rassafraggin

After the turmoil below has been calm for a while, a red stain can be seen rising through the murky, polluted water. It appears to grow though that could be an optical illusion for it resolves into Maggie's hair when she bobs to the surface. Treading water, she lifts a hand to pull her make-shift mask down until it hangs like a soggy bandana around her throat. Looking somewhat more like someone's soggy idea of a cowpoke as she treads water, the Captain angles for the ship, swimming slowly. The others are not far behind her and she waits to see if anyone needs a hand. Yeah, the ritual is over and Maggie looks drained, pale and near drowned.

Raph finds her life again when she realises it is not blood but (at least) a head. She alerts everyone, as if Maggie's ppl didn't keep an eye like herself and rushes to help along with the others to brign them all aboard.

Merrisol surfaces soon after, and like a responsible Rebman waits until everyone else is helped up on deck before he accepts a strong hand up. His tearstone is tucked away in the right wrist brace, but his left palm is a bright raw welt, so it’s an awkward process. He coughs and spits over the side, then rests heavily against the rail, hair dangling into his eyes in pale clumps.

Maggie is aboard just before Merrisol as she, too, assisted others aboard. What a team! What a pair. Raphaela is given a weak smile before Maggie drifts to the railing to hack up some gross water left over from the mess below. Once that is out of her system, she lifts her hands to push sodden hair from her face. Turning, she spots Merrisol and moves toward him. One hand rests on his arm and she murmurs, "You okay, love?" With the understanding that 'okay' is relative.

Raph watches her soggy friends "First aid anyone?" She gestures for people to bring over some purified water. Salt water but sediment cleared. Bath is important and she had time. "Hosing?"

"Yeah, great. I suggest whoever gets tagged by the next site is set up with some oven mitts beforehand." Merri's voice is harsh-sounding, though surely only due to gargling with rusty water for a few hours. "Everyone could use a good scrub," he nods to Raph, "any detergent? Engine oil's sticky." He reaches up his bad hand and presses his fingertips briefly to Maggie's hand on his shoulder, then quickly drops his arm away. "Think we could weigh anchor and be away from this place soon, Hotstuff? It..." He frowns and squints over the far rail as he realizes the topography of the channels has changed since he last was on deck. "If we could, I'd like that." As she goes to work out their route through the other side with Mr. Anderson, Merri watches her a few seconds, then looks to Raphaela. "Thanks."

Raph bounces, "Welcome back!" she doesn't give a shit, she hugs them both tightly for returning with an utter disregard of someone who either sealed her own clotehs or isn't washing her own clothes, before inspecting Merri's wrist. "Lets clean that. You are filthy. How... was it? Quinlan... his reaction was..."

Interesting.

Quinlan makes his way up to the deck, looking....really, really calm. The kind of calm it takes either very expensive prescription drugs or a highly determined Chantris to induce, but nobody's complaining. "You made it...good." Relief? Yeah, probably. "I can get you guys cleaned up, if you want."

Melina follows the others to the deck, looking tired, though not quite as weary as the others most likely. She eyes Maggie and merrisol, apparently taking breathing, standing, lucid and conversant as a sign further intrusin is not warranted "It was a learning experience.. a painful one" she says to Raphaela, her eyes going breifly to quinlan with an approving nod, before turning her partially back to the water as she allows herself to be hosed off "martin has a cut that may need bandaging" she nots as she waits

Raph is happy to bandage whoever needs it, unless there is a healer on hand, she's suspiciously skilled with first aid.

Merri doesn't mind if Raphaela doesn't mind ruining her clothes with stubborn stains, straightening up a bit and putting his arm gingerly across her back. She catches it before he can withdraw all the way, and he also looks down at the blisters over his palm. "Quin didn't tell you..?" And then there's the mageling from stage left. Merrisol falls silent and looks at Becalmed!Quinlan for a moment, trying to reconcile his own feelings over the Pathian's panicked flight from the underwater passage. "Guess you could give it a try," he nods presently, while slowly shedding the grimy utility vest so there's no need to magicwash something that's destined for the burn-bin. "Cut how," he looks at Melina, then tries to locate Martin on the deck milling with sailors with buckets and blankets.

"I don't have the words for what's down there," says Quinlan simply. "And she wanted to stay by the crane in case you needed her." But a cleaning spell, well, that's an old piece of magic. He raises his hands, and murmurs soft growling words - at any distance it sounds a bit like an asthmatic purr. Water rises around Merri, agitated and warm and scouring to knock all the grime out of the fabric and off the skin and out of the hair. The grime then coalesces into marbles within the water, and then disappear entirely. When no more such marbles appear, the water also disappears - utterly so, in fact, leaving Merrisol dry, and clean.

Melina answers "The blade"she frowns "I was unaware the Bllood magic was practiced in Rebma" Odd how she chooses to say it, obvioios he cut himself and scared the living hell out of me might not be something she can bring herself to say.

Merri regards Quinlan doubtfully over his statement, but doesn't reply. He remembers the spell from some years back and keeps his eyes shut for the duration, in case the magic decides he can live without lacrimal lube. Glancing himself over prefunctorily afterward, he says, "Sure it was blood magic? Rebma doesn't have anything like that unless it's..." he shrugs. Witchery? "Alchemy." When Raphaela is done bandaging his hand, she leaves to see to Martin, if Amethyst hasn't already woken up enough to do so.

Quinlan moves on to scrub up anyone else that indicates they would be fine with this method of getting local contaminants off them. It is what he can do at the moment, at least.

melin frowns "I'm not certain of anything captain. it's simply the closest analog i can draw from having witnessed blood magic once previously...a person's blood is exchaned with an object, producing magical properties, though i also thought someone with inherent ability was required to activate the magic and knew and witnessed the intened result. In this case, Martin cut himself with a knife the blood mixed the water, seeped into the mechanism and he touched the scepter to the bloody opening. I suppose you can call it alchemy, substances did mix"

Merri listens carefully to her account, given no one else was around to witness that, and Martin himself hasn't always been aware of his own actions lately. He takes a deep breath that hitches and gurgles, but he ignores it so as to avoid doing any gross spitting in front of Melina. "Possibly it's a ritual ingredient within the larger picture," he muses. "Perhaps Martin will explain it later. Right now he should rest.. as should we all. And, uh, Melina.." he pauses, unused to leaving off her noble title, "I've been thinking about what you said, about the shared experience... and I thank you. Whatever it means for the First Born from this point onward, I think you had the right of it, where they were concerned. As for myself... well, possibly. It's given me something more to ponder."

Ruby declines hocus-pocus after she crawls back aboard. She murmers under her breath, conversing with herself, "...Moight be some wisdom 'o 'avin maybe a Pathfoinder be tha sheperd, or adopt these paths rather than all 'foinders needin tah be in-timately familiar with each...Oh aye, capi-tal idear...Oh fanks." She gratefully gulps in real oxygen to fill her lugs, expelling a small belch to get the airways back in working order. She tilts to the side like she was doing calisthenics and palm-strikes the other ear to help jostle stuff out.

For a time, Maggie could be seen dripping gross, polluted water on the deck as she talked with Mr. Anderson. The two moved up to the forecastle so that they had a better view of their location within the node's waters. Once they finished with figuring out the best route out of their current spot to the other side of the Shadow Path, Maggie left the man to it. Returning to the deck was slower than usual, for she did not leap down the stairs or slide down the bannister but took each step with some measure of care. Once she reaches the deck, Maggie does accept the mageling's cleansing efforts. Needed to be clean. Oh, yes. She thanks her cousin, but does not linger near the forecastle. Reaching the others in time to hear Ruby, she nods agreement and approval of the notion. But her attention has settled on her husband and what she says is, "Mr. Anderson has arranged it so that everyone has their own cabin. He has asked Mouse to hand out keys to everyone who wants one." Her voice is steady, but lacks the vibrancy that is typical for her."

Miriam came up with the others, of course, but she was not in any shape to be of further use for a while. She's certainly happy to take a turn being scrubbed by Quinlan's magic, since scraping all that crap off would have required more effort than she was able to make. She's quiet though, and once clean goes right for the booze. Glass? It comes in a glass. That makes it one serving, right?

"Thank you," says Quinlan, once he's done cleaning things up. "I haven't usually needed one...but this time I think I probably do. Meditational space. There should be plenty of mojitos; I only had the one. Melina played Chantris music at me." For anyone wondering where all that calm came from. "Melina, when you're able...I would appreciate another one of those charms. When you're able."

melina nods to Merri "I'm glad it helped. I was just vocalizing my thoughts, but they were genuine. If i can be of any further help with your specific issue, let me know. She then nods to Quinlan "As soon as I get to a cabin. Drink first. I think, though

The sounds of the ship's crew gearing up for departure have a Chantris-esque effect on Merrisol. Relieved, he looks to Maggie with a slight smile and nods. To Melina, he agrees, "I.. yeah. I have had a hard time speaking of it, as you might have noticed. But now.. perhaps." He notes where their other companions have scared up the ship's liquor supply with a nod. "After you." Though after Melina does move away, he turns to lean at the rail and hack up a wad of brackish gunk over into the dark waves. Seeing Ruby choosing to remain a filthy forgemistress, he dredges up a smirk and with a deft kick sends a water bucket and scrub brush scooting across the deck to her.

As they converse, Maggie lifts her gaze to the sails and gradually the air begins to fill them. and the ship increases her pace across the water. Maggie turns her gaze back to the forecastle, easing her focus on the wind when Mr. Anderson signals that he is comfortable with their speed. Not too fast, but definitely not slowly. The water lapping against the ship's hull whispers in quiet urgency.

Catching Merrisol's partial smile as she looks back to her friends and family, she returns it with a half smile, one corner of her mouth lifted, but only that. Her gaze follow's Merrisol's to where the alcohol has been brought to the deck and set out with chairs and a plate or two of light snackage. Her gaze lowers so she only catches the tag end of the bucket's skuttling slide toward Ruby. Her arms lift enough that she can steal a glance at the stone still held in its cuff at her wrist. Almost. Then she shakes her head and turns its gleaming surface away. "Right. Drinks all around." As she lifts her head, she tucks one hand in her pocket and offers the other to Merrisol. The gesture is kind of subtle and could be easily missed in the general movement toward the deck's appointed gathering spot.

Ruby takes a thumb and runs it just along the inside or her gums and lips. That digit is removed and given a flick afterwards, and her tongue moves in to taste if it made any difference. The grimace gets replaced by a bit of stranger-danger after Merrisol helpfully boots some cleaning things her way. She crouches down over it like an enormous toad, but raises her chin so she can give Merrisol a searching, skeptical look. Sort of like one might give when trying to see if someone is a bodysnatcher or the real McCoy.

Quinlan snags a mojito for himself, and sits on the railing near the bow. Thinking. Or meditating, maybe. Nicely out of the way.

Miriam seems to be perfectly comfortable taking a seat on the deck. With her bottle. It's possible she'll need help getting up later, but for now she's just going to drink, and listen to the others.

melina moves over towards the alcohol giving other their space. usually drinking for mel is much more of a social exercise but the healthy- unhealth-gulp she takes suggests its more than that today

"If I come across any soap flakes, you'll be the first to know," says Merri to Ruby's studious peering. "Least I can do. Appreciate you taking one on, Ruby... especially considering..." But there's too many considerings to choose from, none of them particularly praiseworthy. So he switches instead, "Come get a drink first, they're going fast." One of Merrisol's hands is wrapped and unavailable, so if it works out that way, he takes Maggie's hand, but again it is a brief enough contact. Upon reaching the makeshift bar service, he also selects a mojito and promptly drains it halfway, hoping its minty and palette cleansing ways take care of the cloying taste currently occupying his mouth.

"I'm sorry, about that," says Quinlan. "I know that's not enough, but I am."

Maggie looks down at her hand after giving Merrisol's hand a squeeze. She releases the touch when she feels his hand let go. It takes her a moment before she moves toward the group then, her steps slow and thoughtful. When she reaches the others she foregies the mojitos in favor of rum, no ice. Taking a bit into her mouth she swirls it over her tongue and across her teeth before spitting it over the railing. Instead of moving to claim a seat immediately, she looks out over the sea to guage their heading. Another drink is taken before she atvlast moves to find a chair. She nods to Quin but makes no other answer.

Ruby smears and scrubs off enough to make her hand presentable and rises to the promise of drinks. On approach she eyes Quinlan. "O, I wouldn't worry Quinlan. You flesh an blood, loike tha rest 'o us. We all gots toimes we fall down. An flaws, foibles an toimes we don't wanna look too deep at...even our reflections..." Ruby clears her nostrils from left to right, extending her hand to accept whomever is serving the drinks. "Some even gots doobles those troobles. We really went deep today, aye? Aye went fathoms deeper than when we were with them Tritons even."

mel ina does another gaze round as she finishes off her drink occosionally she starts slightly as if her body and brain are fighting the urge to relax. does something need tending. is it ok to let go

Merrisol darts a glance as he brings the cup down from his second tingly gulp which leaves just a puddle and a disc of sliced lime within. Truth be told the unfinished remark to Ruby had been meant to dodge reference to her various shortcomings and hers alone. Her hate-hate relationship with Begma, their own often antagonistic rapport, her blustering craven ways... those kinds of things! Merri eyes Quinlan now, who only just minutes ago spin-cycled him squeaky fresh, and frowns, conflicted, even while Ruby blusters in where angels fear to tread. But... somehow her words diffuse the tension a bit. "I still don't really get it, Quin," he says truthfully. "But that doesn't matter. It's done.. and I just hope... they won't all be like this." He raises his glass a bit to the mage, then realizes it's pretty much empty. Seconds is in order.

"It's easier to find words just now. I've basically been Mercy'd numb." Still, Quinlan's words have just a hint of dry humor. "Which is an improvement. I guess ...none of you ever realized I've only ever been brave because I learned you had my back. Down there..." he's studying the horizon now, sipping at his drink in a measured way, "You all had your hands full with yourselves. More than full in some cases. No one could rescue anyone else. I'm...a sparrow in the pool, underwater. It's always kind of nervy, because it's not my element. The fox in me is for the forests. The mage, for the sky. There's nothing in me that's native to the sea, or fit for it. I was losing my grip...and I looked around and realized I didn't dare grab on to any of you. I'd just bring you down too. I could stay, and crack...or run. I ran." Sip. Sip. "It's not a judgment of you, or anyone else. I'm just...not particularly brave, natively. I borrow it from other people, and sometimes, I guess there's none to spare."

Maggie remains silent as the others begin to sort things a bit. Her drink is held close to her chest, elbow tucked into her side. As each speaks, her eyes track toward them, linger for a moment, then leave again. Ruby is the one who gets the longest look. She even wins a faint smile though it is brief. When she finishes her rum, she rises and returns to the bar. "Anyone want anything¹" After refilling her glass she begins making more for everyone. She is listening, though.

Miriam's remained quiet, but now she watches Quinlan. Her head is tilted slightly, though rights occasionally to drink from her bottle. Eventually, she says to him "We're all stronger together than our parts. You ran because you knew the rest of us could handle it and you didn't have to. But when you have to, I have faith in you. I think we all do, even if you don't have faith in yourself."

At first Merrisol flashes a glance at Quinlan, all 'did I not just say it didn't matter...' however, it evaporates as the truth of Quin's vulnerability is laid bare. His gaze drops away to the deck as he absorbs the statements and pensively compresses his lips in an expression of empathy. He wanders his eyes back up through various points and sees that Maggie is now tending bar, and smiles abashedly at her as he takes up one of the newly prepared drinks, whether it's straight rum or more of the same. "Well spoken. Suppose it goes both ways, and I've made some unfair presumptions upon your power and your control," he admits with a selfward smirk. "We are learning a lot about each other lately," is added in amused acknowledgement of Ruby's early Deeep Thought.

Quinlan nods. "Yeah. Seems so." He shakes his head at Miriam. "This isn't a good time for flattery. I didn't know you'd make it. I hoped you would. I knew I couldn't help, but that I could make the situation worse. That's...really about all. I'm glad you all did make it. I wouldn't mind hearing how...when you're able. But no, I didn't know it would end well. It wouldn't be...fair...to pretend I did."

As she pauses to give Merrisol another mojito, she returns his smile. Mostly. Once everyone has their drinks to hand, she reclaims her chair and sets the bottle of rum on the deck beside her. In case. "I think... This is a conversation that we should have had before ever arriving here. We need to know each other well enough to know what the team can do and what they just can't. As a whole. " Her voice is soft, thoughtful and focused, though her gaze lingers on the surface of her drink instead of touching the others. "As for today? Quin, I think we all prefer you sane to the alternative. You did not do the wrong thing. " As Quin speaks, Maggie looks up at him. "I don't think she intended it as flattery. I think that is her honest opinion of you. You are the type to know, not hope." The last includes another of her faint, half-smiles.

When Martin came aboard he kind of avoided people immediately but eventually he shuffles up to the deck, having cleaned up a little and sorted out whatever it was he needed to sort out. He makes a bee line for the booze Maggie saved for him and hell...takes a whole bottle.

Looking to make sure the Son of Serminia has set a trailing course or determined her own path through the rejiggered node, Merri relaxes by increments and claims a third beverage by the time the ships are clear. Despite these pluses, he sinks into an introspective silence, somewhat the same as Melina and Miriam. If there’s a story to be told, one would either need to give it some time, or prompt someone else.

Quinlan doodles in the air, as the sun goes down. Glamour makes that easy; he just lets his finger trail sparkling lines as he moves. It's not a random pattern, though, not random at all. It looks rather like the Pattern, although he's doing something weird to it.

For a change, Maggie does not notice where Merrisol's gaze goes. She is looking into her glass. Finally, quietly, she begins to speak. As she begins, she also sits up straighter and her tone takes on more life. Her eyes, though, remain kind of distant, "We... used the tearstones to link up each of the different installations. It let them see each other, know that they are not alone. We... Or at least, I, saw all of them too." She inhales, then takes a long swallow of rum before continuing, "It took a lot of energy." SHe pauses, but only for a moment, "A lot. Of concentration too. We could not stop until the ritual finished. All the energy that my stone generated and drew from me was fed to Martin." She looks over toward her cousin then, nodding once. His turn, maybe. By the end of the telling, Maggie has shifted away from 'numb' and is more like her usual self. Not entirely there, but closer.

An observant person might notice there are what looks like burn marks on Martin's right forearm, much like Merrisol's hand. However, his resemble cracks, a little like a smashed piece of glass or mirror might look. It doesn't seem to be bothering him. "That was only the first one." He exhales, opens his mouth again as if too talk but doesn't seem to feel much like it and has more booze as he sits down next to Miriam. He gathers thoughts and shrugs. "It went through me," he confirms. "And to that." He indicates the general direction of Merrisol's stone. "I can only assume that Merrisol's stone will one day need to be forged to the Scepter and he will have to hold on to it until then." He gets slightly distracted by what Quinlan is doing in the air pattern-likey. A little... oddly mesmerized, as if drawn to it. Like a cat to a cat toy. It's brief though.

Quinlan's one of the few to have walked both patterns; it looks like he's sort of absentmindedly trying to reconcile them. With glamour doodles in the air. Yeah, nobody's in a normal frame of mind tonight. "I guess...that'd be true of all the shards. When they've done the work they're meant to do." He studies his handiwork, frowning. "Yeeeaah. Mom's made this a lot harder than it probably had to be, and it wasn't fun and cheesecake to start with." The tone has 'parents, what can you do' written all over it. The Mercy-zen is wearing off. "Uh. Martin, I ...uh. Kinda got handed a Complication, while you were busy..."

Martin doesn't look like he's up to that much thinking as he has a long swig and lights a cigarette. "Complication?" He grunts a little, and rubs an aching muscle.

Quinlan takes in the burn marks, winces, and makes himself continue. "Mom called. She wanted to hand me something." He takes a little velvet bag out of his tardis-backpack. And the item spilled into his palm isn't all that big, unless you know what it is. "Having this along...isn't going to make this harder, is it? It's still broken."

Martin shakes his head, "No, actually it might help things. And yes, I know what it is and have seen it and held the shards briefly if my memory is correct. Though being dormant i don't know how useful it will be. i've been meaning to get her to talk to me more about that but not enough time recently. Why did she give it to you?"

Quinlan looks wry. "Because it's broken, and I poke at things, and I was with her when she went to ask Dworkin about it. And she wants to run some experiments far away from it. Or maybe she's doing an experiment of some kind on me; it's always hard to tell. I'm fine if it isn't useful. I just don't much like the idea of it making things we're doing here harder." He puts it back in its little sack, and that back in his backpack. "Since I don't actually know that it won't somehow affect things - even broken, well, I thought I should at least warn you. Today was ...rough."

"Just let me know if it speaks to you, then we can worry about it, because then it could ... talk to the others.." Martin mumbles. "I need to talk to her, i haven't in a while."

Quinlan blinks. "It talks? Good grief. You'll know, all right, if you're anywhere in hearing range. That'll be a screamfest if I don't get adequate warning from it, and nothing to do with the Elders is ever that polite."

"I don't think talk is the right word, but who knows." Martin fidgets slightly. "I guess we'll see. What's one more ancient power in the group, after all."

Quinlan shrugs. "At the moment, it's a rock. But if Dworkin was right, and you accomplish what you've taken on...I guess it might be an ancient power again, then. Best believe I will be tracking my mother down to hand it to her at that point, though. I do not want my uncles deciding to play hackeysack with my entire life. Which they'd do, I think, if the thing actually worked and I still had it."

"Right now, we have Amber.... he pointed at the Stone. Rebma... the scepter, and Tir, the sword. All three, and we don't... conclusively know if they are all going to play nice. You'd think it'd be in their best interest and all but who knows." Martin downs more of his drink. "Sea and Sky and Land, all on the same boat. I don't think that's really ever happened before. Two powers dormant one not."

Quinlan nods. "Probably, at the very least, not for a very long time. But I suppose it will ultimately come down to whether the result is balanced, or at least harmonic, or dissonant."

"I would like balance." Martin exhales. "Balance would be good, but i will settle for harmony."

Quinlan thinks about that. "That...would be up to the third element. I think. The stone is broken because Amber and Rebma are in competition."

"Well, we'll see." Martin nods. "Tir is both the weak and the strong power here. The sword, being a Tir Pattern sword is strong, but the Tir pattern is broken. The Scepter being broken and the Rebman Pattern is not exactly strong,,not sure how to describe it yet, but it's not broken. Amber is constant and still unbroken, but without it's Jewel. an interesting situation." Maybe he still had some brains after all.

Quinlan smiles a bit. "Yeah. Yeah, that's a way to put it. Oberon, or Dworkin, forced the realms together - we've got plenty of evidence for that. For harmony? They'd have to choose to unite, wouldn't they? Not exactly something that happens often in this region of the multiverse." He sighs. "You should probably get that arm looked at, if you can. It might maybe take a Mandrake. I still haven't done whatever it is I'm meant to do, here...but I'm relieved, at least, that having the Jewel in the mix won't make it worse. Not sure we can handle too much worse."

"I'll have Amy look at it later." Martin downplayed his burnmark. "I've got a sinking feeling that it's probably up to me to convince them to unite, at least against the black road, anyway. Actually, I think ... the black road is something that might be a good selling point to get their attention, but le'ts face that monkey when we come to it. I don't know how the others are going to be and which one we're going to do next. I was thinking Pathi because then perhaps you and Maggie can help each other, but we'll talk about it once everyone has settled."

Quinlan nods slowly. "Yeah. Some ...process time is definitely required. I should get back to mine. I could afford to fall apart here...I need to be ready, when it's my turn. Good night, I think. Enjoy the mojitos."

"Yes. Good night." Martin nods, thoughtfully. He scratches his cheek and looks up at the stars while he works on his cigarette, lost in thought.

For his part, Ashby is one to always welcome the immediate improvement of his wardrobe after having it ruined by the environment! After standing with the others for this, he dips his head in a bow of thanks, and then quietly slinks on over to the side of the boat where the longboat from the Son of Serminia is attached. Some time is spent over there, amidst some of his own crew, before he finally wanders on back with a snifter of brandy in one hand. And a bottle in the other. For a long while, he stands with the group and absorbs the conversation. And a fair portion of the bottle.

A slow smile spreads over Melina spreads across Melina's face and then a thoughtful look "you all would no better than I about the stability of Reba's pattern. I can't even sense it after all" she sounds like she's trying to convince herself of something

Somewhere during the conversation, Maggie slipped away to deal with a bit of ship's business.

All of a sudden there are roast meat sandwiches discreetly placed around and bowls of cookies, as well as some pretty kick ass bottles of booze. Raphaela made herself invisible, which doesn't mean she was not listening. When Maggie has to slip off for duties she seamlessly slips in, taking over the drink making. All of a sudden, they have a lot more kick.

There are of course other food options for those who desire it. By now Raph pretty much has grasp of what each of her cotravellers enjoys. And her cook is a master.

Merrisol listens on the sidelines, looking Martin's scar over then glancing down at the supposedly-finished mirror stone in its mesh sleeve. The thought of food leaves him uncharacteristically unenthused, and he shakes his head apologetically to the beef sandwich platter. The Jewel reveal and talk, as it continues into the night, begins to fly over his head, and eventually Merri wanders away to wash off his possessions and brood at the forecastle. He watches the horizon for the next node's perhaps arbitrary switch into a new time of day and weather pattern.

Raphaela gets a sammich and follows Merri. Doom.

Three Mojitos in and Merri's head is just barely swimming even on an empty stomach. He had obviously stopped before the bar drinks got that stronger kick. Most everyone who isn't on duty has retired to their sleeping quarters by this time, so his eyebrows hitch slightly in perplexed inquiry when he looks around and sees Raphaela. "Still up? No, I can't eat right now," he says upon noting the sandwich.

Raphaela rarely sleeps, it is known. She nods "That's ok. You can save it for later. It wpuld vanish otherwise." She wraps it up and offers it. "Mind if I sit with you?" If he doesn't, she perches nearby. She is good at non commital silences.

Merri doesn't seem to mind. He has his trump tin in his good hand, and rinses soap suds off from a pail of clear water sitting the rail before tucking it away into the harness clasped over his shoulders and across the ribs. "Can't take it with me, though. Just waiting for the shadow change to take place, so I can go for a swim." His tone is matter-of-fact and drawling.

"Fine, fine." Raphaela watches him, shrugs and munches on the sandwich herself, looking over board.

Merri sets the sail off to the side on the deck, and works on unwrapping Raph's bandage work over his hand to take a peek at the healing progress beneath. "Thank you, though."

The shift fom one node location on the Begman path to the next is gradual up to a point. The colors of evening linger invthe sky as night approaches, for a good night's rest might be beneficial. The prevailing scents carried on the breeze are cleaner with far less oil and sludge. than vefore.

Raph arches a brow. "There is nothing to thank for. Just don't be petty later and remember I ate your sandwich." She watches the night change around her and eats dutifuly.

Quinlan emerges after a while; calm but not unnaturally so. Probably some Pathian trick. But he's still pleased to be somewhere the waters are clear, when the sun rises.

Raphaela already misses heaps of garbage. It was so good.

Hmm. She's right, he's going to remember though he'll do his damnedest not to be petty. Reaching out, he accepts/appropriates/steals/pillages whatever she hasn't consumed yet, and eats it while narrowly eyeing the none-too-subtle changes of scenery. Once it stabilizes he one-hand vaults his butt onto the rail, perching outwards. "If anyone wonders, I'll be back for breakfast." With that, he leans out and dives clear of the Wave Dancer's bow waves. Noooo the 30-minute rule!

Raph remains with mouth open and no sandwich in her hands, her grip intentionally loose and all. She grins. "Enjoy."

Not too long after Merrisol vanishes beneath the waves, Maggie makes her way forward again. Looking around, she botes Merrisol's absence with a lack of surprise. Catching sight of Raph, she nods toward the railing, then toward the stairs below. "Did he go for a swim, or a nap?" She knows that her friebd knows which 'he' she means.

Raphaela points to the sea and pulls out of her pocket another wrapped sandwich poking it at Maggie.

Maggie nods and begins to turn when the sandwich is poked at her. For an instant, it seems as though she will decline, but then accepts. Raph wins a warm smile and she holds it awkwardly. "Thanks. I will eat it. I have work to do. See you in the morning." Turning, she majrs her way to the stairs, then is gone below.

Raphaela waves. Not much sleep means she might as well be another set of eyes on deck, as usual out of the way of everyone working. She waves at Quin.

Quinlan watches Merrisol go, and hops up onto the railing himself. He doesn't dive, though; just stands, perched there. It would probably be an amazing feat of balance if he weren't an air mage and very likely using magic to hold himself steady. "It looks like being a better day," he says. "Mind you, the bar was set pretty low."

Raphaela chuckles. "I'm easy to please. Any day I get to spend in company of friends is a better day than any spent alone in Amber."

Quinlan nods thoughtfully. "I won't know, until it's time. But I think maybe I've made sense of my shard's little vision. It's not frightening anymore." He pauses. "Well. Not as much."

Raph folds legs under her and pulls a batch of cookies out. "Wanna wall to bounce it off? I am a fairly good wall, I heard."

Quinlan laughs quietly. "No...not yet. I won't know until I see what job it is I'll have. Till then, at least it's a way to get through the day. This quest is nothing like what I expected, which is kind of ironic, considering."

Raphaela considers, but nibbles on cookies remaining quiet.

"It's fine," says Quinlan. "But I do think you did the smarter thing, not getting involved in the first place. Plus, of course, mojitos."

Raphaela chuckles. "I am glaringly aware of my weaknesses. Unlike you, I would likely be of no use underneath. In most occasions I am a liability, but sometimes I just don't give a fuck to be one for them. It is either go with or die of boredom. I imagine if my hubris ever gets in the way enough to hurt any of you, I'll never forgive myself. But I wouldn't regret it either. I don't like water though. That's about it this time around."

Quinlan tilts his head. "You think I was any use? I just made things worse. I don't much like going underwater either...and I really need to get my hands on some kind of water breathing charm if I'm going to be adventuring in the deeps around Melina. But I did agree to help, so...of use or not, I'm kind of committed this time."

Raph cpnsiders "I don't know if you're open to it, but I did make a fairly simper oxygen provider. Might not work everywhere." She offers cookies "Came to me in a dream."

"It'd definitely be a better option than suddenly finding myself several dozen yards underwater with no way to breathe," says Quinlan. "Somehow, despite having no actual aptitude for underwater living, I've managed to get bound up in Rebma's affairs. Eventually, I really need to get around to just accepting that fact and find some way to adapt for it."

somewhere along the, Melina wander off but reemerges a brief while later, holding a coin on a string more or less identical to the one he had given to martin underneath the waves I didn't want to forget this"

From up in the rigging, an Ashby drops down onto the deck with a resounding thump of boots on the deck. "A new day is soon to begin!" His head swivels over toward Quinlan and he waves a hand in the air, "Quinlan, you are absolutely of use. You carry with you invaluable insights into the world around us. The value of honesty is one I think we all learned from this first part of the venture." His finger comes out, wagging in agreement about the charms, "A good point. Well. Couldn't you fashion an air bubble down there? Either way, a backup method of breathing would be tremendous."

Raph nods solemnly. "YOu know, I almost drowned when I was a kid. I spent most my life hating water until meeting one Rebman." she leaves it at that. "I can work with it, but it still isn't comfortable setting. Plus I'm scrawny. Their fashion terrifies me more than claustrophobic pressures." she looks at him "I can't tell how reliable it is, I did provide my fleet with them, basic chemistry reaction and all, but you know. Amber's shadow bending is as common sense as Begman approach to machines." she sighs. No sense. She lifts cookies to Ashby. And melina if she wanders that way.

Quinlan smiles. "Martin has this terrible habit of holding formal court to thank people when we finish things like this. You're going to have to come to that, if only because it is the only time I will put up with wearing underwater formal Pathian attire...and I think if you see that you'll laugh so hard you don't worry about drowning so much afterward." He accepts the coin from Melina with clear relief. "Thank you. I mean it. I had no idea how useful it would be until things started going crazy." The coin on a string goes around his neck, tucked under the tunic. "Air bubbles are usually how I do manage. But if I lose access to Arcanis, that's...well. The sudden inability to defend myself takes a very quick second place to suddenly being unable to breathe. Not a great position to be in. I keep...treating these underwater adventures like one-shot deals, and I need to accept that no, really, this is a Thing, and I'll probably have quite a few more, and maybe I should make sure I don't drown easily."

Raphaela nods, "I always worry about depth more. Funny isn't it. Logistics of what it takes to the next breath. I have no physical capabilities which would pull me through in a pinch, albeit I seem to be fairly fortunate in a pinch. Maybe you should keep a Rebman in that bag of yours."

"Something I can get behind. Do you know how many good soldiers die on boats before they ever even reach battle? It's a nightmare I admit plagues me!" Ashby's head is swiveling about, looking for a member of the crew. "You there! Could we rustle up some tea? Maybe some more cheeses. Do you have fruit?" Well, his appetite is back! He then notices the cookies and beams a smile toward Raphaela, "Baroness, you are a savior. A vision! If I weren't married...!" Snatching one up, he looks back to Quinlan and nods, "Ah, yes. Need the words. Isn't there a way for Arcanis to be inscribed? I remember someone doing this..."

Quinlan nods. "The runecrafters of Pathi can inscribe Arcanis. I'm not a runesmith though."

Raph eyes Ashby "You'd remain forever alone?" she smiles sweetly and shares remaining cookies. "Also, I can massproduce them, should you be interested in purchase."

Melina shrugs "It's no problem. I wish I could make you Mel breakdown proof. I need to work on my self control

"Mmmmm. I'd ask Miss Shiona to fashion some dive suits, but I dare say it will be difficult to hire her for more work. And the thought of what they might be like terrifies me more than actual drowning." The cookie disappears in one quick bite before Ashby clutches at his heart and staggers back from Raphaela, wounded!

Raph grins "Don't go over deck. You might drown." It is love. Surely.

Quinlan sighs. "I realize you're feeling guilty, Melina. But it's not really about you specifically. I didn't know you could shut down my magic. And you're really probably not the only one out there that can. Consider that maybe you've done me a favor. There's a reason 'putting all your eggs in one basket' is considered a synonym for a bad idea. Breathing's kind of really important. I should, if nothing else, have a backup way of doing that. If I can breathe, I at least have a sliver of a chance of dealing with whatever's shut off my magic...instead of it being an automatic death sentence. You see?"

Melina nods "I know but the reverse is also true. That might not be the only situation in which my losing control of my magic could harm someone and on a lesser scale of importance I can't use my magic to calm someone if i'm having a meltdown. I don't intend to make it a habit

Raph looks at Melina and nods, "Unless your magic is the sort which relies on raw emotional strength, self control is good."

mel nods "I'm gonna try for some sleep. See you in the morning

Raph waves to Melina. "Have a good rest."