Smile when your Heart is Breaking and even though your aching.

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

 Under a shady tree not far from some spot between one of the Cafe's and a announcement, or pin/cork board a black German Sheppard is nudging a pretty descent size cardboard/shipping like box into place. There's a quilt mostly covering the top, The smell of cheese crumpets and some other baked goods waft up from inside. There's a medium size dry erase board and marker hanging from a tack outside. With the question, 'What do you do when your feeling down?, In the Dumps or Melancholy? ' She checks to  make sure it's secure before hoping inside. An ear twitching or eye mite be visible now and again. But mostly she'd curled up feeling emotionally and physically drained, her head pillowed on a lovely blue scarf. She lovingly rubs her check against the soft cashmere. 

Which was on of the last gift's she'd gotten from a dear friend and heart brother and a well loved home made plush mouse, in a deerstalker and tweed outfit. She gently gums at an ear perhaps out of habit or thought between  Half heartedly trying to nibble on a snack, and laying a bit listless. Half hoping..she mind see a friendly face or two while the other half doubted anyone would be bothered or care to notice. A part of her trying to hold onto hope another part felt like she was running on fumes. A person could only take so much heartache let alone doing one's best and failing for the most part over and over again. 

Comments

[silverseamariner]

"Ah, yes, the winter. So those scalawags that the Doctor told me about killed people, did they?" skekSa isn't very impressed by what she knows about the Fallen. She's a pirate, like they are, but she likes to think she has some standards about who she targets and why. "I suppose nothing can be done now. It's better we're at peace with them. More or less."

She snorts. The Nexus probably hasn't heard the last of those bilge-rats, but she's willing to help if they cause trouble again. Until then, out of sight out of mind.

"So you're a healer. I study healing, too, with herbs native to my home world, Thra. It's a useful path to follow. The Nexus can always use people with those kinds of skills, just in case. Something bad is bound to happen again sometime. Any sailor worth their salt knows how quickly storms can come on you. It's good to be prepared."

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

She blinks, the corner of her lips twitching ever so slightly like a small smile was trying to break through..At the phrasing at least. Her mate had a love of the sea as well. She blinks and tilts her head. She..knew of at least a couple of fellows who used that title..in specifically /that/ way. Well, she was glad someone was feeling up to making new friends and companions again. It warmed her heart a little..Though not so much the context. Her ears perk up. "Mmmh." She hums and nods in agreement. Twas true..but..well she never did like the feeling of being under siege. Nope, not one bit...Boots were likely to drop or reap a whirlwind one way or another.

Powder kegs..She shudders a little her fur going up on end and floofing a little. Bah. She did not like those situations at all..She'd already lived in more than one realm and town with a bunch of short fuses and such situations. 'Hope for the best prepare for the worst. ' She wrote on the board. And then stares at her paw for a few moments her brows fuel in concentration. Sometimes even when she was low she could..finagle another digit..dang it..twas still being difficult. She sighs and hops down to get a blue marker out of her box and doodle a certain 'space ship/police box' "Vroop vroop." She murmurs tapping at it with her marker and then drawing a smiley face next to it. Her tail wagging.

She listens intently and her ears perk up a bit more. "Roo?" She murmurs happily and a little excited. She always enjoys finding and making an aquientance of a possible colleague.
Usually, there was only a descent handful one could find in some places..Some that were true not..clarlatine snake-oil types seemed more widespread in some places. She did miss having someone to chat with and talk with about such. Like her great gran.

[silverseamariner]

skekSa scowls. She'd missed the winter, but nothing she heard about those particular Nexus residents has been good. "I'm a pirate myself, so I've got no right to call those bilge-rats out for robbery, but some of us buccaneers have at least a little honor and standards. There's no challenge in kicking people when they're down."

She prides herself in limiting her thievery to targets who can take it, like the Emperor and his minions. From her point of view, there's no sport or skill involved in robbing the poor and the weak. But the Doctor is a brighter subject to talk about, especially when the Mariner notices his strange blue box-ship. She still doesn't know what it is, but she does hope he was able to find it again.

"He was looking for his ship when he was here last. She ran away from him. I hope he found it. My ship can't come over - Vassa's too big, and she's a living vessel. Maybe once I found the sea I could bring her over..."

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

She blinks at that, and tilts her head and sniffs toward the Sea..er..Bird? She thinks trying to get a bead on her vibe/aura at that. "Squeaky likes..Pirates..He's a Detective..Bestest." She informs the Captain. Diplomatically. Watching for a reaction as her ears twitch back and forth torn..There were various sorts who would admit to that.. Some did so for adventure and we're more like say Robin Hood..and then there were very nasty and dirty dog types. Her ears twitch back and then up a bit torn and with various emotions running through her.

But the rest of the statements makes her shoulders ease a little. "So..Swashbuckler?" She half asks wrapping her paws around her plush and resting her head on it's. So long as there was no looting, pillaging and worse going on..She still twitches her nose a little.

Her eyes soften. "Oh? dear." She murmurs softly and in concern..Yes, that..would not do..for a number of reasons..Such falling in the wrong hands..and what if he was needed somewhere..Direly? "Aye." She nods in hope.

She tilts her head slightly. "Oh? " That was interesting. She murmurs she then nods..but looks torn too..ship of pirates? ..mmh but if they could have them on they're side..They could always use for stong hands, and fire power..She rube her chin with the back of her paw.

She draws waves, she not see such her self yet..but surely..Maybe past the woods? She writes, 'Expedition?' yes maybe they did need a group of folks and creatures..for such avoiding a certain area though. But they also had to keep the portals protected.

[silverseamariner]

"Oh, you don't have to worry about my crew and I causing trouble. We're here in peace - trade, managing my tavern, exploring the Wilds, that sort of thing. We aren't like the Fallen, you have Captain skekSa's promise on that. I'm the patron of the Sifa clan of Gelflings back on my home planet, and I take my duties seriously."

The Mariner gives a solemn nod. She's grown fond of the Nexus and its people, and if her help's ever needed she'll be willing to lend a claw. It's partly her established business interests here that she wants to protect, but she has friends among the citizens, too.

"There is an ocean here, deeper in the Wilds. I'd like to find it some time while it's still warm. Winter isn't the best for sailing, though not impossible. Perhaps I could bring Vassa there, now that the ice has cleared. An expedition might not be a bad idea, for the future, but I'll need to steer clear of the part that's marked off. The people on that territory won't grant safe-passage to strangers as a rule."

Not much of a problem. Since she knows better than to try and bargain or negotiate with the Fallen, she'll find a way around their territory and avoid them completely, assuming it's an issue at all. She doesn't know all the landmarks yet, the stable ones anyway.

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

Aal blinks but then wiggles her ears and wags her tail pleased by this greatly.As she smiles a doggy smile and pants a little. "Oh, good good then." She murmurs softly with a little dip of her head..Couldn't be too cautious after all.

Her ears perk up and she leans a little closer intrigued. She always loved learning new things and a good story, and or good food and company. "Ooh..figured they had to be something somewhere." She murmurs through with things that shifted round in some places etc..It didn't do good to stray without a plan and especially now. "The Realms I've lived in oft have at least 80 Percent water to em." She informs the lovely Cap'n. She nods. "Aye..unless desperate need.." She murmurs she'd had to see anyone stuck or frozen for no good reason after all. She nods softly in agreement. Her ears go back..Yes she'd heard such and it just makes her more suspicious..If that lot had any intention of being friendly they would have handled things differently from the start..

If one wanted to integrate...Well ironic how certain higher beings one might be more wary of turned out to be more..open and accepting etc of folks than others. She slightly shakes her head and she thought Wonderland was Topsey Turvey..But even there was some..sense of logic. Or method in the madness.

She'd rather would do similarly if given half the chance. But she did not trust that lot as far as she could throw em...Or something at them..But now was not the time..Though she couldn't help the feeling they may have to do so someday..She just hoped it wouldn't be too late. Her lips thin and her ears go back. "Trouble." She rumbles low with a little huff out her nose.

[silverseamariner]

"They must be very confident in themselves if they refuse to even trade or talk with the likes of us. Maybe it's just the way they do things." skekSa sighs. You can't reason with people like that, but she wonders why the Fallen are so hellbent on refusing help. If something bad happens out in the Wilds, they'll be on their own. "Not very open-minded of them."

The Mariner is fairly comfortable around the angels she's met. They make her feel young. Where she's almost a thousand trine old, their ages are in the billions, and they're incredibly powerful. As far as she knows, though, they have caused no harm.

"Yes, there's a sea. I'd like to go there. One of the angels, Lucifer, offered to have his people carry me, but I think a proper expedition would be much more exciting. Once it's registered in my PINpoint, going for a second visit will be much easier."

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

Aal hums and nods, "Aye..Pride goeth before many a fall." She half quotes feeling a little more herself..but still getting there. She twitches her nose. "There's confidence and then there's snubbing and such for a reason." Other than putting salt in wounds. She shakes her head, "No it is not." She mutters her ears going back.

Her ears wiggle happily upon hearing that..doubly so. Seemed they had an aqueience in common. "Oh..yes our new neighbors.." Again odd..but he seemed..semi the inverse of some of his 'counterparts.' She nods softly, "If..ahem well perhaps when it's warmer ya mite like some company?" She asks softly.

[silverseamariner]

"There's plenty of people walking free in the Nexus who have dark pasts, lass. No one has the authority to banish or punish them. Some of them are working to atone for their crimes, like my colleague skekGra the Heretic, but others are not, and I'm sure some would prey on us if they could. The Fallen aren't so different - except they keep to themselves, so they're easier to avoid."

skekSa doesn't like them, but it would be hypocritical to condemn Pelsor's crew while she counts murderers among her customers and allies. Her objection is more to their stubbornness and their crude diplomacy.

"You've met the newer angels, too?" The Mariner doesn't know how many there are. "I was thinking of bringing a troop of Sifa sailors along with me on the trip, but I may consider non-Gelfling spots if people are interested. Its not happening until the summer, most likely, when the weather's best."

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

She sighs softly, she knows how that can be..some folks needed a swat at the very least sometimes to keep them in line. Or a type of carrot' as it were. "Atoneings good." She murmurs though back in the realm she and the others had been stuck in for 28 years she wasn't so sure how remorseful a certain, former 'Evil Queen.' was.

She hums and slightly tilts her head diplomatically, however. Senseless violence or blood-soaked rampages etc never sat well with the Healer side of her. Fighting to defend oneself and others was another matter. She could never stand for someone suffering untowardly though..friend or foe.

Yes Avoid or out of sight, out of mind.

She blinks and nods, "Aye..some." She murmurs softly. She blinks and tilts her head she'd heard of the latter before. "The wee ones?" She asks perking up and wagging her tail her tone fond. She nods. "Course good time for adventures of that sort." She murmurs and takes in a deep breath and lets it out..She and Dor had missed being able to do such. She knew her Water Bug of a husband likely missed the sea even more then she did.

Though their anniversary and her birthday were later on in August..Perhaps if the Captain had her ducks in a row so to speak. Perhaps others would try a hand at making or bringing in smaller pleasure craft? That would be nice.

[silverseamariner]

"The Nexus is a good place for people who are looking for a second chance. Even if the Fallen haven't made use of that opportunity, others have. It's a place of change." The Mariner raises her head. "I've started to grow attached to this place and its people, between us. It's not really about the money anymore, though of course it helps."

She's seen how the Conqueror, once one of the most fearsome and uncompromising of all Skeksis, infamous throughout Thra for his bloody victories, has changed. He seems to be happy the way he is, even though it's not the life skekSa would choose. While her relationship with urSan is complicated, and not entirely hostile, she doesn't want to be reunited with her Mystic half and be SaSan again.

If skekGra the Conqueror can have a change of heart, she thinks, anyone can.

"A journey might be a good idea. This place is impossible to chart or map properly, but a trip to the sea might be pleasant. When summer comes, I'll see what I can do." Lucifer's offer to fly her there was tempting, but skekSa would prefer to do her exploring in person. Taking a shortcut seems like cheating. She wants a proper adventure.

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

She nods, That was true. "I hopes it stays that way." She murmurs her tone soft and slightly concerned. Yes, good change. But she would not stand for bullies regardless of where they came from. All the more reason for them to make Allies when and where they could. Though she did not wish to find others with knives literally or figuratively in their backs either. She sighs, laying her head down again she could already feel the emotional drain and strain niggling at her again.

She smiles a smidge at that. "Aye...Resources and funds are needed for many things." She murmurs knowing that struggle and responsibility on several fronts all too well. Especially when you had people under you in business and or charge and care.


She hums and nods, "I miss the stars some times." She murmurs Maine had nasty weather and weird winters too and a lot of rain this time of year especially. She remembers times when she and the others would sit by a fire or under them telling stories. Or watch them dance and whirl above and murmur things to each other as they drifted or between watches in the night when someone couldn't sleep. She smiles warmly and in gratitude. "Thank ya kindly, Captain." She slightly wiggles her ears. Yes, she liked this one very much. Even if she didn't have a spot the first trip they'd be happy to help in whatever way they could.