PM to join A New Guest & New Magics [Rhydian]

[Tazrae]

Tazrae smiled at Rhydian’s words. “My parents didn’t let me out much. If you were just an infrequent visitor, there was not much of a chance you’d have met me. I was… sheltered a great deal and kept away from people. Well, everyone but the travelers that stayed at our Inn. I would have liked to have a friend or two, especially someone like you, growing up. But they didn’t let that happen. I… It’s a long story but my mother really wasn’t my Mother. She was my aunt. And my father was a man who was my uncle from another sideline. My Aunt took the job of raising me to be nearer my uncle. She’d always had a thing for him, even if he didn’t reciprocate it. She was a cold woman who I don’t think knew how to love. Lust? Sure. But love? No… and my Uncle… whom I always thought was my father was a very loving warm man. She… just wanted me to remain…” Taz paused there. “Well, pure. Breeders get higher contracts if their patrons get to be their first and only lovers. It was… one of the things I ridded myself of in the first season I came to Syka.” Taz grinned, not elaborating any further.

“The curse was hard… really hard. But it taught me a lot. I learned about looking other places for companionship and company. The Ixam, for example, welcomed me into their lounge and didn’t fuss overly much. They also weren’t affected by the curse, so they knew me each and every time. That big scarlet male? He runs the Lounge and hangs out all broody and fierce. No one ever rides him. He’s pretty feral.” She said, following Rhydian’s gaze towards the male. “Some things should remain wild and free though.” She added and whistled. A gold and a green Ixam materialized in front of them both of them, large sturdy creatures. “Sunny is the golden. She’s got as bright of a heart as any Ixam I’ve ever met. This other… I call her Fern… is sweet as well. Shall we ride them both back? I have tack at the settlement, but I didn’t think to bring any. Think you can manage without?” She said, leaning over and linking her fingers together to form a step for him to use to hop on the golden Ixam. “We’ll ride fast and you’ll love it.” She encouraged, waiting for him, then mounting the green.

The Ixams started off slowly, letting Rhydian get a feel for the way they moved. They didn’t trot like horses or even walk like men. They undulated in a smooth side to side motion. Taz showed him by example how to hold herself along the creatures back, her hands holding on up by the green females neck. She was almost stretched out before she laughed and encouraged a bit more speed onto the Ixam. “Stretch out, be part of them, not just sit on them.” Tazrae added, her face glowing with pleasure. She loved riding Ixam and running as they did.

They headed into the deep jungle; a thick wall of green that looked impenetrable. “Did Lyel ever teach you any math? Like about triangles? We are making a big triangle… we ran the adjacent bottom base side until we turned north… the north was the opposite side, and we’re going to cut through the jungle at the hypotenuse. That’s why this way is a lot faster.” Taz said, drumming her heels gently into Fern’s side and urged her to more speed. The Ixam reacted immediately, both of them, and left the jungle floor. They ran in three dimensions, up above the ground, leaping lightly from tree to tree, out on branches, across open spaces and out onto stone outcroppings. Sometimes they’d be back on the floor, but they were Kihala’s creatures and Caihya’s and weren’t bound by rules that things not born wild in wild paces were bound too. They were part of the jungle and with each leap, Taz laughed, her joy growing the faster they rode and the closer they drew back to the settlement. They circled back around, splashing through the water of the Syka River in a place there were stones protruding for Ixam to leap across. Other Ixam joined them, until they were a tidal wave of jeweled colors spilling through the jungle.

They passed ruined buildings – one that looked like a citadel – and passed other bodies of water, and something large that looked incredibly unnatural. It wasn’t a river itself, but rather a series of streams that flowed together into a man-made basin of hardened stone. The Ixam all pulled up there and Taz hopped off. The creatures moved forward as one and began to drink. Taz paused here, and let Rhydian take in the view.

“This is the oddest place. We call it The Confluence because of all the streams coming together here.” Taz started, letting Rhyadian catch his breath and study the features. “There’s absolutely no plant or animal life in the water. Any leaves or trees that fall into this basin seem to dissolve after a time. There’s no organic layer at the bottom of the lake. It’s just all stone. We think its magic. The incredible thing about it is the water is always fresh and drinkable. It’s the only groundwater in and around Syka that won’t make us sick. With that pronouncement, she walked forward among the Ixam and knelt, cupping her palm and scooping up water to drink deeply of the Confluence. When she was done, she rose, remounted Fern, and waited.

It was a short run now to the Bungalows… and there was a trail straight to the Cobbled Pathway. Taz hoped Rhydian was getting a bit of a feel for the area, at least the northern part of the Maw and Cobbled Pathway. “There are homes tucked into the jungle and beach all up and down the stretch we traversed. “Ready to get going? We’ll be back to the beach soon. This trail… comes out at the Bungalows. We can head to the Inn and you can pick out a room.” She added, eyes sparkling with mischief. They were going to go fast on this last part, but at least they might stay on the ground.

Words: 1056

[Rhydian Lamoze]

Having discovered more of the girls past, Rhydian would nod along with each new tidbit of information. As he would do this though, the Eypharian would have to be sure not to allow for himself to get too overwhelmed by her story. While he had never understood what it was like to have a father figure in his life, he could certainly understand what it was like to have a mother figure. And this woman that Tazrae had been speaking of.. Her aunt? The decisions that she had tried to make for Tazrae had left Rhydian with an ever growing pit in his chest. This woman had practically made him sick to his stomach. It had taken a ton of willpower not to allow for this disgust to be shown on his face.

"That sounds.. awful. I'm so sorry that all of this happened to you. I've never really gotten around to getting rid of this purity but I guess that that'll change eventually. Either way, you deserve better Tazrae." A glimmer of irritation would shine within the Eypharian's eyes for a moment as he would begin to look towards the ground. Once his gaze would return to his companion though, his eyes would soften. "I'm really glad that your uncle had cared for you so much though."

Once he had been introduced to the several Ixam, the topics of the moment would slip right out of his brain. His full attention would be turned towards the Jungle Ixam and all of the information that Tazrae had been sharing with him about them. Various names would be thrown his way and he couldn't help but take mental notes on their names as well. These things were far too exciting and he couldn't wait to spend more time with them in the future. Perhaps he could even obtain a Jungle Ixam of his own someday or perhaps another of the jungles inhabitants. "I'm not too certain that I'll do all that great without a tack but I'm willing to try..! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to try this~" The Eypharian would than awkwardly step onto Tazrae's hand and would use his own foot in conjunction with her hand to lift himself up and over onto the golden Ixam. Not used to having to ride in a saddle whatsoever, Thaddeus would practically begin to slide right off of the edge of the Golden Ixam. Before he could fall though, he would instinctively reach out with the three of his arms on the left side of his body and would grab ahold of the Ixam in a way that would allow for him to maintain his balance. "Ahaha... I've got it!"

It wouldn't be long before the Ixam would take off at Tazrae's command. Even though they hadn't been moving all that quickly, the unexpected swaying motions would cause Rhydian to grip ahold of any surface area of the Ixam that he could reach with his six arms. The top two would gently wrap themselves around the Ixam's neck while the middle pair would reach down for the base of the neck and the chest. Naturally the bottom two would go straight downwards and would grab ahold of the Jungle Ixam's sides. "Shhh.. It's alright now Sunny. W-we've got this..!" A bit of forced laughter would escape from the Eypharian's lips before his gaze would find its way towards Tazrae. She would go on to offer him some rather insightful advice that he would immediately begin to throw into action. His upper pair of arms would slip back from the Ixam's neck and would hold up along the back of the Ixam's neck. As for the other two pairs though, Rhydian had felt as though they were fine where they were. If he was intending on being part of them than he was going to have to try and move in the ways that they had. It was a difficult thing to achieve and Rhydian would catch himself almost slipping off of the Ixam several times but with time he would slowly begin to get better. Not by much though.

"Math..? No, I'm not really sure what that is. I can understand basic things but... none of that." It may have seemed as though Rhydian was embarrassed of the fact that he didn't know anything about that subject but that had been far from the truth. The fact that he didn't really know anything about the subject was exactly the kind of thing that would further push him to learn about it in the future. The only reason that there had even been pauses in the mans words at this point was quite honestly due to the fact that he could feel himself running out of breath from having to catch himself so frequently. Rhydian honestly couldn't understand why it was that they were going to be running in the direction that they had but he had trusted Tazrae's judgement. She hadn't steered him wrong yet! "Right.. Of course. Lead the way, Tazzy~"

With the Jungle Ixam rushing through the jungle, making their way through the trees and snaking along the ground at odd intervals, Rhydian would have to do his best to ensure that he wasn't flung off of Sunny. It was quite the challenge at first but eventually he had begun to have fun with it. Whenever Rhydian could feel Sunny's shoulders turning in a certain direction, the Eypharian would attempt to replicate the action. Whenever she would go on to sway her tail from left or to the right, Rhydian would be sure to move his hips along with her own. With each passing moment, the Eypharian had begun to feel quite comfortable with the entire ordeal, albeit not as comfortable as he might have liked. By the time the Jungle Ixam had ceased their trek through the jungle land, Rhydian could feel an intense burning sensation deep within his arms and his hips. He had been putting forth too much energy trying to move in the ways that the Jungle Ixam could. If he had better understood their anatomy and perhaps even their movements than he was sure that he could make things easier on himself in the future but for now..

"The confluence huh? It truly is a sight for sore eyes.." With his body feeling the way that it had at the moment, Rhydian had truly wished for nothing more than to take a dip. He could already feel himself starting to slide his hands towards his shirt, preparing to rip the damn thing off. Before he could do this though, his sense would get the better of him. While he didn't mind traversing the lands in the buff, it likely would be considered rude to ride someone else's Ixam without anything on. Also... Their scales likely wouldn't be all that comfortable on his bare skin.

Following Tazrae's own actions, Rhydian would dismount from Sunny and would begin to make his way on over towards the waters of the Confluence. His legs had been a bit shaky but he was hoping that Tazrae wouldn't notice. After a moment of time, Rhydian would eventually kneel down and would cup a small dollop of water within the palms of his hand. His lips would reach out as his hands had brought the water closer to his mouth. A small portion of the refreshingly fresh water would be inhaled by the Eypharian but the rest of it would be brought on over to Sunny. Were she to accept it than Rhydian would be sure to smile at her. Even if she hadn't though, he would simply dump the water back into the Confluence before reaching out and gently petting the Jungle Ixam. She had been a wonderful mount for the evening and he had truly appreciated the fact that she was allowing him to ride around on her back. After this entire ordeal had been taken care of, Rhydian would be sure to mount Sunny and prepare to head off to the next direction.

"I must admit that I would love to own my own home here someday. Perhaps I can even purchase one of these bungalows. For the time being though, I think that I would much rather be with someone that I know and trust. Someone as wonderful as yourself, Tazzy. Er-... Taz. So yeah..! I'm ready to go whenever you are."

Word Count: 1,406
Total Word Count: 7,763

[Tazrae]

Tazrae grinned. “I don’t have any nicknames. You can call me Tazzy if you want. You keep doing it anyhow.” She said with a grin and finished drinking deeply of the Confluence. “That just means I need to come up with one for you.” She added with a hint of a promise behind it. Then she noticed the slight longing on his face as he looked out over the water. “It would be a perfect place to swim, huh?” She added, gesturing out at the water. “And I would… but for some reason it seems wrong, swimming in a pure water source. People do swim here… the Ixam too. It’s just a personal thing for me. If you want… I’ll show you a place to freshen up before we hit the Inn. Once you get there, you’ll get settled and won’t want to move. Especially if I make you something to eat.” She added another promise there as well.

With a casual leap, Taz was on her Ixam again and they were off, this time a straight shot through the jungle. It was an actual cleared trail this time, not a three-dimensional pathway through the trees or a zig-zag through the jungle. They were able to ride side by side and it was more companionable than Ixam riding usually was. As Tazrae promised, they came out of the thinning jungle into the area she considered the ‘fringe’ where the palms were wide open and land was cleared around the Bungalows. They were back on the cobbled path and headed west before Rhydian knew it.

But when they came to a big south turn that had a sign marked clearly ‘Protea Inn’ Taz didn’t take it. Instead, she rode past, her Ixam and Sunny traveling quickly. The lizards were easier to ride on the ground, the motion smooth undulations. Once past the Protea, they passed a sign that said Garden Beach, and another that said Mathias’ place. Then, Taz took them up a northern trail where she halted her Ixam and Sunny followed suit. It was really a short walk from the Inn. And it was here Taz rubbed both the Ixam’s snouts and seemed to dismiss them.

They turned, as a duo, along with the stragglers that had come with them, and vanished back the way they’d come, headed towards Garden Beach.

Taz grinned at Rhydian. “Rest stop to cool off.” She said and reached started walking towards the water. They’d reached some sort of swimming pool that was beautifully formed out of magical-shaped stone. Manmade, though by arcane means, the pool was sculpted out of a huge stone outcropping that consisted of a stone wall dominated by a waterfall on one side and an undulating shoreline on the other. There were steps leading in, a bench all the way around the edge both fall and entrance side, and off to one side was a much smaller steaming pool that looked hot.

Taz slipped off the pack she always seemed to have on her back, disarmed, and laid the gear along with her belt in a pile alongside the water. She stripped off her tall boots, pulled off her shirt, and wasn’t shy about shimmying out of her isuas pants. She wore thin crocheted underwear beneath and those soon joined the small mountain of her belongings alongside the water. “Come on in. You love it.” Tazrae said as she slipped into the water, dipping first a toe and then stepping into the water itself. The sun gleamed off her caramel-tanned skin, showing off numerous scars that etched her skin as if someone had once taken a knife to her and carved up her skin. Her stomach wasn’t exactly flat but rather had defined abs, and she was toned like a person that lifted weights and trained their body for strength.

Lean, fit, without an ounce of fat on her, the woman looked healthy and like she enjoyed hard work and could run for miles. Her breasts were round and firm, compact if anything, neither small nor large. She didn’t need extra support under her clothing, but she’d never be mistaken for a boy. There were no stretch marks across her stomach, nor upon her breasts as if they’d never expanded to accommodate a child, either being carried to term or by feeding one. She was still young, but older than most women who usually had such things.

Tazrae wasn’t shy either. She didn’t mind him seeing her flesh and she wasn’t afraid to look her fill of him either. Once, that hadn’t been the case, but Taz had been in Syka for years and no one was truly shy in the city if they’d spent any time there. The woman waded out into the water, paused, and tipped her head back to let her hair soak a moment in the water before she stretched out her arms and floated away on her back. “It’s perfect, and we won’t get home smelling like Ixam.” She added, kicking her feet slowly, giving Rhydian a chance to join her. There wasn’t anyone about, though the pool could fill up quickly come evening when people sought the place to wash the dirt of the day away.

The water of the pool seemed to have some circulation. It had a current that seemed to start somewhere up on the small round pool, drift down to the larger pool, and wash under the stone on the far west side where there was no bench to lounge on. Taz kept floating, her eyes on the fluffy clouds, a soft smile on her face. “Tell me more about yourself, Rhydian… you want a home here? It would be nice to have others settle here, people like you. But you can stay with me at the Inn as long as you like.” She added, glancing over at him.

“I hope you can swim.” She added, laughing. “I can’t… not really well… but the pool isn’t that… dangerous.” She said, glancing around, then standing up, still floating above the part where she could actually touch with her feet. She waded through neck-deep water until she was back at the edge where she sat down on the ledge and leaned back.

“Tell me about yourself, Rhydian? What kind of things do you like to eat too? I’ll know better what to fix you when meal times roam around.” She added, then looked over at him. “I’ll trade you fact for a fact if you want…. one or two about you for one or two about me….” She said with a playful grin. “It’s the best way I know to get to know someone quickly.” She added.

Words: 1119

[Rhydian Lamoze]

Rhydian couldn't help but nod along as he had thought of wading through the waters of the Confluence. While he could understand where it was that that Tazrae had been coming from, he had held a different opinion. No matter how pure the water, the gods and goddesses above had likely wished for the mortals to enjoy it in its entirety. Although he hadn't had a wealth of knowledge when it came to the deities above, he had known a bit about the Sea King, Laviku, himself. If he wasn't mistaken, swimming throughout the waters was exactly the kind of thing that Laviku would have wanted. Otherwise, why would he have created sea creatures?

"I can understand where it is that you are coming from. There is something peculiarly special about such pure water... Even with that being the case though, we might as well try to enjoy such things when we can, right? Take this for example." Thaddeus would begin to gesture towards the waters of the Confluences below. "Even if we aren't swimming around in it, there are other things that we can enjoy about it. Especially something along the lines of enjoying the beauty that it can display." What he had been attempting to get across was that her own reflection could often be seen within the waters. Given where they had been at the moment though, he wasn't quite sure if his point would really even come across correctly.

Whether his meaning had come across correctly or not, the promise of food and a place to freshen up had filled the Eypharian's eyes with delight. Not only had he managed to make a few new companions today but now he was going to be treated to a delicious meal by a beautiful woman? He honestly hadn't thought that this day could get any better before but Tazrae just kept proving him wrong time and time again. "I would love to freshen up before we hit the inn. Thank you so much..!" And with that Rhydian would leap back onto Sunny's back. Once he had felt as though he was secure enough, the pair would take back off into the jungle. Thankfully the trip was much smoother this time. With enough practice in this, Rhydian was certain that he could become comfortable performing such attempts at riding.

After having traversed past several of the key locations within Syka, the pair would come to arrive at the desired location that Tazrae had been trying to bring them to. From what he could see thus far, the entirety of this location had been extremely beautiful. The set of pools that had been laid about before his very gaze had Rhydian practically bouncing with excitement. This was the first time that he had ever seen a steaming pool and if he were being honest with himself, every part of himself had wished to enter its waters. "This.. This place is downright amazing, Tazzy. I'm not sure how you found this place... Or made it I guess? But it's so freakin' cool..!"

Once his companion had gone through the motions of disrobing, Rhydian would immediately leap to follow suit. In his eyes, clothing were honestly quite exhausting. He had only ever wore them to try and ensure that the others around him hadn't been uncomfortable. Now that he was being given express permission to disrobe, he was going to leap at the opportunity like never before. In an instant, Rhydian would strip out of his tattered clothing and would toss them off into a heap on the side. A bright, toothy smile had been plastered upon his face as he had begun to make his way on over into the waters beside the scarred, nude woman.

When compared to Tazrae, one could certainly say that his form had been rather different. While most of his kind had tended to have a rather defined musculature, that definition had been rather lacking for this particular Eypharian. It was an embarrassment to him but something that he would eventually come to work on. His chest had been rather flat overall but the beginnings of pecks had been slowly coming into shape. Of course one would have to look past the small mound of chest hair that had strung across his pectorals and worked its way down into a fine line that would head towards his crotch region to even really spot much of his chest. Although he may not have been much to look at at the moment, with time he had planned to become a specimen of bodily perfection.

Once he had managed to stand entirely within the depths of the water, Rhydian would allow himself to sink down to his knees. He had desired to get low enough into the pool so that his chest and shoulders would be the majority of what had broken the surface of the water. Given his height, it wasn't that difficult to achieve but there had to be a bit of work behind it. Eventually having found himself situated, Rhydian would wade through the water until he had been just beside Tazrae. A single one of his hands would slowly reach out towards her form and, if she permit it, would run gently along her scarred skin. "You must be quite the warrior to have ended up like this. It's nice to see... True beauty comes from challenging oneself and overcoming the obstacles that stood in our way."

A single thought had begun to cross his mind as Rhydian had continued to keep a keen gaze on Tazrae's scarred flesh. His eyes had begun to wander across her form but it wasn't in a sensual manner. If anything, it was more so with a rather curious and introspective gaze. "I would love to build my home out here... but for now, I am hoping to stick beside you. There seems to be much that Syka can offer and I wish to enjoy as much of it with you as I can. I hope that that is alright." After having said as much, Rhydian had decided to sink down beneath the surface of the water. A few moments would pass in which he would simply exist within the water, feeling as though he was becoming one with it. It was truly the most relaxed that the Eypharian had managed to feel all day. Once he had popped his head back through the surface though, he would reappear behind Tazrae and pull her in for a quick hug. "Swimming is my life. If you'd like, I can teach you about it. There are many lessons to be shared between us, I'm sure."

A soft chuckle would escape from the Eypharian's lips before he had decided to sit beside his companion on the ledge. "There aren't too many things to know about me, really. I've spent all of my life by Lyel's side and we've really just kind of been surviving for most of the time. She's taught me everything that I know about making it in the world. Tons of street smarts, not enough book smarts, y'know? Honestly, I've never even been to a formal form of school so I have no clue what it's like." With a quick shrug, Rhydian would bring his gaze down towards the water once more. "I'll eat just about anything aside from olives and honestly..? I really just want to build a family... That's my goal in life. Well that and to show Laviku just how much I respect and appreciate him. How about you? What kind of fun facts do you have to share?"

Word Count: 1,273
Total Word Count: 9,036

[Tazrae]

Taz didn’t understand what he was saying, not really, not in the way he was meaning. She looked past her reflection, not seeing herself the way Rhydian did in the water. But she could see the beauty in the world around them. He was right in that. The young Innkeeper would have to be blind to not see it. They exchanged glances for a moment, agreeing on that one thing and exchanging looks that spoke volumes.

Then the moment was over, and too was the travel. They were at The Community Pool and relaxing in its waters, a place designed for such things. “I didn’t make it, but it was made. His name is Duncan Maelstrom. He’s a good man, a mage, and a friend. He sees the world with a unique perspective. When I first met him he was blind, but now he can see a bit. He usually is here but doesn’t seem to be at the moment. He might be at The Outpost. He is seeing a woman there, at the Redynn which is a healing place. She is restoring his sight.” Taz explained, snuggled into one of the shelves now, letting her legs float out from the bench and leaning back, relaxing.

When Rhydian touched her scars, Taz turned so the outline of her face watched one of his many hands trail down her side, tracing the lines etched in her flesh by a madman. “Looks can be deceiving.” She said softly, wondering suddenly why no one had ever made note of the lines in her skin before. The people that had rescued her saved her, and knew what they were from. But others hadn’t asked. Word had spread quickly. It wasn’t something talked about. Not really. Not ever. She herself had only spoken of it once to a man who hadn’t remembered her name. Drawing in a deep breath, she turned, not looking at Rhydian, and felt compelled finally to speak.

“It happened last winter. I remember it was the tenth. I was out riding Bree… my Ixam… and we fell from the sky. We were up high in the canopy. There were hunters from a foreign land, a desert, and they were gathering wild Ixam to act as their jungle camels. I… was hurt in the fall. Bree was too.” She said, leaning back, still not looking at him. Her eyes were far away, even as her hand trailed down her sternum to where the points of her shoulders joined the hollow of her throat. A black iridescent Ixam scale was lodged into her skin there as if it were a pendant to a necklace that had no chain.

“I was captured. There was a man… Nico. He loved causing pain. He carved me up, just to watch me bleed, and to hear me scream. It turned out he was so much more. I met people in his camp, including my twin sister. It’s a long and convoluted story, but he hurt me and I wear the marks of that pain to this day. But he won’t hurt anyone else. I made sure of that.” She said softly, then glanced at him, a hesitant false little smile on her face. “I took his head, ripped it clean from his shoulders, and something changed in me that day… something died. I was gentle before Nico. I was a good person. Now I understand Kihala and Caiyha, and I run with their creatures, and I train to be strong, to fight, and to not ever be that powerless again. I… would not have survived if Syka hadn’t come for me. The whole of the city turned out when I went missing, and they found me… they brought me home. He and his people didn’t survive. My twin was also liberated… and that’s how the Ixam came to be living in such numbers in Syka. We killed the people that captured them, offered them freedom, or the choice to come to Syka and be mounts for our people. They picked us, at least the ones that came home with us… and we’ve had them ever since. So not very long, you see.” She added, shifting, and tracing a finger down a particularly ugly scar on the inside of her arm. Clothed, most of the thin knife lines didn’t show… but without her clothing, they clearly contrasted with her tanned skin.

She let it go at that. What more was there really to be said? She didn’t want a ‘I’m sorry that happened to do you.” Nor did she want to be told they weren’t ugly now that the lines in her flesh were discussed. Instead, she simply wanted to move forward by giving Rhydian a tiny piece of herself in the form of knowledge so he understood more. That was all.

“You can do anything you want out here… including building your own home. But you’ll need time and a plan… a way to fit into the settlement and thrive here. You can stay at the Inn and with me as long as you need to in order to figure things out. All we have is time here, time enough to find our pathways and learn our lessons. I had people show me how to live here, and I’ll be glad to do that for you as well. Others will help too. It’s not a burden, but our pleasure. It's what we do as a community. And when other new people come, you do the same… offer to help.” She added, taking a deep breath, then another.

Finally, she looked at him. “I’d love a few swimming pointers. I feel like a bird dunked in the water flapping my arms like I can catch the wind, most of the time.” She said with a grin, always ready for a joke with herself as its subject of ridicule.

“Lyel seems like a beautiful person. Do you know she’s the first Charoda I’ve ever met? And you are the first person I’ve ever heard of being raised by one; a non-charoda that is.” She added. “That must have been a wonderful childhood… filled with a whole ocean of adventure.” Taz smiled at the thought. Rhydian might have said he’d had a quiet childhood, but what an adventure it must have been.

“Family is good. I want one too. But it will come with time. I want more than that first. I want strength, stability, a safe place to have one… and I need magic. Being a mage is important to me and bringing children up immersed in magic. To do that, I need to be stronger… a better warrior, able to defend my family.” Taz said softly, not sure she could make Rhydian understand.

“To that end I’m training weapons, learning to survive in the Wilderness, be less dependent upon others. That means making my body stronger… faster… more able to endure.” She added, shrugging and glancing over at him. He was lean, and fit, but could use some muscle tone. Time would take care of that with hard work and dedication. “And becoming a scholar. Because education is important.” She added, laughing slightly, turning less serious.

“I can cook for you… and I’ll remember you don’t like olives. We don’t have many around here anyhow. Olive trees like dry hot weather… we’re a lot too wet for them.” She said with a grin. “I might not be much of a swimmer, but I love to cook.” Then she seemed to pause, looking thoughtful about something he said.

“Laviku doesn’t have a shrine here. It might be nice to make him one. I think it would be a welcome addition to the settlement.” She added. “I helped build one for Kihala and I know others are planned for Caiyha and Eyris.” She said, running her hands up her arms, wiping away the sweat on her skin and taking off the layer of dirt coating her. The pool swept the unclean water away, and more and more Taz relaxed.

“There’s not much to know about me. I mean, I don’t keep secrets. I love Ixams. I’m trying to forge myself into whatever I want to be… and I don’t follow convention very well. If someone tells me I can’t… I just try harder.” She added, offering him a smile. “My favorite color is any color found in the sunset or sunrise. And I have a voracious appetite for seeking out lost knowledge and lost places.” She added, laughing a little at herself. “So very un-Innkeeper-like isn’t it?” She said with a laugh.

“When you are cooled off and feel clean, we can head back to the Inn.” She said thoughtfully. “But don’t rush on my account. I don’t have anywhere to be today, not until closer to dinner time at the Inn.” She corrected, then turned and studied him thoughtfully, hoping he’d volunteer more information about himself.

Words: 1486

[Rhydian Lamoze]

When Rhydian had heard of Duncan Maelstrom and how he had managed to create the pools in which the two had currently been resting, a single one of his eyebrows would decidedly shoot up. It wasn't all that surprising to find out that someone had created these pools but the the fact that this someone had been blind? Well that was certainly interesting to the Eypharian. The fact that one that could not see could create a thing of true beauty.. Perhaps it was due to his blindness that he couldn't see the ugliness of the world. Truly an envious position to find oneself in.

His eyes still lingering upon the scars that would run down her body, Rhydian would run a single hand through his wet, matted hair. It wasn't as though he hadn't taken notice of the iridescent scale that was lodged into her sternum but more so that he had chosen not to look at it for a prolonged period of time. He didn't wish to come across as rude to his nude and newfound companion. If it was something that she had wished to speak of than she would. Of course that time would come far sooner than the Eypharian could ever have anticipated.

As Rhydian had heard the tale of Nico and what it was that he had done to Tazrae, despite the fact that he hadn't managed to get the full story, the Eypharian would subtly begin to clench the hands that weren't currently upon her physical form. Hearing what this man had done to Tazrae had fueled his with a burning rage that could match a thousand suns. If it wasn't for the fact that she had already removed his from the mortal coil than Rhydian surely would have tracked this man down and made him suffer. The fact that there had been such a horrid person out there still.. It was truly a shame. No matter how far he had run from land to land, Rhydian had always encountered another act that was so disgusting, so vile and evil, that he simply couldn't help but practically bubble over in that frustration and rage.

Around the time that Tazrae would offer him a small hint of a smile, Rhydian's gaze would have turned to have met her own. He didn't wish to interrupt her story or the experience that she would have by retelling it. It is for that reason that he would remain silent for the most part. Upon hearing how she had brought the man down though, a single word would have left the Eypharian's mouth. It was soft and quiet, yet filled with an indeterminate amount of rage. The word was practically spit out in disgust. "Good." It was then that he would hear her speak on how she had changed. In that moment, Rhydian had truly regretted his words. That fierceness that had been building behind his eyes would dissipate and his fists would come to unclench themselves. Something inside of her had died.. And now she had believed herself to no longer be a good person.

Silence was all that would emanate from the Eypharian for quite a few moments into the conversation. After having said what he had and having come to regret it, he simply didn't wish to say anything further. The very possibility of upsetting Tazrae was something that had left him feeling uncomfortable. As though there was a pit in his chest at the thought of her being disappointed in that singular word that had left his mouth. From what he had come to know of her, she was indeed a very kind person. One that he was coming to care for. How would he go about finishing things here in an amicable manner? Would she yell at him? These were the kinds of thoughts that were flooding around throughout his mind and the woman before him had continued to speak. Eventually it would come to a moment in which he would have to speak up though. And once it had? He had said the first things that had come to mind.

"I won't lie and say that I don't feel bad for what happened to you.. Even with that being the case though, there is nothing that I could have done to prevent that. And honestly? I think that while you may feel as though something inside of you had died back then, I believe that it was something a bit different. Rather than losing a part of yourself back then, you simply adapted to the circumstances surrounding you. That isn't a loss.. It's a change. You've evolved into a stronger person because of it and, I'm assuming, managed to bring further positive change to Syka. It is thanks to you that the Jungle Ixam have a place to reside within this settlement. You have helped further this sense of community that resides within the settlement. It may feel as though it was a great loss... but through these events, you have become stronger and managed to bring a great deal to the inhabitants of this land. Both Fauna and Person alike."

A single hand would reach out towards Tazrae's arm and, if permitted, would rest upon the inside for a moment before Rhydian's thumb would gently brush along the scar that she had been tracing a finger along. "These scars that encompass you are simply a mark of change. Ones that tell the story of the trials that you have faced and the mountains that you have had to climb. I'm not sure if anyone else has ever told you this but I can assuredly say that I am proud of you for overcoming those mountains. And I am sincerely glad that you are here. Truly.. You are a thing of pure beauty, both inside and out."

Rhydian would go on to avert his gaze from Tazrae's whilst allowing for his hand to linger for a moment longer, given that it was permitted. Otherwise he would simply avert his gaze. "I'm not quite sure what I want out of my life here, in Syka, but I know that I am going to want to spend quite a bit of it with you. I am hoping that that is okay. You are the first friend that I have had in ages and if I am to be honest, I feel as though together we can grow. If you'll have me, that is." A soft chuckle would escape his lips for only a moment before he would continue on.

"That strength, stability, and a safe place that you are looking for. It's something that I am looking for as well. I am sure that in time, we'll be able to sort it all out. We've just got to keep trying, no matter the mountains that are put in our way. If you wish to learn the ways of magic and to be a warrior than I shall do my best to find ways to assist you in this endeavor. For as long as you are protected and happy... I'm sure that I'll find my way as well."

Given that he didn't wish for Tazrae to be the only one to wash away the dirt and grime that had accumulated over time, Rhydian had decided to give in and wipe himself down as well. Whenever he had begun to feel as though he was dirty, throughout all of the bits of conversation, he would be sure to sink a bit further into the water and to run each of his free hands along his body. Doing so whilst admiring the toned form of his companion had left him a bit envious, if he were to be truthful, but that would come in time.

"I know that this may be rather sudden but if you are ever in need of assistance, please be sure to let me know. Whether it's taking care of the Ixam or cooking up a meal for the patrons of your inn.. I'll do whatever it takes to help make things easier for you. I'll admittedly need a bit of instruction, depending on the situation, but something tells me that you'll make the experience quite easy to understand. Perhaps it's how relaxed I can feel while talking with you? I'm not fully sure."

While the thought of removing himself from the pool and heading towards the inn had been a rather tempting one, Rhydian had hoped to spend a bit more time with Tazrae where they were. It wasn't often that one got to relax in such a manner whilst freely discussing the details of their life. Not wishing to let the moment pass, Rhydian had planned to milk this for everything that he could. Any time that he could spend with someone that he was growing to care for was time well spent in his eyes.

I didn't have a lot of friends growing up aside from Lyel. It's really ever only been the two of us. Aside from the time that we would spend together making our way across the inner sea, there hasn't been too many things that I've managed to experience up until now. All those things that one tends to experience in life simply haven't made their way to me yet. Finding a partner, going to school, going on grand adventures with your friends, and all those other things that people tend to seem to have.. They are all things that I hope to achieve someday but just haven't had the opportunity to explore. It may sound strange but for me, Syka is a long of possibilities. One in which I can explore what true happiness is like."

All six of the Eypharian's hands would jolt out of the water as Rhydian would begin to hold them up in a rather defensive manner. "Not to say that I wasn't happy with Lyel..!! It's just.. different. When you spend every day of your life with somebody, it makes you long for that sense of affection that you might be able to gain from others. For the possibilities that exist within the world that you may want to explore. I love Lyel, for she is my mother, but there are things that I simply can't feel with her that I can with others." A soft sigh would break its way past his lips as his hands would begin to sink back into the water below. "I'm sorry if I made things weird at any point.. I don't have a ton of experience with people, aside from my ma, so I feel as though I tend to mess up."

Word Count: 1,779
Total Word Count: 10,815

[Tazrae]

Tazrae smiled and reached out to hug him at his words. It was a quick spontaneous hug. Taz had always been tactile and she was free with her affection when she felt it. “Of course, we can be friends. I’d love to have one like you. I know a lot of people here, but I feel like there are few that I’m really that close too. Thanks for listening about my scars too. I don’t know why I told you that. I don’t usually talk about them. Honestly, it’s not something I’ve really… actively worked through. Not even with my adoptive family here or my closest confidants. No one really knows about … no everyone knows about them, but no one has actually talked about them.” She said, then looked thoughtfully at him.

“Whatever you do, don’t push yourself into a corner. Explore the world and who you are. I think the life you are supposed to live in Syka will present itself. You might not realize what it is at first either. And you might not see it coming. But things will work out… and you might even be surprised at what place you find yourself in. And sure… I’ll ask if I need help. But I’ll also warn you that I don’t actually look for it or expect it and sometimes that’s hard for me to do… seeking help. But I’ll take it if its offered at the time its needed. However, if you want to learn about anything I know… I’ll certainly share what knowledge I have acquired including my library…. and certainly, starting with the Ixam. I have a bunch of youngsters and eggs I’m slowly hatching out. Unlike a lot of places, Syka doesn’t enjoy just spring births, the Ixam lay spring, summer and I suppose even later into the year. I can always use help with them. But I know next to nothing about them. Every day is a learning experience. There’s one Ixam in particular… she’s gifted magically. If she returns, she’ll be more help than I can even imagine in explaining things. She’s sentient… and can talk. Magically enhanced. Her name is Bree.” She said thoughtfully, as if it hadn’t occurred to her to ask for help before now. Bree had been gone a while, disappearing during her forgotten season. Taz only hoped once the curse was broken, Bree would have returned.

“I’m a very good cook. I don’t say that lightly. But you are always welcome to rub elbows in the kitchen with me unless you are truly awful at it, then I’ll find you some potatoes to peel or something to keep you busy and out of the way.” Taz said with a grin. Then she continued onward. “I think you’ll like staying at the Inn. People are always about. You strike me as… isolated, lonely, and I think you’ll find the companionship there a comfort. Even if you want to study, there’s a small library and games to play… so you can interact with others. Sometimes I think those of us that grew up isolated like you and I…. we have to learn how to be people. I certainly had to have people teach me how to play most of those games.” She added thoughtfully, then offered him another smile.

She listened to what he said about growing up. Taz remained quiet, but couldn’t help but draw parallels from her life to his. She’d had contact with people, but hadn’t been allowed any friends. Rhydian’s telling wasn’t about her though, it was about him. And she felt there was more he wasn’t saying, though she couldn’t put her finger on it. He was alone with a Charoda? But how much time could the Charoda stay out of the water and how long could an Eypharian stay in the water? He was describing two worlds meeting that probably never should have.

“We don’t have as much as you might think, staring in from the outside. Many people are lonely, Rhydian. Many people struggle. The problems just vary from person to person. Some people have no privacy growing up and are never alone… they’d give anything to have solitude and alone time. Everyone feels like they need a place to belong, to feel apart of the group or a society.” Tazrae said softly, staring at his multiple arms, watching with a little bit of fascination how they moved and conjoined to his torso. She’d seen several Eypharians before, but none with a bare torso and none this close.

“I know what you mean. Lyel treated you well and you are lucky to have had her. But you want more. I understand wanting more.” Taz added, then slowly turned, crawling up and out of the pool. She walked to a pile of towels Duncan kept to one side and plucked up two… one for herself and one for Rhy. She offered him the towel to lure him out and get them going on their way to the Inn.

“Come on….” She said, toweling off and slowly dressing in a long cover-up she took from her backpack. She strapped her boots to the pack, slipped it on to her shoulders, after tucking her dirty clothes into her pack. Then she waited for Rhydian and headed back down the trail, retracing her steps to the Protea. It was just north of where the swam, on the east side of the cobbles, down a secluded trail tucked up on the beach.

Tazrae was excited to show the Eypharian her home.

The Inn perched the edge of the beach, just around the gentle southeastern curve from the dock. The L-shaped Inn built was built on solid land where the jungle meets the sea. Named for the beautiful protea flowers that grow wild all over the jungle, Taz added bird feeders, and a dozen other varieties of flowers she’d gathered from the jungle in her travels. To one side was a secluded bunch of bamboo that housed a private outdoor shower and past that a reptile garden that contained large snake cages in the shade of the sun.

“This is the Protea. The Inn is roughly L shaped. It only has six rooms… two on the small side of the L and four on the long part of the L… the far side is just one huge deck on the sea side.” Ixam lounged all around and scattered, especially the smaller ones, as Tazrae lead Rhy up the stairs and into the Common Room adjacent to the kitchen. Extensive use had been made of materials available in and around Syka. The decks are covered with woven palm fronds and thatch to provide shade, which is much needed in the tropical sun.

The windows held no glass. Instead, the Inn featured openings that allow sea breezes to cool the rooms. Storm shutters are hung on every opening, allowing the Inn to be sealed up in times of bad weather. The furniture was all bulky heavy jungle built sets constructed of hardwoods and dressed with off-color linens. Tazrae's taste in decorating ran to minimalism with bright spots of color and woven reed rugs. She added color in the form of shells, vases, and unusual stone or driftwood. Many of the pieces she considered art were made into functional furniture pieces such as driftwood towel racks and coat hangers.

Chickens clucked from a coup located on the outside of the northern edge of the lawn facing away from the sea. There were a couple of dozen chickens in the pen, with a milk cow grazing loose several yards past the Inn out in the sea grass. Taz lead Rhy into the kitchen and paused. “Are you hungry? I can make you something… or would you rather have a tour and select a room?” She asked, curious, willing to go either direction.

Words: 1311

[Rhydian Lamoze]

In the moment in which Tazrae had reached out to give him a hug, Rhydian would immediately find himself melting at her touch. He hadn't been quite sure how to express the feeling that was currently welling up within his chest but he had known for sure that it was a rather pleasant one. If it were up to him, he would have allowed for the hug to linger for a bit longer than it probably should have, given just how happy the action had made him. Not wishing to make things weird though, whenever Tazrae would back away from the hug, Rhydian would simply allow it.

A few curt nods would be offered to Tazrae as she had begun to speak on the fact that she likely wouldn't seek out help. This was a running theme that the Eypharian had managed to pick up on whenever it came to those that weren't all that expressive about their feelings. It happened on occasion, in the past, whenever Rhydian would take note of how vendors might act towards their staff and vice versa. Rather than inconvenience someone else with their own issues, some had chosen to simply harbor all of the issues themselves. It didn't exactly seem like the healthiest thing to the Eypharian but who was he to say whether or not that had been the case? At the end of the day, each person was their own individual and he would never impede on their individuality. He might not accept it in some instances but that doesn't mean that he is ever going to force his own ideals and values upon others. Especially not when it had come to someone like his Tazzy.

"I would honestly love to learn from you, Tazzy. Whether it's how to interact with the Ixam, how to properly run an inn or cook, or even something as small as speaking with your pal Bree.. I feel as though any time spent with you will ultimately be time well spent." Every part of the Eypharian had wished to step forward and grab ahold of this girls hand as he had spoken to her. He hadn't been sure as to why he had felt this sudden urge, given his complete and utter lack of social and life experiences, but he had known that it had felt like the right thing to do. Feeling as though this was the correct thing to do in this moment, Rhydian would close the distance between the two of them a bit before attempting to grab ahold of her hand. If she had allowed it than he would have softly placed her hand within one of his own whilst softly brushing the tips of his fingers against the back of her hand. If she hadn't though, he would simply stick his tongue out at her in a rather silly manner before taking a quick step back.

"I'm obviously not quite sure how things will turn out while I'm here, in Syka, but I have a feeling that I am really going to enjoy being here. Whether I can successfully obtain this companionship is something that only time will be able to tell but thus far.. I'm really enjoying someone that I've managed to meet. Someday we'll manage to learn how to be people, Tazzy. And until that time comes? Well I'm just glad that I'll be able to have you along with me for the journey. No matter how lonely we might feel along the way or how much we might struggle, we'll be able to get through this. Together, I'm sure."

Eventually the time would come for the two to remove themselves from the pools. While the experience that the two had shared here would be one that Rhydian would never forget, it was the experiences that were soon to be made that he was truly looking forward to. Removing himself from the pool, alongside Tazrae, would have been quite the easy thing for him to do if he hadn't been a bit distracted honestly. With Tazrae crawling out of the pool, Rhydian couldn't help but gaze upon and admire her form. In his eyes, she had been a thing of exceptional beauty. Perfectly sculpted, her supposed imperfections only serving to add to the beauty overall. Hopes to obtain a similar physique had begun to fill the Eypharian's mind as he would wait for Tazrae to come back with the towels.

"You truly are the best, you know that?" A soft laugh would escape from his lips as Rhydian would use the full weight of his six arms to pull himself free of the confines of the pool. From there he would carefully dry himself down, being sure to spread the towel across each and every inch of his physique. Afterwards he would be sure to place his tattered shorts on but would leave just about everything else off. Into the bags they would go before the two would eventually begin to retrace their steps to the Protea Inn.

"She really is quite the beaut', now isn't she? Not only does she act as a refuge to those that are seeking a place to stay but there is space for the Ixam to lounge about? And room for plenty of other animals? It's almost akin to a menagerie..! Truly a work of art, Tazzy. I'm not sure if this means much to you but I'm exceedingly proud of you for pushing past all of the events of your past and having built this place." Once in the kitchen, Rhydian would be sure to observe each inch of the interior. His gaze would fall upon the various tools, foodstuffs and overall architecture of the room. Given that she was willing to allow him to assist her in here, Rhydian was hoping to try and get in as many details about the place as he could. That way he could serve her better in the future. "I am willing to start off with a brief tour and some room choices, if that is okay with you. And well.. I can't really cook much myself but I would love to have a dish made by you! Give me some time and I'll cook for you eventually~"

Word Count: 1,043
Total Word Count: 11,858

[Tazrae]

“I want something else for you… not running an Inn or cooking, Rhydian.” Taz said, slipping the available room keys off their hooks. She had the two rooms on the short side of the L which Shade and Shiress had occupied open, and two of the four on the long side of the L. She planned to give one of those two rooms to Faye, if the young woman agreed to assist her in the Inn this season with most of the cleaning. But the rooms in the middle… 4, and 5, were open. And putting Rhydian next to Cleon and Faye’s current room might be good for Rhydian having Cleon be near his own age… or so Taz assumed.

“There’s not a whole lot I’ve told you… but I think you’d be a good mage. You are a blank slate without a lot of life experiences, so learning magic would be a good idea if its something your open too. I’m a life long learner. I sense you are something of the same. I think I should teach you what I know about magic… Syka is full of mages and I think you’d fit right in learning and taking your place among them. Mages will be the live or die here scenario if Syka becomes endangered, and we need all the mages we can get to protect the newly born city we are just birthing into the world. You are young, strong, and have a good mind. I think you’ll take to it like a fish to water.” Taz added, leading him down the hall. She grinned at the keys in her hand. No one ever locked the doors here, but it made the guests feel better.

So she opened the door to room four and the door to room five and stepped back, letting him look them over. “You can take whichever you want. It’s 120GM a season and I feed you breakfast, give you lunch options for lunch out… meaning mostly travel food, and dinner. Guests are free to treat the Inn as their own home, coming and going whenever they want. We have games in the lobby, paddleboards to take out, the beach to play on… it has some games like backgammon.. which involves a net, rackets, and a little flying toy that you bat back and forth. It can be kind of fun. And there’s Ixam to ride. I have tack for them if you want to befriend any of them. Steer clear of the Scarlet one… he’s the leader and the boss. But any of the other ones are available if they are big enough to ride. Sunny loves taking people for a ride which is why you rode her today. Ride her again if you like.. or any of the others. They are very food motivated and love fresh meat. You can always find part of a pig hanging in the icebox, so feel free to carve off a bit to give them treats.” Taz added, speaking to Rhydian from the doorway of the rooms while he looked around and picked out his own.

“You can have a key… the door locks, but no one ever really uses them. Even if you close the doors, wildlife will get in. You might have to chase snakes, spiders, and baby Ixam off your bed to sleep in it. Don’t kill the snakes if they are black and shimmer with rainbows. They are pit-viper eaters and protect us from the truly poisonous snakes. I breed them here out back in the Reptile Garden. They are called Mussurana.” She said softly.

“If they are any other color, come get me or someone else that’s been around longer and they can help you determine if its poisonous or non-threatening. When we have spare time, I’ll teach you how to know the difference. The poisonous and non-poisonous have very distinctive features to tell them apart if you know what you are looking for.” Taz added, knowing that this would be one of the first things she’d pass on to the newcomer. It was knowledge he needed to stay safe in Syka, though day by day because of the Mussurana, the settlement WAS safer.

The Innkeeper smiled at his words…. About them learning how to be people. It made so much sense to her and told her inherently that despite being a virtual stranger, Rhydian did understand what she was saying and had gone through something similar. “Thank you.” She said softly, recognizing the friendship for what it was.

After he selected his room – which she’d pass him the key to – Taz lead him back to the kitchen. “You never told me what kind of food you’d like to eat? I can do all kinds and have several things in the icebox or we can go catch something fresh. Though if you lived with a Charoda, maybe seafood is the last thing you might like. I can cook just about anything, or bake some things if you haven’t had much exposure to baked goods. I always make my sandwiches with freshly baked bread for example.” Taz added, smiling at Rhydian.

Words: 860

[Rhydian Lamoze]

While Rhydian completely understood why it was that Tazrae might have wanted something for him other than running an inn or cooking, he couldn't quite understand why it is that she had phrased it like that. While he might have wished to learn how to do these things alongside her, it was certainly to better assist the people of Syka whilst also managing to get a bit more time with someone that he had cared about. Not that he was going to bring it up in this moment. The fact that he had wished to get to know her better and spend a bit of time together had become something that Rhydian felt was rather well established at this point. No need to reiterate a point that had already been made, in his mind. "Yes ma'am."

The talk of how he might make a good mage was assuredly one that the Eypharian had found interest in. He wasn't all that knowledgeable about the ways in which magic had operated but it certainly sounded fun! Pair that with the fact that his teacher on the subject being Tazrae and Rhydian's interest in the subject had shot up a hundred fold. "That sounds great..! I would love to learn more about magics and the kinds of things that can be done with them. Just imagine all of the interesting things that we could do with these magics? Maybe then I ca-" For a brief moment, the thought of Lyel leaving had managed to resurface. No matter how excited Rhydian had been to stay here and meet new people, he still wasn't all that ready for such a key figure in his life to depart.

"...maybe then I can find a way back to Lyel, he would mumble just beneath his breath. Honestly, the whole thing had been rather conflicting for the Eypharian. A large part of him had known that he was always going to miss his mother figure while the other part of him had known that it was probably best to let her go back to living her own life. She had already spent the majority of her own lifetime keeping an eye on him. It wouldn't be fair of him to keep her here any longer.

Realizing that he might be bringing the mood down, the smile that had previously encompassed Rhydian's face would jolt right back onto it. He didn't wish to make Tazrae disheartened if he could help it. She was one of the major factors in his decision to stay here after all. "I look forward to learning from you, Tazzy, and ultimately sharing that knowledge with others that need it. Just think of how useful it'll be for our kids..! I'm sure that our little tykes will be the best of friends growing up." While Rhydian might have had the intention of speaking solely on their separate kids, the Eypharian hadn't even picked up on the fact that it might have sounded as though he wished to have kids with the woman. Conversational gambits were a bitch.

One of his arms would now reach back and begin to filter around throughout his bag for his coin purse. Once the object had been properly located, Rhydian would pull the object free of its confines and would open it on up. "Would it be alright if I took this room," he would ask while gesturing to room five with another arm. [color=#00BF00]"I'm not sure what it is about it but it almost seems like it has a friendlier vibe about it." The young man would now turn his attention towards the coin purse once more before fiddling about its contents and removing one hundred and twenty golden mizas. Handing the currency on over to his companion, Rhydian would allow for his smile to grow ever larger. "Thank you for letting me live with you Tazzy. This'll be the first time that I've ever had a home."

Although he was sure that he wouldn't ever really need the key, Rhydian would be sure to accept and pocket it anyways. Perhaps in the future it would come in handy. That or he could just find some kind of purpose for it. Either way, it wasn't all that serious at the moment. For now, he would simply focus on trailing after Tazrae as she had begun to make her way back toward the kitchen. "Admittedly, I'm not all that picky. I'm completely fine with any meal that you trust yourself to make. Or you could go out and make an experimental dish! I trust you Tazzy... So anything works. I promise."

Word Count: 771
Total Word Count: 12,629