Difference between revisions of "JesseLowe/Chapter3"

Revision as of 09:03, 3 April 2010

     The coaster Unbridled Lament sailed gracefully along the Yanaze River. Captain Taiyo Kaizoku had bought 
passage for him and his officers from Lookshy to Nexus as his own ship, Unconquered Sun, was sunk off the west 
coast of Lookshy. It had been three days of uneventful journey and Canache, captain of Unbridled Lament, 
estimated that they will reach Nexus in four days.
     It was the beginning of twilight, the sun had just dipped behind the Western horizon. The Lament was 
about to thread its way through a pair of ragged river barges carelessly moored across the channel when Monkey 
strode across the deck to find Kaizoku near the bow.
     "Captain, I'm not liking the look if this. Those two barges look fishy. And that black yacht.... That ship 
has been behind us all the way since we left Lookshy."
     "Hmmmm, are they fishing boats?" Kaizoku answered, thinking this to be one of Monkey's japes. "Why do you 
say that?" he continued.
     "Gut feeling," Monkey said. He then pondered, "Kinda like when I ate too much crab apples, but different." 
Turning his attention back to Kaizoku, he explained, "Usually it means trouble."
     Kaizoku strode over to Captain Canache and informs him of Monkey's suspicion and the shadowing yacht. 
Monkey himself clambered up the mast and, putting his hand over his brows, peered fore and aft. Yet the warning 
did not arrive soon enough. Captain Canache, a slim and rather effete man, paled as he watched the Umbridled 
Lament's bow slide between the two barges. "Gods, We're in the White Soul's territory," he gasped. His mind on 
more pressing matters, he completely ignored the bit about the yacht. "Heave about!" he shouted desperately. 
"Pull us away from those barges!"
     It was too late -- even as he spoke, arrows hissed from the darkening sky as the river pirates launched their 
attack.
     "Whoah!" Monkey exclaimed from his perch up the mast.
     Down on the deck, Kaizoku met Canache's firmly. "I suggest you leave the defense of this vessel to my 
associates and myself" he said in his command tone, throwing back his merchant's jacket and revealing the golden 
breastplate underneath as he signaled his crew to assemble.
     The river pirates moved quickly, in practiced motions. About half fired arrows at the ship, mostly to pin 
down the crew, while the other half cast grappling lines and prepared to board or secure the ship to the barges, 
possibly both. The first shower of arrows hit the deck of the Unbridled Lament as its crewmen dove for cover 
and reached for their own weapons. Though no arrow finds its mark, the volley was a success as the grapplers 
secured the ship to the starboard barge.
     From his perch high above, Monkey looked down. Captain Canache, Captain Kaizoku, and the officers of the 
Unconquered Sun were on the poop deck. The crew of Unbridled Lament were scattered about the deck. The 
Unbridled Lament herself was secured to the starboard barge, on which there were between twenty and thirty 
pirates. The port barge had grappled the Unbridled Lament, but had not secured her. There were about twenty 
to thirty pirates on that barge as well. The Unbridled Lament had no sail up at the moment, though the boom 
was swinging free. Neither of the barges had sail or rigging, relying entirely on poling (so Monkey thought). 
There was cover on the barges, primarily old crates and moldy hay bales. The starboard barge was close enough 
to jump to from the mast, or so Monkey thought. 
     Not the type to stop and think, Monkey quickly decided on a course of action. He stood up and retrieved a 
metal tube he jammed under his belt sash. The tube looked about a foot long, made from brass, and painted blue 
on one end and red on the other end. He shook the metal tube hard, fiddling with the ends.
     "Come out, you miserable piece of junk! Aha!" Monkey exclaimed as the tube made a clicking sound and started 
lengthening. Pretty soon the tube had gained enough length to be called a staff. Twirling the now expanded staff, 
Monkey laughed loudly. He then leapt down to the starboard barge and smashed his staff on the barge's deck as he 
landed, making an ungodly racket.
     "Alright, it's too bad you have to disturb Captain Kaizoku's leisurely trip, because now I have to beat you 
up. So, who's going to be first?!" Monkey taunted.
     Back at Unbridled Lament, Captain Kaizoku instructed his crewmen, "Second mate, at my side, Master at Arms, 
cover Monkey, the rest of you in the center for targets of opportunity on either side!" With that, he drew his 
sword, stepped forward to the port side of the vessel, and slashed a line in the decking before burying the heavy 
golden blade three inches into the boards, as if daring the pirates to cross it. He then moved his fingers in 
patterns that correspond with each Solar caste, ending with hooking his thumbs together into a butterfly pattern. 
Then a single glass butterfly fluttered over his shoulder, followed by another, a dozen and then a swarm, turning 
twilight into night in the space between the ships as he began unleashing Death of the Obsidian Butterflies.
     As Captain Kaizoku shaped Essence into the patterns of Sorcery, a tall and pale figure stepped out from 
behind a stack of crates on the starboard barge, facing Monkey. Clad all in white leather and white jade, and 
wielding a colossal white jade daiklave, he called out, "So, one who dares to challenge the might of White Soul 
Weeping on his own river. You will pay for your insolence, you chattering monkey!" He whipped the daiklave around 
quickly and charged Monkey.
     Undeterred, Monkey cheekily answered, "Ooooh. What a grand name! Let's see how well you weep then."
     As White Soul Weeping swung his daiklave, Monkey tapped his staff on the deck and polevaulted away from 
White Soul Weeping's swing. Turning around, Monkey saw that White Soul Weeping's blade had shattered the crates 
where he was standing previously. 
     "Wow, that was close. Betcha that would've hurt if it hit me," Monkey chattered. He paused for a moment before 
adding, "Pbhhppt."
     White Soul Weeping whirled, raising the giant jade blade over his head in a crouching defensive stance. 
"We shall see how often you can evade the pale touch of death, acrobat!" And White Soul Weeping exploded out 
of his defensive stance in a furious attack, huge but controlled swings of his daiklave flowing out of his 
movements.
     Monkey tried to repeat the pole-vaulting trick, but White Soul Weeping had anticipated it. With a vicious 
overhead swing he intercepted the acrobatic warrior. The white jade crashed through Monkey's ribcage, spattering 
blood and shattering a few bones. Monkey's left arm goes limp from the pain, but Essence surged through his body 
and Monkey leapt out of range of any further attacks from the white-clad pirate.
     Back on the deck, Captain Kaizoku's jacket flapped as a wind of essence whirled around him, whipping up the 
wood chips his daiklave cut when he embbeded it into the deck and snapping off the shafts of imbedded arrows. 
His thumbs hooked each other and each flap of his fingers gathered more power. Vague shape of butterflies of light 
appeared behind him as he prepared to unleash the spell that will tear the enemy ship into ribbons. His chanting 
of a long-lost tongue seemed to speed up at the prospect. Behind him, under Captain Canache's panicky direction, 
the crew of the Unbridled Lament grabbed bows and fired back at the attackers, while a few brave sailors took up 
axes and hacked at the lines entangling the ship.
     From his new perch on the Lament's mast, Monkey coughed blood. Holding his hand to his wound, he looked down 
at the wound. He roared. Essence roiled all around him, glowing as bright as a second sun. And up there, on the 
Unbridled Lament's mast, a huge white gorilla, wounded, roared his deviance at Heaven.
     With a screech, Monkey jumped from the mast. Both hand holding the staff's end, Monkey made an all-out 
overhead swing at White Soul Weeping. Surprised by Monkey's ferocious attack, White Soul Weeping raised his 
daiklave in a hasty defense -- just as Monkey had hoped! Monkey's staff drove the daiklave like a nail, down 
through the planking all the way to the hilt. Disarmed, White Soul Weeping began to panic.
     At about the same time, Captain Kaizoku's voice grew louder as he spoke words of Old Realm, loud enough to 
be heard over the clamor of battle. No other were likely to understand the actual words, but the meaning was far 
too clear: ancient powers were being unleashed. Calling out "Kraaaaiiiii!," an Old Realm battle word, he thrust 
his arms straight out, fingers splayed and palms out, pressed together as a trickle of glass butterflies streamed 
from somewhere behind him... then a river of them, and finally an ocean, a tidal wave of fluttering slashing 
black glass wings, crashing over the opposing ship and its crew.
     The wave of black glass rushed over the tattered barge, reducing it to a floating hulk of blood, bone, 
flesh, and wood. The river pirates on it were consumed by the swarm in the act of turning away, diving for safety, 
or simply praying, and not a one survived the storm of glass.
     Glowing like a torch from the unleashed power of his spell, Captain Kaizoku surveyed the result and, 
satisfied, turned his attention to the remaining pirates.
     The crew of the Unbridled Lament had closed with the attacking pirates moments before, and a quick scrum 
ensued on the railings of the merchant ship. The two sides were fairly matched, and both lost a few combatants, 
but not enough to turn the tide of battle in anyone's favor. But after Kaizoku unleashed the spell and Monkey 
disarmed White Soul Weeping, the situation had completely changed.
     Monkey saw this and hissed. He blinked and shook his head several times. Then he grinned. "Those who lays 
down their weapon now, live! The rest, they die! Choose!" he called.
     A clatter of weapons answered as the remaining pirates drop their weapons. More than a few jumped into the 
water and started swimming for shore. White Soul Weeping looked like he's ready to follow suit.
     Captain Kaizoku gestured to his crew with his left arm, telling them to fall in behind him as he pulled his 
sword mostly free of the deck with his right. He walked from port to starbord full of deliberate purpose, the 
point of his Daiklave cutting into the deck just from the pressure of moving along it. His eyes were locked on 
White Soul Weeping. As he passed beneath the sail, the solar flames above his head bleached it white. He stopped 
barely a pace before White Soul Weeping and brings up his sword in a single, swift cut to the throat.
     Captain Kaizoku's full anima banner manifested and he's surrounded by the full power of a raging storm, and 
his orichalcum blade bit deep into White Soul Weeping's shoulder as the pirate leaps to one side. Crimson blood 
spurted from the wound as he turned to flee into the welcoming embrace of the river.
     "You want to chase him, Boss?" Monkey asked as White Soul Weeping started running. Kaizoku gave a curt nod 
in answer.
     "Oh no, you aren't getting away that easily!" Monkey then said as he took a few steps backward before 
sprinting after White Soul Weeping. The beam of the barge was not wide, yet despite his few moments lead, White 
Soul Weeping could not make it across before Monkey smacked him on the back of his knee, making him stumble. 
The staff twirled once before Monkey brought the other end overhead, tapping White Soul Weeping on the head not 
too gently.
     "Trying to kill us, and then running away? Not that easy!"
     "Boss, what do you want to do with this guy?" Monkey added.
     "First, he will talk. He'll tell us everything he knows..."
     "Okay, and how about his crew? Do we give them the standard recruitment speech?"
     Captain Kaizoku looked around. "I think they won't be near a body of water for quite some time Monkey..."
     "Then, do we just give them to Unbridled Lament?"
     Captain Kaizoku said, "They have enough kills for this day. A few fearful tongues will make this stretch 
of the river much safer."
     "I suppose. I'd hate it if I have to get cut again on our way back."
     Turning his attention away from the captured pirates, Monkey shouted, "Master Surgeon! I need some bandage, 
some thread and needle, and some strong spirits!" He then took off his jacket while waiting for the items he 
requested, tapping his feet impatiently.
     On the other hand, Captain Kaizoku had narrowed his eyes a bit and brought the blade up beneath Weeping's 
throat. 
     "You men!" he called to the surviving pirates. "This is what you followed, but if you value your lives, you 
won't follow him or his kind again!" he bellowed. And then, to his officers, he quickly barked several orders.
     "Mr. Purser, take the mate and find any valuables on this hulk before we cut it loose."
     "Mr. Surgeon, attend Mr. Monkey."
     He then turned his burning gaze to the defeated creature before him. "First, who are you, and second, what 
are you doing, and at whose behest? Speak lively and you may survive."
     As the crew cleaned things up -- and unceremoniously heaved the pirates off the barge to swim to the nearby 
shore -- the master surgeon treated Monkey, stitching up the wound and carefully nudging the bones back into 
place. Having treated him before, he half-heartedly told Monkey to take it easy for the next week or so, sure 
that Monkey wouldn't listen. Monkey thanked the Master Surgeon, found himself a good spot at the bottom of the 
mast, sat down, and started mending his jacket using the bandage, thread, and needle, drinking liberally.
     White Soul Weeping, kneeling at Captain Kaizoku's feet, was a bloodied and defeated foe. He kowtowed and 
spoke, in hoarse and faint voice: "Chosen of the Sun, I serve only my master, your greatest foe, who desires 
only the mercy of death. All things shall come to him who walks in the path of night." In the closer range, 
Kaizoku saw what the heat of battle and the failing twilight hid before. White Soul Weeping was an albino.
     Captain Kaizoku motioned for one of his men to bind the fallen albino hand and foot, and then hand to foot. 
"Continue... what does he terrorize this river for, and where can he be found?" he asked harshly.
     As the crewman went to bind White Soul Weeping, Captain Kaizoku noticed that the pirate had drawn a very 
small dagger....
     Captain Kaizoku dug his Daiklave against White Soul's adam's apple, just enough to draw a trickle of blood. 
"Drop it, or I'll cleave your head from your body!"
     The albino suddenly thrust his entire body against the Captain's daiklave. Kaizoku drew his sword back 
quickly and held it over the fallen pirate. White Soul Weeping glared up at him and growled, "Grant me the mercy 
of death, Golden One. Expiate my shame!"
     Captain Kaizoku's gaze was as remorseless as the noonday sun. "You want many things, spawn of the gods, but 
you will have none of them!" He brought the hilt down on White Soul's head and knocked him out.
     Uninterested of the whole interrogation, Monkey got sleepy from the alcohol and exertion and pretty soon 
nodded off.
     Afterward, Captain Kaizoku had his purser loot the surviving barge for anything interesting before it was 
scuttled. He kept White Soul Weeping bound and unconscious, planning to turn him over to Nexus authorities after 
doing his own questioning as to the plans of the Death-worshippers in the area.
     
     The next day, Monkey insisted he was fine.
     The Purser's tally revealed that there was precious little loot on the barge, although the white jade 
daiklave and white jade reinforced buff jacket were in good condition and quite valuable. Also, having seen 
Kaizoku and Monkey in action, the crew of the Unbridled Lament was eager to serve -- and to see them and their 
rest of Unconquered Sun's crew off their ship. Captain Canache proclaimed he would skipp the rest of his stops 
on the way to Nexus and went straight to the great city. For his trouble, and his silence, Kaizoku gave Captain 
Canache's a few extra beads of jade.
     For the rest of the Journey, Monkey was bored out of his mind. "How long before we get there, Captain?" 
became his chorus, distracting both Canache and Kaizoku. The journey was otherwise unremarkable, except for one 
event. That of White Soul Weeping's attempt at suicide. Based on White Soul Weeping's behaviour, his looks, and 
some vague recollections of readings back on the Blessed Isle, Kaizoku had figured out that White Soul Weeping 
was a Ghost-Blooded -- the offspring of a mortal and a ghost. Further, if he remembered correctly, White Soul 
Weeping had a very good chance of becoming a ghost when he dies. White Soul Weeping himself was amazingly 
determined to end his own life. 
     A crewman had alerted the Captain to his latest ploy. He had bitten off his own tongue and tried to drown 
in his own blood, but failed due to the vigilant watch the crew kept on him. Watching the Master Surgeon tend 
the captive, Monkey discussed White Soul's obsession with suicide, "Captain, it's going to be really hard to 
stop someone from committing suicide if he really wants to do it. Why don't we just tell him we'll grant him a 
quick and noble death by our hands if he would just answer three questions?"
     Instead of answering, Captain Kaizoku slapped WSW to get his attention. Drawing on the power bestowed to 
him, he suddenly seemed much grander than before. Each of his words burned with conviction, and everyone who 
heard it were rapt in attention, including White Soul Weeping. "You are brave enough to die for your deathlord... 
are you brave enough to live for me instead? I have bested you in battle and spared you... your fate belongs to 
me and I have something grander in mind. You will walk in the sun and not be burned, and carve a better future 
at my side, for yourself and many others!"
     White Soul Weeping made no response then, but Kaizoku's words had opened the door to changing his mind. His 
further attempts at suicide became much less vigorous. Kaizoku spent most of his time with him, watching him while 
attempting to convince White Soul Weeping to abandon his old way and join his cause. Kaizoku's status as Chosen 
of the Conquered Sun greatly enhanced his charisma and eventually White Soul Weeping became convinced. Biting his 
tongue left him mute, but White Soul Weeping could still write. By this method, he conveyed his background and 
purpose, and his promise to serve.
     White Soul Weeping was born of a mortal woman and a Nemissary in the service of Walker In Darkness, the 
Deathlord who resides near Great Forks (east of Nexus). He followed in his father's footsteps and served loyally, 
but bad luck has always dogged his footsteps. He was on the Yanaze to discourage trade between Lookshy and points 
east in an attempt to weaken the societies near Walker's territory. But Captain Kaizoku had won his loyalty and 
he would follow and serve him.
     Three days after the battle against the pirates, Unbridled Lament's lookout announced that Nexus has been 
sighted. Practically everyone who were not busy with some assigned duty went to the deck to watch the famed port 
city. Ah, Nexus. Hive of scum and villainy, where anything can be had for a price and life is very very cheap. 
The crowded, stinking, filthy, gaudy, resplendent wharfs of Nexus slowly crept into view as the Unbridled Lament 
glided into port. Her arrival did not go unnoticed, and amid the turmoil of docking, a few people noted 
Kaizoku's and Monkey's presence and vanished into the city. Both heard the crew whispering with the dockhands, 
and both caught the word "exalted" more than once. And lastly, as they walked away from the ship (much to 
Captain Canache's relief), they saw a familiar black yacht quietly tie up several piers away...
     Seeing this, Captain Kaizoku nudged Monkey in his unwounded side. "Go take a careful and QUIET look at 
that black yacht there, Monkey...."
     Monkey himself smacked his forehead, exclaiming, "The black yacht! I completely forgot about it!"
     "Go up a building nearby to see who gets off that yacht, Monkey."
     "How important is this, Captain?"
     "There could be enemies on that boat Monkey, or people with the news of our last raid."
     "Gotcha," Monkey replied as he walked away looking for a good vantage point.
     Kaizoku watched Monkey disappear behind the throng of people before turning to other matters. He was far 
from pleased at the yacht's reappearance, but sent the crew out for the next phase of the plan anyway which was 
to secure a warehouse to hide the goods, put out feelers to auction the priceless Dragon Blooded artifacts, and 
to see if there were any martial ships for sale suitable for the ocean.
     During this time, Monkey had found tall enough building from which to keep a watch on the black yacht. On 
the black yacht -- which has no name painted on the bow, and very surprisingly had no figurehead -- he saw only 
mortal sailors and a white-haired woman who often stands in the bow. When the yacht finished docking, the woman 
was joined by a tall man, clad in the robes of a wandering monk and bearing a staff. They exchanged a few words, 
then he walked into the crowds of Nexus. She remained on board, and started reading. The sailors -- there seemed 
to be only ten or so -- did the usual shipboard activities. Remembering what the Captain said when he set him to 
watch the boat, Monkey decided to leave the yacht unwatched for the moment and tried to follow the tall man 
instead. Though the monk was surprisingly streetwise, Monkey managed to stay on his tail until he entered a temple 
on the Street of Tides in the Firewander district -- it appeared to be devoted to a small god of fishermen. He 
did not, as far as Monkey can tell, leave the temple for several hours. When he did leave, he stopped briefly at 
the Night Market to buy a small bundle of something from a shadowy Southern merchant, before returning to the 
yacht. Not sure of what that signified, Monkey scratched his head. "what to do now?" he thought. Finally he 
shrugged and bounded away to find Captain Kaizoku.
     It took him but a moment to find his way back to Kaizoku. He had found and rented a small warehouse, 
discreetly located, and was overseeing the unloading and carting of his cargo. Interrupting him, Monkey said, 
"Captain, watching the black yacht is pretty boring. There's a white haired lady, not old though. And there's 
this tall wandering monk. The lady stayed, but the man wandered, so I followed the man."
     As he listened, Captain Kaizoku sent the cook and second mate off to spread rumors at a few taverns about 
Harmonious Jade shooting up pirates on the river with her Solar powers.
     Monkey continued, "It was fun following him. He's pretty tricksy, but the places he went was boring. Went to 
a fisherman's temple, then the Night Market, and the back. And oh, he bought something, but I couldn't see what."
     Captain Kaizoku lifted an eyebrow at that, as he worked out a rapid departure for the rest of the crew and 
cargo from the dock area. "What did he do Monkey?" he asked, just after sending the Purser to find a suitable 
cloak for White Soul Weeping.
     "Nothing. Walking, mostly. Praying a lot. Spent a long time in the temple. Like reaaaaly long. Then walking 
again to the market. Then back to the yacht."
     Captain Kaizoku asked "Which temple was it? To which god?" as he moved the party to a small, discreet inn.
     "Well, I don't know much about the Ten Thousand Gods, but the sign says The Temple Meadow of Yuan-Ang 
The Fisherman."
     After the crew was settled, Captain Kaizoku had the proreus, surgeon and carpenter watch the inn. The Master 
At Arms and Second Mate were to watch the warehouse. He, The Purser, Monkey and White Soul Weeping would 
investigate opportunities at the Big Market, taking a route that goes by the temple in question first.
     Arriving at the temple, Monkey looked at the building. "Temple Meadow of Yuan-Ang. That's the right one. 
I think. Unless there's two of them. Is there two of them?"
     Captain Kaizoku said, "With 10,000 gods, there are doubtless some doubles, but there's only one god who 
truly matters to us Monkey."
     Having located the temple and verified its name, Kaizoku led the others to Nexus's Big Market. His 
investigations earlier had given him the name of a reputable auctioneer, Kustarto. The black yacht and her 
masters were suspicious, but that was not enough in itself to discard the current plan. Thus, he proceeded.
     The Big Market lived up to its name. The center of the market was a huge plaza, and in each corner of the 
five-pointed area was an auctioneer's block. The center plaza were crowded with merchants, and on the periphery 
were lots waiting to be bid on, haulers moving goods to and fro, and all the other detritus of commerce.
     A helpful waif pointed Kaizoku to Kustarto's stall, for a small consideration, and he found the auctioneer 
in the midst of bargaining with a Dragon-Blooded, an outcaste by the look of her. Captain Kaizoku tipped the waif 
a small jade bead and walked up a step behind and to the left of the Outcaste, fixing his intense gaze on the 
auctioneer.
     Kustarto was waving his arms in the air, speaking in fast syllables like the hard fall of rain on a temple roof.
     "Nay, sir, tis not my place to do say such a thing, but I do declare that you have not the right of this! 
Why, tis but a few days past that I did bury my own dear mother 'pon yonder hills, and now you do wish to buy 
from me, for but a pittance, those few goods that she left me? Why, tis shame, sir, shame! Have you now no honor?"
     Hearing this, Monkey groaned. "This kind of merchant is the best kind. And thus the worst!"
     The Outcaste, a burly woman in red jade armor with a tall dire lance beside her, opened her mouth to speak 
but was cut off by the flow of chatter from the auctioneer. "Nay, sir, why I must ask for no less than five jade 
minas for them!" The Outcaste's jaw dropped.
     Captain Kaizoku had heard that sort of patter from countless merchant captains he inspected in his old life. 
But with V'neef in town, and the show on the river, he did not have time to be subtle. He put his hand on the 
Outcaste's shoulder, briefly, and suggested in a low voice "Perhaps you would take the merchant's kind offer, 
or move aside for one with his own business?"
     The Outcaste was practically shouting, "Five minas? Are you mad? Why would I pay such a vast sum for an 
artifact of unproven worth and unkown provenance? Why, I --" she stopped as Captain Kaizoku laid his hand on 
her shoulder, and both she and the auctioneer turned to glare at him. Captain Kaizoku tapped his foot on the 
ground and merely raised an eyebrow, calmly
     The Outcaste was about to give Captain Kaizoku a piece of her mind when she caught sight of Monkey. Her 
features softened instantly, and she bowed aside. "Ah, clearly you must have important business to conduct, 
else you'd not be here. Kustarto, I'll be talking to you later."
     Monkey smiled broadly. "Thank you, Dragon Lady."
     She stepped over to Monkey and whispered in his ear, "And I'll see you tonight, perhaps, Still Moon," 
before kissing him full on the lips. She then vanished into the crowd before Monkey could regain his composure.
     Captain Kaizoku hid the majority of his confusion at that, but filed it away for later. He stepped forward. 
"I have heard much of you, Kustarto, and your dealings in artifacts. I have some artifacts I need auctioned, 
discreetely, and you have the ability to do so."
     Kustarto, clearly just as surprised at the turn of events as Kaizoku was pretending not to be, bowed. 
"Ah, well, then, what manner of artifacts are we speaking of?"
     Monkey, confused, turned toward The Captain and asked, "Do you know that woman, Captain?"
     Captain Kaizoku gaves Monkey a quick shake of his head and resumed his conversation with Kustarto. The talk 
quickly became arcane to Monkey, filled with double-speak, allusions, implied meanings, and general bargaining.
     Monkey scratched his head in confusion. This looked to him like one of Captain Kaizoku's convoluted plans 
involving blinds and double-blinds, but this must have been a really complex plan since the Captain himself 
didn't even know one of the pawns. Giving up, he wandered off to find some firedust ammunition for his flame 
pieces, and an elixir or two for his wound. It did not take him long to find him, as in Nexus anything can be 
found provided you have the money, and Monkey had a sizeable purse. His burden lightened, he sauntered back to 
Kustarto's stall, finding them still bargaining.
     After about a total of twenty minutes conversation, Kustarto, understanding the nature of the goods, 
accepted the job for a ten percent fee. The items would be auctioned off over a couple of days, and would need 
to be in the market  the next day and the day after that.
     Captain Kaizoku agreed and shook hands on that, promising he would have the items there the hour after dawn.
     Other than the auction, Captain Kaizoku also had planned to manipulate the market, but after seeing the 
size of the market and the distance figuring the distance between Nexus and Lookshy, he realized it was 
impractical and moved on other things. "Monkey, that woman knew you back there... and called you Still Moon. 
Do you know who that is?" he asked as he inspected the bottle of elixir Monkey bought.
     "No. I thought she's one of your unknowing pawns, so I didn't say anything. That way I didn't ruin your 
plans again."
     "Hmmmmm. That was for the best, though she was not my pawn, and no one I know," he said. "Do you realize 
what this means?" he asked, forgetting a moment who he was talking to.
     "Maybe her eyes are bad and she mistook me for her cousin or something?" Monkey answered. "Should we get 
her a monocle then?"
     Turning the bottle of elixir this and that way, Captain Kaizoku replied, "One does not usually kiss their 
cousins that way. Should you meet her, or people who think they know you, be vague about it. It could prove 
useful." He then gave the bottle a quick shake and watched the fizz settle before returning the bottle to Monkey. 
"And by the way, I'll need you at the auction tomorrow Monkey, and the next day. This will knock you out for 
some time, so take it later."
     Monkey said, "It would? For the whole auction? I can't afford that! I'd miss the whole thing! I'll have 
Master Surgeon take care of the potion for me and give it back to me for when we get to the boring parts."
     "And don't bid on the things we're selling, Monkey."
     Careful to take a twisty route, they walked back to the inn, but as they round the corner to your inn, 
Captain Taiyo Kaizoku, who happened to be glancing at the right direction, saw someone was walking away from 
the inn. She -- or he -- turned to look behind, and he saw that she could've been Monkey's identical twin. Before 
he could react though, she had vanished behind a passing caravan of ox-drawn carts.

Comments

Five hours and fifty three minutes. That's how long it took to convert this.
Anyway, I took some liberties. Cut out some extraneous part, added some to make things flow better, rearranged some other thing for the same reason, and, most important of all, changed the timing of two events, because otherwise the order of events would not make sense. This is because 1. Occassionally in the chat one of us would miss a bit of information and made faulty assumptions. The missing bit and the faulty assumption was not glaring enough to be noticed immediately. Until now. And 2. Several times in every session more than one person would type at the same time. Sometimes the actions described complemented each other. Most of the times they're irrelevant to each other. Occassionally though, they'll be contradictory.
If you don't like this, write your own version. Phbpt. - TonyC

Looks good, Tony. Thanks! -- JesseLowe