[IC]Clockwork Voyage

[Katrix]

Oceanside, Ravendale

After traveling for a bit, Kathryn eventually reached the city. She hadn't really brought anything special along from the ship, just a dagger, some coins a spare set of clothes just in case, and a clock she had found on the ship. As Kathryn gazed over the entrance to the city, she saw the guards keeping an eye at who left and entered the city. While there wasn't any danger that they wouldn't let her in, other than her being a bit young, but in Kathryn's mind, there was never anything as too careful, so after waiting for a couple of minutes she found a pair of people that she could sneak into the city with. Once that was over, most of the danger was over, as long as she was careful that it. The next thing Kathryn did was to just wander around the town looking for anything interesting there might be.

In truth, Kathryn had actually anticipated the other cities to be much bigger than this. While they were big, due to her growing up so close to so many ruins, she always imagined a real thriving city to be much bigger, which she found, it was not. IT didn't mean that there wasn't anything interesting in the city, so far there had been numerous of interesting stalls and stores, it just meant that she had expected even more. There was one thing that especially caught her eye tough when she was walking down the docks. Just there in the middle of all the other ships were a rather big ship with someone guarding it. First rules of thieves, if it's guarded, it's valuable. Kathryn knew that she had to check this out, thus she thought of a way to get on the ship without being notices by the guard. If Kathryn was lucky, she would maybe even find a few very interesting things on the ship.

[Amaterasu no Akane]

Airspace

"Got it," Thomas stated as he quickly strapped on the security belt. The ship took a sharp turn, and was headed for the pirates. Thomas quickly reloaded the shot in his rifle, and then put the rifle scope on his eye. Just as one of the cannon-operating pirates loaded the cannon, Thomas quickly aimed at the pirate. He fired a bullet which quickly took out the pirate in a flash. Thomas then once again reloaded, and aimed for the next pirate. Quickly, the pirate is taken out. Thomas was just about to fire another shot at the gunners, but, caught off guard, his left arm was shot. "Argh!" Thomas yelled. It started to bleed, but instead of backing away, he threw his rifle down the hatch, and took out his secondary pistol. The wind was starting to blow even harder. Knowing that the turrets are going to activate soon, Thomas fired 4 flaming shots at the pirate ships' hulls, and he slid down the ladder. At that exact moment, the shots exploded, leaving holes in the pirate ships. Knowing that he had to get back to the field, he took out his rifle and proceeded to continue fire on the pirate ship. On that point, Thomas knew that exploring is not going to be easy.

[Koishi]

Oceanside

---

Petra and Mycket entered a small hotel located near the edge of the city. Using each others money, they rented a room for the night. It was located on a quite high floor, with a small balcony looking over the city. Petra leaned on the balcony's railing, taking in the sight of the industrial port. Mycket soon joined her.

"Nice view, eh?" Mycket asked.

"Yeah. Wonder how old this place is? Looks pretty up to date in technology." Petra asked herself out loud.

"Consider it's a port city. Hub of trade, important for moving various materials to and fro. It has to be up to date, or or it lags behind and suffers economically. Eventually it would either have to upgrade or descend into a pit of scum." Mycket explained.

"I never knew you knew anything about business." Petra rose one of her eyebrows.

"Took it from my dad." Mycket replied. "Always looking for the right deal, and when you're poor, it means something." Mycket said, pulling up a chair. "A wise man said money makes the world go round. You can get almost anything for the right amount, but too much, and those selling will always ask for more."

"Never really thought about it like that. Any-who, what should we do next?" Petra asked with a smile.

"Well, we could go eat. I'm a bit hungry, myself." Mycket suggested. "Probably pretty good seafood. Fresh."

"Mhm, I could go for a bit of shrimp." Petra licked her lips.

"Well then. It's a plan." Mycket said. "Let me go get ready."

Petra simply nodded and looked back to the cityscape. "Well then shrimp, Petra's comin' for you."

[Luna Pixu]

Jefferson, Skylands Republic

---

The journey into the city from the docks was not a tough one. While both Miriah and Troy did have to brave through the passing pedestrians, the streets of Jefferson were not as bad as one may think. While the crowds were thick in areas connecting densely populated areas like Jefferson City University and the markets, it was always possible to make one's way to their destination. If one knew the general structure and mapping of a Skylands city, it was hard to get lost. But of course Miriah was with Troy. A man who was clearly not from the Skylands. And to Troy, the concept of a Sky City might have been turning his head.

The floating walkways held by hextech engines below and the floating islands of steel and stone were a sight to behold for those new to the Skylands. Hence it's name. The Skylands in itself was a nation composed of floating islands. An archipelago in the sky, if one were to compare the Skylands to the land below. Miriah herself had lived in the Skylands all her life so the concept of hextech engines levitating entire islands and structures was nothing new or remarkable to her. Sure, they are the finest products of Skylands and Clockwork technology but it was the very thing that held the lands of which Miriah called her home. It was like a land-dweller and their thoughts about soil and sand. To them, it was merely the ground beneath their feet. And in turn, a native Skylander could perceive bricks and steel as such.

Along the journey to the central market of Jefferson, Miriah began to see Troy staring at the people passing by. The quantities of traders, sailors, and students alike. And before long, Troy piped in with a comment on the quantity of students passing through Jefferson. Of which was to be expected. After all, Jefferson was known for its university and education. It was to be expected that there would be students roaming the streets of the city.
"Well, Jefferson is known for its eduction. People come here to learn and heighten their knowledge. And this city is ideal place for it. Jefferson has been called the City of Education or the University City just because of Jefferson City University alone." Miriah explained. "I never went to university. I wasn't really interested in studying anyway. Sure, the idea of studying engineering sounds nice but it isn't for me. I'm not that good when it comes to manual work and manufacturing so I didn't think that learning the craft would be a good idea. And besides, I wanted to be out in the skies. I wanted to pursue something different. Not being stuck in a workshop day in and day out. And for what it's worth, I stand by my decision." As Miriah finished her explanation, she peered her head up so she find the next route to take through the city. One wrong turn and the duo could end up in the wrong part of the city. The universities, the other docks, or worse. Once she found her route to the central market, Miriah piped up once again to speak to Troy.
"If you don't mind me asking, Troy, what exactly brought you here to Jefferson or the Skylands as a whole?" Miriah asked. "Is it this hunt for Verdelion's treasure?"

[Major Mario]

Jefferson, Skylands Republic

---

The air here was pleasant to Troy's senses, even if it was somewhat marred with touches of smog here and there. Steam was the major player, but there were always other contenders meddling in the environment. To onlookers, Troy looked like a child in a candyshop. His head swiveled about and his attention shifted to and from many things that passed his line of sight. From the people to the strange contraptions, there was always something to see or question.

Right now the biggest question was how these vast sky islands stayed aloft with so much weight put upon them. On the surface the islands weren't just floating dead in the water, they were connected to the earth and just happened to be sticking out of the water. They could support all the weight imaginable, but for steam contraptions in a precarious environment like the open air miles above the ground, Troy was at a loss. He had seen a few engines on his accent to Jefferson, but something so simple couldn't possibly lift up a university, let alone an entire city and its people, could it? Troy would have to ask sometime and give the knowledge to his sister in a letter...

His thoughts were interrupted by Miriah, who answered his question before asking one of her own. She was a free spirit who did have a desire to learn, but on her own time and in her own way. Like the Galest monks, readings and studies only did so much. One had to go out into the world and apply their learned knowledge before anything sticks. If the young woman wanted to spread her wings and fly, all power to her. Troy could respect that.

"One would think that, Miriah, but my search for Verdelion's treasure is not my highest priority." The young man looked up at the clouds for a moment before chuckling. "There are so many lands out there in the world, all of which are filled with such interesting people and places. How do they live, what do they believe in, and what drives them forward? Those are but a few questions I hope to answer in my travels, and Jefferson sounded like a fine spot to start off from. I seek to satiate my wanderlust, but more than that, I seek a companion." Troy looked back down at Miriah and tipped his cone hat forward to cover his head once again. "A lifelong one. Fortune favors the bold, as it is said."

[WriggleRid3r]

Airspace

---

"Listen up, you whiskey deltas!" A gruffy voice shouted through the intercom. "You're being attacked by the Glossy Brass Pirates! Surrender, and we'll maybe spare your life!"

The two ships gained momentum even with the quick manuever by Lia. Noticing that the ship was going in between the two pirate ships, the ships mobilized thenselves next to the ship as a mean to crush it in between, or create a good enough distance for the men to hop aboard. The bullets that Lia fired to the zeppelin didn't do much either, as the captain's order had the crew deploy a thin brass curtain around the zeppelin to block incoming shots.

With the distance so close, the gunners began pelting the deck with rain of lead so thick one would risk death without taking cover.

[Kristia]

Airspace


"Are you seriously called Glossy? I can´t imagine being called like that" Lia laughed as she pushed the main lever to go faster "Excuse me passengers, but as you can see or imagine, there are two ships almost on our sides, please prepare to some collisions" she said in a calm and almost excited tone

Pressing some buttons, the adventurer changed the turrets weaponry for harpoons. They aimed to both ships and fired to whatever places, be it the zeppelin, the ship itself or a bad luck pirate. The Sky fox went faster as it was going directly at the middle of the pirate ships.

[WriggleRid3r]

Airspace

---

"Better gloss than rust!" The captain heard Lia's snickering remark and grumbled in malice. True to their name, the Glossy Brass pirates had well-polished and well-sharpened weapons. The harpoons did their work, clinging to the ship and halting it from approaching Lia's ship, although no casualties occured.

[wonderweiss]

The Wolf Den (name of Captain Winters' Ship)

---

As Gale was dozing off, he heard the call of a ship mate from off the deck.

"Captain! Lower the board!"

Gale picked up the boarding plank and set it down.

"Bloody hell, tell me you didn't already get yourselves in trouble, lads!"

"Nay, captain! We were so caught up in the moment we forgot to pick up our shares!"

Gale sat back down as the crew mates got on and took a portion of share. Each one took out a pocket full of money, though it was only a fraction of it all.

"Thanks, captain!" One of the crew mates shouted. "Just remember to pull the boarding plank back up!"

"Yea, yea..."

He pulled it up, but only halfway because he was too drunk to think it was any different. He sat on the chair and tipped to to lean on the edge of the ship. He tipped his hat over his eyes. He began snoring...

[Amaterasu no Akane]

Airspace

Thomas started to feel lead pelting down from the pirate ships. He knew that he had to be quick now, so instead of focusing on the gunners, he directed his cross hair on the captain. "Good, good, stand still..." Thomas muttered as he attempted to get a good aim on the captain, as he said various things about gloss and rust. While keeping the rifle steady, he was about to fire an explosive shot from his secondary pistol, until he was interrupted by searing pain from his injured arm. Quickly, he closed the hatch, and to his luck, he heard the sound of bullets colliding to the hatch he was in earlier. Holding his injured arm, he slowly walked towards pilot's room, while attempting to resist the Sky Fox's shaking.

[Kristia]

Airspace

"Come one loot hunters, you need some time to know each other" Lia taunted as she made her ship goes faster. The Sky fox's thrusters went stronger as the ship pulled the harpoons, the pirate ships were going to be pulled and crash with each other

[Katrix]

Oceanside, Ravendale - The Wolf Den

It looked like Kathryn had quite a bit of luck today. Right after she had begun to examine the ship, a few people came over, got on the ship, and left with a pouch of money each. A bit after that, the guard fell asleep too. Things really couldn't have gone better. Not only had the guard fallen asleep, but she had also gotten visual confirmation that there was something interesting aboard the ship. Kathryn still didn't know if there was anything else interesting tough, so she still had to look for it. That was something she had been tough again and again back in her hometown. How would you know that there was something interesting if you didn't look for it. In this case, most likely it would be in a core location of the ship.

After Kathryn was sure that the guard was fast asleep, she begun moving towards the ship. Although Kathrun could have used the boarding plank as it wasn't pulled back properly, she decided she would find a different way aboard. In her opinion, the boarding plank was a bit well head on for her taste. Instead she found a nice landing place, and jumped over the gap, making sure to do a silent landing as well. It wasn't really any difficult task for her as she had often jumped from rooftop to rooftop when she was younger. After she was on the ship, she sneaked over to where the money were, and took a bit as quietly as possible. First she filled her pouch a little, but not too much so it wouldn't be a burden, then she hid a few more coins around her clothes. Especially her boots were a good hiding spot for a few coins.

After she had taken a bit of money, she continued on, deeper into the ship in search of that extra interesting thing.

[Luna Pixu]

Jefferson, Skylands Republic (Approaching Central Market)

---

Miriah couldn't help but agree with Troy. Although both of them seemed highly interested in treasure, it was the idea of exploration and discovering new lands that enticed Troy. And for what it was worth, Miriah could tell that a place like Jefferson was a good place to start for non-Skylanders. While culture was not too different from the likes of Ravendale, the Skylands had a different view on the world and on society. Ravendale mostly believed in the support of the monarchs and all the land that they own. While the Skylands did not care about royalty or that much on patriotism, they believed mostly in science and advancement of technology and society. To build a more advanced and brighter world with the power of steam and steel. Miriah did not know as to where Troy hailed from. But what she did know is that it was most certainly not one similar to the Skylands.

"Now that I can respect, sir." Miriah chimed in with an upbeat tone of voice. "Exploring the lands and finding new cultures. That. Is a good reason to travel. I myself have always wanted to explore the skies around us and beyond. To go as far the Clockwork City and even beyond. But my line of work has been keeping me within the perimeter of the Skylands. The furtherest I have ever gone is about 15 or so miles east of Wakehold. And that was for special reasons." Miriah explained as she continued her walk with Troy. As Miriah continued to talk, she began to notice a familiar setting emerging in the distance. Before long, Miriah realised as to what they were approaching. The Jefferson central market. If Miriah continued their pace, they would most surely approach the market within the next 5 minutes or so. Of course, the best way to fill up that time was talking. At least, in Miriah's mind, it was. "And a companion, you say? Well, I don't know about you. But seeking a permanent crew or someone to travel with is kind of hard. Let me tell you, I have hopped from crew to crew. Barely have I seen someone twice. It might be my job but sometimes it's hard to really find a good, permanent friend aboard a ship. I dunno. Maybe I'll find someone in the future and maybe you will too. You never know what'll happen." Miriah concluded without a second thought on her opinions. Despite her honest and straightforward ideas, it was obvious to anyone listening that Miriah did fully not understand as to what Troy meant by his words.

[Major Mario]

Jefferson, Skylands Republic (Approaching Central Market) - ((@TRXD))

---

Miriah had missed the meaning beyond Troy's words, but she had landed somewhere in the general area of discussion. Companions, no matter how big or how small, were worthwhile to keep around. For the hotblooded, a companion protected you and looked up to you for the same protection. For the brooders, a follower kept your spirits up and tried to waylay any negative thoughts. And for those like Troy, the adventurous or romantics, a companion kept you company and filled you with hope for the long road ahead.

Miriah was young, and she had the whole world as her backyard. Given her line of work, Troy figured the young woman had enough money to fool around a little and explore foreign countries, and if she ever got in a pickle, her skills working on an airship as big as the 'Heisenberg' would prove invaluable to her. Plus the gun holstered on her person would help. Guns always seemed to be the peacekeepers and methods of deterrence around here. A young woman as gung-ho and prepared as Miriah had nothing to fear in her travels.

Choosing to not correct Miriah's hiccup, Troy instead smiled and gave a thoughtful tilt of his head.

"You are bound to find someone who is willing to travel with you, perhaps even travel across the world just to see you. Consider me, if you would. I was willing to travel with you to meet your contact, so that makes me one of possibly several others you'll meet in the future." The monk looked very curious when he noticed the marketplace coming up. Maybe it was all the people, or perhaps it was the merchandise on the horizon. "Have you considered taking on a pet? A loyal dog or a cat?"

[WriggleRid3r]

Airspace

---

"Sir, we're crashing!" A grunt shouted to the captain inside his bunk.

"Get those hooks off the ship!" Another grunt shouted, and the grunts went busy. Instead of having 15 gunners pelting lead into Lia's ship, the number was reduced to 5, giving her and the passengers a breathing room while the pirates were busy getting the harpoons off their ships.

---

The Hogbacks - Olympus Plaza - Piltover, Skylands Republic

---

Doc stared at Caitlyn with shock and disbelief. "H... his log? But I thought that thing was gone... destroyed..."

"Well it wasn't. And it is under my custody. But the page showing the location of the treasure is ripped away." Caitlyn brought her chair closer to Doc who chugged down the bottle of alcohol. "Listen, Doc. I need your help."

"Whatever it is, it's a no." Doc grunted. His eyes glanced at Caitlyn, then up at the ceiling, then back at Caitlyn. "I swore to myself never to tangle with his filthy gold ever again."

"If that's the case, I won't ask you to set sail. I just need information: I'll do all the searching." Caitlyn pleaded. Doc sighed, lifted his bottle and shook it to find it empty, sighed again, and fell silent for a few seconds.

"What do you need?" Doc asked sharply.

"I need to know the whereabouts of some of Verdelion's crewmembers-" Caitlyn answered promptly. "Not including Dolkey or you."

Doc chuckled. "Look, Caitlyn. Pirates don't keep in touch with each other. One day they're friends, and another day they could be backstabbing you with grog-soaked blade."

"...although I think I know of one lad..."

"A cabin boy. By the name of Gale. Never knew his full name nor his background, cuz he never opened his heart to us. He was blindfolded during the last voyage so he can't tell you where the treasure is hidden, if that's whay you want to ask him. Neither can any other crewmembers that say they served Verdelion."

"Do you know where this Gale person is now?" Caitlyn questioned. Doc looked out into the tiny window in his room.

"Rumor says he's in Ravendale." Doc said.

"...Thanks, Doc. If you change your mind, just look for me at my office. Also..." Caitlyn rose from her seat, reached into her pocket to drop some gold coins, and left the room. "Go buy yourself some new clothes."

The door closed, leaving Doc alone in his room feeling a lot more complicated about his life.