PM to join Well, I'm hooked! [Adney]

[Calters]

13th of Summer, 514 AV

The sea had always been a source of solace for Calters, as it was for many. He loved the natural music that it seemed to give off in a deep, steady rhythm. Swish-swoosh, swish-swoosh.

He loved to sit at the end of the docks and flip his tail through the waves, watching the ripples he caused wear themselves out into nothing in the distance. Cal also loved watching the people come and go from the docks, like he was doing at the time. So many people. So many interesting lives going on. They talk and laugh and barter and argue, I would even love to argue! Yet here I am, watching them...all by my lonesome...

With a sigh, Calters returned his attention back to the rhythmic waves. Swish-swoosh. Swish-swoosh.

Only by the docks did the rhythm break. It crashed awkwardly there, making a disoriented sound as though it were befuddled by its sudden stop. In contrast to the swishing waters of the docks, the rest of the sea remained- for the most part- smooth. While the sea looked calm from above, a careful observer would be able to see the waters teeming with elegant, exotic life just beneath the surface. A careful observer or, as in Cal's case, one with too much time on their hands, could see it all.

So much beauty goes unnoticed by passerby. I should write a song to draw attention to the sea. Although Calters already had plenty of odes to the sea, he thought that one about Riverfall in particular might be in order. It saddened him to think that some people missed the everyday attractions of Riverfall.

Just as Cal's hand had found his ocarina around his neck and his lips were wet, he heard a noise off to his left. It seemed to be coming from the dock he was sitting on though he couldn't be sure. If only I would have listened instead of moping! Calters scolded himself silently. There was nothing he could do about that now though. He only had to wait and see if the thing made another sound.

Wings poised for flight, Cal waited for the noise to repeat itself.

[Adney Tempest]

Adney was relaxing in his casinor on this beautiful day. He looked at the sea and thought that looked really inviting. So Adney took off his shirt and jumped into the water. Adney began to swim around the dock, he dove under water and looked at all the fish he could see in the water. Adney then began to come out of the water for some air. He rubbed his eyes so water didn't go into his eyes. "hmm I hope something interesting happens today." As soon as he said that he noticed something at the end of the docks. Adney began to swim over there to see what or who it was. When he got there he was in shock.

Adney rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing things but when he looked again he was still there. What he saw was a person at least he looks like a person but instead of feet he had a tail almost like a seal's tails and he had wings. "Oooo I wonder if he can fly?" Adney swam over hoping to have a nice conversation. "Hello mate the name is Adney Tempest." Adney gave a friendly smile. Before he could say anything to him Adney heard a noise that was coming from the dock he got out of the water and on to the dock he sat down on the dock and tried to ignore the noise. He turned to look at the strange person and noticed that heard the noise and was getting his wings ready in case something was going to happen. Adney then remembered what was making the noise and smiled. "Oy now I remember what makes the noise that is just a bunch of the sailors here making noise on the barrels so no need to feel threaten." Adney smiled and looked at the person. "So are you new around here haven't seen you around before?"

- Adney Tempest

[Calters]

Calters started when he heard a man's voice directly next to him. He nearly fell in the water, but managed to keep his balance by gripping the wood.

"Hello mate the name is Adney Tempest."

Cal gave the man a once-over, concluding that Adney was no threat at all. He was around the same size as Calters, and though he had an intimidating amount of muscle on his bare chest, Cal doubted he would use it. Adney had a lop-sided smile plastered on his clean face and his eyes sparkled invitingly. He talked in a relaxed way and, by the looks of him, was used to being friends with everyone he ran into.

Just as Calters was about to introduce himself, he heard the sound again. It was louder this time, and he could hear a solid echo accompanied by rowdy laughter. Cal flitted his wings nervously, but Adney just smiled.
"Oy now I remember what makes the noise that is just a bunch of the sailors here making noise on the barrels so no need to feel threaten. So are you new around here haven't seen you around before?"

Calters made an effort to relax his wings, but he wasn't sure how well it worked. He still felt tense. I don't want any big sailors coming around here! I can't fight!
Returning his attention to Adney, Cal nipped at his lower lip as he always did when he was thinking. At this moment, he was contemplating how much to tell the happy-go-lucky man beside him. Making a decision to keep mostly to himself, Calters began.

"Good day Adney, I'm Cal. I've lived here in Riverfall for a while now but I mostly stay home so you might not have seen me. I'm a bard, you see, working the ocarina in local taverns and such so I have to spend a lot of my time at home writing and practicing." Never missing an chance to advertise, Cal quickly added, "You should come see me perform sometime. Anyway, what do you do for a living? And what brings you to the docks?"

[Adney Tempest]

"Good day Adney, I'm Cal. I've lived here in Riverfall for a while now but I mostly stay home so you might not have seen me. I'm a bard, you see, working the ocarina in local taverns and such so I have to spend a lot of my time at home writing and practicing." Adney began to nod. "Ah that makes more sense then." Adney began to play with the water with his feet."You should come see me perform sometime. Anyway, what do you do for a living? And what brings you to the docks?" Adney gave a quick smile. "I will be sure to come by and listen to you play, do you know when is the next time you play?" Adney listened with a lot of interest. Adney loved meeting new people and wanted to become friends with Cal. "Well right now I am trying to get a job as a cook so hopefully that goes well and I live here on the docks see that boat over there?" Adney pointed to a casinor that was near by. "Well that is my boat known as the Rusty Spatula."

Adney looked at Cal from his tail up to his wings and tilted his head with a lot of interest. "So Cal if you don't mind me asking what are you exactly I have never seen your kind before?" Adney cocked one of his eyebrows and was still tilting his head in curiosity. Adney gave a smile. "And what is an Ocarina?" Adney heard of many different musical instrument but never an Ocarina at least his pod had never used one so he had never heard of it before. "This Cal character seems really interesting it would be cool to have a new friend to talk to and not feel alone here at the dock or even bored for that matters." Adney fiddled his thumb and just listened to what Cal was saying.

- Adney Tempest

[Calters]

Calters stared mindlessly at Adney's ship as the sailor explained that he was going to work as a cook. He was not surprised at all when Adney inquired about his race. That happened nearly everytime he met someone new and, frankly, he thought it strange that the topic had not come up already. He was, however, a bit confused as to why the man had never heard of an ocarina.

"I'm a Child of the Sea and Sky, or Akvatari as most prefer to call us. We are most well known for our skills at the arts and..." Cal trailed off, preoccupied by the more important matters.
"You've really never heard an ocarina?"

Eagerly, the musician tugged at the strap around his neck and held up the clay instrument.
"Like this! They play the most elegant music you've ever heard, and they're so simple. They aren't horribly expensive but they do require some upkeep- cleaning and such. This one belonged to my father who also played for most of his life. He taught me too, and passed down his instrument before I left home."

Once Cal started listening to himself, it wasn't hard to tell that he was rambling. Embarrassed, he let the instrument bounce against his chest and tried to remember what he was talking about before he got distracted.

"Uh, I'm not sure when I'll be playing it next. I just go wherever they will take me but so far, I don't have work this week."
Calters shrugged off his words. The conversation stalled into silence for a tick as Cal waited for Adney to respond.

[Adney Tempest]

"I'm a Child of the Sea and Sky, or Akvatari as most prefer to call us. We are most well known for our skills at the arts and…" Adney smiled as he was listening and then tilted his head as he saw Cal stop talking."You've really never heard an ocarina?" Adney gave out chuckle and shook his head. "Nope and trust me if I had heard of an ocarina I don't think I would of ask about it." He then saw Cal pull a strap off of his chest showing the instrument that Cal was talking about. Adney was in awe as he saw the instrument and gave a huge smile."Like this! They play the most elegant music you've ever heard, and they're so simple. They aren't horribly expensive but they do require some upkeep- cleaning and such. This one belonged to my father who also played for most of his life. He taught me too, and passed down his instrument before I left home." Adney smiled. "All I have to say is that I am impressed." Adney looked around and then looked at Cal. "Why don't you play a little tune if you don't mind I would really like to see how you play it."

"Uh, I'm not sure when I'll be playing it next. I just go wherever they will take me but so far, I don't have work this week." Adney gave a nod. "Oh ok I was just wondering oh but what places do you preform at normally?" Adney then looked around the dock in deep thought. "You know I have always wanted to play an instrument but I have never decided on what instrument I wanted to play." Adney looked at Cal. "Do you have any recommendations on an instrument that would be suitable for an svefra like me?" Adney laughed and then jumped as he heard the sailors slam on the barrel again. "Man petchin sailors don't know when to stop hitting stuff."

- Adney Tempest

[Calters]

Calters almost laughed aloud at the young Svefra's jump, but caught himself just in time. Alternatively, he brought his ocarina to his lips and gave a hollow twoo.

"I would love to play a song for you. Honestly, my opinion is biased but I think the ocarina is the instrument for anyone." He remembered the beating of the sailors and added, "But the drums might be a bit more Svefra style. It all depends on what you love to do."

The Akvatari blew his ocarina again, giving off a melody to the solid beats of the sailors' barrels. Using the beat as a building block, the musician improvised. The instrument squawked a few times when he hit an unexpected note or tried to move too fast, but as improvisation, it really wasn't bad.

It was faster than he was used to, but he found the quick speed and cheery mood to be refreshingly challenging. Cal's fingers covered and uncovered the holes with a renewed joy. It wasn't a typical Akvatari performance- that much was certain- but it wasn't the worst thing he had ever played either. It seemed that his muse sung loudest near the sea, with the troupes of people cheering him on in his imagination.

Suddenly out of breath (and slightly embarrassed at his mashed-up style) Calters stopped abruptly. Nervously, he let the instrument fall back down to hang around his neck once more while the pounding of the sailors went on.

The man's wings twitched slightly as he cleared his throat. "Most of the stuff I come up with is shyke, but occasionally I'll get a good rhythm going. Like I said, it depends on what you love to do. If you like playing then you play good. Same goes for most everything; if you like living, you live good."

Calters was a bit surprised at his own words and their philosophical depth, but he didn't take it back. It was true. That was what he believed and he couldn't apologize for that.