his neck. It was a strange feeling, sharing a kiss with a woman, and knowing she was not human. But oddly enough, it made the experience all the more addictive.

Looking at Callisto, he seemed to be able to tell exactly what she was thinking by the look in her eyes. He more confidently held her hips, and pulled her a little closer. He kissed her once again, a little more passionately, complying to both her unspoken wants, and his own body's. After a few minutes, Leon broke the kissing, breathless.

"Callisto...maybe...we should take this back to the inn...?"  

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

She had easily gotten lost in the little moments of passion exchanged between them, happy to kiss him again and again. Happy to explore his mouth with her tongue and to have hers explored. Happy to be held and quite pleased that he was touching her hips. She'd never felt this way before, though she had been attracted to others before she'd never gone so far or been kissed like this. When he pulled away, she was relieved to see how breathless he was as well. She liked him. Really liked him, and honestly believed that their thoughts and feelings were the same right now. She would never forget how he looked right now, these exchanges meaning so much to her. She was so love-drunk that it took her a few moments to interpret what he'd said.

"... What...?" She said between breaths, blinking slowly and looking around. "Are... Are you tired?" As she was asking that she realized just what he'd meant and she smiled, amused by her own misunderstanding. Why had she doubted it when he looked like he lusted for her just as much as she wanted him right now? "Oh... You don't like this place..?" She said, knowing that the coast wasn't all that popular during the night time. But he could be right, someone might show up and that would be embarrassing. She didn't mind being seen naked but an unexpected guest would definitely put a stop to things. She hadn't considered being interrupted by a woman, but if she did she'd realize that she didn't want another woman to see him naked and vulnerable. "Let's go."

It was just dark enough that her markings were beginning to glow, the glow would be brighter the darker it became. She removed her sunglasses, no longer needing them to help her cope with the sunlight. She pulled away and rose to her feet. She reached down to help him up, and then remembered her cloak. She grabbed it and put it on hastily as she walked over to him. As she looked up at him she smiled and held her hand out, wanting to hold his. Without saying a word she was asking him if he was sure he wanted to do this with her. She wasn't thinking about what might get lost in translation between them. She wasn't really thinking much at all. She just wanted to be with him and wanted him to be with her.

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Knight Of The Dark Void

 

[CrimsonKlaw]

Sabriel Thurirl

Leon looked at her hand for a moment or two, knowing that if he did this, there would be no going back. the two would belong to each other. This was rushed. Very rushed. And Leon knew there were still things she hadn't told him. But a thought occurred to him:

I don't care. I love this girl.

With that simple thought, he took her hand, showing her that what he felt, his lust, his love, and the amount of care he showed for her was real.

"Are you ready, Callisto? This is set to be a bit of a wild night."  

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

She became a bit worried by how long it'd taken him to say anything. But when he did, it was obvious how serious he was. She smiled slyly, biting her lower lip once more and looking away from him. She didn't think she could describe how happy she felt knowing how sincere he was being right now. He'd been honest with her, even when it came to things he didn't wish to say. She didn't consider that they may be moving too fast as that didn't matter to her. She trusted him, as much as she thought she could ever trust anyone. If he was ready to be more intimate and commit, so was she. She lightly squeezed his hand before meeting his gaze again. "Of course. There's no one else in this world I'd rather be with than you, Leon." She honestly meant it even though she knew it was impossible for her to even meet every single person in the world. For her there was no one else, she was certain of this. She accepted that she wasn't taking the time to seriously think about what this would mean for her future or for his. She was thinking with her heart more than anything else right now. Leon was charming and sweet. His personality and ethics were unique and she loved spending time with him. She felt like he could never do anything slimy and was like an open book. She liked him and trusted him. That was all she needed to know. She stepped towards him and held his arm with both of hers. Then proceeded to walk with him back inland to their room at the inn.

Knight Of The Dark Void

((Exit to: Sweet Sleep Inn))

 

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

Callisto let go of Leon's arm once they reached the coast and headed for a place where they could rent what they'd need. She eyed the various equipment there with some uncertainty. It was only once they'd gotten close to the coast that she realized that they couldn't fish the way she usually would. Even wading into the water a bit to spear, net or otherwise wouldn't be a good idea. In fact, she was kicking herself for even agreeing to go swimming in the first place. She'd been too excited to get out and see for herself that everything was back to normal. She hated to lie to him, but hoped that by renting a boat and fishing the human way she could get around going into the water. Since Leon hadn't gone fishing before either he'd be just as clueless as she was when it came to what they'd need.

She looked out a the water, pondering over what to do. She had no idea how long it would take to catch anything or how to use most of the stuff. Again, she'd gotten carried away. But she was determined to make it work! She went with the least expensive, not-so-complicated-looking, row boat and poles the shop keeper was recommending. After dragging it out to the water's edge, she tossed her cloak inside and turned towards Leon. "You ready?" She asked with a smile, looking forward to experiencing something new with him.

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Knight Of The Dark Void

(( Something like this: ))

 

[CrimsonKlaw]

Sabriel Thurirl

Leon was surprised at how quickly Callisto readied things for their activity. He smiled when she was finished, and joined her at the edge of the water.

"Of course! Here, let's get the boat in the water."

He pushed the boat with Callisto somewhat effortlessly, and both of them entered the boat safely. After they had drifted out a little ways, Leon readied his fishing rod. He carefully took a worm out of the bait container, and skewered it on the fishing hook. He studied the reel, and how the line worked for a second.

"I think I remember something about this. You put the bait on the hook...then put your finger here...then pull back and...release!"

Leon was very confident about his first cast. It was too bad the line only went about 3 inches in front of him, and got tangled in itself.

"I...uh..."  

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

Callisto watched him curiously, interested to see how he'd get started since he'd never done it before. She was pleasantly surprised by how confident he was and was feeling a bit competitive until his line got all tangled. She stared at it in disbelief and, looking at him, realized that he was just as surprised as she was. That set up had seemed so perfect, it was odd that it had failed. "I guess this is trickier than it looks." She leaned forward to take a closer look at his tangled line. "You had me scared there, I thought I'd end up losing to you." She was only half-kidding as she hadn't expected him to end up better at fishing than she was. Her focus shifted to the wire, nimble fingers working swiftly to work out the tiny knots in it. "Say, Leon. I know that you were a different kind of hunter than me, but what was it like where you're from? I mean, how did you get the essentials? When you were... hunting." She'd been holding back questions about his past but for now she was just too curious to restrain her curiosity. She doubted that he ate what he killed but really, she didn't know. She was sure that she'd been told about hunters before she left home but she couldn't recall much about them. She'd been too excited to get out and go on the adventures she'd been longing for, for so long. She glanced up at him briefly through thick grey eyelashes before looking back at what she was doing.

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Knight Of The Dark Void

 

[CrimsonKlaw]

Sabriel Thurirl

Leon's expression turned a bit grim, and full of what looked like guilt and regret. It was obvious the idea of ever going back to his old family ways was out of the question.

"We bought everything we needed for food. How we got the money to do so is another story. Families of Werewolves, Forest Elves, and other creatures...all slaughtered because of morons who couldn't see past the idea of humans 'belonging' here, or 'getting here first'. My first mission within my family was to kill a werewolf male near a school area. I did so. I didn't see why it was a problem at first. Then, as the years passed, it got worse. I finally drew the line when my parents wanted to 'investigate' reports of mermaids near the coast of my town."

Leon pulled out his knife, looking at it in his hands for a minute. He sighed, feeling the engravings with his thumb.

"The tactics were horrifying, Callisto. Hostages, emotionally grooming the children to lure in the rest of the packs, and above all...using kids like me when I was back home."

Leon sat for a minute, watching Callisto untangle the line. He then shook his head, regretting what he'd said.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't be talking like that. To answer your question more directly, we bought whatever we needed, and I spent most of my later time training."  

[Sabriel Thurirl]

Callisto Piscis-Piscis
Adventurous Mermaid

A few details stood out more compared to the rest of his story. She could see that he looked pained again and regretted not renting a larger boat. Being unable to go to him, and knowing better than to interrupt or pounce on him with a hug, she waited for him to finish speaking. Mention of the non-humans he'd killed did make her uncomfortable, but only for the reasons he'd killed them. She smiled uncomfortably and straightened the now tangle-free fishing line between her hands. "I wanted to know, Leon. I hope to be someone you can confide in, no matter how awful the secret may be. So, believe me when I say that's I'm grateful to know."

But being paid to kill? Killing for such a reason was despicable and she'd always thought so. But now she was ashamed of it, unawares that she was trying to make what he'd done not seem all that terrible. Even though she believed him she just couldn't place Leon in the same category as a hunter or even think that he could ever meet that criteria. Their spar-turned-fight the other day came to mind. If they had met each other a year earlier, would they have killed each other? Even though he'd cheated it still counted as being his win. So would he have killed her? She immediately dismissed the idea, mostly because she just couldn't believe he'd do something like that for such a reason. The way she'd first greeted him seemed like a threat to him, but he hadn't outright attacked her then either. "Hunters are cruel. To kill someone because they aren't human isn't honorable. To fight and kill to protect or provide makes sense at least. It serves a purpose. I don't understand it."

Even as she said it she realized that was part of why she had to keep her race a secret even if she had to kill to protect it. Still, she just couldn't think of Leon in that way even if he said he was guilty of it. "I want to know more about you Leon. If I ever meet a hunter, I'll kill them. I hate to think of you being used by someone else for such a stupid reason." She looked up at him, smiling though it pained her to think about what he'd been through. She leaned forward to adjust the line on his fishing rod. "I saw young men forced to become soldiers to fight for reasons they didn't believe in. Where I come from it's expected of them, if they can't provide any other value to their family. Winning by any means necessary is ugly, but there's so much pressure to do what you're told. I know that I can't change what happened to you, and there's nothing that can bring the dead back to life."

She tilted her head, speaking her mind without thinking too deeply about what she was saying. She meant every blatantly honest word even if the way she expressed her thoughts and feelings sounded off. "You broke free of that pressure Leon. You're making your own path in life. That's something you should take pride in."

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Knight Of The Dark Void