Under and After: Life After Death

[RahRadio14]

Lenda chooses to stick with the cook, as much as she wants to explore this new found world, Lenda rather dip her toe into the water slowly. The cook and her both deemed this a good time to clean the ship while the other are gone and stock up on ready made foods. After cleaning the deck till it shined which was a rather pointless task since it would become dirty in a matter of seconds, she moved on to other tasks, such as coiling the rope like the cook showed her, gathering and organizing the supplies.

After helping cook clean out the stores, Lenda sets up the tasks of making dried goods out of left over, meat, fish, bread, and fruits. With the help of the cook both set up a temporary rig on the hottest sport on the deck to dry the gathered ingredients. Seasonings and spices where sprinkled to add flavor. Spoiling fruits where put in barrels with water to turn to wine and beer. Hard biscuits where baked and packaged in air tight tins to save. The back up stores finished. The cook sets Lenda to the washing. She collects all the bedding and laundry to wash. In her opinion the people needed it, this smelled foul! With a plugged noes Lenda draws water that has been purified of salt into a huge boiling tube. Using a wooden spoon to stir the contents. After adding soap powder she stir the tube two more times before carefully taking the clothes and wringing them on a laundry board. Finally the liens are set out to dry on the ship. Through out her cleaning out the stores Lenda found several abounded clothes, ranging from dress, pirate shirts, more corsets, and boots. Taking the things that fit Lenda stored them into a handy sack she found.

The chores where dull and boring but with determination they went by fast. After putting together a small meal that would feed some of the crew that came back to the ship. The cook sent Lenda out to the pantry to find a herb needed for the fish soup he was making.

It had been hard to locate the pantry at first what with all the doors on the ship, and Lenda's still not knowing the door plan. Lenda found a door that looked sort of like the one that the cook described.

Huh... thats strange it won't open? She tried the key that the cook gave her. It did unlock the handle but when she tried to push on the door. She found it wouldn't open like some type of bolt was placed on the inside. What would they need to protect that would need an inside bolt?

A loud masculine growl confirmed her questions.

Lenda might be a tart, and sometimes a fool that doesn't know when to shut up but she knows danger when she sees it. Lenda knew that there was various people in the world, not everyone could be as nice as the captain. Some souls where probably as evil as Hitler.

double locked doors and growling?

Sounds like a horror movie in the happening. There was a reason why whoever was on the other side was locked there. Lenda didn't like being trapped as much as the next person but this really wasn't her ship. So reluctantly she locked the handle again.

The growls behind the door grew more ferocious, and the door began to rattle and shake.

To scared to move Lenda just stared.

Why didn't she just try one of the other fucking similar doors besides this one!

It was at this point a guard appeared down the hall. He first notices the panicking Lenda who had started to hyperventilating and was running nervous hands in her hair. The guard tall and intimating he sent a harsh glare at Lenda.

"I take one bathroom break and someone comes and tries to open the door!" He yells his bright red eyes flash in his scared face. "What the fuck is wrong with you!?"

Lenda at first cowed places her hands on her hips in righteous anger. "Me! ME!" she screams, "Who the FUCK. Are you huh? How the hell am I suppose to know that i'm not suppose to open this god damn door! The all look the same! But a label on it!" Lenda's voice reaches a new high.

The guard winces at her volume but continues on with his rant. "You need a ke-" he stops when he sees the keys in Lenda's grip.

Lenda scowls. "So your telling me that the same key for the pantry opens a holding cell? Can you not see how stupid this is?"

Before the guard can give back a snarky comment most likely against Lenda's IQ. The door fly's off it's hinges and slams against the opposite wall...

and out steps the growling creature from the dept of the dark room.

[Hellbreaker]

Wolf steps out of the room, having managed to break down the door. He was surprised that he was so strong, but oh well. Seeing a girl, he labels her a noncombantant. Seeing the gaurd, he pulls out his sword, falling into a defensive stance. He involuntary growls again, and thinks to himself,'What is up with this growling? Am I becoming part wolf, or something?" Mentally shrugging, he decides to deal with that later. Right now, he needed answers."I got a few questions....One, where am I? Two, Who am I? And three, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU"RE DOING, LOCKING ME IN A ARMORY!?! I MEAN SURE, A BRIG OR SOMETHING, BUT WHAT KIND OF DIMWIT LOCKS A PRISONER IN A PLACE FILLED WITH WEAPONS AND ARMOR?!IT'S INSULTING, THAT YOU THINK ME THAT LITTLE OF A THREAT!"Calming down, though he struggled with it a bit,he sighs, shrugging."Honestly, I have one more question. Why did you lock me away, anyway? Did I do something?"

[RahRadio14]

Lenda looked at the guard in amazement. How stupid was he! No! What stupid person decided it was ok to lock someone in a god damn armory? Remembering where she woke up was it just their practice to stick people in places?!

Well at least she woke up in a storage closet and it wasn't locked from the outside.
A growl brought her to the armed stranger. It was definitely a he, and if they had meet somewhere else she would be flirting shamelessly. In fact a long wolf whistle came out her lips. Man! That dude was packing! The strangers form was slim but that didn't mean he wasn't carrying muscle. Lenda had to take a moment to appreciate the male speciemen before her and thank what every deity in the galaxy for placing her on a ship with her to favorite passions cooking and good looking men!

Someone cleared their throat.

Lenda turned to see the guard giving her a look.

"What! I can't look at eye candy infront of me!!"

Judging from the looks from both the guard and growling boy (who was still growling ) she had said that out loud...dang....

Why was she such a tart!!!

To this her mind just started singing "the girl can't help it~"

Dear lord being in this universe was getting to her she was going crazy.

Lenda settled on the stranger who hadn't moved an inch but the volume of his growls had shot up.

Lenda sighed placing her hands on her hips, pushing her chest out, squaring her shoulders, tilting her chin and flipping her long mane behind her. She strutted over to the two placing herself in front of the guard. Or more like slowly trying not to get killed walk.

"Look um? Whatever your name is. Your gonna have to wait for the captain to get back on board for you questions to be answered ok? Neither the guard or I know why you were placed in their ok. Instead of taking of this dudes head why don't you just come back to the kitchens with me and I'll make you something to eat. I make a mean French silk pie!"

[Hellbreaker]

When he heard the compliment from the girl, Wolf's face reddened, but he kept his attention on the guard. The young man blinks when the girl places her self in front of the guard, and offers to feed him. He was about to refuse when his stomach rumbled embarrasingly loud, and he cleared his throaght."Perhaps.....I'll take you up on that offer...." He falls out of his stance, sheathing his sword.Growling one last time at the gaurd, he follows the girl to the kitchen.As they walk, the young man's gaze drifts downward, but he jerks his gaze up, his face reddening.When they reach the kitchen, he sits down, looking at his hands, which were heavily calloused from training."Sorry I scared you like that....What's your name?"It was obvious he was embarrassed about being so scary.He was also confused with the growling. What was up with that? Was he really becoming part wolf? Maybe he had been bitten by a werewolf? But no..the loud band and flash he remembered, and the pain, that unbearable pain....Sighing, he runs his hand through his grey hair, shrugging. He'll figure everything out in the end. Right now, he'll explore, looking for answers as he goes.

(Sorry for posting ahead of you, Inspector Storyhead, and I'm also sorry about my short posts.)

[RahRadio14]

Lenda smirked secretly at the glances from the young man. Maybe she could get some action around here! He was so cute when he blushes! Lenda thought about playing with the boy maybe a touch here a word here and he would fall into her hands, melting like putty! But Lenda had decided to make friends! And friends don't seduce each other into each other's bed.

It depended on what kind of friends they where-

Lenda halted that train of thought. Not right now Lens!

So Lenda smiled the most purist smile she could, showing all teeth, lowering her lashes, her eyes sparkled like diamonds. They showed pure happiness.


"I'd thought you'd never ask! My name is Lenda!" She turned to the counter where she was cutting ingredients. She wondered briefly where the cool was, probably off doing some cleaning errand. But more importantly where is captain Sabre?!

If things had gone differently.. Lenda shuddered what might have happened would they return to find her gutts spilling from her stomach. The guard dead next to her?

Whatever deity was on duty was really looking out for Lenda today and she was every so thankful.

Finishing the finally touches on both their lunches Lenda comes back to the table with a huge platter, of fish cowder , fresh bread slices, tall pitcher of water, and one French silk pie. The pretty chocolate pie was decorated with whipped cream ,chocolate flakes, and candied cherries.

Once seated across from the young man Lenda looked him in the eye holding his gaze, her lashes fluttered teasingly, but her smile was honest. She reached across the table placed her small smooth, but scarred hand on one of his larger rough ones. She intertwined the fingers savoring the skin on skin contact.

She spoke with a soft and gentle voice as she stared at him. "You didn't scare me."

Once said she rubbed her thumb a couple of times against his wrist, gave it a squeeze and let his hand go. Her fingers slowly moving back prolonging contact.

She began to eat and thought wait what's his name?

"By the way what's you name?"

[Inspector-Storyhead]

Out on a crowded streetcorner not far from the docks, as the captain hated to be too far from her vessel, Sabre and North push through the crowd to get a peak at one of the city bulletin boards where citizens could post their quests and calls for action, promising rewards for those brave enough to complete them.

Of course there are many mild jobs as well: things like making deliveries and the like, but even if those payed nearly as well as full-fledged quests, they really weren't Sabre's style. She had a reputation to uphold after all. Despite the infamy that came with the title in most of Under's provinces, in Licentia piracy was one of the top careers, much better than being a thief or rogue or anything like that.

As they scan the bulletin board, North notices a strange excess of those black-clothed wanderers hanging around: Escorts. Of course he knows they couldn't interfere with the affairs of the dead, only the living and newlydead, which are sort of a group of their own. Still, it is suspicious. Lots of things have been suspicious lately.

He considers alerting his captain to this, as for all her capability she can be pretty oblivious when it comes to things that are not directly ship related. No, he thinks as he catches sight of her glossy dead eye, irritated by the fog and thick city air, she has enough to worry about right now.

North quietly excuses himself from Sabre's side and heads back to the ship, muttering something about having forgotten something. Confronting an Escort on this matter would do no good, but he does happen to know a soul or two that might have some insight. And anyway, he's a curious soul and he's been wanting to do some investigating for a while now.

[Hellbreaker]

Wolf nods when she says her name's Lenda."Nice to meet you, Lenda."Smelling fish, he perks up."I'm not sure, but I think I like fish." Seeing all the food, he licks his lips, grinning."Thank you for all of this."When she touches him, he freezes in place, his face reddening again.Looking into her eyes, he tilts his head, smiling slightly.SHaking it,as if clearing cobwebs away, Wolf answers her last question."I....don't know my name. But, I guess you can call me Wolf."

[RahRadio14]

Lenda noticed Wolf freeze. Maybe he was one of those people? People who didn't like to be touched. For Lenda touch was everything. It showed a person's intent. A harsh touch symbolized harm. A gentle touch showed kindness, love effection. Of course this wasn't true for everyone, villains could you use a gentle touch, moms could use harsh touch. The symbolized got mixed up and Lenda only understood the simplest of body movement.

A freeze was uncomfortable, while blushing could be a number of things.

Touch was also a symbol of closeness and comfort. Lenda had touched wolf with obvious and open attraction. She wanted to be friends but in this world Lenda felt.....

Lonely. On this huge ship she was the only new girl, so the thought of wolf being just as new as her was amazing. Finally someone to share this strange world in. She had been excited and had jumped to conclusions. Wolf maybe an enemy that she had released on the ship, or he may become her best friend. Lenda new that most people weren't her and wouldn't think like her. Lenda would just have to try and keep her hands to herself.

Through out her mini monologue and uncomfortable silence had formed between the two.

Lenda then filled the silence with chatter about her passion. Cooking.

"The chemical reaction of vinager and baking powder in a pie can if used in huge quantities cause huge expulsions. Or a really nice salmon dish...."

By the time the cook arrived she had gone into detail about the crystal structure of sugar.

The cook took one look at Wolf smiled at the boy. All Lenda's doubts melted away. Surely if the cook felt Wolf was ok than she was ok for trusting him.

Lenda let out a bright smile.

Maybe she would make a new friend after all?

[Hellbreaker]

If Wolf had the ears of his namesake, they would have been pinned back in embarrassment at seeing Lenda's reaction.He absentmindely scratches one of the numerous scars on his arms, avoiding her eyes."Sorry....I don't think I'm used to....affection..."A screaming, demanding face flashes in his mind.As he shakes the image away, he notices the cook.Picking up a knife to defend himself, the youn man stops when he notices the tusked man smiling at him. Sheepishly grinning back, Wolf puts the knife back.Tuning into Lenda's running info on food, he starts nodding."Ah...I see..."Actually, he didn;t see, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings.Seeing her smile, Toji grins back."You know...I think it would be nice to have a freind. I don't think I have many.."

[RahRadio14]

A friend...

A friend!

Lenda's heart did a little tap dance in her chest, it was slightly painful but ever so pleasant. She couldn't help the blinding smile she let loose or the hug she was going to give wolf. Oh she tried to stop herself she really did. She would reach for Wolf then stop, only to repeat the process again. She had finally said 'screw it' and had got up from the table, walked around it to Wolf and had snatched him up in a hug so fierce you heard his bones crack. She put all of her feelings of happiness and warmth into the short hug. Once done she released the frazzled Wolf and gathered the dishes to clean them.

"That's OK! We are going to be the best of friends!" she cheered. The cook laughed merrily at her.

At the sink she hummed a joyful tune. The the suns were now low in the sky the light coming through the small circle windows in the kitchen dimming slowly. Some of the crew had come back, Lenda could tell from the creaking of feet over her head. Maybe the captain or North was among them?

[Hellbreaker]

Wolf, after being constricted, straightens his clothes.You could hear him mutter,"And I thought I was strong...." He was happy, though.He finally had a comrade, a freind!And who knows, maybe they could...no,no, don't complicate matters any. Getting up to help Lenda, he hears some of the crew coming in, and then two cateared girls come in."Oh, who's the cutiepie?" "yeah, he's adorable!!" They crowd in close.Gulping, Wolf backs up rapidly, bumping up against the Cook, who chuckles, ruffling his hair."Relax, lad, they're just teasing you. That's what cats do, after all."

[RahRadio14]

Lenda shooed the two girls away. "Shoo! Stop bothering my new friend!" Lenda had noticed her friends discomfort and had came to his defense immediately. She new how it felt to be suffocated by attention.

It was not fun.

As Wolg's friend Lenda took it upon herself to help her friend out. She traded some jokes with the girls, chat them up about their time off ship, and sent them packing with food in their bellies.

Lenda shook her head at their departure. As long as they didn't try to suffocate anyone again (namely wolf) Lenda would be fine with them. She turned to Wolf giving him a smile before finishing up the dishes. Lenda went on to clean the rest of the kitchen with the cook. After cleaning the once greasy counter until it shined Lenda plopped down at the table a deck of cards in hand. The cook sat down also.

Lenda had found the cards while cleaning up earlier. She found her fingers were excellent dealers. With easy and elegance only found in hard practice Lenda shuffled the deck in a series of air tricks. She quickly felt an even number of cards between herself, cook, and Wolf.

"Any one know how to play old maid?" Lenda asked.

[Hellbreaker]

Wolf and the cook look at each other, then shrugging, they grin at Lenda."Sure, I can play that,Lass." "Um....I think I can....." After the game, Wolf sets back, rolling his eyes."Well, it looks like I can't play that....." he had been horridely whooped at the game."It would be nice to go exploring..." Eyes twinkling, the cook lightly smacks his head."Oh...I forgot...I need a few supplies from town."He writes a list, and handing it, and a small bag of change, to Lenda, he winks."Can you get them for me. Wolf can go as your bodygaurd...>"

[RahRadio14]

after beating the guys butts in old maid, Lenda had smirked and fanned herself with her winnings. From the cook a good amount of this worlds bills and from Wolf a stack of IOUs. Lenda had not only beat them good she had beat them into the ground. Her mind had supplied her the rules and tricks of the game and other games. during the game she had adopted a full proof poker face. Her past life must been pretty ....bad if she had the skills of a gambler....

Focusing on the cook Lenda noticed that he had handed her a list for shopping. Lenda took it and returned the cooks sly wink. It would be a good change of scene to get out and explore the city. She wanted to look more at the new world around her. Armed with directions, places to go for certain items, money to buy the items. And the two were off! A bottomless bag that could hold all their purchases heavy or small.

Once on land Lenda hooked her arm through Wolf's. She fluttered her eye lashes and smiled. "So bodyguard were should we go first." She used their linked arms to be closer to her new friend. As they walked around gathering goods Lenda didn't let go of Wolf's arm, she would point and drag him over to different objects but she never let go of her new friend.

The port was what to be expected of a pirate port. Dirty and violent. There was some places that the two passed that were more welcoming bu most of the port in the eyes of Lenda just looked dirty. Oddly enough she fond herself right at home among the dirty and violent.

[Hellbreaker]

Wolf goodnaturely consents to being tugged along like a childs toy. As they shop, there were a few close calls, but one glare from the wolfish warrior sends them scurrying.As they are about to enter a spice shop, a group of thugs exit from a alley.One lets out a wolfwhistle."Hey,pretty lady!Wanna have some fun?"Surrounding the two, they grin.A large, grimy punk steps foward."Heheheh, come here, cutie..." Wolf steps in front of him."Go away..."The thug turns his head, grinning at his team, then swings. Dodging, the young fighter wraps his hand around Punk's face, slamming him headfirst into the ground, creating a small crater in the earth.

[RahRadio14]

Lenda had been enjoying her time with Wolf. He had let her drag him from stall to stall and hadn't flinched at her touch. She felt like this was what real friendship was. Lenda felt herself warm from the inside out. A warmth that on the coldest nights would keep you warm.

It just had to be ruined by those punks.

The last stop had been the spice shop a charming store sandwiched between two dim alleys. Lenda had noticed the attention their small group was getting. She had know that she was well put together from the mirror but she didn't think she was pretty enough to gather this much attention. None of the crew had paid attention to her like these men. Since none really confronted the duo Lenda didn't worry about it. Wolf scared most of them away.

This didn't really help her growing vanity either.

When the first block head called out to her she was prepared to ignore him. Then he just had to have friends. Friends that were just as dumb as he was.

Lenda had eyed the group with irritation just about to tell them off when Wolf acted. He had moved so fast that Lenda had fallen on her butt. Her arm hurt from where he had broke free to attack the leader. Lenda watched stunned when he picked up the guy two times his size and slammed him into the ground, creating a huge crater. Seeing their boss defeated the others joined in.

He was defending her? Lenda was stunned why would he do that.

Because he was her friend her mind and heart told her.

So when Wolf was being ganged up Lenda didn't hesitate to jump into the fight, kicking and biting. She kicked one in the balls after he punched her in the face.

After awhile the punks fled scared of Wolf. Holding her small hand to her aching cheek Lenda hooked her arm through his and pulled him into the spice store. The pain in her cheek growing under her small palm.

They still need to get spices.

[Hellbreaker]

Wolf, surrounded by foes, roars. He strikes out rapidly, sending punks flying. Seeing Lenda get hurt, his fury increased, making him attack savagely, causing broken bones and bleeding wounds."I"LL DESTROY YOU ALL!!" As they retreat,dragging their KOed boss, he starts after them, still roaring, but calms down when Lenda hooked his arm.He looks at her wound, worry wiping away the rage in his eyes."You're hurt...." He sighs."How am I able to fight like that?" He wondered out loud...

[RahRadio14]

Lenda smiles at Wolf. "Nothing ice and some alcohol won't fix!"

The two went to the spice shop and searched for the spice they need. While searching for spices between pepper and salt sections Lenda wondered and pondered the events that occurred.

So there was jackass people here to. She figured she would run into those types but the warm welcome from the crew would have judged what the rest of the world was like. But everyone couldn't be as welcoming as Captain Sabre and crew. Where there was good there was bad. People in various shades of grey with their own an and ideas.

The pain her cheek flashed white hot. Lenda grimaced maybe she should leave the fighting to Wolf? Glancing at her companion she looked at him. Had he always been that strong? From his earlier question she didn't think so? Or perhaps he can't remember like Lenda? It was possible. Amoung cat people and purple skin she shouldn't be surprised.

But there was something...unreal about it.

A guy to so thin having that much power. He had almost defeated the group by himself. Touching her stinging and swelling cheek. Lenda wondered if her joining in had just hundred him? She had notice a rise in his anger levels when she got hit. Like he cared about her...

Blushing slightly Lenda turnded back to her task of finding the spice. She finally fond the spices needed paid for it and was heading back to port when the pain in her cheek became unbearable.

Lenda pressed her small hand to her red and swollen cheek. It hurts!

Lenda leaned against Wolf. "Wolf...it really hurts..." Lenda felt tears filling her eyes.

[Hellbreaker]

Wolf blinked.He himself had a collection of bruises and scrapes, but thanks to his armor, he had nothing serious.He examines Lenda's wound, then swore."Hold on."He guides her over to a doctors stall, and buys a cream that will heal her bruise."Okay....let's hope this does it..."The doctor nods."It will. You should guard your ward more carefully, Wild One..." Wolf tilts his head."Wild One?"

(I'm thinking of a wild one being a soul that has the essense of a animal in them, making them stronger, and giving them certain abilities, and also characteristics of that animal. Wolf, for example, has the golden eyes and loyalty of a wolf.)

[RahRadio14]

( hmm neat idea! Wonder what Lenda would be...a regular soul?)

Lenda was not bothered by the wild one comment. Wolf was as wild as they came. He had golden eyes, growled, and had strength that was out of those world. She wouldn't be surprised that someone would call him that. Lenda had dubbed him that in the back of her head. In this world it probably had more meaning though.

This was little concern to her right now.

This doctor had called her Wolf's ward.

His ward....

The words could be taken any kind of way but usually meant one thing. That she belonged to Wolf or she was under his care.

The thought that she needed someone to take care if her got mixed reactions from Lenda a part of her wanted to shout that she was her own woman. That she could work just as hard as a man. But another part of her who was scared and alone from being sent to this new world wanted to cling to the nearest soul and never let go.

So though she did feel offended that she would be called anyone's ward Lenda understood why. This world they were in was dog eat dog. If Lenda wanted to survive and be successful she needed to go with the punches. Right now she wasn't fit to take care of herself here. She wasn't strong enough to protect herself. So she needed Wolf, his friendship and his powers. It pained her to think such things. She sensed in her life before this Lenda was someone others could depend on. Lenda was strong and powerful in her own right.

Here Lenda was just a small fish among bigger fishes, until she could become stronger she would have to be someone's burden. The words burden just.....tore at her.

She drops her head and hunches her shoulders. "I'm sorry Wolf...I was only trying to help." Lenda sniffs and accepts the cream. She rubs the cream into her painful cheek and immediately feels relief.

She promised herself. She would get stronger and be someone Wolf could rely on.