thebastion | Day 197 || Prose [Open] - The Smallest Skyways Pirate

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Day 197 || Prose [Open] - The Smallest Skyways Pirate

Who: Zarina and Anyone on the Skyways
Open: Open
When: 197
Where: The Skyway
What: A newcomer is in need of rescue, and an explanation for where she is.
Format: Starting with prose, but will answer in kind to what I get.
Warnings: None

After waking up in a rather... disturbing almost Pixie Hollow, Zarina made sure she had her belongings and headed out to find out where she was. This was... not what she expected for her day, but there had to be an explanation, and she would go out to find it.

Anyone walking the Skyways might find the most curious sight of a single new arrival having trouble with a swarm of Squirts. Squirts are small unremarkable things to most, but to this newcomer they were proving quite the challenge for her blade. This probably had to do with the fact that even the smallest Squirt was twice her size, and even with transparent little wings on her back she didn't fly. But she rolled and sailed and slashed back with her small sword, well... it was perfectly sized for her, but to anyone else it was a hairpin.

She was outnumbered, but no being outpaced, and she did not seem to be backing down. Perhaps someone might lend a hand to this tiny pirate pixie?

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"HEY!"

Colin's shout is probably loud enough to stop the combat for just a moment, he certainly intends to catch everyone's attention. Colin's relationship with the squirts is enough to certainly give them pause.

He sprints across the skyway to the combat, and looks disapprovingly between all the members of the fight. "This isn't proper at all!" he chastises as he runs.

Look, this was not a fight Zarina started, she just had to take up her sword cause these things were not really giving her much in the way of choice. And now here she was, caught out in the open, with a human!

"Then tell them to back off, I just want to know where I am and what's going on!" Of course... Zarina isn't human, and most humans don't understand the chiming noises a fairy makes when they talk. She still takes three hops backwards to try to make sure she has one side open for escape. If this interloper is not her ally.

A girl can't be too careful.

Fortunately for Zarina, Colin's an elf. Semantics, certainly, but at least he's not a human eh?

Still, the fairy seems to be hopping back from the squirts, and the squirts seem to be paused. Colin takes the opportunity to step between them, giving them a disapproving look.

"You guys must be hungry, but that's not a good reason to pick a fight," he scolds gently. "There's enough out here that wants to kill you for whatever reason, you don't need to be making more enemies."

The fact that she'd landed some blows certainly wasn't helping improve relations...

Elves aren't a thing in Neverland. Pirates, other humans, merfolk, no elves. This newcomer isn't merfolk or a pirate. Still, she keeps a good distance from the much larger fellow, partially out of fear of a fight, partially she's small and on the ground, she can't fly out of the way of his boots without using her supplies up.

"I defended myself, and there are a lot of them. They should have left me alone." There was always the chance he was like James, in the understanding fairies thing, not he backstabbing traitor way. Her stance was strictly defensive, and she kept a weather eye on the collection of... whatever they were.

"...What are they anyway?"

"They're called squirts," Colin explains, not taking his eyes off of them. Apparently he can understand her just fine.

The squirts finally seem to be ready to do something again. For now, several of them back off. That leaves two bravely floating in front of Colin. They squeak and chatter and vibrate, and Colin smiles slightly.

"Don't attack me, little ones," he says gently, and he crouches in front of them.

The squirts chatter more loudly and hover right up to him. They're not attacking, but they don't seem the least bit happy.

"You can understand me? This will make things so much easier. Where am I and how did I get here?" She's not going to question the luck of that, she's just going to accept it and still not trust the things that tried to kill her. She doesn't doubt they had their reasons, plenty of Neverland's wildlife wouldn't mind eating a fairy... doesn't mean a fairy isn't within their right to fight them off if they can.

Most just don't carry swords. Zarina sighed and put her hairpin back into her belt, as a show of good faith. An empty show, she was a fast enough draw at this range she shouldn't be in trouble. "Can they... go away now?"

"Unlikely," Colin says. "At least for the moment. I'll gladly explain while I see to them. They don't have it easy out here, they're low on the food chain and most people think nothing of slaughtering them for the crystals they carry."

What is apparently the lead squirt lets out an irritated squeak, and it lunges forward into Colin. The other squirts gave various squeaks and chatters of surprise and panic as Colin's knocked down, but Colin thinks nothing of it.

"You are going to be a trouble-maker when you get older, aren't you?" Colin says as he sits back up. The squirt makes another lunge for him, but Colin puts his hand out to catch the squirt, and makes no move to hurt it.

"I don't understand them, sadly," Colin tells Zarina. "But if I had to bet, I'd say they're hungry, or they viewed you as a threat to their territory. Of course, given that they attacked you, that's all probably just academic to you. Still, I'm not going to hurt them."

That lead squirt is getting pretty angry right now...

"You wouldn't happen to have any sort of fruit seed?" Thank you Zarina for that wild shift in the topic, "Or know what plantlife out here these things like to eat?"

Her hand was drifting closer to her sword. Not that the size difference was any less of an issue. The lead Squirt and this new fellow were not on an even footing at all, but the desire to not harm these things seemed more than a little silly. She understood being the low end of the food chain, but she had trouble finding room to sympathize.

But that wouldn't stop her from finding an answer that meant less fighting.

"They eat a little bit of everything, the oldest ones among them even eat garbage," Colin says. "I was planning to feed them, but this guy here seems a little irritated at my intrusion."

He hisses, and shouts "BAD!" at the angry squirt that's straining against his grip, causing it to startle, as well as causing the other squirts to jump back. He lets go of the squirt then, prompting it to ram him again. This time, he's ready for it, and he doesn't budge, instead shrugging off his backpack.

The other squirts scatter a bit, not having good premonitions about what's to come, but Colin starts rooting through his back while under the assault of the lead squirt. He produces a wrapped bundle, and sets it on the ground before backing away from it quickly.

The attacking squirt pauses, and regards the bundle with wary curiosity, nudging it with blatant distrust.

"There's some food in there, I'm hoping that should be enough to calm them down," Colin explains.

Her hand's now resting on her sword hilt, fully expecting the other 'Squirts' to join in the attack. Granted, he's much larger than they are, so it's equally safe to keep their distance. But she isn't seeing any trying to sneak around to get at her. But without all of them she wasn't really worried about a single attacker.

"I'd help, but I don't exactly have a lot to offer without my ship or supplies. And, no offense, but even with the help I can't be totally sure you're a friend."

"No offense taken, I'm a giant that you don't know," he says. "Frankly, I'm just glad you haven't decided to try and stab me in the foot. Let's give them some room, Squirts don't trust anyone. With good reason."

Colin backs away from the bundle, leaving it to the squirts to decide what to do with. That lead squirt gives an irritated squeak at him, then returns its attention the bundle, and very quickly, the others join it in inspecting the wrapped food.

"It's still an option, but I really don't want to get into any fights I don't need."

Fighting someone that big would require her pixie dust. She needs to be able to fly to swordfight anyone that large with the speed to match them move for move. But he seemed to take pity on creatures much smaller than him, even that attacked him openly, "Right... if they won't follow I have no problem heading somewhere safer."

"We'll leave them be, for now. If you've wounded any of them, they may get left behind when the group moves on. I can see to them then," Colin says, giving the squirts a curious look.

They all seem to be digging into the food for now, but who knows what may come later.

"So, lemme guess, you just woke up someplace totally unfamiliar, and you're angry at that turn of circumstance?" he asks, starting to head away from the squirts slow enough for her to keep up.

"I never aimed for anything vital. I wouldn't even know what counts, they aren't exactly fairy shaped." See, now that they weren't trying to kill her they seemed almost nice.

"Who said I'm angry about that, I just don't like being attacked while I try to figure out where I am," She adjusted the coat she wore, which was clearly the cuff and sleeve of a pirate's proper coat. "I would like to know where this is and how I get back home. I'll settle for a safe place and some charts."

Colin smiles at her first observation, but then he sighs. "Cold logic, sadly," Colin says. "You've either been abducted, teleported, or something worse. I have some answers to those questions you've got, but I can already tell you that anger is the common reaction to those answers."

He gives her a slightly worried look. In most cultures, the fae were not known for their level tempers. "And worse yet, I'm somewhat blunt. I can't really sugar coat anything that I need to say," he adds.

"And most people your size can't understand a word I say," Zarina shrugged, "Any explanation is better than not knowing. I'm sure I can manage, but I would like some charts if possible."

"You don't seem to be too concerned with the fact I'm a fairy. Usually all sorts of trouble happens when we're seen outside of Neverland." She still had a hand dangerously close to that hairpin she used as a sword. But she was as polite as you'd expect given the circumstances.

"I've met fae before," Colin says. "Not often, but enough to know that you exist. My sister is partnered with a Fae dragon, back on my homeworld."

Colin smiles slightly, then he shakes his head. "Your world has been shattered. There is no easy way of getting back to it," he says with a gentle tone. "Most will say there's no getting back to it at all, that it's gone. Most do not have enough knowledge or imagination. That said... any conventional way of returning to your home is gone."

"Fae dragon? That's something I've never heard of, but... nobody knew about pink pixie dust before I created it," She was mostly talking to herself, but for someone so small her voice can carry.

She eyed him and his answer, she had no reason not to believe him. She had no reason to lose hope either, lots of bad things have happened in the Hollow, and every time it was fixed. Okay, usually by Tinker Bell, but she was sure she could manage it! "No conventional ways? Sounds like it just takes more work. Is that all?"

Colin blinks, and he grins at her. He hadn't been expecting her to take it so well, and he'd fallen into one of the classic traps of survival, pessimism.

"Okay," he says. "You? I like. We're going to get along just fine. Yeah, it's going to take some work. Quite a bit of work, actually, but it's work worth doing."

He smiles then, and he grabs a seat near her. "There's a safe haven where most survivors have gathered," he tells her. "If you'd like, I can show you there. Odds of survival out here on the skyway are quite low, and the Bastion was designed to be a place for people to gather after a disaster."

"Then... lead the way, wait..." Zarina studies him for a moment. One of those little things fairies never really liked to talk about, but at the same time if what he said was true, she can't waste supplies.

She dropped into a deep, dignified bow. "Zarina, Fairy Alchemist. I figured pleasantries were in order before I asked, well..."

She took a breath to steady before she asked, "Can I ride on your shoulder? I can't fly right now."

Colin bowed his head in return. "Colin Starfury, Corsican Engineer," he says in return. "Pleased to meet you, Zarina."

He smiles, and he nods in answer to her question. "I was going to offer my shoulder or my hand anyway," he says. "We're not too far from the Bastion, but you were on foot in combat there, so I figured you'd probably be pretty tired. I can even lift you up here if you'd prefer not to have to climb up my sleeves."

Zarina wrinkled her nose a little at the offer, before she could catch the reaction. James waited a lot longer to betray her, after there was a reason to. So... this should be safe, and it was a bit more of a workout than she wanted today.

"That's very chivalrous of you, thank you."

Colin laughs quietly, and he holds his hand out to her, palm up. "Don't worry, I'm not offended," he says. "It's a very forward thing I'm offering, and it in no way reflects how I'd like to interact with you. It's just a matter of convenience, and the fact that those squirts are the least dangerous things roaming around out here."

He points off in the direction of the Bastion with his other hand. "Normally, I'd leave you to make such requests on your own, but it's really not safe to be alone out here," he says. "I was just returning from a salvage run with a friend when I heard the commotion."

"It has more to do with a... recent encounter. I ended up locked in a lantern. Your offer was completely polite," she hopped to his palm. Hoping he took the hint she would prefer a perch on his shoulder.

"But I spent some time with humans, so I'm used to a world so much bigger than I am. Just have to find some help to make sure things are set-up just so for someone of my size." And without her ability to fly, at least until she can determine what she has to work with. She didn't have that problem on the ship.

"Nah, my offer was arrogant as hell under any other circumstances," he says. "People are capable of looking after themselves most times. And hopefully the guy who locked you in that lantern got what was coming to him for it."

He grins down at her and he pulls her up level to his shoulder. "Just don't be surprised by some of the residents. Paarthurnax in particular makes the rest of us look like dust mites. He's a dragon. Absolutely huge. Friendly as a kitten, mind you, but huge nonetheless," he tells her. "Fortunately for your request, you're speaking to one of the craftsmen in the Bastion. If you need things made in your size, I can provide. I'm well versed in both micro and macro level construction."

He pauses briefly, realizing he's going on and on.

"And don't be afraid to tell me to hush," he offers with a friendly grin. "Once I get talking, I rarely realize that I need to stop."

"I stole back my ship and left him and his mutineers in the sea." Zarina did not mess around, and no matter how they had set her up and none of them considered it her ship... she ended up with it after she and her friends beat them up.

"So I take it there aren't any other fairies like me?" She would hope Tinker Bell was here, she'd be the most useful to figuring out a way to fix this. Only fairy cleverer than Zarina herself. She made a note to try and not react too obviously. But nothing alive was bigger than a human in Neverland, on the scale Colin was talking about. She'll get used to it when she gets there. "And thank you for the offer, as soon as I know what I need I will probably take you up on this."

"I do need to learn a lot if I'm going to help, why would I ask you to hush?"

Out of everything that could have survived the Calamity, Ryu didn't expect to see a fairy alive and well, let alone trying to fight Squirts. Though she looks a bit different from what he's used to seeing, like wearing clothes. Still, any life found out here is life worth preserving.

"Hold on, I got your back!" He shouts, drawing his sword in a flash and putting himself between the squirts and Zarina. A quick swing of his sword proves his deft skill, and that he could easily take the Squirts if he planned on actually hitting them, but this would only prove a warning to the creatures.

After all, he knows everyone and everything is just trying to fight for itself right now. "You guys don't want this fight." He answers with zero hesitation in his voice. If they want to persist in hunting his tiny acquaintance, then he'll finish what they started.

"Everyone does, sooner or later," Colin tells her, grinning at her with impish delight. "But yeah, you're the only fairy here that I know of. We've got a lot of people from various worlds, but a lot of us are alien to each other."

He keeps right on grinning as he continues. "And good on you for throwing those mutineers to their doom. Where I'm from, mutineers get dumped out the airlock."

Fairies are tough little things, don't underestimate them just because they're small. She looks up at her new savior and takes a few large leaps away to give distance. She doesn't want to get underfoot if she can avoid it. But her blade is still at the ready, in case the squirts don't take the hint to leave.

"I think they want any fight they find," Zarina offered, wondering if her savior could understand her. Humans had a hard time hearing the things that were obvious, after all.

"Alien?" A word she doesn't know, she can somewhat guess due to context. But it's not a concept she's had to deal with before.

"They're probably alive, and if they can get the ship out from the center of the island they can have it. Once I finished moving my lab and my pixie dust from the Captain's Quarters." She offered casually, the mutineers were a betrayal, but not quite to the same level as James. Which just reminded her she didn't have any of her supplies. "If you don't have fairies, you probably don't have pixie dust."

"They picked the wrong person to pick on, then." He answers back without missing a beat. A few deft swings easily dispatches three of the squirts. The rest seem to look up and turn tail away from the pair, deeming the pair too much for them. Though it left Ryu wondering if any of them would come back for a second round. With the Squirts gone, Ryu turns to Zarina with a wide smile on his face.

"There. Hopefully we'll be gone before they bring any more friends. I'm Ryu, what's your name?" He asks, sheathing his sword. With those wings, he recognizes she might be a fairy, but he doesn't know for sure. After all, he looks pretty different from the ones he's used to.

Edited 2014-06-13 23:24 (UTC)

"It's a word with several definitions," Colin says, smiling. "In this case, it refers to a completely unknown species. Nobody there had met an elf like me before, but that's hardly surprising. There are very few people like me period."

Colin listens to her as she continues to explain, and he shakes his head then. "We do not, sadly," he tells her. "But the Monument in the bastion can probably create it."

He holds up a shard he'd grabbed earlier, letting her see it. "This is a shard," he says. "As it's been explained to me, they remember the worlds that were, and can be used to recreate almost anything we can think of. And... some things that we DIDN'T think of. Aoi managed to make trees that grow pastries."

The human size thing has many advantages. Of course, fairy size has it's own fun traits... if she wasn't being careful in this new strange and creepy setting. Now, she means no disrespect, but she isn't lowering her guard, sheathing her sword, or moving toward you. "Zarina."

"And where would we be going?" Because she would like to avoid anymore fights, but she doesn't want to end up in a lantern again.

"I see. I was wondering why you could understand me." He's not human, that would cover it. Not that she knows what an Elf is, but she's fairly sure it wasn't a nationality of humans. Since humans do that.

"A pastry tree? The baking fairies would hate letting the Garden Talents have anymore to do," It was definitely thought provoking, but she could worry about it later. At least, if these shards can be exchanged for anything... it might mean she doesn't need to be quite so... frugal. "I can't do much of anything without pixie dust. This includes flying."

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Day 197 || Prose [Open] - The Smallest Skyways Pirate

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