i'm not the only traveler who has not repaid his debt

SuNJATA

the flood

He hasn’t been back for long, but he has had quite the to-do list. And so he focuses on the Port, one of the main places he imagines he might be able to find Zephyr. He doesn’t know what’s occurred between him and Nate, doesn’t know what Zeph has even been up to while the sickness rampaged everything around them. What he does know, is that he’s governor now, and as much as Zeph and Sunjata had their… Issues, Sunjata still liked Zephyr well enough, still thought he’d make a good voice in the government.

That and he’s hoping to snatch Vai up too, and if anything got to be too much between the two of them, he imagines the witch wouldn’t hesitate to step in.

He slips into a shop, glancing around before his eyes land on the merchant, flashing him a bright smile. “Hey, I’m looking for Zeph. Have you seen him?” He asks, pausing while the merchant tries to think of where he’d seen the smuggler last. A few minutes pass and the merchant recalls, gesturing for Sunjata to head over to the shop across the way. And so he does, offering the merchant a thanks before slipping into the port alley and across to the shop across the way and finding the smuggler.

"Hey Zeph, got a minute?" He asks, once he's far enough into the shop that the bustling sounds of the port behind him fade away.

rely a bit too heavily on alcohol & irony

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

zephyr

You've been having a good bit of banter with the shopkeeper about prices for plates, which absolutely definitely means normal crockery and nothing else, when a massive fucking shadow darkens the shop, heralding the arrival of the Flood. Raising an eyebrow to the shopkeep with an expression that clearly says oh look who's decided to grace us with his presence, you take a casual step away, turning to look at a length of silk that hangs from a rod nearby.

If you were Attuned your ears would flick back at the sound of his rumbled voice. As it is you simply blink, half-turning to look over your shoulder at the unsettlingly tall newly-minted governor who you once thought was just a parrot. Oh, simpler times. "Can't rightly say no t'our new guv'ner, now can I?" you reply mildly, still futzing over the cloth. "Yer lookin' better, Sparky. Heard yer house burned down."

I was born here and I'll die here against my will
I know it looks like I'm movin' but I'm standin' still

SuNJATA

the flood

He shifts his attention to focus on something else and Sunjata can’t help but to guide his attention away from what Zeph had previously been looking at to the silk that he peers at now, hearing the words that leave the smuggler’s mouth. A small half smirk forms on Sunjata’s face, shoulders shrugging as he watches the other man. “You could. I wouldn’t even blame you for it. But I think it might interest you.” A raise of his brow with that, a leading, guiding smile as he walks a bit closer toward Zeph.

As for his house, there’s a small nod. “It did. Nobody was hurt, a small blessing among everything else.” Considering the sickness and what not, but Sunjata isn‘t here to talk about his personal life. No, he’s here for business, business that includes Zeph and trying to forget that the man had dragged him back to Vai before his heart had time to burst, that held his hand while Vai healed him and he cried because the pain had been far too much.

“Was wondering if you’d like a position on the council?” It’s said a bit quieter, a raise of his brow, eyes focused intently on the smuggler.

rely a bit too heavily on alcohol & irony

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

zephyr

Your expression remains mild, though you raise an eyebrow a fraction of a centimeter, wondering what on earth you're going to find interesting about his request. Or rather, what kind of 'interesting' it will be, the word being one of those things people toss around when they don't want to commit to an actually useful adjective.

You're still not quite looking at him, though you've now moved with casual purpose to examine some woven baskets that sit haphazardly on a shelf. "Always a relief," you agree easily enough, though whether or not you mean it (or he believes you) is another question entirely.

You've plucked a palm fan from the pile when his real offer slips out, and when you turn to look at him - really look at him - the thing is held beside your face like you're some elegant lady trying not to faint. "Why, lil' ol' me, a councilor? Whatever've I done t'deserve such an honor, Mr. Guv'ner, sir?"

I was born here and I'll die here against my will
I know it looks like I'm movin' but I'm standin' still

SuNJATA

the flood

Zeph’s tones come off a bit flat, but Sunjata isn’t here to judge – it’s all small talk before business anyway, nor does he particularly care. He knows that he and Zeph sit on unsteady terms, a pendulum that could swing either way at any given moment. It’s only now, as the question is aired, he hopes that it might swing in his favor rather than the opposite.

So when the smuggler turns to look back at him, a fan half covering his face, the jesting tones reached out toward him – he can’t help but to snort, an amused smile lingering on his face. “Little old you, yes.” He rumbles, half thinking of making a joke based off of height alone – though the way Sunjata seems to peer down at everyone seems to make that joke fall a bit flat, even in his mind. But in order to make it a small amount more tempting, he turns his attention away from Zeph, fingers running over a purple scarf with golden threads weaved within it.

“Vervain has agreed to join.” He begins, gaze flicking along the scarf now back to Zeph as he lets his fingers fall from the fabric.

rely a bit too heavily on alcohol & irony

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

zephyr

It's always cute when a novice tries to beat you at your own games. The turn away, the attention to the scarf, the sudden mention of Vai - it's enough to make you want to laugh and pat him on the shoulder, to declare aww, how quaint. Instead you keep your expression schooled, quietly neutral but for the glitter of mischief in your eyes. "Has she now?" you ask, as though surprised. "Well, that does change things."

It doesn't. But y'know.

You've put the fan down, and now you move over to a set of brass rings set with different semi-precious stones, each of which you hold to the light. Fakes, the lot, but convincing. "Ya didn' answer my question, 'Biter. Whaddya want with someone like me on yer council? We ain't th'best'a friends, historically speakin'."

I was born here and I'll die here against my will
I know it looks like I'm movin' but I'm standin' still

SuNJATA

the flood

Of course it’s a ploy, a game, an attempt to play the same game it’s evident Zeph is playing. Whether or not the Flood cares whether the smuggler sees through it or not is another story, and there’s an amused lift of the corner of his mouth as Zeph plays along. If for nothing else, they’d at least get this far, civil enough with each other. But Sunjata has cards to play, unsure if Zeph realizes it or not.

But back when he’d arrived, he’d spoken with Jack about the under dealings of Torchline, and now that he’s governor – well, it was beneficial, was it not?

“We’re not, you’re right.” Sunjata agrees, letting a bit of distance grow between them before he sets aside the scarf he’d inspected to approach Zeph, a bit closer, a bit more for the quiet tones that could travel between them and no one else. “But I think it would be beneficial for the both of us to have someone like yourself on the council. One, you’re a natural. Two, you’re a smuggler. Wouldn’t you like to have a hand in the government and ensuring that you still get to do your job?” He pulls head away a bit from Zeph then, a dark brow raised, steel gaze dances along his face.

rely a bit too heavily on alcohol & irony

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

zephyr

The thing about you is that you're very good at differentiating business and pleasure, and this? This is all business, the brain that made you a smuggler kingpin working to try and figure out just how to make things work for you. You're still admiring the rings when the beanpole looms closer, threatening to block your precious light. His words get you to let out a languid chuckle, still not quite turning to meet his pale gaze.

"So if I don't join yer council I lose my way'a life?" Tsk'ing softly, you shake your head. "Not th'best sales pitch, but ain't th'worst one, either." Stepping back so there's enough distance that it doesn't hurt your neck, you finally crane your head up to meet the giant's eyes. "Aite. I'll join yer council. But you gotta' promise t'defer t'me on matters'a my people an' my business." No need to clarify what that business is.

I was born here and I'll die here against my will
I know it looks like I'm movin' but I'm standin' still

SuNJATA

the flood

Zeph’s question is met with a shrug of broad shoulders, neither agreeing nor denying the fact. Though if he’s being honest, he doesn’t know what the hold up is, given the fact that it wouldn’t be like much has changed for Zeph. He’d just get a fancy title and it ensured that Sunjata at the very least did have to listen to him.

Perhaps it’s a roundabout way of apologizing for the scar he’d given the man.

At Zeph’s request, Sunjata flashes a fanged smirk his way, stepping out of the light that encompasses the smuggler. “Deal.” He rumbles – though he wonders whether or not it’s a good idea to so blindly agree. It likely isn’t, but that’s why he’s got Vai as the peace keeper, right? Hopefully it just… Works out in the end.

He tips Zeph a wink before slipping away from the space he’s encompassed. “I’ll be in touch.” He offers to Zeph, moving toward the entrance now that this was completed – feeling at least a little bit better.

- FIN <3

rely a bit too heavily on alcohol & irony

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3