S: 16 The Tales of The Blazing Chariot

The Knight and The Captain
 
The mid day sun escaped through the winter clouds and shined brightly off the well polished armor of a refined gentleman. Claiming in all ways to be a "fallen" Tressenian knight Sir Lionel kept all the habits and demeaner of a knight from fairy tales read constantly by his eccentric captain. An heir of refinement, well taken care of equipment, and a duel style fighting technique that all found themselves showing in all the tasks he was given. This afternoon he was guiding the general crew in defense and rescue during naval combat, "Gentleman and ladies, the injured must be brought to the lower galley for their safety, on the captains suggestion. Despite her....eccentricities, she seems to care about our safety, her ideas on the crew have merit." The crew shows the ex-knight a lot of respect for his prowess in battle and he seemed so experienced, their expression suddenly changed and their eyes wavered for a moment, "That's sweet of you Sir Lionel." Not a sound was made, her footsteps were completely silent on the wood of the deck as the captain stood behind Lionel with her usual smile. "Good afternoon Captain, anything to add?" His face showed a complete lack of surprise and was not at all startled, was he used to Orri's ability to appear almost anywhere in an instant, or was it his knight like stoic mind. "On safety? Nope I think you covered it Sir Lionel." She moved to be in all their eye line and beamed at them, they all smiled back, it seemed the captains happy attitude was somehow infectious. "Captain simply calling me Bernard is enough, I am no longer a knight remember?" She took in the direct tone and her smile lessened just a little, "Yes I know, but..." Bringing up her romantic idea of someone being a knight may not be so important right now, the story of Sir Aaron and Gwinn dancing in her head, "Yes anything you want." She puts on a noble air and addresses him frankly, or as frankly as Orri could, "My good man, in a few days Edea will be moved out and on to her own ship!" The poor man stood strong at the flowery language he said goodbye to so long ago back in Tressenia, but his captain was just that sort of person and he had grown fond of her, "Yes captain, now we will only have your delightful voice to guide us in merriment." A smirk paints itself across his face, "She goes a little coy and nudges his bright pauldron, "Aww Sir Lio..Bernard, you flatter me! Anyway I wanted to appoint you to be the Blazing Chariot's Quarter Master!!" Her noble act fizzles as she strikes a dramatic stance to add affect to his promotion. His eyebrow raises at her flair, unable to hide a stifled laugh, "Why captain this is quite a surprise, and a real honour I must say. Shall I also continue my duties at the siege weapons?" His posture goes a little straighter with the captain's faith in him. She smiled brightly at his reaction, "You have done great with that, so I was hoping you could still help with that during fights, sooooo do you accept?!" She grabbed his hands and tries to stop from bouncing. How does this excitable and jovial young woman become a captain of a ship? This ex-knight was impressed with how she has done so far, or perhaps the bar was so very low with the psycho Drake. Sir Lionel knew how much Morrigan enjoyed pomp and circumstance so he bent the knee before her, placed his sword next to him, "Captain Morrigan, Queen of Hearts, this crewman gladly accepts this honoured promotion." Orri has to stop herself from squealing with delight, she composes herself, "Then stand my friend! Sir Lionel the quartermaster of the Blazing Chariot!" He rises with a smile mixed with the silly nature of the event and a real affection for this ridiculous young woman. He thought to himself that this must be what having a daughter is like, "Thank you captain, I shall do all I can to live up to your expectations." She then produces a small gift to him, "This is for you on your promotion, and could you hold this as well?" She presents him with a well stitched patch of a fiery design and crimson half cape that all the officers wear on deck. The last item is a wrapped box, "That is for Edea's last day, I made her a captain's coat!" He takes the items gladly, "That is very kind of you on all counts Captain. I assume we shall be doing a grand send off for the Lyrical Lycan?" Orri seems to blink quicker than usual and stares back at him, "....For Edea, Captain." The recognition kicks in and she explodes with joy, "YES! We shall! Artemis has the details and we will organize in a few days! Sir Lionel nods with a smile and continues to rally the crew.
 
The Seamstress and The Bosun
 
Returned and once again settled in their docked life in Io, the captain of the Blazing Chariot frantically stitches and sews as if trying to distract herself from something. Fabric strips fly around the open studio of the tailor space, beautifully coloured purple fabric being tended to with delicate and swift hands. From the door way Orri can be seen cutting and stitching with skill and seems entirely engrossed in the task. A woman of similar fiery hair and dexterity watches with interest and a mischievous ideas. Her thoughts go to places, "Does the Captain always have her guard up? watching her train makes it seem as though she has placed everything she does into muscle memory. Well it's not like she can put things in her brain memory." Dame Deadshot lets her thoughts wander as she watches the captain and her hand slowly reaches for her pistol. "Let's see if she is always aware," She thought as the pistol lines up to Orri, her finger slowly and silently tightening around the trigger. "Nice and slow," the pistol is incredibly still as it points toward Morrigan who is still sewing and measuring what looks like purple dyed gloves. Deadshot knew the sound would give her away, but the bullet would be fast enough...right? The small explosion erupts from the pistol and the round ball flies quickly from the barrel right toward Orri's head, inches away from her skull, a hand seems to just appear from thin air and catches the bullet, stopping it in it's tracks. Orri's head still focused on the gloves with one hand and holding the bullet in her other hand, without an instant or wasted motion she flicks the bullet in the door jam beside Deadshot, "OW those things are really hot!" Orri exclaimed as her focus finally leaves the gloves, "Oh hey Deadshot, what's up?" With her eyes still wide with surprise, she seems stunned as she slowly looks away from the bullet embedded in the door jam, "Uh wow Captain, how the hell do you do that? You were in your own little world!" Orri finished up the last stitch and unfolded the glove to it's final form, her head perked up gathering in her environment, "Huh what happened? Me? Oh hey Deadshot. Oh that? Sorry I've trained it to be a complete reflex, I sometimes don't notice it haha." She chuckled to herself and stood up to greet her bosun. "What's up Deadshot? I was just finishing up these gloves!" She holds them up and Deadshot studies them with an impressed expression, she marveled at the craftsmanship, "Wow Captain, you really have such a random assortment of hyper focuses!" Deadshot looks around the workshop to see half done dresses and coats, some black fabric scraps and stencils from looks like a large coat, beautiful works strewn about the space, "You've been really busy this winter haven't you? Black? I don't think I've ever seen you in anything close to black." Deadshot points to the crimson Merian inspired red dress with bright blue scarf wrapped around the captain's waist. Orri looks down at herself and smiles, "Yes I suppose I like these colours, my mom LOVES to wear black and dark colours...comes with the job I guess." She ponders for a moment as Deadshot interrupts, "Comes with the job? What is her jo.." Orri jumps in to stop Deadshot's question, "All the black fabric is for THIS!!" Orri's voice goes into a sing song crescendo and she makes a dramatic flourish move to grab a white cloth covering a dress mannequin. She pulls away the cloth to reveal a dark and absolutely metal Silver Seas style captain's coat, with a furred collar and blackest black hue juxtaposed with white inlay. The bosun's expression goes from annoyance at the captain avoiding to absolute awe as she marvels at the dramatic coat, "...oh...wow....Captain, it's beautiful! I mean look at how black it is! Like how much blacker could it be?!" She almost whispers to herself. Orri smiles big and answers her bosun, "The answer is! NONE! NONE MORE BLACK!" Hands on her hips with a certain pride, "This is a parting gift to our quartermaster, now that she is a captain of her own ship!" Orri's massive smile of pride waivers just a touch and her eyes look to the side, Deadshot notices right away, the captain of the Blazing Chariot wore every emotion HEAVILY on her face. It made lying or hiding emotions almost impossible, "Captain? Awww you're going to miss her aren't you?" Deadshot nudges the captain's shoulder in a caring and mocking way. "Yes I will, her and Calliope joined this ship right away to help out, I've never been a captain of a ship before you know." The bosun put her open hand up to her mouth in complete sarcastic shock, "What? Nooo captain I would have neeeever guessed." Morrigan looked over to her and spoke bluntly, "Yes, yes it's true. I wasn't sure what to do and I must have looked nervous so the two of them kindly joined the Blazing Chariot, I guess I wanted to also make sure I wouldn't do some of the things Captain Radish used to do.." Dame Deadshot looked at Orri with sympathy, "Captain to be honest, every story you tell about you're old ship is really really bad. The "Hide and seek" game he made you play, and all the things he used to say to you...some of it reminds me of Drake, I'm really glad you aren't like either of them, and I don't think you have to worry." Deadshot squeezed Orri's shoulder affectionately, "You're a good cap..no you know what? You are a good captain." They smile at each other, and Morrigan perks up once again.
 
Gladiator and the Babysitter
 
"You are all Merian and stuff, so you really think it's a bad idea?" Xander watches the words leave the captain's mouth as she invited herself in to play/train Willow. He is unsure how to approach the answer, "Captain.....yes, it's a terrible idea. From what I know of the hoplite, she will be even more enraged than she is now." He speaks bluntly by nature but knows that Orri needs such blunt speech or she may misinterpret something. "It's your glory to be claimed Captain, not hers and she will see it that way. It is something she did not earn and you are just handing it to her. I am aware you are coming from a place of friendship and want her to be happy, but it is not the Merian way." He stands firm and hopes his words made their mark. Morrigan listened as best she could and as Willow "punched her open palm, "Huh? oh...yeah I guess. You guys do love your glory stuff." The captain exhaled as she said it it, not mocking their culture but just being frustrated with it. She smiled at Willow and continued her "training" giggling with the sweet young child. Xander took a step forward and looked stern at the captain. Morrigan noticed this and stood at attention as if she was in trouble for something, Xander always seemed to give off this energy because Willow followed suit with Orri almost immediately, "Captain, answer me. Do you care nothing for glory or reward for your deeds?!" speaking almost as an army commander his eyes searched into Orri's soul. She blinked a few times and attempted an answer, "Well I mean, no. Not really I guess. It's just not something I really think about." She smiled as if that was an answer for him, "What do you mean it's not something you think about?!" He came back at her with a little aggression. Morrigan searched for the words as best she could, "I don't care about it...well not don't care. hmm I am in it for the fight itself. I love fighting and getting lost in the feeling of skills and battle. That's why sparring with everyone is so much fun! I train and train to get ready for whatever strong person is around the corner!" Her eyes go sparkly as she talks about fighting, and whisks Willow in her arms as they dance a little about the space, "There is just this feeling inside that glows when I use the skills I've trained and the fun of fighting a strong opponent and testing those skills!" Willow giggles at the captain as she turns battle into this romantic game, "Bonds grow and skills grow as you fight with people you care about! It's what I love. Glory and reward is just not the most important part, you know?" She dances and catches Xander's eyes hoping that he understands. He sees his daughter giggle but his expression turns sour at Orri's romantic nonsense, "No, I don't know, and I am sure neither does Anaxa. So what is your end goal? I don't understand, you just love fighting in general? so you want to be the strongest ever then?" He spews the questions at her and she suddenly stops at the last one, Willow patting Orri's cheeck to continue dancing, "Strongest?! Oh Holy Flame NO! That would be awful!! Then who would I fight? there would be no challengers to test myself....what a horrible fate." She looks to Xander with genuine fear of the idea. "So just strength and skill for strength and skill's sake?" He attempts to figure her out, she responds immediately, "You may see it as a pointless and endless journey, but that's the fun, well as long as you have someone with you! An endless journey is worth it with someone you love and can share it with! I learned this from my moms!! It's just like you and Calliope, you both found the love of your life and can share it with each other, and with Willow of course! I hope to find a love like it myself." He is almost taken aback at her reaction and words to his question, "I....just don't understand." He says almost resigning to her simple child like thought process. Willow pats Orri's face more and the captain acquiesces the request and continues to dance and make the child laugh. Xander attempts to organize Orri's wants in his head as he watches the woman dance around the room, "Alright captain, if that is what you want. Just don't tell people Anaxa killed the Beholder......." He whispers to himself, "..to think this childlike happy go lucky woman fights with such strength and veracity, and killed a damn beholder herself."
 
Deck or Runway?
 
The water calmed down after the last ballista was fired and the one ship sped away, the sound of wood under pressure echoes from grappling hooks attached to the Blazing Chariot. The fiery captain looked upon them with excitement, it meant those strong looking fighters were climbing onto her ship looking for a fight. Her mind raced with how it would go, she raced with memories of sparring with Anaxa. Months upon months of nonstop fights and techniques, Orri knew how hoplites battle and had many options for defense and offense, the excitement growing with every option. A light cough coming from her right broke her out of her daydream, "Hey Orri, do you have any orders for everyone?" Calliope coughed into her hand to get the demi-human's attention. "YES!" Morrigan went into dramatic captain mode and turned with a flourish to her crew, "SHIN AND STINKY GET THE INJURED BELOW DECK, MAKE SURE THEY ARE WELL LOOKED AFTER! LIONEL AND DEADSHOT STAY REAY FOR SUPPORT FIRE!" Orri's smile went from ear to ear, Deadshot sighed at Orri, "You are hoping to just challenge the strongest one and make them submit right?" The captain looked stunned, "UMMmmmm nooo of course not that...how did you guess?!" Deadshot raised an eyebrow, "Really Captain...?" A hand landed on Orri's shoulder as Calliope spoke with warmth, "Orri, everyone guessed it." Morrigan raised her energy again, "RIGHT! YOU KNOW THE PLAN! BATTLE STATIONES FOR BOARDING COMBAT, BE READY AND STAY SAFE!" She bellowed as the crew raised their fists in agreement. "Plus I have to see if they are really mean and bad guys, if not we need to settle it fast before Anaxa gets here and murders them really bad." Calliope nods in agreement. The deck scrambled with activity with Artemis directing with more detail, and the waiting began. Orri and Calliope stood their watching the hooks waiting for the hoplites, Orri glanced down at herself and contemplated. "Hmm heehee this is just like "The Gambit of the Pirate Princess" boarded by brigands and have to fight them off, only to find that the strongest one is the man of her dreams!" Her eyes take on that familiar heart shaped dreaminess. Calliope knows it all to well now, "Orri, this isn't like on of your boo...." She looks over to see that Orri has vanished. Blinking twice as Orri reappears with a flash in a completely different and somewhat fancier dress, a long red dress with a single side strap and a split that travels to the middle of Orri's thigh "Hmm is this one TOO fancy? It may be tricky to fight in something so long?" before Calliope can even answer Morrigan vanishes yet again and returns even faster then last time, "Ok maybe this one?" Orri stands next to Calliope in a light cropped sweater and a skirt with two slits. It looks much easier to fight in at the very least. "Well I guess.." Orri interrupts poor Calliope by disappearing once again. Sighing with a smile at the captains antics, taking a breath back in as Morrigan appears in confidence in her usual outfit, the brilliant crimson cropped jacket and heart cut out of the top, the skirt and as always her bright blue scarf, "Alright, ready! To meet him!" She swoons at the idea and meets Calliope eyes,"...THEM, I MEAN THEM! of course." She chuckles and Calliope smirks at her. Such a dire situation here and only Orri can turn it into a silly matter in one of her romance novels. These poor hoplites are in for something they will never expect, a hopless romantic who loves to fight. Poor poor fools.