Mari

Mari absently watched as the two darkly clad men talked; Life seemed to be more heated than Alkor - who was in her opinion, unusually calm. Perhaps his cold hatred toward her in the tavern was due to some sort of stress? Or perhaps she said the wrong thing. Life clutched his head, and almost stomped his feet; but then he seemed to second guess himself, and turned back toward her. 

He apologized and sat down, all the while Mari continued to play, however when he started to talk, she started to play more softly.  "Most people don't like seeing others cry. Blackbird, just means you're human."  Mari considered his words; wondering exactly how much she should share with him.

"The song just reminds me of my daughter, I was cheated out of her by a ruthless lawyer who was paid off by my now ex-husband, I got a tad emotional. End of story."

Mari, not wanting to have the subject linger on that any further changed the conversation; "So - you hit your head too hard when you fell outta that tree? Not a good bird if you can't at least land gracefully." Mari stopped playing just long enough to prod his forehead with the bowstring, before picking up the tune where she left off. 

F3 was quickly becoming one of  Mari’s favourite places; despite the bite of  the cold she found peace here.  Despite wearing a skirt, her socks and jumper kept in most of the warmth, and she didn’t feel the sting of the weather as harshly as some of the more scantily clad players. It was one of the quieter floors. There were rarely many players up here, and those that were would quickly scamper off to the cave, or to the higher floors.

Mari had performed here once before, that one – was a personal piece that she had wished for no one to see, and yet both Light and Alkor had heard.  Today was different. She wanted to play for the pure sake of playing. Mari adored music, and loved the violin even more so.

She was positioned in the middle of Frigid Lake, a solitary splash of pink amidst the stark white of the field, the moving tunes of her violin reverberating around her, as she played the Song of The Caged Bird;   bouncing off the lake and the trees ; creating a moving echo.

Mari didn’t stand still; she moved in time to the wavering notes, arching her back, twisting her body two and fro.

The girl, dressed all in pink, was lost in the moment.
 

Mari pulled her finger away, noticing the man flinch at the slightest of touches from her. "Eh? If you flinch at such a small thing, I can't imagine what having my body against your back or over your shoulders would do." Mari mused, "You don't have to force yourself to do frivolous things; it doesn't exactly appear to be in your nature." Mari commented thoughtfully, as she had watched him change from a poised reserved man to a more open, and confident fellow. 

She gave a wry grin, wetting her hands to slick her hair back out from her face. "Oh how can I trust your judgement, when you're hanging out with me - haven't you heard? I'm bad news."

Then, Moartea took another slight personality change; as his tone turned from playful to devious- and was that a tad flirtatious? Mari wasn't sure. She clasped onto his arm in an attempt to pull herself off the sandbar. She immediately had to start treading water. 

"Let's hope I know? Honestly...you're an oddball. I haven't the slightest clue what you are mulling about in that Romanian brain of yours."

Mari gave a sheepish grin, "Oh- you will have me?" She asked teasingly, "Maybe that's why I should be worried. Hmm?"
Moartea - now extruding much more confidence than earlier had reached out to her, at this stage Mari stopped floating and up righted herself - tip-toes on the sandbar. Was the water higher now than what it was before?  Mari tilted her head to the side, slightly confused at his last words - the two didn't know each other all too well, and yet he was exchanging such familiarities with her.

Mari chewed her lip, it did seem like an enticing offer; but she wasn't exactly one to so easily trust or open up to someone else. "Hmm- Moartea, I'm not too sure about that~" She mused as she broached the gap between them - placing a finger between his shoulder blades on his back. "How do I know you're even strong enough to carry me?"
 

"Oh, but Moartea- the gentleman is the one you need to look out for most." She said in a sing song voice. "Nor do I think riding you out to the middle of the ocean is the most lady-like thing to do." She added, not quite realizing the implications that sentence could have had. Mari glanced at him, he seemed different from the withdrawn silent man she had met on the shoreline. "I'm not sure how I'd climb up onto your shoulders." She mused, glancing back toward the night sky. "You're much taller than I, and we are both wet; wouldn't it be...slippery?"

 

I love Lindsey Stirling; the closest thing I'll ever get to listening to dubstep! Ahaha

Mari shrugged, "It looks like a corner..." She said as she held up her hands to make a shape that lined up with his scar. "To me, its either someone hit you with the corner of something; or they were tryin' to dissect you." She blinked, realizing the gravity of what she had just said. "Of course, I'm no doctor; I'm the last person you should expect to hear anything wise from."

Mari kicked herself up off the sand bar to float on her back, the cool breeze tickling at her wet exposed skin. "Further out hmm? That depends, you're not planning on drowning me, are you Moartea?" Mari asked, a hint of playfulness to her tone.


 

Just some good ol' violin music ahahahaha

"Really? Don't remember? That's such a bore" Mari mumbled as she drew her hand away from him. Not meaning to sound rude; she simply came off that way. She glanced up at him as he again asked her if she was enjoying herself, his demeanour suddenly perking up. He reached out toward her, his thumb and forfinger grazing the skin of her hands. "mmm...this is definitely a nice change from being hunted or condemned by a certain guild." Mari mused, "So I can't exactly say I am not enjoying myself." 
 

Mari watched the two converse, she couldn't hear what they were saying, but she did give a slight grin when she watched the taller man. Alkor, give life a hit to the head, good. The kid could probably use one of them. He seemed a tad melodramatic at times, and it bothered her. She wasn't sure what their intentions were, nor what they planned to do from there.

Neither one of them had questioned her musical interlude, and Life, he didn't mention nor ask why she had been crying earlier. Didn't he see? Or did he simply not care?

Mari gave another sigh,and continued to play the soft lilting tune of her violin.

Mari gave a slightly amused grin, despite her crestfallen gaze. "25 here. At least, I believe so. I've lost track of time." Just as she suspected, he was younger than her. Mari had yet to meet someone as old as, or older than her. Still, Moartea was one of the older players she had come across. "I would have guessed around that, maybe 22." Mari mused.

Moartea removed his shirt; and it wasn't his toned chest that caused her gaze to travel along his skin, but the scar. It was such an odd shape, as though the corner of a large metallic object had been shoved into him. Mari didn't hear his next question, asking if she was enjoying herself. Mari loved her own personal space and if you invaded it, you would sure hear about it.

Too bad that wasn't a two way street for her. The brash, rash Mari reached out to Moartea, allowing a two fingers to lightly caress the scar, tracing it down his chest to his rib cage. "That's the strangest scar I've ever seen." 

 

Mari watched as he dove into the water, swimming around underneath before coming back up, he was a few feet away from her, and already treading water. Mari guessed that she was standing on a sandbar, and that if she were to take just a few steps off she too would have to tread the water. She'd rather not do that at this point.

Moartea asked Mari a rather personal question; and it did upset her. But she couldn't exactly blame him, she had indeed let slip a few more personal words. The woman bit her lower lip, blue gaze drifting down to the water, which lapped at her pale body. "I had a daughter, at 24; It's not exactly that young to have a child. Most women I know have children at the age of 18 or so...." She trailed off, it was a very difficult and painful subject for her to breach. Mari forced a smile as she looked up at him. "Looks can be deceiving eh?" 

 

Unlike Moartea Mari didn't have a change of clothes, she could get more but she didn't like the idea of walking around the fields or towns with wet clothes. She figured that underwear, was much like a bikini; just made of different fabric. So she would just go with that. Right? Mari unequipped her clothes, revealing a modest, matching set of black undergarments; it was a good thing they weren't white. 

Mari was a little flustered at this stage, when logically, she really shouldn't be; she'd wandered around all sorts of places wearing a bikini during those hot summer days. So how was this different? Mari looked up at Moartea who had his arm extended toward her, with a tilt of her head she had to wonder exactly how old he was - he did seem quite mature, at least compared to many of the other players here, and who was Mari to talk. She was quite immature at times. Mari shrugged, "I'm fine." She walked past Moartea, stopping at the waters edge, lightly dipping a single toe in.

The water was cool; but felt as though it had been warmed by a long day's sun. Mari dipped her entire foot in and watched as the incoming wave rolled in, engulfing the porcelain limb- it seemed as though they were at high tide. Mari turned her back on the water and took a good several paces away before turning on her heel and running, full speed straight into the ocean, jumping as she became waist deep in the water.

Diving down.

Under the water; it was peaceful, quiet; the only noise coming from the soft rhythm of the waves as they crashed upon the shore. Mari pushed her head back up out of the water, standing on the bottom; the water rested at her shoulders.

"It's surprisingly warm."

Mari shook her head, "Tut-Tut A-Sa-Gi~ If you're too busy flirting with me you may just be bested by an Elk, of all thinks, now wouldn't that be a ..." She paused, "Horn in your side?"

He was struggling with the Elk, and it had taken a few hits already. It was a shame neither herself or Lotharian had managed to land a critical hit on the thing, else It'd be dead by now. Mari attempted to strike it, however with a severe jerk of its head, she missed. "ARGH are you KIDDING me?"
 

Rolled a 4 on the d10 (battle) dice.

The Elk, giving up on Tristan turned to Mari,  stamping its hoof and dipping  its head, horns now aiming for her.  Mari stood her ground, It looked like it was Lotharians turn to attack from behind, the sassy woman had a comment about that too. "Hey Asagi~ Like what yer see?" She joked.

awww I never got to RP with you, I was hoping to do so;

But I totally understand and get your decision. All the best.

“Ha!” Mari cried, “Did you bite off more than you can chew? Maybe I should weed out the weaklings eh?” Mari joked, “Too bad I can’t photo-sympathize with you!” She joked again as she bought the blade down over the plant.

Rolled a 8 on the d10 (battle) dice. SUCCESS
-2HP
FRENZY PLANT DEFEATED

Mari grinned, watching the plant shrivel up and die before her. She was getting stronger. soon such things won't be such a problem...soon she'd be able to wipe them out in a single strike. Mari wasn't exactly a fighter nor one who cared about physical prowess, but she had to admit, the knowledge that she could knock out a plant in just two hits, in comparison to the five it took when she first joined...it made her somewhat happy.

Rolled a 18 on the d20 (loot) dice. GOOD DROP
+25 COL

The loot wasn't great, but better than nothing. Mari dusted herself off, ensuring all the slobber, dirt and dust was off her person before she continued toward where the players had come from.

FRENZY PLANT

chatter chatter chatter *slurp* chatter chatter chatter *slurp*

The plant moved to and fro, assessing the girl before going in to snap at her again.
 

Rolled a 3 on the d10 (mob) dice. FAIL

As it went in for the 'kill' Mari angrily bopped it on its head with a clenched fist, not doing any damage but causing the plant to shake its head in confusion. If it had eyes they would probably widen as if to say "did YOU just HIT me?"

Mari grinned as she watched Lotharian waste no time, in one fluid motion he seemed to have equipped a weapon and struck out at the lone Elk. Mari, casually half skipped behind the normally passive creature, equipping her own Dagger. “Careful handsome~” Mari mused, as the Elk attacked, Lotharian deftly grabbed its horns, still sustaining damage but he had managed to hold it in place, allowing Mari to not-so-sneakily attack it from behind.

  Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice. SUCCESS
-2 HP  

Mari, brutally stabbed the Elk, multiple times with her dagger, finally pulling it out of the rump of the Elk Mari stepped back, giving it one final Kick.

She wasn’t exactly the fighting or combat type. Rather, if she had it her way she wouldn’t fight at all; but she was quickly realizing that she would need to, to survive. Not just the wilderness, but the other players. The long list of enemies she was making.

Elk 5/8 HP
Mari  17/17 HP
Lotharian 12/13 HP

Mari noted the pained expression he gave, normally she wouldn't but considering the man never normally expressed anything. Any minute flicker of emotion was made painfully obvious. "A mother may know she can't protect their child all the time, but that won't stop them from trying. Trust me, I know." Mari would have done anything, anything to have protected her daughter, and now she was unable to ever see her again. Mari lowered her gaze to her lap. It was rarely something she bought up, rather - this was the first time she ever bought up something so personal.

She didn't look up till Moartea said she had been pleasant to talk to. "What?" She didn't mean for it to come out so rudely it was just unexpected. "You'd probably be one of the first to think that." He posed another question, that she wasn't expecting - he wanted to continue to spend time with her. The swimming thing, did peak her interest.

"I don't think I'm exactly dressed for swimming." Mari commented; gesturing to her white jumper and pastel polka dotted skirt.

"I'm not a likeable person, Blackbird." Mari chided, she had said it to him numerous times; and yet he still seemed to struggle with how she acted and presented herself.  He told her that he shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and Mari couldn't help but give a soft laugh at his words. "I could say the same to you, Blackbird. " He got up, suggesting that she didn't talk about herself in such a manner, Mari shrugged. 

I call it like I see it, I'm blunt. You know Life, I don't mind your company, by the way. Don't look so melodramatic." At that he walked back off toward Alkor and Mari gave a low sigh, sometimes her habit of speaking before thinking, really bit her in the behind.  She picked up her violin again and began to play a soft, random melody; it's sounds akin to that of a lullaby.

They say when it rains it pours; and boy howdy that was what Moartea was doing, his monotone voice speaking as though his past, his words were rehearsed, spoken hundreds upon hundreds of times before. So he had some sort of Amnesia? Mari supposed it was better than some mock split personality, not that any sort of mental issue was right, that is.

He was Romanian royalty? That would explain his speech and apparent like of Shakespeare. He had a less than pleasant upbringing, with the murder of a father, and severe physical trauma, that said trauma messed with his personality. His emotions. Mari could buy that, she'd read something about that sort of thing happening to people. There wasn't much she could say to him. 

Comforting someone wasn't something Mari was good at, and she didn't really feel like sharing much of her own past, her next words were about as close as Moartea would currently get. "I can understand where your mother was coming from, in a sense - she wanted to protect you."

Mari grinned, somewhat glad to hear his words, "So you're a bit of a gamble then eh?" Mari quipped light heartedly. She noticed he was awkward around her, perhaps he wasn't used to social interaction, or females in general. She had met a few people who had similar mannerisms. HIs crimson eyes darted  between her and the drink that sat in front of him. "Mari," She answered his question, "And should I call you -err - cotton ball?" Mari asked, gesturing toward his tuft of stark white hair.

"I suppose everyone deserves some sort of hope; without it we all go a little mad. I've come across many a mad people here." Mari began, offhandedly beginning to open up to the darkly dressed man. "I am blunt, and quick to anger; so it frustrates me, but I'm well adjusted. I'm not overly bothered by the notion of being trapped here - others,  don't have it that easy. I guess I forget how many younger people are here."

It seems as though the other man had began to open up as well, if only a bit. The two were heavily guarded, and it made conversation between them a little strained, but Mari  found that the conversation was more or less pleasant. Anything that didn't involve someone threatening to behead her was a-ok in her books. Mari turned to Moartea, watching his facial expressions, framed by a curtain of silken black hair; attempting to figure out what he was feeling. His voice turned stoic. 

"Is that why you're so...robotic?" Mari asked bluntly. 
 

Moarteas eyes darted to her, and he shut the book with a quick snap, the sound giving off a slight echo in the dead of the night. His slate eyes stared her down, and Mari – not being one to easily back down stared right back. Multitasking was one thing, but pulling out a book and focusing on it was another. Mari was about to comment on just that, she opened her mouth to say something, but the quiet, restrained man before her offered for her to join.

Mari blinked, she wasn’t really expecting that, and it was difficult to read his face – it held no emotion nor indication to what he was feeling. “I’m not a real fan of Romeo and Juliet.” She finally murmured, “Romeo is made out to be this romantic pinnacle of a man – but really, he was a fool.”

Moartea spoke, this time his voice lilted; hints of grief within it. Maybe lonliness? She wasn’t sure, “I thought about it.” Mari honestly replied. “But that’d be just as rude, if not more. Senseless destruction is not my forte. Be it a person, or an object. You may not have gotten mad, but it seems that just the thought upsets you.”

The woman gave a shrug. "Still be tootin' your own horn there, sweetheart." She knew Lotharian was a man of words, a skilled bard; and he could easily twist most anything to give him the positive favour, Mari would admit it was an admirable and useful trait, but she wouldn't topple over so easily. The two would bump heads, but seemed to have a mutual understanding. Mari had the inclination to say more, but knew it was best to keep her mouth shut - why push away her only friend?

"Of course, I wouldn't be with you if I didn't get anything from it~" Mari teased, "I have to admit, it would be nice to get some proper junk. Maybe then that stupid guild would leave me alone for a while, eh?" Turning to the Horizon, Mari noted several large creatures, their black silhouettes moving slowly against the bright sky. "So, 4 pelts means we got to kill 4 elk, guess that's them up ahead."