The sign of the Blue Sailor

Worell had been sitting quietly in a corner booth of the bar, easily listening to the many loud conversations. Fights narrowly avoided, exchanging gold, it was all to complex for him.

He fondled the jade bead necklace that his late wife had given to him on her deathbed. His eyes were full of sadness and his mouth drooped into a frown. He held the necklace to his mouth, and a tear fell upon it.

It was then that he was interrupted. A slinky woman had sat down at his table with jet black short hair that flipped at the ends. Her peircing green eyes scanned his. "Awww, why so sad?" She said, slightly laughing. Her sly eyes darted twoards him as she turned slightly sideways in her seat. "That's a nice necklace," she said, teasingly. Was she trying to anger him?

The bartender came over, his dirty blonde hair a strangely pleasant contrast to the jet black that was almost not a color at all. "What'll you all be havin'?" The bartender asked in a heavy Cockney accent. "Oooh, I'll have a margarita...if you have them," she said, seemingly finally realizing where she was. "Anyway, Worell, you won't get anywhere if you keep putting yourself down about your wife's death," she said, obviously trying to push him over the edge.

And she had hit the spot. Worell had stopped breathing for a second, and he winced with great pain at her words. A triumphant smile played across her lips. The bartender then interjected, "Please, Geneva, you know that she wouldn' be pleased." Geneva eased a little, though obviously annoyed. "So, are you going to say anything?" She asked Worell finally.

David smiled. Sake would have been a good choice. Instead, he drank from his half-empty mug, while Richard spoke. "Hello, ma'am," he said, returning the honorific. "Can we help you?" David wondered how many people they'd "help" before the day was out.

Cora nodded.

"I lost something. It's on an island. I need to go to an island, but I don't know how to get there."

She paused.

"And there's gold there with it. A lot of gold."

Richard looked at David, and smirked. "I'm not big on gold," Ricky said. "I'm more partial to silver." David shot him a dirty look, but went back to his drink. "Anyway," Richard said over the top of his drink, "What did you lose?"

Elias listened passively. This would be a good source of information, although it sounded to him a bit like mercenary work. After all, if it were a simple matter of "Go to the island, get the gold, come back", the girl wouldn't be asking for help. Quietly, he said, "Pirates? Monsters? Traps? Soldiers?" he asked, waiting for his drink.

"Sorry, but I'm good for now," said Aaron. "Besides, I'm not of the treasure hunting persuasion. Not sure about Narya sometimes, but I'm not."

Narya smirked. "I gotta admit, sometimes I think your motto is 'Never do work if there's a monetary reward at the end'."

Axelle cocked an eyebrow at Artemis. Then she snorted and her mouth burst open, laughter escaping. She caught herself a moment later and looked up, her face red.

"Go with you? I hardly know you." She said, stifling another laugh. She thought for a moment. He seems interesting. Maybe...no. You can't go. That Aphrodite chick isn't going, is she? God, you need to ca--wait gold? HELL YES! Her eyes closed. "I'll go, as long as it won't bother you." Her eyes open, and a warm smile spread across her lips. You need to be nicer. Seriously.

Aphrodite stared up at the man addressing Aaron, her eyes full of confusion. She said nothing, but flicked her hood up, shielding her face. Her eyes moved towards Worrell, and she sensed something around him. Her eyes glassed over, black mist flooding in and forming a veil over them. She saw people around him, made of ethereal mist. She stood, still in her trance and moved towards him, staring down at him. She stood motionless and silent.

Meanwhile, another woman burst in.

"HEY! SOMEONE BETTER TELL ME WHERE I CAN GET A DECENT PINT OF SOMETHIN' TO DRINK, OR ELSE I'MMA SAY SOMETHING I MIGHT REGRET." She yelled, her entire person sparkling. She moved her head side to side like a bobblehead and held up a hand. Someone pointed a shaky finger to the sign. "Oh, hey, this is a pub, ain't it! Well waddya know?!" She grinned, exposing pearl white teeth. Her skin was dark, and she appeared out of place. Both Axelle and Aphrodite's heads shot up and stared at her, Aphrodite's trance breaking. She shook her head and looked back at Worrel, blushing and rushing back to her seat, not removing her hood.

"Bother me?" Artemis nearly laughed himself. Of course it won't...it will...it... "I can't guarantee it won't bother me...but..." But I want...I don't...I want you to come. I think. "It's fine by me," Artemis continued. "Actually, think of it as me doing my first good deed. You could use the money. Maybe buy yourself something so you don't look so weird anymore..."

Axelle pursed her lips and pinched herself so she wouldn't get angry again.

"You're testing my patience, boy." She said, standing to meet Artemis' eyes. "You don't want to do that, now do you?"

"The idea of what happens when your patience runs out is rather...intriguing." Artemis' eyes glimmered. "But I'll pass," he said, conceding defeat. "I don't know when we'll leave, so be prepared to depart at any time." Artemis sat down and ordered another drink.

Axelle rolled her eyes.

"I'm always ready." She muttered, sitting back down and ordering herself another drink.

"A feisty one, aren't we?" Artemis shook his head. "Such a temper...you could get in trouble one day because of your rashness."

"It's happened before." Axelle said with a smirk. "Not like I don't know what my anger can cause. It's not completely irrational, though."

"You should learn to control your emotions. Like me."

Axelle rolled her eyes and bit her tongue. Cursing at someone wasn't going to help much.

"A'ight, someone best get me somethin' to drink RIGHT NOW!" The dark woman was saying, her eyes wide and her lips pursed. She looked about ready to hurt someone.

"See? You're doing well already." Artemis stared at the recent arrival. "Huh. Annoying."

The woman in the sparkly outfit turned to Artemis.

"Oh no you di'int!" She said, walking over. "YOU ON FAIYUH!" She yelled, popping her fist open. Artemis' person would begin to smoke and burn, but the woman tapped her chin. "Whoops! YOU AIN'T ON FAIYUH NO MO'! In fact, YOU HEALED!"

Axelle's eyes were wide. "Who the hell are you?"

"The names Shaniqua. Spahkly Shaniqua, if you must know." Shaniqua patted her hair.

Artemis stared. "What was that? Are you insane? Normally, I would embrace insanity...but you..."

"You WISH you could embrace this insanity!" Shainqua said, tossing her head back with a laugh. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, man. I'm totally digging these powers I got. Oh, whoa man. You two out on a date or somethin'? Sweet Lord, I'm sorry!"

Artemis opened his mouth a fraction. "Wha-? Madam, you are sorely mistaken. I would certainly not want to embrace you. And me going out with her...is a rather amusing concept, but completely erroneous." Right. "So don't be sorry. And learn to control yourself, please."

Richard's attention was diverted to the loud woman who had entered. As she continued talking, he began tapping his fingers on the table, pinky-to-index, then in deliberate pattens, to patterns changed every other set. He was obviously growing impatient. David, on the other hand, said,"How much gold are we talking about?"

"Haha, you think alla this can be bottled up?" Shaniqua let out a loud laugh. "Please! Fool, you don' even know who you be talkin' to." She sat down in the seat next to Axelle and thrust her arm around the girl's neck. "Besides, who do you think you are if you be talkin' to yo' elders like that?" Axelle growled, glaring up at the woman.

"If you don't remove your arm this instant..."

Artemis stared. "Oh, you're not just insane, you're also brain-damaged. I'm sorry, I hadn't realized."

Axelle crossed her arms and shrugged the woman's arm off. Shaniqua huffed, and stood.

"Well I can see where I ain't welcome, then." She sighed. "I'll try to control maself."

"Please do." Artemis shook his head and went back to his drink.

Kasam tried one last time.

"Ah. You don't quite understand. Gold is the first thing people are interested in, but on the island I have in mind, gold is very much the least of the treasures to be found." He stared unblinkingly into Aaron's eyes.

"I very, very much want someone like you with me when I go there. Tell me what you want out of a journey like this and I will make absolutely sure that it is yours."

Kryoni huffed. She wasn't quite sure whether to give the glare of death to the very very noisy newcomer or to inform Kasam of her disapproval of his complete lack of good bargaining sense. She resolved the dilemma by doing nothing, since, as she reasoned, the newcomer would just start yelling louder and Kasam wouldn't let her use her sword, and Kasam knew what he was doing in his little recruiting game. She still thought that they should just take a boat, any boat, go to the stupid island, and grab whatever it was.

Cora shrugged her little shoulders.

"It's...it's not a safe place. I don't know what will happen, or who will be there." Her eyes glimmered briefly.

"But I think we are talking about as much gold as you can possibly take by yourself."

She didn't say what she'd lost.