V5 Incline 5: Nin

"Come on, you three! Hurry up or I'll find a way to drag Waionr into this!" Baltanthan barks out at us, sitting on that there rock of his. I look up from what I'm doing, with Rose-sweerui not taking kindly to his tone. Barely a moment of the confrontation comes to pass as she stops halfway. Bemusement takes over my expression, and she rushes back to help with the packing.

Despite making up the majority of the contents of our bag, my beloved Rose-sweerui is not that good at packing it all up.

Our so-called hurrying is not all that much hurry, as it were. It's an endless mess of tubes or panties that are getting folded, wrapped and stacked wherever they can. Not in just one bag, but now across the split loads of several. It's just not worth it to argue with her about it at this point.

Einervaene slips into view, a scowl on her face for perhaps a different reason entirely, "You two made sure to take *all* metal items away from him, didn't you?"

"As if I'd ever give my tubes and tips to... Him..." Rose hisses, her entitled person having no problem accepting help from Einervaene. The Golden Woman as I've heard her put it.

Shaking my head and getting my attention off of the pair for the moment, a claw taps away at my masked chin. However, I can't quite get my mind off of Einervaene's words, and they become all I can think about. I don't know, actually. So, I guess I will lie to avoid the trouble.

Besides... As long as she doesn't find out before I go off on my own, we are set because she won't see me for a short while!

"Yeah, yeah." I tell her with a wave of my left claw, slowly standing up with all my brand spanking new weight. Rather, the seeming weight of it. I'm barely noticing anything about it apart from some encumbrance of how it's like to actually move. If anything, I really wish we didn't destroy the big bag, feels weird having a cutdown bag like this. The old muscle memory is a joke right now.

"So what is this meant to say?" Baltanthan asks as he comes on over. His question catches me off guard, and he's barely helping the issue by tapping his bag when it's out of my sight- Oh, right, the symbol things that had been sewn on. That thicker material sticks out like a sore thumb... Broken claw?

"..." I try to speak, but Einervaene steps into view, words clearly on her mouth. I nod her way, giving her the attention.

"Baltanthan," Einervaene says to him, her efforts with Rose otherwise finished, "Rianta-chira."

"Oh, they're our names." Baltanthan goes as the copper-haired lady taps the additional bits of sewing she managed to fit in. And, well, I guess that answers that. They're name tags.

"None for me?" I tease Einervaene with, recalling how nothing was on my bag despite all the modifications.

Her pale skin shifts instantly, burning up with all the embarrassment and stutter she can muster, "Well... I didn't think you would need one as you had a different-sized bag entirely and..."

Her voice breaks apart into a state of incoherent rambling, cheeks all but searing hot. My laughter only makes the problem worse, and she tries to hide behind her hands. A delightful squeal coming out of her as a sense of caution comes to mind. I come to a stop, putting my claw on her shoulder and rubbing gently.

"Don't worry about it!" I tell Einervaene, insisting as sincerely as I can so she doesn't take it the wrong way. It's simple teasing, after all.

However... I take one step away and a handful of empty bottles go flying. Shattering right up on the rock but somehow not breaking before that point. An annoyed chitter vibrates through my mask.

The event inspires thoughts from the recovering nervous wreck, "Is... Is it acceptable for us to leave the area like this?"

Einervaene looks around, a softer embarrassment coming to her face. She seems to know which piles are hers, and I can't help but smile. Still, they're just bottles, and I'm sure no one's going to be skidding their knees on them anytime soon. Not like there are bins, either. We have enough stuff to carry as is.

"No one will know, now go! Let's go!" the other male of our group of four snaps. Impatiently prodding us out as we make our way over, regardless. Lesser men might even snap 'don't tell me what to do!' Such, such lesser men before the might of Baltanthan the Impatient.

We reach the exit arch, lingering at the top of the slope as a Rose happens to enter my arms. She smiles deeply, swooning and snuggling against me tightly. She's certainly confident in the idea of a safe journey, that's for certain. Though...

"Fast way down or slow?" I technically ask no one in particular as we reach the first flat part of the sloping descent.

"Preferably fa-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Rose tries to answer, her words stretching out into a wonderful scream.

The wind rushes past up, my leap from the mountain still trailing after us. Her body secured well within my 'safe' grip and my 'protective' body. We crash into the ground, the magic-softened impact not doing much to cover the noise of her screams. My laughter on the other claw? That's doing the job well!

Rose falls from my grip, her narrow-tipped legs barely keeping her shaking body upright.

"I-I'm s-sorry!" I barely get out with all the hysterical laughter. Her arms and fists smashing against me with all the anger in her sexily slim body.

"Don't do that!" she scolds as my laughter continues without pause. It only breaks for a wheeze of air, and it's all that she needs. Her face softens, and she blushes up. A finger pushing back some of her hair as a little smile wobbles up into existence. A hefty whistle ends my laugh, some chuckle fits coming in and out as I linger it in my head.

Come on now, come to a stop, chuckles. Come to a stop before she gets annoyed again. It's hard to focus with this fit of chuckles, anyway- A lightning bolt strikes the earth, becoming a striding woman of well-shaped legs. A growing giggle to her lips.

"Hurry up, Baltanthan!" Einervaene jokes as loud as she can to the loneliest member of our group. She turns our way, covering her mouth as she becomes a mess of giggles. One that barely goes away as a wobbly smile shines away on her lips. Rose steps away slightly, standing proud with a jealous, attention-seeking pout.

"You want me to come up and get you!?" I call up to Baltanthan, ignoring Rose's behaviour. It's hard to say if he's taking his time or if he is actually that slow coming down. Either or, a series of unintelligible words is all we're getting from him. Even the girls can't decipher the noise, and all I can do is shrug. Our mutual processing as equally unsuccessful.

"Go get him anyway," Rose demands, her rather short patience fuse burning out in no time at all.

"Is that really the wisest idea? He's already... At the halfway point." I retort back with, taking into account the way the path is. It gets very rough at many points, especially about halfway. Coming into try and grab him will only cause a serious accident. Perhaps even cost him his life.

"He's a root, wisdom is not needed in dealing with them." she spits out with such an uncomfortable amount of venom. Seriously, gods above... I lucked out meeting Vapooliar the way I did.

"Fine." is all I can be asked to respond with as I set down my things and leap. Going higher and higher, I overshoot Baltanthan by a safe distance. Following the path, I rush after him with no concern for my safety and cheat a few turns of the path. The stone thuds as I land in front of the grumpy man.

He rolls his eyes and I grab him tight, hopping the rest of the way. We bounce from path to path, and I come to a running halt. Dropping him off, he steps away with two pairs of expecting eyes on him. I go back to my bag and grab it, hoisting it up and about.

"Let's get me going quickly," Baltanthan says in such a strange manner, heading off without anyone else.

"Let's go! To Thrurstradtur!" Einervaene cheers now that we're all well and truly ready to head to the city.

"Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst!" Baltanthan can't help but call back.

"Which one of you has the map?" I ask the pair of girls as I start to pick up the pace. Probably best I am more readily able to check the lay of the land as we go along.

"I packed one in everyone's bag, even yours!" Einervaene answers with twinkling pride. I linger and blink. When did we get more maps?

"And which one is the map relevant for the remaining distance?" I ask, blowing away that pride as she is consumed with the vile power of 'figuring it out.'

"All of them... All of them are relevant!" she starts, her second-guessing confusion putting a helping of annoyance on her face. A little smile comes to me, the mask doing me so many favours.

This period of confusion hits me in so many of the right spots of enjoyability. It's almost too easy to make Einervaene lose her noble posture. Rose's fun to do it to, too. But Einervaene reacts so cutely each time.

"Whose bag is the lightest and roomiest, then?" I call out to everyone, possibly missing out on Baltanthan's pair of ears with how far off he is now. Still, whoever's bag is the lightest will be the easiest to sort the map out on.

"Ironically considering how bloated it was before, yours!" Baltanthan calls back, his free hand jabbing at what could only be the bag. A sigh pops my mouth open, and I sling the bag ahead, barely not throwing it down. Each step I take is a good thing, after all.

"There we go." I let out, putting everything back to the way it was so I can catch up. The map unfurls as I do so, my claws so needfully gentle with it. My mind shifts through phases of remembering and I settle on the core detail of them all. I can't read this map.

I try to pass it onto Rose-sweerui, but she keeps it in my claws. Coming on over in such an awkward manner. She forces me to pick her up, occupying one half of my arms with her luggage and herself. All so I can walk without issue. But, going by the smile on her face and the gentle sway of her legs, that's the plan she came to me with.

Certainly an... Interesting one. Annoy me and worry me with the idea of tripping up over her because of my further-reaching strides... Get into my grip and never walk another stride yourself again forever and ever!

"Keep on going forward and..." she speaks, looking about and mostly at me, her head-bulbs glowing gently before she looks down again, "Make a right at this mountain, the start of the road is just a little beyond there."

"What mountain? We are surrounded by them!" Baltanthan moans, emphasising his point by spinning around with his hands held out far and wide. I smile, his actions taking the words right out of my mouth. Though, I must detract points because he's a native of this land. He should be used to the mountains.

"The largest one before the greatest one, obviously you stupid root!" Rose spits out ahead, nearly literally if it wasn't for this map between her and him. And the distance between them. And me somewhat. And the gentle breeze fluttering up Rose's hair.

"And by the god of them, which one is that?" Baltanthan shoots back with, his attitude just about done with the aelenvari in my arm. Gods above is he growing increasingly sick of her. Thrurstradtur cannot come soon enough.

"Rose, let me have a look." I ask her, fiddling the map back into my grip even with how I can't read. I can't read this all at all, but I can use it. Which is certainly easier with Rose-sweerui actually having a clue. Much as my thoughts make little sense to even me right now.

"See, that one." Rose points out, a slender finger doing most of the work as she circles it by the nail. Right on that spot on the map. A slow nod comes from me as I look around, eyeing the map out for any other landmarks on the magic parchment. There seems to be something that I assume must be close to us, but I'm not too sure. All I can really do is put Rose and the bag down and go flying off.

"I'll be right back." I tell the three of them, running away, rolled-up map in claw. I leap for the sky, digging my free claw into the rock at the first opportunity. It cracks and loosens, sending me further and further ahead as I try to find a moment to read the map again.