Simply Sledding

Log Info

• Title: Simply Sledding
• Emitter: Aelwyn
• Characters: Aelwyn, Skielstregar
• Place: Lower Trades
• Time: December 30th, 2022
• Summary: Aelwyn is confirming a job with a couple of folks, them arguing about proof the job was done before Skielstregar steps in to make it go more smoothly. The other two depart, Aelwyn and Skiel get hot chocolate and- wait, is that sledding? But a sled won't fit Skielstregar. A burst of impulse later and Skiel is flying down the hills in the city with Skiel acting as the sled for Aewlyn with magically assisted speed. They launch off a ramp, crash into a wagon of cabbages, and clean up.

The lower trades district. With plenty of trade going on; the pristine white snow has been trampled and melted with all the bustle and activity, yet large piles of it remain by the corners, waiting for the sun to come. Some more entrepreneur sort have set up hill to slide down along the iced up surface.

Some, are having a quiet argument by the back of it. "... promised fifty gold for the-" A quick interruption, "If delivered!" A snarling hiss. "That was not part of the agreement. Delivery if _possible_."

The trio having a talk - a large hulking oruch, a scrawny looking human and a short, horned person wrapped up in a cloak - seemed to get more an more agitated, as they engage in the typical activity of the district. Haggling and arguing.

One figure ambling by in nothing more than a tunic, pants, and a silvery halberd is that of a glittering silverscaled makari. Uncaring of the winter weather- rather, enjoying it greatly- is in line for the hill slide.

But his attention slowly shifts to the argument nearby. Sighing quietly, Skielstregar leaves the line. He clears his throat. "Ahem. Issss there a problem here?" he inquires, looking about at the group.

The three people turn their heads towards the large silver makari. How funny none of them noticed it; all that snow and shine just glossoming off those bright scales and bright attitude. "Thieves." The shortest and most horniest says through the thick scarf around his face, pointing at the pair. "Not thieves! It is not our fault if you didn't do fulfill your side of the deal!" The scrawny human says with his worn leather clothing, hissing right on back at the short figure. "Worse, contract renegers." The pretty ribboned glaive is leant forwards; and the large oruch standing by is already reaching for his own knife.

Skielstregar sniffs the air once, twice, then squints at the covered figure as well as their glaive. Seeing as people were toying with weapons, Skiel moves his own to thud against the ground twice.

>THUNK THUNK<

He smiles a fanged grin. "Thisss one isss sssure we can resssolve this peacefully?" he hums warmly. "Could the contract be elaborated upon?"

"'n your problem." The large oruch says - even if he was still shorter than Skielstregar. "Back off, kid." This however, doesn't stop the shorter figure from explaining, "To eliminate and potentially deliver a problem." The orange eyes turn and glare at the human. "This one eliminated, and expects to be paid."

"Hey, hey, hold the hell up! Eliminate and deliver, that was the deal!" The human turns towards Skielstregar. "And my friend here is right, it ain't your problem... uh..." Lacking word for an insult, he re-throws, "Kid!" The oruch just glances at him.

As the others get onto Skiel, he just simply smiles and reminds them, "It isss thisss one'sss problem, as they do not want to have blood shed on sssuch a fine day," he gestures to the ice hill sledding line.

He wants to enjoy that experience, dang it.

"While thisss one isss young, they have gone though many experiencesss! Thisss one suggestsss to remain calm. Once a Sunblade, alwaysss a Sunblade."

He looks to the smaller figure. "Mossst elimination jobsss require proof. While you needn't bring the whole corpse, usually, an appendage, ear, head, or precious item of their suffices. Have you any proof?"

The small figure should probably be surprised by how casual Skielstregar is talking about contract murder, but instead he turns his head towards the other two. Who were gritting their teeth and staring rigidly at the silvery makari, respectively.

Finally, the short figure reaches into his cloak and slaps a piece of parchment at the scrawny human's chest. "Receipt." There's already few muttered words of complaint, but then he is suddenly stopped. "Sunblade." The large oruch grunt, and the scrawny man mutters. "Yeah yeah," He takes a small pouch and throws it at the short figure. "We're leaving."

The purse is snapped and pulled under the cloak. "Same time next week?" The oruch grunts, "Same time." And with that, the pair amble away.

Skielstregar looks a little confused at the receipt being the manner of evidence. Doubly so at the pay actually going out. He looks to the duo. Down to the smaller one. Back to the duo. And... they're off.

He watches them go. "... you do realize you are sssupposed to bring evidence on any sort of hunting deal, right? Even in Am'shere, you need to bring back a piessse of the creature. Words alone can be flimsy."

Aelwyn peeks into the purse of coins, then takes away the scarf from his face. "This one is not from Am'shere." The Dragoon reminds Skielstregar, then lifts up his orange eyes. "And some things one cannot bring back; like promises of barter. Or fear of barter. Or lack of goods." He lets out a hmh, pushing the pouch back into his belt.

Folding his hands over his glaive, he tilts to look at... look up at the far larger sith-makar. "Besides, who can say if Silver wasn't the proof?"

"It... matters not where one isss from, thiss one is jussst relaying conceptsss," Skiel elaborates in a more confused than before manner.

All in all, the large makari just comments with a phrase that suits his perplexed face: "Thiss one doess not underssstand."

Aelwyn tilts his head, then looks up at Skielstregar. "This one was hired to make sure certain crate was disposed off in the docks." There's a long pause, before he adds, "The box was very heavy by the river."

Sliding up his scarf he walks up next to the other makari. "This one is getting cold. Hot chocolate?" He offers, with his eyes widening.

Skiel scratches his head. "... perhapsss showing the cart used to move the crate and the scratchess in the wood?" he offers, shrugging. "Thisss one would asssk what wasss in the box, but they know better."

He blinks. "... erm. Sure? Do you have sssome on your perssson?"

"This one has learned that too many secrets tend to lead to short walks one never returns from." The draconian responds, then he exposes his teeth. "On person? Does Silver think this one is made out of chocolate?" He walks over and pats the silver scales just so on the bicep. "Too sweet even for you."

The ruddy red tail makes an amused swipe at the ground. "No, from a stall." Aelwyn points at the other end of the street. There's a sliding fwoomh as someone glides past.

Skiel, again, scratches his head. He's getting really confused now. But instead he shakes his head and rubs at his face. Pause. Blink. "... erm, thisss one did not mean- gah."

He gives up. "Very well," he agrees, looking over to the stall and starting to amble his way over there. There is, however, a longing glance taken towards the slides going down the hill as he gets there and orders them both a warm drink.

Aelwyn takes another look at Skielstregar - and then he takes in a deep breath and sighs. Sliding over, he leans in and says, "Secrets kill people. Removing secrets is as far as this one wants to go, even for coin."

The short sith-makar accepts the hot chocolate with a bow of his head, soon wrapping both of his wrapped up hands around it and takes it in one deep gulp. Burning hot. He exhales out slowly. "... nnh. What is Silver looking at?"

Skiel bobs his head. "Thisss one underssstands. Ssssometimes it isss best to not know sssomethings," he rumbles, apparently having some thoughts on the matter.

He drinks. Winces at the heat. Breathes on it to frost the top and sips on it again with a more pleased expression.

A glance to Aelwyn. Back to the sleds. "... thisss one thinksss it would be enjoyable to try that," he points. "They were in line to do it before your argument broke out."

The tip of his tail subtly starts to wag.

Aelwyn takes in another deep breath and lets it out as a huff. "So then they should simply say the want the secret instead of fucking-" The ruddy sith-makar starts and even his horns tilt upwards - but he then suddenly exhales.

Another deep sip from his chocolate, and he turns up his head towards Skielstregar with a wide grin. "The sleds? Won't they break, Silver?" The draconian rumbles, moving to prod at the other's ankles with his tail. "Too much from Am'shere to handle."

Skielstregar reaches over and- with a large hand- pats Aelwyn atop the head, between the horns. "There there. It isss at the bottom of the sea now."

He blinks, withdrawing his hand. "What? Thisss one can ride one. They are not /that/ heavy," he huffs, standing up. "Thisss one will be fine."

He's totally underestimating himself here.

"The sleds, heavy?" Aelwyn grins further still, prodding at the larger makari's side.

Then, without a warning - because why would he ever - he suddenly takes a step back and grabs the back of Skiel's tunic. With a sudden heave, he attempts to clamber over the shoulders of the Silver makari. "Come on then, Silver Sled. There is a hill to slide down."

Skiel goes to smack at the hand prodding his side, his face occupied with finishing up the cooled off drink.

He sputters, standing up suddenly and widening his stance as chocolate is sprayed on the ground. "A-aack!" he gawks. Finally, he gets his hands free and grabs at Aelwyn's legs to get him seated proper. "A-A warning would sssuffice!" A blink. Then a frown. "... you mean thisss one be the sled?"

He scowls.

He ponders.

"... very well." Don't wag the tail. Don't-! "Thisss one will endure that much."

He start to plod over to the top of the hill.

Aelwyn wags his tail. Well, more like coils it like the cheeky devil he is wrapped up in warm cloak and other bits of clothing. "A life is like a cup of hot chocolate, Silver." The draconian replies. "This one has heard."

The pile was sizeable - since that's where all the excess snow was being piled up on the street - and the warm sun has smoothed out its surface. Yet, a heavy makari could easily ascend with a set of proper toe claws. "Not too much snow sledding in Am'shere?"

Talons dig into the snow, making ascent easy. "No, Am'shere isss always hot and humid. Never snowss. They wish life wasss like chocolate, at leassst it'd always be sweet."

He gets to the top of the hill. Looks down it. Sets the halberd aside. A though pops in his head, and he grins wickedly. "Thisss one suggestsss you hold on tight."

What?

"Move," he grunts in a low growl. Black ichor suddenly engulfs his legs, and he dives forward onto the ice with alacrity that is borderline breakneck.

The slide of hell has begun.

GAME: Skielstregar casts Expeditious Retreat. Caster Level: 9 DC: 13

Aelwyn was obviously reluctant at letting his glaive go. While he was contemplating it, Skiel suddenly gets ideas.

Dangerous ideas.

The ruddy sith-makar turns his head, then looks down at the sludge forming at the other makari's feet. "Hnh, Silv-" On near autopilot, he swings his leg up and crouches on the larger makari's back; now clutching on by horns, his orange eyes go wide.

"Clear, clear the hill!" Hopefully nobody was going to die.

Skielstregar was full sending this sled down the hill at maximum pace. Down the hill. Down the street. They're going. Still going. Going. Skiel is grinning like mad, laughing boisterously as they pass through street after street.

Based on his trajectory, it looks like he's about to go straight towards a loading ramp meant for a cart.

Aelwyn had no idea what was happening, except to hold onto for his life. "Silver-!" He shouts over the sounds of the trades', the passing wind, the expletitives and screams of shock of having a massive sith and equally large in spirit makar slide down the street. Occasionally, he leans his body to the side, or the other, to try and nudge the large makari to avoid at least the worst of the obstacles.

And yet, with all the biting wind that was blinding his eyes and making his scales go numb, he was quite enjoying this.

Skiel veers to and fro, assisted by Aelwyn's maneuvering. The magics and his inertia making this ride not going to stop for a long tens of seconds. He himself is enjoying this a lot.

That is, until- "Bwuahahahah... ah... ha... uh... Aelwyn-...!"

They hit the ramp.

It doesn't buckle.

The two makari go flying into the air. Skiel glitters from the sun briefly before his weight crashes down against a cabbage cart, throwing the vegetable all over the place. "My CABBAGES!" the elderly man tending to them exclaims.

Aelwyn didn't even try to steer the course away from the ramp. He simply braces himself, crouches lower, levels his glaive - and whoop, off they go. There is a good amount of luck involved as the other makari slams onto a set of hanging wires; barely managing to slow down his glide down enough to unceremoniously crash onto a set of crates. Without breaking anything. Bones at least; crates not so lucky.

Groaning, the ruddy Dragoon clambers out of the broken wooden pieces and slowly makes his way towards the pile of cabbages. "Hnnh... that was not much of a warning, Silver..." He chides with a dazed expression, as he wanders past the elderly man.

"... it simply flew past." Wide grin as he looks down at the pile of cabbages.

Skielstregar groans, slowly sitting upright as his head wobbles in a daze. "Bluh..." He's totally fine. However, the wagon...? Totally crushed. Three hundred and thirty pounds of muscle and scales at high speed does that.

"Y-You...!" the cabbage man points at Skielstregar.

He blinks looks around. Then bolts upright. "A-Ah! Thisss one isss ssso sorry!" he profusely apologizes. "Thisss one will right thisss...!"

Skiel looks about, sighing in relief that Aelwyn was okay, but he gets to his knees and starts collecting cabbages. "Aelwyn, thisss one isss sorry, they were enjoying themsselves too much."

Aelwyn picks up few of the cabbages and then kicks one up in the air. He turns towards the elderly man, handing him one of the green veggies. "Do not worry, they will be compensated thoroughly." The draconian pats with his fullest sympathies.

Then he turns towards Skiel, dropping the other cabbage into the pile. "Hmmh."

Crossed arms and a tailwhip.

"This one doesn't think Silver needs to be sorry to this one," The ruddy sith-makar says, flicking his head to the side. "But what of Malefic?"

A moment later, he glances around and then leans in closer. "... can we do this again?"

The elderly man takes the cabbage with a slowly building anger on his visage, but Skielstregar picks up the wagon with one hand and shoves a wheel back on. "Thisss one issss really, really sssorry," Skiel says again to the man, him rummaging around his tunic and pulling out some gold and platinum coins. "Here, sssoftskinsss find coin important trade for their harvessst, especially out of ssseassson. Pleassse, give away what thisss one hasss ruined."

Well, that one way to defuse the situation.

The elderly man assuaged, Skiel glances back up the way they came.

Malefic is right there. Up against a wall. No more than a few paces away. Skiel is unfazed. "... sssometimes Malefic followsss. Ssssorry for leaving you like that."

The weapon doesn't respond.

The massive makari blinks. His tail wags slowly in a sway. "... yesss," he hisses back conspiratorially. "Let usss go outssside the city, the hillsss are bigger."

He's excited again.

Aelwyn body bumps against the other makari. "... this one will get the fire making gear for the camp." Yes, yes. It is all coming together - a sledge trip. Seeing that the weapon is there, Aelwyn stops momentarily. Then he bows his head, politely greeting, "Malefic." rAfter that, he moves on to help gather rest of the cabbages, kicking and hoisting them up onto the wagon and pile.

-End Scene-