ooc: Arrika and I had discussed matters before hand, so I think I'm relatively safe from accusations of godmodding. Hopefully.

IC: Sakiko dug her boots into the sand, her pale face feeling hot in the sun. She looked towards the gentle waves, her eyes squinting. She smiled slightly, and turned to Arrika. She muttered,

"Heh, beat this. Much better than a damp old forest, right?"

She shivered, her hand automatically reaching to the long scar on her stomach. Her mind drifted to the previous camping trip, where she had been gutted alive by a bratty vampire, and picked up a crazy bard who claimed to have known her for forever. The mage laid down a piece of cloth on the grainy sand and plopped down. She murmured,

"Hundred folds better, actually."

Zapetha clapped, and did a handstand.

"I say, but last time was quite an adventure, no?"

Sakiko and Zeze fell into a heated argument discussing the last camping trip, with Sakiko yelling whenever Zeze burst into a song in the middle of it. Everything seemed relatively peaceful other than that.

The sand was skimming across the surface of the desert gently, blowing bits of grain here and there. The water reflected the sun radiantly, with shards of broken light being thrown into different directions.

But there was one thing a bit amiss.

A seagull was perched upon a small rock, its beady eyes watching the adventurers carefully.

But what was a seagull? It probably had the brains of...well, a seagull.

No worries.

OoC: Ask me what time it is and something like, "Don't you have a pocketwatch?"

IC: Arrika did three backflips in a row and tried to start an acrobatic contest between her and Zeze. "You're too pale, Sakiko," she said between flips. "You might get sunburned instead of getting an awesome tan like mine." The Sheikah's skin was noticeably a shade darker but still light enough to be considered "pale". Although she didn't like the term much.

"If you want, I could get Rhyss to get that scar off. But scars are cool! You can change the story if you want, and say you almost died valiantly trying to save me. Although it was me who saved you," she added, winking.

Sakiko rolled her eyes, and disengaged herself from the rather interesting debate. It didn't matter, as she always had the last word, anyway. She shook her head at Arrika and chastised,

"You're way too egocentric for your own good, you know that? And as a matter of fact, I admit that you did save me from a near death. Although it would've been an interesting experience to adventure into the world of death..."

She added the last sentence with a shadowy smile, almost so that it was rather hard to distinguish if it was a sincere, sinister remark, or if it was joke. Zeze became silent, and eyed her friend nervously. She commented,

"I don't remember you being so suicidal and sullen in the olden days, Saki..You were happy most of the time...sorta sweet if you will."

Sakiko ignored this, and gazed at Arrika silently. She was almost envious of the Sheikah, as she always seemed to be happy, undisturbed by an event for long period of time. Zeze was a different matter, as it was her essential character to be hyper and cheerful at all times. Her face darkened, threatening to turn bitter and sarcastic. She was strangely on the edge these days, always more than ready for an argument. She turned her head away swiftly, her silver hair whipping her face. Sakiko gazed at the water, thinking of Masakazu and Zeze. She was convinced that they really knew her in the past, but it was not an easy thing to accept. After all, could she really trust two crazy twins to shape up her long forgotten memories...?

Zeze whistled, breaking Sakiko's chain of thought. The bard took out her flute, and tapped her feet on the sand. She was wearing a skin-tight, shiny black outfit. Zapheta claimed herself to be 'Arrika number two.' The bard did a backflip as well, imitating Arrika. She did it with such alacrity and speed that she appeared to be a blur. At the same time, Zeze played a lively tune on her flute.

The bard continued this, until Sakiko threw her staff at her.

"Stop it and be still."

The mage gave her surroundings a cursory glance, and squinted at the horizon.

"Estimating the location of the sun, I say it's about..."

She made a move to get out her measuring ribbon, wanting to calculate the distance of the sun and the surface of the water. However, she dropped her hands to the cloth she was sitting on, and looked around.

"Does anyone have a watch or some device that measures time?"

Zeze shook her head cheerfully, and began to roll in the sand.

"Hey, look! Sand-angels!! Clever, eh?? C'mon, you know it is!"

OoC: Have you noticed we start every topic of ours with a "I'm not godmodding! Don't shoot!" OoC line? lol...

IC: The sun beating down on the black-clad Sheikah started to take its effect, and she unclasped her cloak and unzipped her outer jacket-shirt, draping it over the sands and sitting down with a content sigh. The Sheikah dug into her pocket for the silver pocketwatch and tossed it to Sakiko. "'Some device that measures time', eh?" She laughed. "That's all I've got, try and open it if you can... For some reason, after all these years it still ticks... you can hear it if you put your ear to it." The watch glinted in the sun, the chain clinking as it was tossed to the mage.

The Sheikah picked at the hem of her black tank top, which was now starting to fray again. Making a tsking noise she searched in her large pockets again, this time coming up with a needle and black thread. Even with her nimble fingers she'd been horrible at sewing but managed to get the job done with a line of clumsy stitches.

Ooc: That's cuz it isn't fun to get gazillion posts/pm's telling you that you just -omg *input gasp* godmodded....!!!

Sakiko tried to dig her fingernails into the thin crack of the watch. Frustrated, she dropped the watch, scowling. As she did so, a glint of sunlight reflected sharply from the smooth surface, blinding anyone who dared to look for a brief second. The seagull, which was still scrutinizing the adventurers, flapped its wings about its body, and shifted its position. Its neck was craned, watching the pocketwatch carefully. As if it'd move. Psh.

"Thanks. That was a lot of help. Really."

Sakiko laid down, breathing deeply. She grabbed the pocketwatch, and flung it at Arrika. She muttered,

"Catch."

Closing her eyes, she felt the tingle of the sun, creating a shade of red curtain over her gray eyes. Sakiko waved her hand at the thief. Smiling, she chuckled,

"You know, your sewing is unremarkable - even I can sew better than that."

Zeze got up from the sand slowly, only to flop back down again. She rolled from here to there, her flaming red hair a sharp contrast from the dull, grainy sand. Her green eyes were sparkling as she commented,

"You know what? My twin bro-bro should get out of the house more. Masakazu is like a hermit, I swear."

Sakiko sighed, feeling irritated. She directed her question at Arrika,

"Why did we let her come along, anyway? It's so..."

She trailed off, not in the mood to search for negative words. It felt so peaceful, calm...

Aureliano had been traveling these lands as he always seemed to do. He was in fact looking for something interesting to do, until he heard a flute in the distance.

Aureliano enjoyed the desert because it was solitary. He was already used to the heat and he was already tan, so the same sun that drove away many adventurers and creatures welcomed him with shining rays.

He continued in the direction of the flute, which had already stopped, another sound filled in its place: Voices. Aureliano immedietly took out his sword and continued to walk in the same direction until he saw two familiar faces and one not-so-familiar in the distance. They were Arrika, Sakiko, and someone who reminded him of the eccentric Makazaku. He walked up to the picnic thing and said a simple hi to everyone.

The bird began to make him skittish. Everything seemed to accomplish that job. Though he had turned cold with Melqi's death, the same premonitions he felt freaked him out.

"So what is going on here?"

OoC: ALAS! Here comes the godmodding king! *big uber gasp* Never fear! I never do!

IC:

The unimaginably hot desert seemed like a friendly welcome to Sovelis on this cold, winter's day. Their had been some snow falling around the various locations of Hyrule, and with the snow, came the cold. To someone with a lifeless metal arm instead of a warm squish living one, that could spell disaster. With a metallic limb came the possibility of frostbite, and a need for surgery that could not be done in this world. If the Tempest stayed out in the cold for too long, then he may end up the one armed wonder of Hyrule.

So, as the ever adventurous Sovelis wandered about the barren wasteland that is Tantari Desert, he happened to hear a couple of familiar voices...

Arrika snatched the watch by the chain as it sailed past her completely, the silver blinding everyone again as it spun and wrapped around her wrist. "Shut up. Like you embroider pretty little pictures on doll dresses at home in your spare time." Aureliano appeared, and Arrika hoped he would put Sakiko in a better mood. "Yo, Aurel! You're welcome to join camping attempt #2 if you want. No food though. I think Zeze ate it all yesterday..."

Sakiko raised her eyebrows dangerously, displeased at the idea of wasting time by stitching away at dolls. The mage looked up at Aureliano, and waved her hand slightly.

"Hey."

Zeze pouted at Arrika, and protested,

"I didn't eat all of the food - I merely tasted it bit by bit, until poof! And thus, they disappear."

The bard smiled widely, and said to Aurel,

"Name's Zapheta, but Zeze - cuz it's an aweful waste of breath, no? Your name is Aurel, I see. But that's a waste of breath too. So I think I'll dub ya Aur."

Sakiko sighed and explained,

"Just ignore her. That's the way to sanity."

The mage lifted her head slightly, detecting another person's aura. Very familiar. Sakiko tipped her head, but didn't say anything. The Hylian retreived her staff, and began to dust her boots from the sand.

The seagull had lifted itself into the air, now, its beady black eyes focused on the shiny watch. It certainly was a threat to the bird, as it had seen the pocketwatch flash dangerously, blinding anyone who dared to stare at it. The seagull spread its wings widely, opening its beaks for a shrill cry.

In a blurry flash, it swooped down towards the Sheikah, its talons tense. Its feathers brushed against Arrika's hand as it snatched the pocketwatch accurately, swishing back into the air. As it circled in the sky, the brief flashes of the pocketwatch glared down at the adventurers, pleading for rescue.

Arrika laughed at Zeze's comment and asked, "Hey, what are you supposed to be today?"


Arrika blinked. No way had a rat with wings stolen from her! She was a thief! She did the stealing!

"WHAAAAT?!" In a panic the Sheikah picked up a rock and chucked it as hard and fast as she could at the seagull. "Sakiko! Aurel! Zeze! Do something!!!!"

Sovelis was almost to the beach when he heard Sakiko! Aurel! Zeze! Do something!!!! being yelled at the people that those names belonged to. He ran up in time to see the a seagull flying away, something shiny clutched in its claws. Without even thinking, Sovelis twirled the fingers of his real hand, and pointed his open palm and fingers at the flying pest. As is by some divine power, or some cruel joke, flames shot from the Tempest's hand, and at the seagull.

"I thought I'd find you hear Arrika. Good thing I decided to come to the beach for a nice, relaxing stroll, No?" Sovelis said, looking at the fireball as it was about to impact with the bird that held the pocketwach.

Alas, the two adventurer's attempt at harming the seagull came to no use. Arrika's small rock fell in an arch, landing too short of the bird to cause any affect. Sovelis's fire magic brushed the seagull slightly, not enough to reduce the animal to ashes. The bird faltered slightly, annoyed at the pain. It loosened its clutch on the pocketwatch, and spread its wings further.

Up ahead, there was a pier-like structure, excpet it was made of huge boulders. Sun bleached and dry, the rocks proved to be a welcome sanctuary as the bird landed softly upon it. As if mocking the frantic adventurers, the seagull squaked a high-pitched call, pecking on the watch slightly.

Zeze yelled a string of foul words, and ran to the 'pier' quickly. She began to clamber over the rocks expertly, her muslces lithe and strong from the countless tricks she learned. She paused, one hand dangling on a sharp edge. The bard yelled,

"Oh, and as an answer to your question - I am a thief today! Y'know, cant cha tell by my outfit?"

Her black, tight, shiny one-suit gleamed in the sun brightly as she turned back, and continued her climbing.

OoC: I'll have you know I actually almost fell off rocks likes these for real when I still lived in LA. Scared the Mexican fisherman a few rocks away too.

IC: Arrika sprinted, ignoring Sovelis for the moment, catching up and passing the other 'thief' easily. Waves crashed against the rocks, sending sprays of water that soaked her clothes. The rocks were slippery as well and she slipped twice, banging her knee hard on one rock and scraping her elbow against another. She caught up to the seagull and her watch, which perched on one of the farthest rocks, and with a last flying leap managed to grab hold of the chain. Her landing was poor, though, and her grip faltered on the rock she had tried to hang on to and she plunged into the icy sea.

The waves were rough that day and would have dashed her across the rocks if she hadn't been wearing her boots, causing her to sink as they pulled her deeper and deeper into the dark waters. A feeling of panic overtook her as she was reliving her nightmares, a stream of bubbles escaping from her mouth as she tried to fight her way to the surface. The Sheikah began to feel lightheaded from lack of oxygen, her lungs begging for one sweet breath of air.

Zeze screamed, swiping at the empty place where Arrika had just been a few seconds ago. She turned to the others, and waved her arms frantically. Sakiko's heart froze in fear, as she knew Arrika to be fearful of water. The mage yelled, ambivalent as to speaking to Arrika or Zeze,

"You damn idiot!"

She stripped of her gray, cotton robe, revealing a much lighter dress inside. The heavy robe landed on the sand with a small thump, raising sand-clouds around it. Sakiko ran quickly to where Arrika had fallen, clambering over the rocks swiftly. Fear gave her deftness - fear was her ally.

The mage dived into the icy waters, her eyes opened wide. She drifted eerily in the dark sea, her silver hair drifted about her peacefully, oblivious of this grave situation. Sakiko unfurled her fist, a small bulb of light resting on her pale hand. It illuminated the deep waters gloomily, casting off irregular shadows of the jagged rocks.

Without moments hesitation, Sovelis threw his cloak off, and reached up to his left shoulder with his flesh-and-blood hand. With a few clicks, his entire left arm fell to the sandy ground with the sound of metal hitting sand. He ran for the water and kicked off his massive boots. "HOLD ON ARRIKA!!! I'M COMING!!!" he shouted as he focused his magical energies into his legs and Jumped fifteen feet into the air, and into the water near the spot that she had gone under....