"Thanks for taking me" said Kalex to the merchant.
"Hey, t's d' least I could do after y' helped me out back there" the black-bearded man, patted him in the back with a robust arm.
"And why are ye goin' north?" continued the merchant as he was loading cart.
"I'm looking for someone" said Kalex firmly, his sight changed, he was looking at merchant with challenging eyes.
"Ha ha ha!Some li'l misterious merman you are!" he laughed wide and loud "Hey, we're leavin' n' half n' hour, be sure to be here by then"
A man in his twnties came running and interrupted the -already over- conversation.
"Hey Cork, help us round up those goats, they're not ready yet!"
"Hehe, please excuse me, merman" Carl made a gesture with his straw hat and went to a circle of people trying to calm the nervous goats.

Kalex looked around, at last, after many months, he would start looking again, never to give up. He walked through the multiple groups of the caravan, all getting ready to sell their ware in Ruto. He found a familiar looking tree, where he once used to enjoy the breeze and shadow.

'Half an hour... just half an hour and we'll start again' he thought, hoping that at least this time he would be closer than before...

OOC: is this open? if so....

IC: the Castle Town was getting boring for Kasei, the only thing he had to do there nowadays was train Michael. The mercinary headed towards the drawbridge, and once on the other side, started his way home. Then he spotted some people herding goats, and among them was a zora. Deciding to be freindly, Kasei walked over. WHen he got close enough to the zora, he put on his smile, and waved his hand. "Hello." He said. "My name is Kasei, who are you?" He asked.

OOC: once more, if ya didn't want me to post, PM me and i'll delete it...

And I don't think we've ever been introduced, Im Kasei...

Blank arrived outside of the Castle Town, longing to return to the Ornery Cuccoo Tavern, if only to boast and brag at the assortment of ragtag drunks who infested its dingy corners. In a bout of 'soul-searching,' he had proven a popular theory of his: all drunks have a shot at escaping an impending death brought on by alcoholism. Still, Blank was no liquor-free Hylian. He ran his fingers over the smooth flask that lay in the pocket of his jerkin, wondering if he could be daring enough to take even the smallest sip.

Knowing very well the danger of traveling to a place so overrun with Knights, Blank normally tried to avoid even congregating at the drawbridge. Today, however, he was met with the sight of someone he had gotten to know quite well since he had initially become a fugitive of the law. Alex, the Zora ranger and one of the nomad's fellow Twilight Guardians, was preparing to leave with a caravan. It was a convenient means of conveyance, and he too felt the need to follow the pack. Blank watched as his scaled comrade mingled throughout the merchant groups and found a spot under the famous tree of the Castle Gatehouse.

“Looks like I'm not the only one of us who chances a visit to the castle grounds every so often, eh Alex?” he commented as he leaned against the great tree next to the Zora. The soft summer breeze ran through his hair as he spoke to the other Guardian and wondered why the Zora looked so forlorn as he always did. “Alex... you're going questing again, I know it. I'll be damned if I'm going to stand by and watch you do what you have to do all by yourself. And I can get more people to help you!” The nomad leaped away from the tree, opening his arms to the world. “Who will join us! Will you? Or you? Or you?!” he yelled, pointing at a goat as it passed by. It looked at him, an unknowing expression on its face, and then spat at the nomad's feet and continued. Blank frowned and slumped back against the tree, muttering a “Fine then” under his breath. He turned his head towards Alex, a tight grin reaching his lips. “Y'know, it couldn't hurt to round up some of our guild allies. Where's, oh, say, Rose when you need her, huh?”

Kalex looked at Kasei, surprised that the -if not well known- familiar aquiantce wouldn't recognize him. He looked deep into his eyes, the other now seemed so different ' Maybe I have changed too...'.
"I... am..." he said vaguely, not sure if he wanted to drag Kasei into his personal quest "... new around here." Maybe if he assumed that cold stance he held when he started his journey...

“Alex... you're going questing again, I know it. I'll be damned if I'm going to stand by and watch you do what you have to do all by yourself. And I can get more people to help you!”
...
“Y'know, it couldn't hurt to round up some of our guild allies. Where's, oh, say, Rose when you need her, huh?”

Kalex listened silently as he heard Blank's words, which he interpreted as ones of support. He had been relying too much on his friends after all, he had been so weak... he couldn't even keep the promise to his mother to be strong and protect his sister. As much as Blank tried to be warm and welcoming, he fell he was falling apart from his friends. He raised his trembling hand as he watched it.
"Would you... really help me?" he slowly tilted his head to look at his friend 'my friend'. A friend is powerful thing indeed...

Rose was actually nearby. Unfortunately for Blank, she was in a rather mischievous mood on this day. The ranger had been following the normally drunken nomad around all day, waiting for the right moment. And when that moment came, she was in position, giving the Hylian a little white gift on his shoulder.

She dropped to the ground, flapping her wings to slow her descent. She then changed back to her human self, grinning as soon as her lips reformed. "Hello, Blank," her voice full of amusement. "How has your day been?"

She winked at the Zora. "What's going on, Alex?"

OOC: Should we continue calling Kalex Alex, or should we change to Kalex as well?

"Rose" the Zora was already in figthing stance when the Human went back to his usual shape "...it's you" 'She is my friend too, I can rely on her, and I'm sure she can rely on me'. He looked both to Blank and Rose, was it selfish to take them with him?
"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he said with little enthusiasm. "Actually I was going to..." he hesitated for a few seconds, then out of the blue smiled as wide as he could "I'm going to Ruto with this caravan, I wanted to... resume my... training with Reg, yes..." as far as he could smile, he knew even himself wouldn't believe that, but he could as well separate from them when they arrived there.

"Well... if would like to come, that would be great you know..." he knew that Rose wouldn't need to travel in a cart to get where she wanted, and that Blank probably liked it better alone, so maybe they would decline, hopefully...

He then heard a deep but loud voice yelling in their general direction.
"Hey Merman, time to go! Yer friends can come too I don't mind!"
'My friends...' Kalex looked at them, not sure of what he wanted, he felt it was his burden to carry, but he wouldn't probably acomplish it on his own...
"So... we'll se each other around, OK?" he said as he started to head for the goat powered carts.


OOC: Now the choice is yours, shall you follow the Zora, or stay behind?

Well, while talking he refers to himself as Alex, but his real name is Kalex, so unless he asks IC to call him by that, it's better to still call him Alex.

Kasei listened intently for the few seconds of conversation. "Wait, a quest, eh? Maybe I could be of use. May I come?" He said, then turned his attention away from the zora. "I know you, your blank. But who is this woman?" Kasei said, pointing out Rose. The rebel flame had no clue that people from hyrule could change shape into birds. Heh, this is interesting, maybe I should tag along. Kasei thought, then heard that the zora was heading for training. "I guess I can come, if its alright. Seriously though, do I know you?" Kasei asked.

OOC: I would like to folow, but I doubt it was invited to me....

He didn't really know how to think. Here was Lady Rose Hillmound, performing an act of juvenile proportions during such an obviously serious moment. There were three things keeping him from openly chastising the ranger: One, she was an-general, and could likely beat his silly nomad pants off any day of the week; Two, she was a woman, and Blank new well enough to not displease the female population of Hyrule; Three, she was one of his closest allies at the time. The Twilight Guardians were a very tight guild of comrades. Rose had obviously made the offensive act as a joke. It really proved that even stout disciplinary like herself had a hidden sense of humor and a knack for utter silliness.

“Nice to see you, too, Rose,” he muttered with a grimace as he grabbed a handful of leaves in one hand. In the other, he grabbed an open flask of water from off his belt and began to clean his jerkin off, using the leaves as a form of washcloth, but ultimately lacking the same effect a real fabric would have. It was one of the more ridiculous happenings of his day, anyway. When all traces of the 'gift' were eradicated, he replaced the emptied flask at his side and cast a sarcastically hateful glare at his comrade. Of course, had someone else perched in a tree and performed the same vile act, a penalty would be exacted. His face went red with embarrassment as he looked back to Alex.

A noticeable frown appeared on Blank's image as the Zora made it unclear as to whether or not company was acceptable. “Well, sure, Rose and I have nothing better to do but toss excrements about all day, it seems,” he said with another dirty look directed at his female ranger friend. His mood lightened, though, and a chuckle escaped his lips as he heard the merchant's nickname for the Zora. “Merman, is it? Well, Alex, we'd better get going, eh, friend?” spoke the nomad with a friendly wink as he hopped onto the cart, beckoning Rose to follow.

Rose laughed both at Blank's reaction and his comment about them having nothing better to do. "I could have done worse, Blank," she said with a wink, letting his imagination decide what was worse than getting crapped on by a friend as a prank.

Turning her attention back to Alex, she nodded her head. "Sure, I'll come," she replied. "I don't mind helping you 'train.'" She said train as if she didn't quite buy her story, and she didn't. The Zora had sounded unsure about what he was saying, as if he was trying to hide something. "After all, Blank is right. I have nothing better to do today." She grinned again and sent another wink at Blank.

Saber charged across the bridge to North Castle at breakneck speed, his light brown hair dragged straight behind him and rippling in the hot summer air. The glaring sun glinted off the sweat coating his reddened face as he stumbled over a small change in elevation where the bridge met land. His arms flailed every which way as he fell forward, every which way, that is, except for down, and his fall went unbroken, his face smashing into the hard, dry ground covered with the itchy dying grass that usually was found this time of year. He skidded about a foot on his face, and he rolled over as soon as he stopped, his limbs splayed as his chest pumped up and down--Partly from his dead sprint, but mostly from terror.

He had been walking through the packed and muggy Castle Courtyard, trying to visit the library and read some of the Hyrule Chronicles--Even though his reading skills were lacking, he was trying to improve--When a hand clamped down on his shoulder. He had jumped a foot in the air and froze on landing, knowing exactly what was happening--Burlo. He didn't even turn to face the bum, he just took off, knocking people out of the way recklessly as he tried to get as far as possible from the familiar call; "Aw, c'mon now mate, don' be like dat!"

Now here he was, covered in sweat and exhausted, scared out of his wits, and feeling the unpleasant tingling sensation of a bug crawling up his leg. He closed his eyes, which weren't veiled by his hair as usual, and took some deep breaths, trying to regulate his bodily functions. Opening them after a few seconds, he noticed a bird flying overhead. "That's odd..." He gasped quietly to noone. "That feather pattern looks familiar somehow..." He rolled back onto his stomach to follow the flight of the bird, then realized where it was going. Scanning the area, he noticed Blank, the nomad he had become somewhat acquainted with during his adventures. Finally, it all clicked. "That must be Rose!" He said excitedly, leaping to his feet as though he had never been tired in the first place. "Who's the Zora kid though...? Don't see many of them inland like this...especially in the summer..." He pondered. He may have been uneducated, but his common knowledge of the world and everything in it was rivaled by few.

He went back into his breakneck pace, reaching the caravan as Blank shot a smart remark at Rose and entered the cart. He skidded to a stop--well, tried to anyways, but the dry ground is not good for skidding, and it ended up as more of a sudden stoppage of lower body movement in comparison with continuing movement of the upper body. Simplification? He whacked his forehead into the side of the caravan, falling back a bit as he shook his head dizzily. "By the end of today I'm going to be twice as dumb as I am now.." He mumbled, then remembered who he was around.

"Hello, friends!" He said exubarantly, trying not to rub the red sore spot on his forehead where a bump was now forming. "What are we up to on this fine day?" He queried, settling back on his left heel and resting his left hand casually on his saber hilt.

____________

Over by the Castle Gates, a rather large man waddled out of the crowd, taking off his patched tophat and scratching his head, which was hidden beneath a mess of tangled, long black hair. How he could bear to wear two heavy coats as well as a tunic in the heat was unknown to anyone--perhaps he didn't feel extreme temperatures due to the fact he seemed to be drunk. VERY drunk. "So, now den, whur'd me mate Saber run off 'ta?" He wondered aloud between a few rotting teeth, his bright eyes shining boyishly beneath the heavy black veil that was his hair. He spotted the caravan, which seemed about to leave, and gave an excited chuckle. "Mebbe I kin take de wagons to 'nuther town!" He rubbed his hands together after replacing his tophat. "I tink I've begged dis town dry by now!"

A slight look of shock appeared on Rose's face as the human eyed the Hylian who just came up. "Not getting hurt," she said, glancing at Saber's now slightly bumpy forehead. "My goddesses, Saber, I expect Blank here to be a klutz, not you. Well, if you hadn't already met him, this Zora here is Alex, a friend of Blank and I. Alex, this is Saber. I think it would be a good idea if he comes train with us." She leaped up into the cart, offering her hand to the merc to help him into the vehicle.

Saber gave Rose a mock insulted look,sticking his tongue out as he took her hand. As he got onto the cart, he looked over at Alex. "So, a Zora huh? I've only known one Zora before, haven't seen her in quite some time though.." He trailed off, hoping to make some connection with the new face. He looked around to see who all was there. Rose and Blank, of course, two of his friends. Then there was Kasei...He wouldn't have a problem with the man if he didn't seem to want to murder him for unknown reasons. He settled back and looked at Alex again. "I'm Sabertache, of the Tantari Mercenary Service. So, training huh? What's the plan?"

Underneath the group's feet, a small glowing ball flew in beneath the cart, resting on the axle. A miniature Burlo was inside the small aura, taking out a bottle and chugging as he waited for departure.

Kalex couldn't help but to laugh at Blank's mention of his usual 'activities', he laughed on a relaxed, careless manner. Looking at his friends made him feel a warmth that reminded him of his early childhood. A mild smile was drawn in his face.
"We are... going to have fun right?" now showing his large canines.
"Baaah!" a warm breath and a snout touched the Zora's hand, he turned around to see the enormous blue goat they were trying to herd a few minutes ago, it was now pulling Cork's cart along with other three goats, but none as big as the one that touched him. Kalex pet the animal, which made the same cry, but this time more vigorously.
"Now you be nice to Cheese" said Cork, sitting behind the reins "He can be quite temperamental if you approach him from the rear"
Now that he heard that, Kalex thought of Cheese's bahing to be rather mischievous.

"So are yer friends comin'?" said the merchant shamelessly pointing at the little group by the tree.
"...yes, they are coming" said the Zora, he thought of the leather bracelet he was wearing, that was given to him by the person who rescued him from the darkness. Every now and then his friends had also done the same in many different ways.

"Hey, I'm Alex" he said at meeting Sabertache; for a moment, his mind went blank, not sure if what he heard was right.
"You said you met a female Zora! What was her name?! When did you meet her?!" before even he could notice it, he was grabbing Saber by the shoulders and looking into his eyes, as if the answer could be written in his iris. Realizing that this was a rather rude way to make new acquaintance, Kalex let go of him.
"I'm sorry, I overreacted" he didn't want to start with the wrong foot by making Saber think of him as some unstable fish-man.

"HEY, YA MIND HURRYING IT!" until that point, Kalex never thought of Cork having a limit, but they had reached it, and didn't want to push it further, as Cork was already red and a vein was obvious in his forehead.
"Uh? Yes, right away!" the Zora hopped into the back part of the cart, which was wide enough for 6 people. Where Rose was already sitting.
"Let's get moving!" yelled Kalex at Cork, teasing Blank and Saber into jumping to reach the moving cart.
'I don't know why, but this time I feel lucky' thought Kalex.
'What makes it different from those other times?' said a voice in the back of is head.
'Shut up!'

Saber stared in shock into the crazed Zora's eyes as he was shaken violently. Did--Did I hit a nerve? God, Saber, you can't just go talking about things with somebody you don't even know, especially in these times... When he was finally released, he rubbed his sore neck and looked in turn from Rose to Blank, hoping to draw some answer from them with his glance.

"U-Umm, her name was Alicheae. She wasn't around for very long, she had quite the bad temper..." He said shakily, trying to remember every last detail, so as to avoid any more heckling by the unstable fish-man (OOC: haha) "It's fine, don't worry about it. I've done worse." He reassured Alex. He was about to say more when the merchant exploded. He ran to get in the cart in time, and took a flying leap from a few feet out. He made the leap--sort of. His shins cracked against the top of the cart, and he faceplanted into the vessel, his legs flailing above him and forcing him to fall on his back. He stared up at the sky and watched the rapidly spinning clouds form random objects, dazed. "I swear, Din has it out for me today or something..." He sighed, wondering if it was safe to ask for the Favor of the Goddesses.

The caravan quickly disappears into the horizon and into <a href= "http://desertcolossus.com/adventures/vi ... php?t=2155"> the Great Crossroads</a>
OOC: That's right, the story will continue there...