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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 0:36:08 GMT -6
He was sifting through the sand when suddenly something nipped his finger. Ashe jerked his hand back with a splash, the water sprinkling his chest. It would have been cold enough to cause a shiver, since his skin was so warmed by the sun, but he was too focused on whatever had just nipped at his hand. As he reeled, he caught sight of something slender and silvery darting around behind a rock. It had a tail like a shark, but it would have to be a tiny shark... Not scared of it thanks to its size, Ashe used his hand to slink behind the rock and try to chase it out. It worked, and the small fish shot out like a dart. But Ashe could see it better now and saw that it was indeed a shark, just a tiny shark. How cute!
"Look at this guy!" Ashe said to Inyala, who watched him with slightly alarmed interest.
Ashe: 0 2/20 Inyala: 4 2/5
August Post 17
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 0:41:28 GMT -6
Inyala had at first worried he was under attack. The sudden movement and the sudden splash had alarmed her - but then she saw the shape of a small fish and saw that Ashe wasn't concerned, so she relaxed. And now, Ashe was showing her the little beasty. She gave a nod and a click, amused. She watched as Ashe swirled it around, taking control of the situation and the shark itself. He would have to bring this guy home with him, but he wasn't sure how he would manage. Maybe leave it in this tide pool and grab it on the way out? That sounded like a good idea. With that figured out, and supposedly no more shells around here, Ashe stood up and climbed out of the pool. He called to Inyala to hop up on his shoulder, which she did, and they were back on their way toward the mansion. Remember - stare at a place behind the mansion, not right at it.
Ashe: 0 3/20 Inyala: 4 3/5
August Post 18
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 0:46:35 GMT -6
Ashe had slipped his feet back into his sandals before walking, and he was glad he did. He could feel how hot the sand was getting from the sun beating down on it all day, and he would rather not burn the most sensitive parts of his feet! He trudged along, careful not to stumble like he had earlier, so Inyala wouldn't get thrown around too much. She was balanced on his shoulder, hardly using her claws to hang on, and he wanted to keep it that way. His satchel was leather; next time he should bring cloth, so her claws could find purchase and she could just hold onto that? Sounded like a good idea.
They walked on and on... And actually made progress, getting closer and closer to the mansion. Don't look at it, just keep it in the corner of your eye. Ashe did just that, focusing instead on the horizon, trying to see where the water was, how far out.
Ashe: 0 4/20 Inyala: 4 4/5
August Post 19
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 0:51:55 GMT -6
Surely it had to be visible this far out? If not... where the heck was it going? It had to go somewhere. He could hear it, for Mortavos' sake! He glanced once more around, didn't see it except maybe shimmering far off, then he reached the front steps of the mansion, finally looking at it, he started climbing the steps. Finally, he'd made it. Took long enough! Inyala gave a chirp of glee, knowing the struggle it had taken to get here. She and Ashe were almost one; when he was frustrated, she was frustrated. Ashe walked up the steps and opened the door, not even bothering to knock (no one lived there anyway!) and walked inside. Once inside, he was shocked! The mansion was a little different today... More adventure, less monotony. There was a plank leading across a ravine, leading to the rest of the house. "What in the seven hells..." He murmured, having never seen anything like it.
Ashe: 0 5/20 Inyala: 5 0/5
August Post 20 - Note, Ashe now has Carpenter rank 2
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 1:43:23 GMT -6
Ashe approached the plank and peered down into the depths, trying to see what might await them at the bottom. It looked like water, with a sort of glow that suggested there was a way outside from down there, so you wouldn't be trapped in there for all of time. He frowned, thinking. He wondered if there might be a lot of treasure down there, dropped by victims. But maybe it was also shark infested. He decided that he didn't really want to explore that part of the mansion just yet; maybe later. He straightened and looked at the plank. "Hang on, 'Yala," He cautioned, and she made a soft sound of agreement. She peered down over his shoulder, while he kept his gaze steadfast on the land on the other side. Eyes on the prize. He hesitantly took one step, then another. He was fully on the plank now, and making slow progress.
Ashe: 0 6/20 Inyala: 5 1/5
August Post 21
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 1:48:43 GMT -6
He tried not to focus on the fall below him, knowing that it would distract him and give him a false feeling of being unbalanced. Mind over matter, and confidence, would get him through this. He moved his arms out to either side of him, just in case, and walked slowly. Slowly. Inyala held very still on his shoulder, not wanting to affect his walk. She was tense. Ashe had magic, but she didn't think there would be anything he had learned yet that would save him. Could he teleport? With her on board? She didn't know, and would rather they not find out.
One foot in front of the other, in front of the other. They were getting close to the other side now and Ashe was almost allowing himself to breathe. Focus, walk, step step. He took one last large step and - solid ground! Or as solid as the rickety mansion could get! He felt his legs wobble.
Ashe: 0 7/20 Inyala: 5 2/5
August Post 22
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 2:00:02 GMT -6
He gave a sigh, letting the tension go from his body. His chest, his shoulders, his legs and arms. And his head, too; he realized he had been clenching his teeth. Not out of fear, but out of fierce concentration and determination. He was fine now, and he relaxed. He stood a moment near the edge, tempting fate, then he started down the hall of the main walkway of the Mansion. "What a start to the day!" He murmured to Inyala, who nodded her head gravely in agreement. She was pleased Ashe had managed to get them across without even a hiccup. She tried to force herself to relax, too, and focus enough that she could look around and see what treasures she could find. It was difficult; that fall had looked scarier to her than Ashe, obviously. Maybe it was because she looked down the whole way across, while Ashe kept his gaze up and never looked down.
Ashe: 0 8/20 Inyala: 5 3/5
August Post 23
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 2:03:05 GMT -6
Ashe walked into the first room and glanced around. It looked like a kitchen, and even had food set out on an island table. Grilled fish and shrimp and sushi and even some crab legs! He licked his lips and approached the table, tempted but also wary. Of all the foods to leave out, seafood was one of the worst. Bacteria, contamination, whatever happened to fish - it happened fast, and it could easily make a person sick. But the closer he got, the richer the aroma, and he could even feel the heat from freshly prepared food, and see the steam rising from the table. This must have been fresh! A gift from the Mansion gods, knowing that he would pass the first test? Or was that second, if we could count the mansion retreating when he first arrived? Ashe shifted his arms and let Inyala hop off his shoulder and onto the table, knowing she must be hungry too.
Ashe: 0 9/20 Inyala: 5 4/5
August Post 24
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Post by Ashe on Aug 10, 2019 2:06:19 GMT -6
They were both hungry, probably from the sun time and splashing around in the water, but they were both eager to dig into the feast. Ashe licked his lips, and Inyala patted the table eagerly, staring intently at some of the fish. Ashe made a motion with her hand, allowing her to go ahead and pick what she wanted to eat. Even if it meant picking before her Master. Ashe didn't mind, so she dug right in, attacking what looked like a whole salmon. She peeled off a piece of cooked flesh and chewed on it, the skin crispy and delicious. Ashe chose some crab legs for himself and got to cracking, sneaking bites of shrimp between tasty morsels. There were little containers of melted butter, and sliced lemons for helping get the sticky off your fingers. Wow, why was there even a feast in here? Part of Ashe's brain questioned this turn of events, the other part just thanked his lucky stars.
Ashe: 0 10/20 Inyala: 6 0/5
August Post 25
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Post by Renathan on Aug 10, 2019 12:14:21 GMT -6
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Post by Ashe on Aug 22, 2019 20:29:03 GMT -6
Ashe was busy eating his fill, peeling the meat out of the crab shell and ripping off shrimp tails as he feasted. Inyala was enjoying herself, too. Ashe didn't cook, but he did provide raw meat and other sorts of basic food needs - but this, cooked seafood, it was amazing! A delicacy that she couldn't remember ever having access to before in her entire life. So there she was, digging in, when something caught her eye, a movement under the table. she paused, hesitant, then went back to eating when nothing else moved. It was a minute or two later where she heard something, and this time she paused for much longer, and ended up peering under the table, where the source of the sound had been. She was confused when she saw a box full of water under there. How strange! But water wouldn't make - SPLASH! Something leaped out at her! Luckily she was too high to get got, but it scared her.
Ashe: 0 11/20 Inyala: 6 1/5
August Post 26
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Post by Ashe on Aug 22, 2019 20:35:39 GMT -6
Ashe jumped when Inyala jumped, dropping the crab leg he had in his hand and turning to see what had caused the commotion. He saw that Inyala was okay - that was the most important thing, after all. He gave a short sigh of relief, having been worried she'd hurt yourself. But something was troubling her, and Ashe was curious as to what could get her wound up like that. He leaned under the table to have a look see for himself.
Inyala jumped back when the water launched itself at her. She was out of the way with ease, not in any real danger, but what the! Then she saw what it actually was. There was a shark in the box of water under the table, and it must be pretty hungry if it thought leaping up at Inyala was the best way to go about getting fed. Inyala could see it now, swimming around and around in the crate. She watched it for a full minute.
Ashe: 0 12/20 Inyala: 6 2/5
August Post 27
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Post by Ashe on Aug 23, 2019 2:46:30 GMT -6
Ashe happened to glance around as he wondered what a shark in a box of water was doing under the feasting table, and he saw something interesting. A net of some sort was laying by the wall. He got up, regretfully, and walked over to it. It had looked like a small net that he could let Inyala use to play safely with that shark, but by the time he got to it he saw it was more people size, so out the window with that idea! But he needed a decent net, he was sure. He could find a way to make use of it, at least. He grabbed it and walked back to the table, where Inyala was still staring at the shark. It didn't jump out at her anymore, that Ashe could tell, but it was swimming around and around very agitatedly.
Ashe: 0 13/20 Inyala: 6 3/5
August Post 28
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Post by Ashe on Aug 23, 2019 3:09:04 GMT -6
Huh, that was odd... and rather annoying... Ashe stared at the table, realizing the feast was just - gone. Poof. Not there anymore. Including the crab leg he'd been in the middle of eating. He frowned, a slight pout threatening to come on. He wasn't done, that wasn't fair! He sighed dramatically and called to Inyala. He went over to her anyway, even as she turned to respond to him, and he picked up the crate with the shark in it. It was heavy! So much water in it. He'd thought maybe he could carry it around like a fishbowl, but that wasn't going to work. He set it on the table so they could both look at it in peace. "I think we might have to leave it here and grab it on the way out, 'Yala." The Imp looked at the shark, then at Ashe, then nodded her head gravely.
Ashe: 0 14/20 Inyala: 6 4/5
August Post 29
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Post by Ashe on Aug 23, 2019 3:19:40 GMT -6
Ashe gestured, and Inyala hopped up onto his shoulder to resume their travel through this magical place. Hopefully their prize would still be there when they came back through when it was time to leave. For now, Ashe couldn't worry about the future, he had to focus on what they were doing now, and right now, they were going exploring. Gotta go forward, always forward. It seemed that gifts from the Mansion tended to end up in Ashe's possession anyway, in the end.
Together, they crossed the room and took the first door they found. It opened up into what looked like a tropical jungle, with a river rushing straight through the center of the room. Bird calls echoed and mist rose from the floor. How did this stuff fit into the mansion, anyway? Ashe walked in and shut the door... and the door seemed to blend right in with a wall of vines.
Ashe: 0 15/20 Inyala: 7/5
August Post 30
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