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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | Alysson, Arric, Atley, Estel, Kenelly, Lena, and Shun meet up in Sri La village for some peaceful fishing and conversation. ~3500 words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Atley descends the trailing stairs of Sri-La Village, eating a peeled orange.
Lena is already down by the dock, setting up with her fishing kit as the waves lap against the peaceful shore.
Estel sits on the edge of the dock, eating a sandwich.
Shun crouches near her, staring into the water.
Lena finishes up tying a knot in her fishing wire and rises, moving over towards Estel and Shun.
"Hey, Lena," Estel calls.
Kenelly strolls down the dock, waving excitedly. "Hello, Cobalt friends!"
Shun glances over and grunts.
A distant 'brrrrrrrr' sound escalates in volume as a small flying machine comes in from the south, skimming close to the water and landing near the group.
"Hullo', you lot!" Atley greets, voice booming, before his attention is drawn to the flying machine.
"Oh! Nelly, hey." Estel salutes her with her sandwich.
Arric Falrevere hops out of the flying machine and whips off his goggled helmet, his ginger hair all askew as he waves and grins at the assembled Cobalts.
Kenelly glances over at the sound of the flying machine, and lights up when Arric emerges. "Oh, Arric! How wonderful to see you!"
"Hey, Estel," Lena nods, settling down to sit on her heels at the edge of the dock. She nods to Atley and Kenelly, and then looks over curiously at the flying machine.
Shun grunts again.
Atley knits his brow in faint surprise upon seeing Arric and eats some more bits of orange.
"I'm here! I'm here, I'm finally here! Tides and Light, it's glorious!" Arric looks around and takes a deep breath.
Estel waves lazily.
"How lovely that we're all here in this beautiful land together," Kenelly says. "This place feels like a dream."
Atley grunts. "Welcome to Pandaria. Much of a fisherman?"
"I am indeed!" Arric says amiably. "Is that what's going on here? I should have a telescoping pole packed away here somewhere…" He begins rummaging inside the flying machine.
Atley grunts and marches out onto the dock.
"Did you fly that through the mist?" Estel asks.
Shun turns his attention back to the water.
Arric turns to Estel and laughs. "Oh, if only I were such a skilled pilot. No, I packed it up and carried it through the portal."
Atley turns to Kennelly and bows briefly. "Lady Ashewood, is it?"
Kenelly smiles and bobs a little curtsey to Atley. "It is. Pleased to meet you."
Arric scans the water with a practiced eye, choosing a good spot.
Atley glances over after casting a line.
Kenelly continues to peer at Atley. "Forgive me, I didn't catch your name."
"Sir Dane Atley, my lady," he says, returning his gaze to the bobber in the water.
Kenelly's eyes widen. "Oh! My apologies, Sir. I ought to have recognized you."
Atley inclines his head to Kenelly. "None necessary, milady."
Arric looks around to see who Kenelly is talking about, and gives Atley a warm smile. It's full of recognition, but no particular deference.
Estel shows no intention of fishing. She leans back on her hands. "You were at Wyrmrest, yeah?" She seems to be talking to Arric.
"I was! You remembered! And you are Estel Herald, priestess extraordinaire," Arric says with a smile, before unpacking his fishing pole and baiting his hook.
[Estel]: "You're the one guy who took the airship back instead of the ship. Uh. Arric something, yeah?"
Arric hesitates, a bit of color rising to his cheeks. "Falrevere," he says. "Arric Falrevere."
Shun isn't holding a fishing pole, but he is still staring at the water nonetheless.
"Cool," Estel says. She nudges Shun. "We should get married soon so people can stop calling me Estel Herald."
Atley briefly glances over his shoulder at Shun and the water.
Lena settles down to fish, looking mildly between the people making introductions.
"Oh, you're getting married? Congratulations!" Arric beams at the two.
Shun blinks at her briefly, "Guess we need to get around to planning that !@#$…"
Arric frowns slightly at Shun's phrasing.
Estel grins. "Yeah. Thanks. I gotta write Ivri 'cause Ben said we can have food at the wedding."
Atley scoffs with amusement at Shun with a brief shake of his head. "Ivri'd be more than happy to cook for it."
Lena laughs a little at Shun. "Just remember, it's only as much #$% as you like. All you need is the legalities."
"My favorite part is always the reception!" Arric says, casting out over the water in a likely looking spot.
Alysson runs up to the group, waving. "Ho there Cobaltians!" he calls. He is carrying a stick with a string tied to it.
"Ho there!" Arric returns.
"I asked Niris to be my matron of honor," Estel says. "So we gotta have — hey, Alysson!"
"I have not really attended many weddings to have much of a frame of reference…" Shun mutters.
Atley spots Alysson and gives a nod.
Lena looks over at Alysson, her eyes narrowing a little until she seems to recognize him. She nods a greeting.
"Well, all the rich people weddings I've gone to have food at them, but apparently it's not just for rich people." Estel grins.
Atley briefly eyes Alysson's chosen position.
"Oh not at all!" Arric assures her. "Feasting has been an important part of every wedding I've attended, noble and commoner alike."
"'Tis good to have a feast at a wedding," Atley says.
"Aye, even in farmlands," Lena nods. "Maybe especially there."
"Goodness, yes," Kenelly agrees. "I can hardly imagine a wedding without a lively feast!"
"I imagine so!" says Arric in response to Lena, his eyes distant as though he's trying to imagine. "Well, now I'm hungry," he says.
"I would offer fish," Lena says with a faint smile, "But they're raw."
"Great, you're all invited," Estel says. "We don't have a date yet."
Shun suddenly throws a dagger with rope tied to the hilt into the water.
Estel leans forward. "Got one?"
"That reminds me, Lady Kenelly, are you as good with fish as you are with stew?" Arric smiles at her.
Atley glances back at Shun to see his success.
Alysson is perched on top of a basket set in a small boat, casting his little string into the water with focus. He is perfectly balanced. Probably.
Shun yanks the rope back to see a fish attached to his knife. He nods to Estel.
Kenelly chuckles. "I admit, fish is probably not my greatest cooking strength. But I think I manage well, with the right seasonings."
Lena stares at Shun. "Did you… spear it with a dagger? That's a neat trick."
Shun nods.
Alysson stares at Shun. Then he starts tying an axe to the end of his string.
"Would you be willing to try your hand at some of my catch?" Arric asks Kenelly. "Gerda does well enough with most of the local dishes, but I'm… very particular about fish, and I haven't been able to eat hers."
Lena hums thoughtfully, and looks down at her own fishing line. She does not tie a knife to it.
Estel reaches a hand out to the dagger-speared fish. There's a burst of shadow, and the fish dies peacefully.
Shun puts the fish into a bucket. Dinner for later.
"Certainly, I'm happy to cook." Kenelly peers at Arric. "May I ask about your particularities in regard to fish?"
Arric lowers his voice as though he's confessing to a terrible crime. "The truth is, I don't much like the taste of fish, unless it's cooked so it… no longer tastes like fish."
Atley reels in a [Giant Mantis Shrimp]. "Few more of these'll make a proper meal."
Estel turns to see the size of the shrimp. "Damn."
Atley's gaze shifts back to Alysson and his string-axe development.
"D'you think there's any fish that're as big as the veggies here?" Alysson asks eagerly.
Shun then also notices what Alysson is doing and just raises a brow.
"Probably, yeah," Estel says.
"Probably not so close to shore," Shun answers.
Atley grunts.
Kenelly chuckles at Arric. "I'm not sure I possess that level of skill. But then, seasoning is everything."
Lena glances over to Kenelly and Arric. "Have you been here long? If not, I'd recommend Halfhill, over in the valley, for seasonings. I suppose I would recommend it if you have been here long as well, only you'd probably already know."
"I have quite literally only just arrived!" says Arric. "Perhaps an hour ago." Arric nods in vehement agreement with Kenelly, then looks over to Alysson. "What's this about large vegetables?" he asks curiously.
"Vegetables grow large here. Properly large. Farther inland," Atley explains.
Alysson considers this new information… then jumps into the water, swimming to a nearby raft. "How about here?" he asks.
Atley scoffs with amusement at Alysson and looks over. "You'll need to be farther out, lad."
Kenelly nods eagerly at Lena. "That's where I'm headed! I heard about the valley with the magical soil. I'm hoping I might be allowed to take some samples. If I could recreate the soil's properties, it could be such a boon to Westfall."
"Aw…" Alysson says. "Those veggies though, they're the size of a house!"
Atley looks to Kenelly and inclines his head. "A fine idea."
"I expect they wouldn't mind you taking some soil," Lena says to Kenelly, thinking. "They don't seem terribly protective of their soil, magic or not." Then she glances at Arric. "An hour. Well, glad you've missed the early trouble and can take a moment to see the beauty first."
"Oh, my lady," Arric says with a smile to Lena. "Trouble is exactly what I am here for."
"With a stick like that, you might wanna aim for normal-sized fish first," Estel calls to Alysson.
"What's the lad looking for?" asks Arric.
"He wants a sea monster," Atley says.
"A sea monster!" Arric pales slightly. "How… how courageous," he says with forced cheer.
Estel grunts. Sea monsters may have lost some of their novelty to her.
Atley lifts a bushy brow and briefly examines the crashed zeppelin and Horde shipwreck to the northeast.
Shun goes back to watching the water very carefully.
Lena glances at Alysson mildly, and then glances at Shun. "I don't expect there are any kraken near the shore. Fleet's seen none of them."
Arric goes from pale to green at the specific mention of kraken.
"Well. Good," Shun grunts.
Kenelly smiles at Atley. "Imagine if we could grow those massive vegetables in Westfall. We could feed so many starving refugees, almost effortlessly!"
Atley grunts and looks back to the water. "Undo the damage those brigands did to the land as well, p'raps."
"Exactly so," Kenelly says. "And perhaps it could even lead to curing the blight of the Plaguelands."
"P'raps indeed," Atley says, glancing over at Kenelly. "You've made it out to the Valley and seen it?"
"I've heard it's in the water, not the soil itself, what makes 'em big," Estel says. "I think. Right?"
Atley grunts.
Kenelly shakes her head. "Not yet. I've only just recently arrived in Pandaria. I thought this little gathering would be a nice way to start my trip."
"Road out that way ought to be safer, now," Atley says to Kenelly with a nod.
Atley briefly checks in on Alysson and his Axe.
"So, you're here for trouble?" Lena says, looking at Arric. "Of a particular kind?"
"Well," says Arric to Lena, "I've been keeping abreast on the latest Cobalt Company newsletters, and it sounds like a rifleman wouldn't go amiss out here, hm?"
Atley briefly eyes Arric. "No," he confirms.
"Mm," Lena agrees. "We've had our tussles on the coast, trying to get the harbor going. And I've heard Cobalt hit troubles inland."
Arric eyes Atley right back, unsure that the "no" is in fact confirmation
"We can use all the help we can get," Atley clarifies, after a moment. "More Cobalts the better. The fight here's still on going."
Kenelly lifts her brow curiously at Arric, then Atley. "Isn't it dangerous to bring more violence here? I've heard the talk about the land's reaction to all that."
Estel tilts her head back. "You've read the newsletters, you know about the Sha, yeah?"
"Oh, I shouldn't think the sha would bother with me," says Arric with a wave of his hand.
"A Pandaren defensive wall broke. So. You know," Shun says.
When Lena mentions the harbor, Arric gets some of the color back that he lost at mention of the kraken. "How is the Admiral?" he asks her. "Likely furious about one thing or another, from what I've gathered in my reading."
Alysson is waiting patiently, as though a fish is supposed to bite the axe on its own.
"Oh, he's well," Lena says with a brief laugh, turning to Arric. "I'll be worried about him the day he's not furious about one thing or another. The whole situation's a bit vexing. Fleet not here, harbor not built… being diplomatic…"
"Our fight's in more ways than one," Atley says. "Any diplomacy inroads we can establish with the locals will aid our cause."
Shun grunts.
"I'll be at my diplomatic best, then." Kenelly nods firmly.
Atley squints at Alysson before calling over. "Oi! You've got to hit the fish with an axe!"
Alysson squints at the axe in the water. Then wiggles the stick around to try to get the axe to move. He chases a fish that gets too close with it. The fish wins. Obviously.
Arric leans toward Atley and asks in a low enough voice for only him and Kenelly to hear, "That lad there… he's… mm… different?"
Atley scoffs with amusement. "That he is. It's come in handy, if it does bring on a headache, at times. He found a Lich's phylactery in an outhouse, once."
Lena blinks at that, and then focuses back on her fishing.
Shun flings his fishing dagger into the water again. This time, the fish gets away though. "Tsk."
"It's marvelous, isn't it?" says Arric in the same half-whisper. "How people like that can often think in ways we'd never."
"All have our uses, I warrant," Atley states idly, reeling in another line.
"I suppose I'll even find mine eventually," Arric says with a laugh.
"He did what?" Shun double takes at Atley's words.
"T'was in Netherstorm. Our first deployment. We were scouring the ruins of a village, to no avail, and he buggers off to an outhouse that managed to stay upright. Walks out with the bloody thing," Atley says.
"Phyl… oh, use, yes," Lena blushes faintly, and then chuckles. "It's a process, finding out where we fit, isn't it?"
"It truly, truly is," says Arric with a sigh.
Shun furrows his brow, "Why was that in—- No. I do not think I want to know."
Arric laughs at Shun. "Likely a wise choice," he says.
Atley grunts.
Estel finishes up her sandwich.
Atley glances around, gaze settling on the half-buried mogu statue. "My first time coming to this village."
"A pleasant little place, set apart from all the trouble with the jinyu and the hozen," Lena says, following his gaze. "I've not heard of any mogu troubles here."
Alysson swims back to shore and shakes himself off. "Me too! There're nets so big they could catch me in 'em."
Atley grunts.
"Yell if you get stuck." Estel smiles.
"Yes, do take care," Arric says to Alysson.
"Yes, careful," Lena says, flicking a little protective spell at him casually. (Now you can breathe if you get stuck, Alysson.)
"Care is like my socks. I take it everyplace!" Alysson says.
"Oh, what a marvelous saying," Arric says, beaming at Alysson.
Atley eyes Alysson mildly as he guides his fishing pole back and forth.
Estel snort-laughs.
Shun seems mildly puzzled.
Alysson seems to have given up on fishing and is now playing in the water.
Arric smiles at him as though he were an adorable child.
Atley sets his jaw at Alysson, as if he were an adorable child.
"Will you all be staying around here for Winter Veil?" Lena asks, tossing her line in again.
Atley starts making a small pile of captured aquatic creatures. "Aye."
"Depends on my duties," Shun replies.
"Yes, I'll stay if I'm needed," Arric says. "If not I'll go where I can do the most good."
"Mm, much the same for me," Lena nods. "But I do plan to stay in Pandaria. I don't know if they celebrate here — I suppose we'll find out."
"Plenty of that to do about here," Atley says.
"I was thinkin' I'd see if I can find where 'Randy is, so she's not alone someplace," Alysson says.
"I warrant we can prepare our own ceremony when the time comes," Atley says to Lena.
"Reckon so," Lena nods. "Not like we can't trade through the portal, at least for some things."
"Get a tree," Atley says.
"I heard the pandaren adopted Brewfest readily enough," Kenelly says. "If they love a celebration, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they do the same with Winter Veil."
"Winter Veil is such a lovely holiday," Arric says, smiling at Kenelly. "A little something for everyone. Food, gifts, family."
Atley grunts.
Shun grunts.
Arric does not grunt.
Kenelly nods happily. "I adore Winter Veil. It feels so warm, even in the cold months."
Arric beams at Kenelly.
Lena glances at Alysson. "Randy… a relative… here?"
"'Randy's my sister, an' I don't know where she's at. It's why I've got to find 'er," Alysson says. "But Miss 'meiria's out here, an' she probably shouldn't be alone either, so I was thinkin' I'd get 'Randy to come out here."
Lena pauses, hand tightening slightly on her fishing rod. "Miss… 'meiria…? That sounds a little like the name of someone I know. Maybe a coincidence."
Atley silently mouths 'Randy' as he listens.
[Estel]: "Almeiria's out here? Great, I can get her something for Winter Veil…"
"Oh, it is..?" Lena shakes her head, and looks back at the water. "I suppose she's with Cobalt, after all."
"I suppose you'll be celebrating with your parents, then, Lady Kenelly?" Arric inquires politely.
Kenelly's smile falters. "My-…oh…I don't think my parents are planning any celebrations this year. But, HOWL is putting together a Winter Veil party to raise funds! So, there is that."
"Oh?" Arric raises a brow at Kenelly. "I hadn't heard! Do let me know when it is; I'll be happy to show up and donate."
Kenelly finds her smile again. "Absolutely. You can be sure I will let everyone know." She chuckles.
"Yes, far be it from you to fall short of your promotional duties," Arric says with a little wink to Kenelly. "I say, you're always working even when you're on vacation."
Kenelly laughs at that. "I suppose I feel like if I'm not working, I'm missing opportunities."
"I do know what you mean, I suppose," Arric says thoughtfully.
Atley grunts.
"Y'know I heard once that opportunities knock, but what if you're not by a door?" Alysson asks.
Arric taps his nose and points to Alysson. "Exactly."
Alysson taps his nose back. This is a new form of greeting, probably.
Estel stands up and nudges Shun. "I'm gonna go take a nap."
Shun nods to Estel.
"See you later, Estel," Lena says, glancing over with a faint smile.
Atley nods and grunts in farewell.
Estel pats Shun's head absently and waves to Lena. "Later, later!"
"Gracious, has it been an hour already?" Arric says, checking his pocket watch.
"If you get a present for Miss 'meiria, get her socks!" Alysson calls. "She ruined hers when …"
"Time moves slowly here," Lena says. "Or feels slow, and moves quick."
Atley looks to Alysson.
"Socks, okay!" Estel shouts over her shoulder.
"Why socks…" Shun utters.
Arric gathers up his catch. "I'm going to drop these off at a nearby village, and then carry on exploring a bit," he says. "Good to see all of you, and hope to see you again soon!"
"Travel well," Atley says.
Shun grunts at Arric.
"Take care," Lena nods farewell to Arric.
"You'll be in the area as well, then?" Atley asks Kenelly.
Kenelly nods. "For a time, yes. Well, if the Valley of the Four Winds is 'the area'."
Atley grunts. "I warrant I'll see you about, my lady. I'm off." He peers at Alysson in the distance before turning to Lena. "Keep an eye on him, will you? As long as he's here. No need to follow him if he buggers off."
"I will," Lena nods. "I'll keep him breathing, if he hits any trouble near the dock."
Atley scoffs with amusement. He turns to Kenelly and bows in farewell.
Kenelly dips a small curtsey, "Travel safely, Sir, Dane."
Shun nods curtly.
Atley nods to Shun on the way out. "Shun."
"Speaking of the Valley, I should head that way," Kenelly says. "I'd like to see it all under daylight!"
"Take care," Lena nods. "Don't wander into the Wilds… but you're not likely to. The border is obvious."
[Kenelly]: "I'll be careful. Thank you!"
Lena settles in at the dock, looking out at the peaceful water.