RP:Can't We All Just Get Along?

Part of the Once Upon a Midnight Dreary Arc

Summary: A team of four is now expanded to a team of six, provided they don't stab one another first.

The Jolly Roger

Leoxander | The warning on the door said it all, and although it was not a dangerous atmosphere, the same could not be said for the people who took that risk and entered the once abandoned warehouse. Because of Eleanor’s contribution, shelves were once again stocked with an array of bottles with various glass, a boozer’s double rainbow behind the large bar, with its glazed surface worn with ring stains and knife scars. Chairs had been repositioned around the few tables wiped clean of dust, hanging oil lamps lit, and although it was void of drunken patrons with their swear words and laughter, the Jolly Roger seemed to have some life, once again. It’s owner was in a similar state. Behind the counter in a lean against it, a few lists and a map spread out in front of him, near the cheese sandwich he was working on and a nearly empty glass of something surely potent. He was dressed in clean clothing, but the usual black attire, his short sleeved shirt fit a bit snug to chest and shoulders for the fact he wasn’t showing ribs and bones through heavily inked skin, anymore. Burn marks all healed up, knots finally pulled out of hair that was cut to the edge of his jaw, a shave from the morning prior starting to fill back in. Twin blades were visible holstered to a skull-head buckled belt but it could be assumed there were more where that came from, and possibly planted behind the bar near his position. Doors unlocked, he kept himself busy with marks and notes both mental and made on parchment, maybe a sketch here or there in the corners, awaiting anticipated arrivals.

Meri :: As it was explained to Meri, Rilla has encountered a someone or two that might be quite useful to try and include on their current mission. This would normally be a matter that Meri would be particularly resistant in. Invite strangers into sensitive and secretive matters? Meet these strangers on their own turf? Yet as Rilla continued to explain the situation to tattooed woman, she was slowly less inclined to dig the heels of her boots stubbornly into the earth. It quickly became quite clear to her that Rilla has encountered two individuals that Meri is quite familiar with. One more than the other. It is with the encouragement of Rilla that Meri sends out word to the rest of the group, requesting another meeting, again in Rynvale but this time she does not pick SoulsKin as the meeting location. She wants the gals to meet up at the Jolly Roger. The blonde was one of the first to arrive, which is not the norm for Meri. Not ever since she decided to pop out one of those little womb gremlins, but both child and husband were back on the mainland while mommy runs around stirring up trouble. Upon entering the Jolly Roger, blue eyes are quick to notice Leoxander and he's greeted with, "So yoooou're the pirate sticking his nose in my business, mmm?" The tone of her voice and the smirk that curves at her red lips should be quite telling, Meri's just joking around. Her gaze is not upon for Leo for long, it drifts around the room, taking in the decor. And while she makes this visual sweep of the room? She's also trying to locate a certain spellrogue.

Rilla may have orchestrated this meeting, but that didn’t mean she was comfortable with it. The scents and sounds of other people were still overwhelming in large numbers and Rilla was quick to be set on edge. The young vampire arrived without ceremony, in the door silently before she pressed it shut behind her, crystalline gaze flashing around the Jolly Roger, falling on the occupants with a slight smile before she crossed to sit at the bar. She perched on the edge of her seat, shoulders stiff in the black leather of her jacket that hung open. The same holster of blades around her torso, though only the straps were visible where they crisscrossed over her thin frame. “There aren’t a ton of pirates I’d consider trusting.” Rilla pointed out with raised brows and a flash of a smile. “Definitely not one I’ve just now met.” She looked from one werewolf to the other, wrinkling her nose. “Do you guys know that you smell?” Rilla teased, one hand sunk deep into her pocket as she leaned against the bartop with the other arm. “I’m guessing that means I smell too.” At least while it was just the three of them Rilla could joke around despite her hesitation in general.

Eleanor would be lying if she said she wasn't having reservations about this meeting. Everything was falling into place a little too easily, doors opening almost too quickly, and the on-edge instincts of a decade or more of deceit and subterfuge were coiling between her shoulder blades. She didn't know Rilla, but she implicitly trusted Leo. Sinner though she may be, she wouldn't lie to /him/, and it was shortly after the only faintly-known vampire arrived that the spellrogue announced her own entrance. Of course, it was nothing special. She walked out of a supply closet, her right palm briefly lit up with vibrant blue ink as the door became portal and then went back to a door again. The arcane gesticulation was swift, as was the next where she pulled on a black glove to match its partner and strode purposefully toward the bar. The spellrogue wore a loose, nondescript black linen cloak, hood lowered into a puddle. Her flax-and-wheat waves were twisted into a series of braids that were then woven into each other before draping over her right shoulder. She wore a thin iron band around her head, a five-sided turquoise its centerpiece in her brow. The rest of her clothes were just as unassuming as the coat, layers of black but tailored to her figure. After returning the glove to her right hand, she subtly tugged on the cuff of her left-hand glove, covering a bandage and narrow stain of black ink with her sleeve. The only other tattoos visible were azure swirls around her neck, shown off as she turned to lift her celadon twins toward Leo. "Weel, isnae thes gonnae be fun," she mumbled aside to him with a meager but definitely crooked grin. Redirecting her attention toward Meri, she lifted her brows and snorted. "Shoods hae ken." There was no bitterness in the words, only wry understanding and a bit of resignation, too. Swiping Leo's drink in her right hand, she let her cloak fall just enough to shroud her left arm as she finished off his strong brew. Returning the tumbler to the bartop, she'd help herself to refill it and fixed her gaze on Rilla. "If we ur tae be honest," she interjected with a tempered chuckle, "he's th' only pirate worth troostin'." Not that she was biased, she was speaking from experience; nevertheless, Leo was spared an amused side-glance. Taking a swallow from the fresh pour, she left it on the counter this time and busied her right hand with fishing out her smokes. She didn't light one, didn't even remove one from the pack, but once it was found, she set it beside the glass and played well into her thief role by sniping a bite of his sandwich. At least if her mouth was full of food, she wouldn't say something stupid. Or anything at all.

Khitti || The last time Khitti came to Rynvale, she was in her usual state of dress and had no weapons on her. This time? It was quite the opposite. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was going into a pirate den. Maybe. Possibly. Now she was sporting the masterpiece Iintahquohae had crafted for her: a two-piece black silk dress. The Queen Anne neckline on the bodice was a different sort Khitti was used to, but it still retained the usual sleeveless-ness as all of her dresses, while the skirt had been given the circle style, left loose for function over fashion, and given an above-the-knee length--the whole thing was paired with black studded leather leggings and her usual black boots. She couldn’t even feel the small true steel plates that had been sandwiched between the fabric and even as she headed to the meeting place, she marveled at its weightlessness. It had been used in her harpe, Sol--which was strapped to her back with its partner, the gladius, Embershard--but one couldn’t really tell by looking at it or holding it, as it’d been mixed with other metals as well. Khitti would enter the building, but she wouldn’t find a seat for herself. She was fine standing, thanks. She eyed Leoxander and Eleanor warily before heading to linger somewhere near her sister, to whom she gave a bro punch to the shoulder, before giving her space to do… whatever a Meri does when she’s in the company of folk like this. Rilla’s also given a silent nod. Khitti doesn’t exactly have much to say, because she truly only really knew and fully trusted one person in this building. It’s likely the person she bro-punched.

Penelope still barely knows jack-squat about Rynvale, so she is the last to enter the Jolly Roger. Nel is not necessarily late, but she still feels breathless with the scurrying thinking she would be. “Hey,” it is short and to the whole crew, her gaze searching for a canteen in her satchel before mindlessly sitting down at the bar near the crowd, but not too close. “Aren’t coffee-talks a thing, Meri? Maybe a scone to go with it?” okay, Nel this is no tea party. Her humor is, of course, dry just like a scone. They are in a bar, though, so… but possibly with a sketchy pirate? Was that right? Whatever. Food aside for now, the Ardelian runs a brief hand through frizzled hair that is pinned on one side to keep, at least some, loose strands from clouding her freckled face. The woman is simple with black pants, black boots, a cream sweater, and a camel coat over the top. Her medical satchel was, of course, equipped across her torso. She, however, is not stupid enough to come completely empty handed, so a blade is kept within her boot. Just for safety, right? Is that okay? Moss eyes sort of scan over new faces which was not really something that made the woman uncomfortable. After all, she saw new faces every day when patching people up. Observing is what she did, so she would do that while filling her mouth with water from the canteen.

Leoxander hadn’t exactly been told who he would be meeting with that day. Rilla had only hinted at the fact he might be familiar with some. That didn’t exactly narrow it down, for all the years he’d been roaming Lithrydel lands, but he couldn’t quite afford to be picky about the situation, for the time being. As Meri arrived, he helped himself to another bite of his sandwich and slowly stood upright from his lean. Her amusing question earned a glance with a lifted brow while he fished another clean tumbler or two from behind the counter, placing one in front of Rilla as she made her way inside and took a seat. “Can’t say I ain’t a gen’lman, comin’ to the ladies’ aid.” A joke of his own, and a hilarious one at that, giving himself the title of a gentleman. Rilla’s observation of lycanthrope scent brought her a muttered, “Good to see you again, too.” He reached for the rum bottle and turned the label toward her with an unspoken question of offer and if it would suffice. Distracted for a moment by Eleanor’s arrival, he bit back some of the tension in his tone and responded to the spellrogue with a low spoken, “Not that we’re short on ‘fun’, these days…” Perhaps his hackles were still just a little raised from the cryptic party they had attended, but it was in the past. He waited until she refilled and set his drink back down before he took a swallow to wash down the last of his lunch, then began to fold up the old Rynvale map and stack documents away to a cubby out of sight. Blue eyes lifted through dirty blond toward the door that opened again… and again, faces becoming less and less familiar. Still, he’d raise his jaw to greet Khitti and Penelope, the steeled stare natural, usual for the pirate. “If I didn’ know better I’d guess it was my bloody birthday. But I -do- know better. You expectin’ any more?” He directed this question to Rilla, considering she was the conductor of the dame-train.

Meri :: Rilla's appearance is met with a grin, but the expression is not formed just because she is happy to see the vampire. Rilla's jokes about scent were particularly amusing to the blonde, possibly because she was about to give in to her bad behavior....Again. Dear, Rilla. Do you enjoy your personal space? Well that's just too damn bad because Meri's going to invade it right now, so that she can make show of trying to get a lungful of Rilla's scent. "Mmm, you do. But you're not the stankiest vampire I have ever had the misfortune of smelling." Yes. Stank. At least Meri tops her invasion of personal space with a proper roasting. She steps away from Rilla, lest the young vampire end up decking the werewolf...not that Meri would fault her. Alas, Meri's not done misbehaving. The moment that Khitti appears, the blonde points to the redhead and declares, shortly after she is bro-punched in the shoulder, "She -was- the stankiest vampire I have ever had the misfortune to smell." Meri's wild streak is tempered at this point, fully aware that she'll have to take on a more serious attitude at some point. This meeting needed to get started. Nel's joke is met with a wry smile. A shrug is given to Eleanor as Meri settles into a seat for herself, "What can I say? Girl's got to keep herself entertained." What did they expect from the woman who touted the public persona of "Adventurer's Guild Leader". Meri needed some kicks, some thrills, whatever. Yet the details of this mission were not part of that public persona. "So I believe you already know we're after a ship. Except, we're less interested in the ship itself and considerably more interested in putting a stop to the activities that occurring upon this ship." She already knew how a bulk of people in this room felt about the situation, they've already been given a run down. It's because of this that Meri's gaze remains predominantly on Eleanor and Leoxander. "So the name of the ship we're looking into is the Golden Rose. And the activity we're looking to stop...? Well they might put up the front of being good and honest merchants but they really make a bulk of their gold...trading people." Anyone who knows Meri in depth knows she is far from the most honest woman, but there are some things that not even the blonde is okay with. Slavery is one of them. "I don't think I really need to go in depth explaining why we want to stop that, seems obvious enough to me." A brow is lifted, "But I am curious to know why you two are interested in involving yourselves."

Rilla ’s gaze fixed on each new occupant one by one as they entered and found their place. Most of these people were vaguely known, a job’s a job and she had empirical evidence that they were on the same side at least some of the time. Each new occupant leaves her feeling more and more underdressed - baggy black cotton pants cinched in around her ankles, disappeared into boots, but Rilla was nearly always dressed the same - overtly practical and in all black. Other colours were overrated. “I didn’t say I wasn’t happy to *see* you.” She laughed, nodding her consent to the offered drink, and mouthing a quick ‘thank you’ out of politeness. Meri’s approach earned further stiffening, a split-second decision not to lash out at the lycan. Instead her nose wrinkled, a fanged smile flashed and she winked at Meri. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” Eleanor’s appearance was met with a cautious stare, she stilled entirely for a long moment before fingertips tapped against the bar and Rilla looked away to Penelope who was offered a nod and tip of two fingers in greeting as everyone else carried on, trusting that the familiarity between the other women would lead to peace instead of infighting. She snorted at Leo’s joke and shook her head at him, “not that I know of. And I’m not sure they’re the right kind of ladies for that. Maybe next year, if you’re good.” Straightening up, she rested her heels on the beam of her seat, falling silent as Meri began. She was next to speak, voice low and calm as gold-flecked eyes flashed between Leoxander and Eleanor. “He and I go back,” Rilla nodded her chin towards Leo, finally settling cautiously on Eleanor, “trust is earned. Why trust you?” Her jaw set, guarded and protective over the other women despite it being clear that they could fend for themselves. She tapped a gentle pattern against the bartop with one hand, short nails clicking softly. “You give me a reason and I’ll give you one too.” She said, lofting a brow at the other woman. Too forward? A little rude? Definitely. But manners were never Rilla’s strong suit.

Eleanor drowned what she had managed to steal before Leo finished off his own food and engaged herself with the pack of smokes. The tin case was passed between left to right to left, much as her eyes were bouncing between familiar faces. As everyone settled in the room, the rogue leader found herself able to identify each face, if it had been two or more years since their brief encounters. She breathed out another laugh, clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. While everyone exchanged jabs, she finally pulled the hand-rolled herb from the pack, but she held off on lighting it, leaving it pinched between two fingers of her good hand. Meri unfolded the story for their benefit, and during, the spellrogue kept her gaze on the psion, further comments held off, for now. At least, until the questions were pitched back on her, and a dry chuckle rasped in her chest. "Ye ken why Ah'm haur, loove," she told Meri plainly, brow arched. "Ah really, really loch gold." Her crimson lips twisted in a dark smirk, but it didn't reach her eyes. The words were fact, but the truth was never that simple, was it? The mention of slavery was rapidly being shifted and turned over in her mind. El had to focus hard on the adventurer to keep her own facade from sharing just how she, too, felt about such obscenity. Even her left hand trembled for just a heartbeat, and she balled it into a fist full of fresh pain, holding it against the bartop and exhaling with forced casualness. Pale eyes flashed toward Rilla, and Eleanor's smirk broke into a crooked, dimpled grin. "Ye definitely shoods /nae/ troost me reit now." Signaling Leoxander with a deep angle of her chin, she added, "Bu' /he/ diz." Sometimes, at least. Right now? Maybe, maybe not. Sinners gonna sin. Her thumb flicking the cigarette, Meri received her level stare once more. "An' ye used tae. We main nae agree aw th' time, bu' ye ken, if Ah say Ah'll dae somethin', I'll feckin' dae it."

Khitti narrowed her eyes at Meri and smirked, “Rude. And here, I told you that you, and Callum, and Lionel all had very distinct scents, that were not at all terrible, when I was able to actually smell things that well.” Brand was in there too but… who’s Brand again? “I’ll have to remember to gift you ten gallons of the most flowery perfume I can find for Yule, to get rid of the wet dog smell when the rainy season comes in the spring.” Yes, Khitti had a mouth just as bad as her sister. “And besides, we aren’t all “blessed” with the ability to breathe air -and- have heightened senses.” Perhaps it was a bit much, but sometimes the ‘you’re not a vampire anymore, so you’re not special’ joke was rather triggering. It wasn’t as bad today, however. Khitti soon quieted herself as Meri got down to business and addressed the pirate and the spellrogue, her attention shifting towards the door, bare arms crossing over her chest. There was still the matter of that shadow elemental and just as Khitti had been since the situation with it started, she was rather watchful of the exits and/or windows in whatever building she was in. She was still listening though, as she too wondered what these two actually were going to get out of this whole thing. Whatever pay she’d get from it--if there was any--she sure as hell wasn’t sharing. Alcoholism was a cruel mistress to one’s coin purse. Rilla offered up her own explanations and questions and Khitti couldn’t help but grin at the bluntness and lack of sugarcoating. She did her best to try to cover it up, but… it’s still there nevertheless. It would eventually shift back to Khitti’s usual pensive frown as the conversation continued, and Khitti finally chimed in. “Well, I don’t trust either one of you and if you do something to jeopardize this mission or get the three of them hurt, it’s not gold you’ll be getting,” she said, offering the two an extremely brief sickeningly sweet smile. She meant that she’ll be stabbing them. A lot.

Penelope is tuned in, but eyes do not really show it, for she was looking around the place. Out of the bunch, the healer was sort of a sore thumb, really. No fancy wolf genes, nor vampire. Just an ordinary human. Witch, really. Only there for the good of things, and that meant the health-side of it all. Then again, she did break into a building? For the good, duh. Anyway, Nel was a talker, but more of a talker to herself more than anything. She was not shy by any means, but why would she waste everyone’s time with nonsensical, verbal word usage? So, in conclusion, she is silent as the others spoke. When it came to business, she would give her two cents when she needed—which was normally why she was called to most places. The Ardelian was a workaholic, it was fine. Meri goes on about the Golden Rose, and it is not until she asks Eleanor and Leoxander what they want out of the mission that curiosity strikes again. Eyes attentively lift before Rilla is chiming in with a cautious and tenser atmosphere towards Eleanor while Nel picks at painted nails out of idle habit. There is amusement that is in her eyes, but pale lips are flat. As for Khitti’s comment, a solid nod is given. “Please don’t make me waste my med supplies,” was all that was said in a voice of monotone. Yeah, Nel was going to give the two strangers the benefit, but she was leaning more on Khitti’s skepticism. Since, of course, this was not a normal crowd she would surround herself in.

Leoxander was no bartender, and he typically made that known, but he would be generous enough to put a few additional half cut glasses and a decent bottle of vodka on the countertop to let them help themselves, if desired. Rilla would be the exception, as he’d known that particular redhead the longest, plus he’d already offered her a drink, which was poured as Meri began to go over the details of their mission. Some of which he already knew. His jaw tightened when it was revealed exactly what was being smuggled by who he assumed was a ‘Mister Morgan’, verifying the bad gut feeling he’d had for the way Rilla had worded things that rainy day. And with that confirmation of cargo, he couldn’t help but turn a brief look directly upon Eleanor, who hadn’t exactly kept her cool the last time they’d encountered a display of slave trade. After the vampire spoke on his and her past to Meri, he tilted his skull enough to agree to that, and paused for a moment as he let Eleanor answer that very blunt proposal for trust. It was pretty obvious to the former captain that tension was running high in the warehouse that day, and had to silently hope a spark didn’t ignite a fire within those walls. He’d just cleaned that place back up. “What, you implyin’ I’m the sort that needs his back scratched?” Leo couldn’t even keep a straight face saying that, but sobered up quickly from the smirk. “I been outt’a the game a while. Not exactly by choice…” His eyes shifted briefly back toward Eleanor. “Now that we’re back in…” He included the spellrogue in that sentence, “Doesn’t hurt to have a few extra cards up a sleeve. Not to mention ‘Stinky’ here promised a favor.” An off handed motion toward Rilla given there. It was when Khitti joined in the conversation that Leo very nearly grinned, a chuff of breath the only type of laugh he could manage. “Temptin’, but I got enough claw marks.” Perhaps a hint that he knew who she was, and what she had been. Penelope’s added remark caused Leo to regard the healer with a random, low spoken comment. “You remind me of someone…” That pause, then right back to the topic at hand. “I will ask, though…” He returned his attention to Meri, as from what he could tell, seemed to be the officer amongst the four. “What’dya gonna do with the ship?” It wasn’t the vessel he was after, but if they planned to destroy the cursed thing, he might at least salvage some parts for his end goal.

Meri :: The start of the meeting seemed nice and light-hearted, jokes were made, drinks were poured, everything seemed savvy. Until the issue of trust is brought up. Tension was starting to build in the room that was never a good thing then the entire purpose of the meeting was to expand upon the team. There were times where the blonde's poker face was on point, but in this moment and with this crowd...? She really did not care to mask her emotions, her annoyance was warn plainly on her face. "I think we might want to take a moment to remember how this meeting came to be exactly." Sure, it was Meri's mission. She was calling the shots, pulling the strings, but making the team of four a team of six? Well, someone else pitched this idea to her. "And if that isn't good enough of a frakkin' reason to get everyone to calm their titties, then how about this?" Meri makes a motion to each individual around the room, "I think I have built enough rapport with each of you over the years to be able to say this? We can trust each other long enough to work together for -one- job. Bare. Frakkin'. Minimum." The tattooed woman does have the understanding that she may have a stronger working relationship with some over others...? But she hoped that it would be enough to get everyone to calm the eff down. Honestly, every since being bitten? It does not take much for Meri to lose her temper, and this crowd is well on their way to accomplishing that. "So either we move past this subject and get over ourselves? Or we don't work together." A look is shot to Eleanor and Leoxander. "No disrespect to you two." Meri is again addressing the entire crowd. "But the bottom line is, I'm not going in with a team that may or may not break down into bickering when it's go time. The goal is to put a stop to the traders, not...hand them someone else to sell on a silver platter." Meri lifts a brow, shifting a pointed glance to each individual. "So what the hell are we doing, hm?" For the moment, the blonde's rear remained in the stool, but that could change. "Are we stabbin' some slave traders and seeing how much gold we can get off them, or not?" At least one person seems to be on the same page as Meri is right now, so rather than wait for an answer from the ladies, Meri pins her gaze upon the werewolf. She shrugs, "I don't really have a purpose for the ship. I have not figured out if we'll even be attempting to board said ship to try and put a stop to these traders? Or if it would be better to attempt to intercept them while on a trade." Meri wrinkles up her nose, "I lean toward intercepting a trade, but still...Even if we did that? It'd leave the ship pretty vulnerable for the taking, I am sure." Thoughts, Pirate? Help a blonde get this meeting back on course?

Rilla was still a new vampire - a couple of years, most of which was spent on the run - and was very much still learning. Her head cocked curiously, watching the sisters together from outside looking in as they bantered. That had never been for her, but suddenly she had all the time in the world (or less than 1 year depending on how successful she and Penelope were in saving them all). Rose-tinted lips pursed, raising her glass to her mouth and tipping back half the glass easily, hand rested overtop it instinctively once she took her smoke-rimmed eyes off of it. “Then I won’t.” She breathed back to Eleanor, crystalline gaze fixed on the spellrogue skeptically. “And maybe you shouldn’t trust me either.” Rilla leaned forward, rested her elbows on her knees as she eyed the other woman with a crooked, easy grin of challenge. An echo of the young, cocky girl who’d lived here a decade ago but had long retreated in favour of silence and sarcasm. “But for now there are bigger fish to fry. If you’re planning to stab me you can do it later.” She shrugged, posture softening with a slowly drawn breath, shoulders lowering on the exhale as she returned her glass to her lips and drained it easily. “I figured that with Leo having space here he may be able to arrange for a sale without tipping our traffickers off that anything’s amiss. But depending on what they’ve got on the boat we might need to get control of it. Keep the crew from sailing away before we’re done with them.” She crossed one leg over the other, eyeing each person one by one. “Does anyone know anything about this Morgan fellow other than that he gives me the heebie-jeebies?”

Eleanor kept her wicked grin in place, rolling sculpted shoulders in an unaffected shrug. "Guid," was all she parted with. She only needed some of them to trust her anyway. Pressing her hip into the bar, and as a result, turning her shoulder toward the room at large, the blonde pulled the cigarette to her lips. Cupping her hands around the other end, she snapped a blue spark into play, drawing the hand-rolled herbs in with a leisurely inhale. Although she didn't appear to be here to make friends (or if she was, was really, terribly, horribly bad at it), El wasn't a total monster either, and at least had the decency to exhale the fragrant smoke around the wrinkle of her smirk, away from this tentative new crew. Tilting her head to one side, she slid a hooded eye toward Meri again. "If ye wan' thes tae be smooth sailin'," she began coyly, lowering the cigarette until it was close to her hip, "Ah'm sure Ah can donate a few muir souls toward yer cause." The shadow-laced muscle was easy to manage, but it was also the closest she might get to hinting at there being more of an operation behind herself and the pirate, for the benefit of Meri's friends, that is.

Khitti rolled her eyes at Meri and her declaration of everyone should be able to play nice and work together. “You know who I work with. A certain Arkhen-loving deputy guildleader that I want to flay on an almost daily basis. If I haven’t killed Rorin yet… or turned that crab freak Kreekitaka into a seafood bar, I’m quite sure we’ll be fine.” Meaning, yes, this would probably turn out okay. “But, I’m not going to pretend that I like it, especially not when my sister, and people my brother care about, are a part of it.” But, for Meri’s sake, Khitti wasn’t arguing. Just stating facts and giving assurances. It would not be the first time she’d been made to work with people she didn’t know or wasn’t keen on--the Warrior’s Guild had been full of jobs like that--and it wouldn’t be the last. Sorry, guys, as Leoxander has implied, this Khat’s got claws still, even without the vampirism. She gave an impatient gesture of her hand as if to say ‘continue please’, then went back to having her arms crossed and those olive-green eyes of hers directed towards the door as she listened to the others. “I honestly don’t think we need more people,” she said, her words directed towards Eleanor. “The more people there are, the more chances there are for frak-ups. I’m quite certain the six of us can handle it. And if we can’t, with the various sets of skills we have, then we have no business doing this in the first place.” There’s less pessimism and more realism and even a hint of confidence in Khitti’s words, as opposed to her cynicism from a bit ago.

Penelope :: The vodka is offered on the table, and instead of partaking, for the sake of navigating home later, she lifts her canteen back to her lips. The canteen is lowered, and the druid only offers a side-stare at Leo’s low comment. Was that even a good thing? Then, Meri cuts off her spiraling thought process before it could truly envelop her. The observations are laced with blunt truth. Why would Meri create the group if she was not sure about the outcome? Easily, Nel falls back into ease—not saying she is not still dubious, okay? Though, her persona looks a little more graceful than before and poised. Then again, Rilla is over there talking about a stabbing later? Instead of intervening again, she puts the canteen away and folds her arms. “I’m sorry, y’all. I agree with Khitti on this one. More people? Nuh. I don’t know how many people are necessarily on a ship at a time as a crew…” Beat, what a thought. “We can just make a plan and go from there, I think. Besides, the more time we waste gathering crew, the more people get taken. And yeah, uh, frak-ups.” There was a shrug. Blunt. Truth.

Leoxander , save ‘Nel’, seemed to be the calmest one in the room. Talk about a plot twist. Not bad for a lycanthrope pirate with a short fuse. So far he’d only given one person a bit of a side-eye, and that was to the woman on his own team - his boss, in a sense. It was entirely their prerogative if they weren’t in the mood to stamp a stool or seat. He absently rolled the cork of the rum bottle over his tattooed knuckles as Meri reeled in the attitudes and showed a bit of an alpha display, then fit it into the top once he’d refreshed the glass he shared with the spellrogue. “Gotta weigh yer options. People who trade people don’t just dock an’ go without havin’ a backup plan in the works. An’ I do mean backup. If they been at this awhile, they’ll be expectin’ trouble every trip and hirin’ blades ready at port.” His arms folded in a comfortable cross over his chest, the inked scorpion with it’s back broken by an old, life-changing bite on display. Tongue ran across a canine a bit larger than a human’s should be as he took a second to run scenarios over in his mind. “You’d avoid that interceptin’, best bet would be in the water, but that’ll get messy and you got the hassle of findin’ a worthy war ship. Any idea how well they’re stocked for weaponry? Count on crew? If not, it’ll take up more time to get that known, an’ I know time’s not easily afforded with this type’a situation. But better to go one go than retreat and have them on their guard.” He scratched the nautical star inked on the forearm opposite of the lycan bite, turning over ideas to let them cook evenly. He was more or less ignoring the ‘you trust, don’t trust, piss off’ game played between the others and focusing with his fellow ‘Were’. “Now, if you could get someone on that ship… in crew…” He more or less knew who might be the most obvious candidate for that, but it wasn’t his mission. Not to mention Meri was the true Kingfisher. “Might make your job a helluva lot easier.” His attention diverted to Eleanor as she made her unperturbed offer, over toward Khitti with her brusque reply, but Rilla’s spoken idea swayed his focus back to her. “You’re askin’ a lot riskin’ war on my territory.” Yeah, he’d said it. -His-. In his mind that’s exactly what it was. “I don’t want these blaggards back to retaliate knowin’ I’m a bloody narc, savvy? Don’t need that kinda attention, here.”

Meri shifts her gaze between Eleanor and Rilla, not entirely sure of the tension would die down? Or if the situation would escalate? The answer seemed to be neither, the tension was still there but it was at least tempered enough that perhaps they could at least further their plans? Even Khitti seemed to be willing to move forward. And when Meri's sister makes her point to Eleanor about not needing more people? The blonde bobs her head in a nod of agreement, wrangling the current team into working together was already proving challenging enough. Nel also chimed in with her thoughts on no more people. It seemed there was agreement on that matter, at least. Meri is unwilling to linger on the tension, instead moving forward with the planning so that they could eventually wrap this meeting up. "Actually that is the thing...? No one that I have talked to has actually seen our friend Captain Morgan. Other members of the crew, sure...? But not the Captain." Which definitely struck Meri as odd, usually it was not nearly this hard to drum up some amount of information on a Captain of a particular ship. Yet she was confident that if they pulled at enough strings? Everything would unravel. Rilla's suggestion that they use Leo's place at a bait location? Well Meri heard it, but as far as the tattooed blonde was concerned? This was indeed Leo's place, so she let the pirate answer. And when he did not answer in the affirmative? The subject was not pressed. Judging by the expression held on Meri's face, she was not exactly keen on the notion of a full on ship-to-ship battle. "Yeah, no. Getting another ship." Yes, Khitti, Meri is hardcore ignoring that Viera as a ship. She's not asking. It's not happening. "..on short notice? Where we can let chunks get blown out of it?" The blonde snorts. "I think the crew is around...forty? And you know given what they're doing, they're armed to the teeth. Ain't no way." Meri doesn't even need to have solid information on that. The blonde makes a cross-eyed expression. Leo made a very valid point when it came to trying to get someone on the crew. Would Meri? Well that would be an interesting conversation to have with the husband. "So what I am getting is, we are all finally settling on the notion of working together. We're definitely not using this place as a bait point. Leo's right. It'll turn him right into the Rynvale narc. And if we're going with the word of the pirate? Then some sort of sea attack is going to be the way to go, hm? If we're all on the same page finally...Then I think I've got a bit more information to dig up and a bit more planning to do."

Rilla was used to rogues and their attitudes. It wasn’t like hers was any better. Maybe once she’d had time to play nice, now all she wanted to know was how closely to watch her back. She fell silent, listening to the wolves go back and forth, bright blue eyes following the conversation back and forth and back again, arms crossed loosely over her chest, pulling her jacket closed around her. At least that was the plan, to listen, until Leo addressed her again and Rilla straightened up with a shrug. “I didn’t literally mean here, but I’m not making you do anything.” She said dismissively, not one to push. “But hypothetically were they to wander nearby someone might set up a meeting with a potential buyer or maybe they need an extra set of hands - I’m sure someone could go missing easily enough while they’re docked and we can get our hands on board.” She shifted forward, boots thudding softly against the floorboards as her hands rested behind her on the seat she’d vacated. “If you don’t want to do it on land, that is. Either way, Meri’s right. We need more information if we’re doing this at sea.”

Eleanor 's full lips curled into a ghost of a smirk, and she drew in another deep drag of her cigarette, relishing in the burn as she mulled over the 'plans,' as they were laid out. Exhaling through her nose, she stole Leo's glass again, refilled if necessary, and added another burn to her herbal ruminations. She'd moved her left hand off the bar, hiding it under the folds of her cloak one again, and, surrendering an empty glass to the pirate, pushed away from the counter altogether. The smoke was pinched precariously between her lips, and a cherry bobbed on its end as she added a few thick-voiced words into the fray. "It's a'right," she directed toward Leo. "They dornt wan' their 'elp, cannae make 'em." Well, a few well-placed shadows could go unnoticed by most, but she'd not risk it with Meri. Still speaking to her returned partner-in-crime, she dropped a low, "Ah came haur fur ye." And true to her word to him, she /tried/ to behave, even if such a straight and narrow path were oft untraveled by the guilty-handed murderer; and she knew he expected nothing less. Sliding her pale eyes back to the Kingfisher, she gave a deep nod, pulling the cig from her mouth. "Ye ken Ah'll dae whit Ah can tae help." She's just going to do it while being obstinately difficult. Nevertheless, in the hopes of clearing a more straightforward route through tension-infested waters, she had one last offering for other shadow queen. "In fact — if we cannae breach by water, Ah bet we can find ye someplace /safe/ … neutral thes week. Anither warehouse, mebbe? I'm sure a certain 'lady' 'as a few she doesnae use anymaur." El lifted her brows toward Leo at the suggestion, and with that, turned away from the bar. She wasn't leaving the JR, but she definitely wasn't staying in this room and made her way into the back, searching for something to eat to soak up all this alcohol.

Khitti || “If no one else is going to volunteer to do it, then I will. I’m getting rather tired of going around in circles and not getting to the damned point,” Khitti said at length, regarding getting someone in on their crew and Eleanor’s somewhat bitter remark. “After all the times I’ve had to use illusion magic on myself for various things--” Like when she actually wanted to sing at the Whaler’s and not be ambushed by fans of the Sound of Sirens. “--I’m well acquainted with it. And if things seem like they’re going downhill, I can get out of it without making much of a ruckus.” To demonstrate this, Khitti shadow-stepped from her spot throughout the duration of this “conversation” over to where the alcohol was, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and shadow-stepped back, leaving wispy bits of shadows in her wake both times. “And--” She popped the cork and took a much needed drink after all of this. “--it ain’t gonna happen in Cenril either. We’ve got quite enough going on there that I’m trying to take care of right now. So… Lure them to Chartsend. That bastard Wilhelm has all manner of folk like these slavers crawling all over. They wouldn’t be out of place. You just need to make them think there’s something worth getting there.” Khitti shrugged, then dug into that bottle again. “If there’s research I can help with, you know how to find me.” Meaning, perhaps, not quite the shady info Meri’s adept at getting and more if she found out anything regarding the ships or crew or -something- that she could look into for her.

Penelope falls back into that silence again. The calm was engrained in her personality. Patient. Observant. Talkative though on a regular day, but this was not really a regular situation. Nothing really was lately. Anyway, decisions were now up to the rest because… the girl was not familiar with this territory. She was the sort of person to take said-demand and attempt to execute if that was a good move. Usually sad luck was the best bet on the Ardelian, but she was just waiting on the day the rug would slip from under her. The whole crew is back and forth on the subject. Moss eyes bounce around to each face. “If I can avoid being sliced and diced by forty crewmen, that would be just hunky-dory,” she stands to stretch. “I think doing some more digging would be a good idea. Don’t captains have like… a right-hand man or something?” The question was one that was rhetorical and just out in the air in all the other thoughts. Khitti’s intervening words and shadow stepping made another whirl swirl in her brain. “Okay, I think more investigating would be a great idea. Anyway, I’ll, uh, be in my usual whereabouts if you need any help with the digging too, Meri. I don’t know what kind of hand I can really be, but yeah. I rest my case.” The woman puts that canteen back in her satchel for the meantime for the next travel.

Leoxander almost revealed another smirk as the title he was known to have: pirate. One day it might return to Captain, but definitely not that day. “First mate.” He answered Penelope’s question before he resumed the meeting’s conversation. “I’m a business man. Just gotta look from every angle. I think intel on the inside is your way in, and last I checked yer not bad at that.” With a hand still hindered by crossed arms gesturing toward Khitti’s volunteer, to make a point. Once again, he addressed Rilla, who had made that meeting possible. “I’ll give you this. I’ll keep an eye on the docks for yer mark and have a trusted few keepin’ watch, but I won’t say why. They don’t typically ask me questions, anyhow. Small steps to lead up to a runnin’ leap, if you get me.” His gaze followed Eleanor for a moment and he could feel the change in her mood, not that it had been relaxed to begin with, but acknowledged the woman whose brand might have flickered faintly on his chest before he spotted Khitti and her bold steal of a bottle. This time, he’d let it slide. Consider it a peace offering. “Chartsend ain’t a bad idea. But there’s another spit of land you might consider.” Leo knew that remote location well, considering once upon a time with a sin-eater at his side and a ship under his feet, he had unintentionally grounded the Eternity upon it, after a brutal storm. “Not that far from here an’ Cenril’s shores. That might be your way to avoid the locals pitchin’ in - last I heard it’s just a bunch of... “ Well, he looked at Meri to finish that statement. Lycan, and a wild lot. But probably nothing they couldn’t handle or keep at bay. Perhaps even with some extra shadows to assist. “I say we mull this over, or rather, you do, an’ we meet once more to hear what you’ve got set in stone. Plans built in a day come with a lotta risk.” It was about as polite as he’d get with an indirect suggestion that they were adjourned, for now. He wasn’t about to risk anything blindly and had, with the Fox, thrown in their two coppers, hopefully amounting to some help for their task at hand.

Meri was not the one who needed the demonstration on Khitti's abilities, but she was glad to have it. It just meant that more minds were actually starting to focus on planning, and less on bickering about trust issues. This is where Meri wanted everyone's heads to be right now, and going forward. Especially if they wanted to be successful in their endeavors with the slave traders. Meri is up and out of her stool, pivoting about so that she is facing the crowd while also starting to back up toward the door. Before she gets too far away from the bar, the blonde claims a drink for the road. "I am soaking in and absorbing all of your ideas," the blonde states simply. "Especially yours," she points to Leo, using the hand holding the bottle of booze she has just claimed for herself. She heard it all, from Khitti's suggestion of Chartsend to that plot of land Leo was speaking of. Meri was familiar. "I'm going to process everything you've all thrown at me? And get back to you all soon." Meri's not stopping, her booted feet are taking her straight to that door. It's really quite a wonder that the psion has not managed to run into anything during all this backward walking? Yet she manages it. Somehow. Maybe it's a psion thing. "If any of you need me for anything? You all know that I'm not too dreadful hard to find." A sassy smirk twists at her red lips, leaving the group with the charming goodbye of, "Just maybe don't need me for anything for the rest of the frakkin' night, m'kay?" Yes, her sister was probably the exception to this statement. But really? No one should read too much into Meri's goodbye. It's Meri. Annnd out the door she goes.

Rilla nodded back to Leo when he spoke, mouthing a thank you to the pirate before her attention was on Meri. She laughed to herself, head dipped to hide her amusement as the blonde made her exit. Rilla herself was already making for the door with silent, but slow steps, still half people-watching. Pale hands buried in her pockets and she scanned the room once more, gaze lingering on Penelope a second longer than the others before she nodded to the healer as well. “Thanks for the drink and repartee.” Rilla smiled, despite her overall tense display earlier, hand on the door to follow Meri out. “Good to see you all well.” She managed politely and pushed the door open to disappear out it as unceremoniously as when she’d entered.

Khitti wasn’t really the type to steal full bottles of alcohol. She’s rather a fan of using that money her bakery makes to fuel her addiction. And also letting her lovely Viera illusion up some money for it. She was a good enabler. Mainly, it was to make the point that she can move in short range spurts when she needed to--even if it meant teleporting out of a ship and into the ocean itself to get the frak away. If worse came to worse, maybe Khitti will just open up a nice big ship-sized portal to the Shadow Plane and let the merrow on the other side deal with the slavers. People say what they’ve got to say as Khitti teleported again, this time over to Leoxander. There’s a handful of gold coins--definitely a bit more than what that bottle was worth to be honest--dropped in front of them for the whiskey before she’s shadow-stepping away again. Khitti was pretty sure they weren’t the type of folk to just turn away gold, but just in case they decided to feel charitable and turn it down? Her teleporting would bring her to the door, where she’d give the lycan an extremely half-assed salute, and headed outside. Curiously though, she went right, instead of left back towards town. She wanted to go check on her lovely mermaid friend, Nemona.

Penelope nods her head at the pirate’s answer. The gap was filled. ‘First mate’. A new pirate terminology. Who would have thought that Nel would meet a pirate today? Not her. Was he just like the books? The woman then listens to all the sorts of ideas, and if her brain is glossy, she cannot imagine Meri inheriting each idea. What a whiplash of thoughts. Either way, once Meri is out the door, there is a smirk. Was she amused or was she flustered? It was hard to tell on that freckled face. Then, she catches a blue gaze. As Rilla stares at the druid, the stare is held. Silent. A nod is given back and a smile eases in before it goes away with the goodbyes. “Thanks for said meet and greet.” Her eyes then find Leo before adding, “And the hospitality,” beat. “See you all soon, and, uh…” her brow furrows. “Yeah.” The woman then pivots before moving out as well. Time to head back to Sage.