Aikuen's Tale: Captain Lorra

Location: Great Hall

Characters: Aikuen, Zen, Orph, Brother Julian, Dragoon, Emerald

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Aikuen shoots down the stairway, he seems to be a lot better than he was yesterday. He gives a friendly smile to Zen, and heads over to his favorite seat at the table.

Zen smiles and waves a paw at Aikuen, tilting his head a little curiously at him. "Oh, hello... hows are you?"

Aikuen sets himself down at the table grabbing the nearest drink, regardless of what it is, and slurps it down. He smacks his lips when he finishes it. "Mmmm, mmmm, That's the stuff." He looks over toward Zen and with a bog ole' smile he says, "I'm doing just great, little matey. Or as one of my corporals used to say, 'Absolutely Top-Hole! Wot!' or something like that, he talked very fast."

Zen blinks, curiously approaching Aikuen. "Ohs? Uh.... whys you so happies? I means... hehe... did ya gets a kiss?" He giggles and chuckles, "That always makes me happies."

Aikuen chuckles and shakes his head, "No, nothing like that little matey. This morning my left arm did something, which nobeast thought it could do anymore!"

Zen blinks and tilts his head. "Oh? What did it do? Hehe, I thinks it could do anything but... that's jus' mes!" He bounces onto his feet and skips over to Aikuen, peering curoiusly.

Aikuen smiles, and removes his left arm from the sling, and places it on the table. It looks very limp and doesn't do anything. Removing his dagger, and grabbing it by the blade, he leans closer to his left arm. "Watch this..." He places the dagger handle into the open paw of the left arm. Nothing happens for a bit, then suddenly the paw closes around the dagger handle as if it had a death grip on it. Aikuen is just overjoyed at this display, "See! See! It grabbed it!"

Zen blinks a little, then smiles and bounces!! He smiled and nodded his head! "Yay! Congrter.... congradu.... laterns... yea! Tehehe, So... your.. your arms getting beters?" He didn't know what happend, but he could piece one and two together.

Orph enter the great hall with Brother Julian close at hand

Aikuen is just beaming from ear to ear. "Yep, it sure is... Soon, i hope to be able to use my whole arm again." He tries to dislodge the dagger from his paw, but it just wont let go. "Ahhh well, Small victories." He gives up trying to remove the dagger,and just leaves it on the table. He looks at Zen, "So little matey, I don't even know your name, But i like yah..." He scratches Zen friendly on the head.

Zen blushes softly and smiles, leaning into the scratches a little. "Hehe, I likes you too. My names Zen Fetcher. Nices to meets you!" He smiles and nods his head, tail flicking a little. "Wha's your names?"

Orph walks up in his grey robe and plops down next to Zen, "Ello, again."

Aikuen stops scratching Zens head, and give a short salute, "My name is Aikuen, But you can call me Aiku if yah like." He tries to pull the dagger from his paw, but with no luck. Sighing, He a smiles to Orph, "Hello! How are you!"

Orph shrugs, "Oi've been better'n Oi've been worse, but not much worse. Wish Nic'd call fer meh soon."

Zen smiles and nods to Orph, "Hellows...." Turning back to Aikuen now, "Oh, okie! Nices to meest you Aiku! Hehe.."

Aikuen scratches his chin fur, "Why are you waiting for the abbot to call you matey, is something amiss?"

Orph smiles at Zen, "Ello again, Zen. Sorry iffen Oi was mean fore. Oi'd seen yurr roight fore Oi got in trouble. Oi needed t' know iffern yurr knew anythin'. Sorry Oi iffen Oi was mean."

Zen smiles at Orph and nods, "TEheh, it's okie... realys." He smiles and then sits down on the floor, thinking a bit to himself about something.

Orph board pets the end of Zen's tail, "Ow old are 'ee? Yurr wan play wi' meh?"

Zen smiles at Orph and giggles, then he gives a bit of a blank look. "I.. don' knows how olds I is..."

Orph stands up, "Lets see, are you big as meh?"

Zen stands up a little. He then blinks, looking upwards at Orph. He smiles softly.

Orph looks down at the mouse, "Hm, lets say Oi'm older til we find out fer sure, ok?"

Zen nods his head and smiles, "Okie.. hehe.. so.. whatcha wanna plays?" He then glances toward Aikuen...

Aikuen is just watching the two, He squinch's his face so its all wrinkled "I'm much to old and feeble to be playing games... " He places his left arm, with dagger still attached, back into the sling. He gets up and pretends to walk slowly away, while holding a cane. With his face still squinched, he says "I gatta do old people stuff ... Like take baths, and drink physick!"

Zen blinks at Aikuen, his head tilting. "You take... baths?!?" His eyes go wide! What? Beasts, in water?!?! That's unspeakable!!

Aikuen is still in his old person ruse, in a grumpy manner he says, "Take baths, Young'un! Coarse, i take a bath every minute i get the chance too!" He walks slowly toward Zen, still pretending to have a cane. In a severe, but totally fake tone he says, "And its about time you had your bath!" He shuffles his footpaws to seems like is going so slow, you can even tell he's moving. "Come here Young'un!"

Zen's eyes widen as his jaw drops! "Bath?!? Me?!?!?! .... Noooooooo... ok." He smiles, padding towards Aikuen. "Hehe, Uh.... but... ya has to teaches me how to swims... I can't swims sos I's ascards of waters."

Dragoon steps into the Great Hall from outside, shutting the door from the chill and giving a little shiver as he walks into the warmth.

Aikuen drops his old beast ruse, his mouth falls open. Also the dagger is let go from the left paw and it drops point down into the stone. The point digs itself lightly into the stone, with a light clink. it wobbles slowly back and forth. But Aikuen doesn't notice, but his jaw is agape, "You don't know how to swim?!" He slaps his head with his good paw. "That's like saying you don't know how to eat! If it wasn't so cold... I teach you so fast and so good, the fishes would probably think you is one of them!"

Zen chuckles a little softly and giggles, but he blushes, nodding his head. ""Yea... I's.... not a clues on hows to swims... Hehe, lasts I trieds, I sanks to the bottoms quickly!"

Dragoon chuckles as he overhears the conversation between Aikuen and Zen, sitting down on a chair and leaning back, using his tail for balance as he shuts his eyes and hums a song in a sort of meditation.

Aikuen notices the chill, and looks over toward the door. Seeing Dragoon, he gives a friendly wave. Then turning back to Zen, he explains, "Well sinking is kind of the opposite of swimming, but i guess if you can sink to the bottom you could walk out if you had a mind too." He chuckles at the lame joke, then continues, "Swimming is necessary part of life, I'm surprised they didn't teach yah that here. Oh well, i can teach yah if yah want me too, maybe sometime soon since its almost spring!"

Zen nodnods his head and giggles! "Tehehe, okie! I.. I wants ta knows how to swims! Sounds likes funs!!" He thinks a little though, "Oh but.. uh.. you can't laughs if I sinks... okie?"

Dragoon smiles some as he says, "Sinkin' is no laughin' matter."

Aikuen Smiles and pats Zen on the head, "Coarse i wont laugh young'un. Just as soon as the pond thaws ill be giving you expert lessons, cause lets face it, you better to teach yah to swim than an otter!" At this point, he tries to make a handsome pose, but its not. He continues, "Soon all the maids well act like" He then places his good paw on the side of his face and makes a worried look, with a high pitched voice he says, "Oh no, who well save me from the 'orriable fish! Oh no, Its getting closer, its moving so fast! Oh wait its just Zen Fetcher! The little fish of Redwall!"

Orph tugs on Zen's ear lightly, "Wot game yurr wan play?"

Zen giggles softly at Orph, nodding a bit at Aikuen! He then bursts out laughing at mousemaid immitation, rolling on the floor!! He tries to answer Orph, but he can't stop laughing!

"Oi know thet one," Orph begins to tickle Zen.

Zen giggles and laughs even harder!!! He curls up, holding his sides and kicking his feet, of course, not at Orph!

"Yurr loik thet or yurr wan meh t' stop?" Orph asks still tickling the mouse.

Aikuen Just smiles at the two, he goes to head over toward dragoon is sitting on at the table. He doesn't realize that the dagger is still in the floor, and he trips. With the skill of an acrobat, he instantly tucks in, going into a roll. Then at the precise moment uncurl's and lands back on his footpaws. He looks toward where he tripped and sees the dagger, he then immediately checks his footpaws for any cuts.

Orph's ears turn at the sound and stops tickling Zen to watch Aikuen's impromto stunt.

Zen laughs and giggles, then he turns and looks at Aikuen.... He blinks and gets to his feet.. "Woooo...." He then, of course, tries himself. He ends up on his back with a soft thud. "How.... how did's ya does that Aiku?"

Dragoon chuckles a little, not even having to look, his eyes still closed as he says, "Nice, Aikuen."

Orph asks, "Yurr get hurt?"

Aikuen Looks at his footpaws, he must of just hit the handle, because he sees no cuts. Sighing he goes back to the dagger and pulls it from the floor. after a good bit of tugging, he manages to pull it out, making sure the dagger is not dented, he places it back into its sheath. He looks at Zen, "to so stuff like that you need to eat all your vegetables, listen to your elders, and don't get to any mischief. Then soon you be able to do things like this!" He stands in one place, then crouching low he jumps into the air. Spinning forward one time, he lands back on his feet at the exact spot he started. "Tah dah!"

"Hurr, hurr, 'ow 'ee do thet," Orph laughs.

Zen blinks and claps his paws, "Ooh... cools!! I.. vegeter... vegerter.... vegerterblers do that's to yous!?! WOW!" He springs to his feet and bounces!!

Dragoon chuckles some as he hears all that.

Aikuen looks toward Orph, "Practice matey, lots of practice. But i don't want to see any of you a trying any of that. You might get hurt, and i know who'll they'll go looking for when either of you is found doing these things. Now promise me that you want do it till your old enough."

Emerald opens the doors to the Hall and shuts them behind her as she shakes off the cold, "Wow...cold outside..." she whispers to herself as she looks around, expecting there to be nobeast at this hour. She looks around at the creatures shyly.

Dragoon is still on his chain, leaning back and his eyes closed in his sort of strange form of meditation.

Zen laughs a little, but shakes his head no? "Tehehe, I... I wanna does that! Teheh, I... I's been tr...." He goes quiet... "Uh... I mean... ok." He smiles weakly and nods.

Orph turns at the sound of the door opening and closing, "Hi, ther. Yurr wan play wi' meh an' Zen?"

Emerald umms and shyly shakes her head, "No...no, you two just...just have fun, okay?"

Orph shrugs and turns back toward Zen, "Wot yurr wan do noaw?"

Zen hrmms and taps his chin, thinking a bit, then he turns to Aikuen. "Can... what elses can you does?" He smiles and plops down on the ground. "Uh... can... ya tells stories and stuffs likes that?" He nods to Orph. "I thinks I wanna hears a story!'

Dragoon chuckles some as he says to Aikuen, "It looks like ye found an audience t' entertain, mate."

Orph sits next to Zen, "Meh too. Wot stories do yurr know?"

Aikuen goes back to the mock old beast look again, he turns toward Emerald, "Come on ole' dozy paws, you should listen to the young'un" He then hears that Zen wants to hear a story, getting out of his act, he looks toward zen and Orph, "Well matey's wot stories do yah want to hear? i got a few, though i'm kinda of goofy when telling stories..."

Zen giggles and smiles, "Tehehe, I don't minds! I likes..a... a good stories... Hehe, one with a mouse!"

Emerald hmms and says, "Okay..." her greatsword was taken away from her at the entry, so she definately feels lighter. She walks over to the table, sitting on a chair as she looks to the otter that's standing up.

Orph pipes up, "an' lots a fightin' in it an' maybe th' ocean too."

Brother Julian, who is supose to be watching Orph, has fallen asleep in a nearby chair.

Dragoon chuckles some as he sets his chair down and stands up, walking out to get a drink.

Aikuen scratches his chin fur, wondering if he know any stories like that. He doesn't know any so he decides to make up one. "Alright matey's, this is a story about umm... Captain Lorra, The greatest sea mouse that ever lived..." He leans down close to the dibbuns and with a dark growl and an evil scowl he says "Like most stories of evil, this one starts out just like them..." He bounces back up, and with a big ole' smile, "Its a warm, summer afternoon!"

Zen giggles and laughs!! "Warm summer afternoon?!?! Tehehah!" He then gets quiet quickly to listen.

Emerald listens, curious.

Orph nods listening.

Dragoon returns out of the kitchen with a glass of water, but he doesn't return to his seat. He leans against a wall, quietly listening as he watches.

Orph jumps up, "Oi forgot! Oi'll be roight back." He wakes Julian and whispers something to him and they head to the stairs.

Aikuen continues, "It was out on the ocean, the ship 'The Bilge Water' Was making to port after several seasons of umm... scouring the seas for the scum of the sea 'The Sea Raiders!'. It was about this time that the first messmate, Fratil, walked up to the captain." At this point the otter bows his legs, so it made a circle, and walks away then back again. Then with a strange accent he acts out the part of Fratil, "Oi... er... capman ... da crew wood like ta know of if we'is gonna make landfall soom, we'ms jus ran otta water!"

Emerald gives a short giggle as she hears that last bit, covering her mouth to stifle it some.

Zen listens to the story, feet rocking back and forth. He giggles a little, but coveres his muzzle with ihs paws. He can't help it though, he laughs!

Dragoon smiles some as he watches from where he is, breathing a bit of a sigh at the sight before looking down at his cup of water.

Orph and Julian return to the great hall both breathing hard, Orph from running and Julian from trying to keep up with him.

Aikuen Then jumps over to the left, taking on the part of the captain. He takes a pose of what would a mouse captain would look like, then with a commanding but very comical voice, he continues with not as thick accent but slightly higher "Ahoy! There me ole' messmate. What is all this nonsense of the non existence of water on this ship. Course there be water, yah just gatta know where ta look." Aikuen points to the wall, to signify that the captain is doing this. "See jus look over there!" He junmps back to his original position, and as Fratil, he looks off to where the captain is pointing, "Wore capman i dont see any water!"

Orph sits back down next to Zen panting, "Had t' see in th' sparrow was ok. Wo Oi miss?"

Zen nods a little to Orph, then laughs more and more!! "Tehahahaha!!! Hehe... heh, there be's waters!" He hugs his rather thin tummy and kicks his feet!

Emerald actually smiles some as she listens, resting her head on her hands and her elbows on the table.

Orph laughs at Aikuen's acting out the parts.

Dragoon remains quiet as he seems...a bit not himself.

Orph stops laughing and tries to catch his breath. Too much running.

Orph lays down on the floor. Julian seeing his charge has finally worn himself out takes the opertunity to guesture to the storytelling otter that he's taking Orph to put him to bed now.

Aikuen nods at Julian. But continuing anyway, he places his paw to his brow, "Wore be the water capman?". Then jumping back to the position as the captain, including the pose and the voice, "Its just right over there!, keep looking you'll see it!" The otter takes out an imaginary rope and ties it around the invisible form of Fratil. Then making great gestures of finishing the knot, He says, "Look have a drink!" He makes an imaginary push where Fratil would be standing. Going back as the First mate, he makes an elaborate trip. Then when hitting the ground he yells "SPLASH!"

Emerald giggles and smiles.

Dragoon sighs softly and walks into Cavern Hole, out of the blue.

Zen giggles and laughs, clapping his paws!!! "I hopes he can swims!!! Tehahahahs!!!" He smiles, rocking back and forth, his eye catching Dragoon leave..

Aikuen jumps back up, and goes back as the captain, chuckling he says "Oi Matey, hows the drink, getting yah fill!"He then make motions that he is pulling the rope that was attached to Fratil. "Come on up matey!". Then going back as Fratil, he fake splutters out water, "Aye capman ive gottn' me fill" He then acts like he's being dragged up by the rope. Then going back as Aikuen he says, "Suddenly there were several arrow shots, that nearly hit poor Fratil!" Going back to Fratil, with a more urgent voice, "OI CAPMAN HELP ME! I IS BEING SHOTED AT!"

Zen giggles a little, then blinks! "Oh noes!!! The arrows!!! Saves em'!!!!" He smiles and watches intently! He gets up and lays on his belly, proping his head up with his arms, feet kicking behind him.

Emerald idly listens, enjoying the dibbun's reactions.

Aikuen goes to the position of the captain, "I will save you messmate!" He makes very fast motions of pulling the rope up. Then going back as Fratil, he waves his one good arm and his legs, "WHOH CAPMAN HURRY THEY IS GOING TO GET ME!". Going back as the captain, he strikes a noble pose, "Don't worry, when your in the paws of Captain Lorra, Nothing will ever happen to yah!". As Fratil, he makes motions of being thrown onboard, then pointing off into the direction he came from he yells, "Look yonder, it be the narsty sea raider ship the 'Darkwater'!" Going as captain, he unsheathes his short sword and points also into the direction, "Aye, Fratty, it be the 'Darkwater' But they is no much for me, Because i am Captain Lorra! Greatest and strongest of all the sea Mice!"

Zen giggles and yays!! "Teheahha!!! Strongests seas mousies can't beasts Captain's Lorra!!! Hehahah!!!" He claps his paws more! His eyes watching every movement closely.

Emerald smiles and listens. Where'd that other otter go? He's missing a rather good story.

Aikuen smiles at the little mouses reaction then continues, as the captain. Walking around waving the sword in a business like manner, he commands, "Ahead full speed, keep the 'Darkwater' on our starboard side. Drop all sails, hoist the rigging. Come on me boyos, they've come to say hi, lets go and return the gesture!" Then going as a new character he jumps toward the right a great distance. Taking a stance of of huge slouching, and apparently with no neck, he starts his act as the enemy Captain. The voice is scruffy and low, but with annoying sound, "Ayoh! me ugly lads, we is gonna take the 'Bilge Water'! that ship be full of the greatest treasures known to beasts anywhere, and it should all be for me Captain Knuckler!"

Zen blinks and oohs, sitting up again. "All the greatest treasures?!?! Tehehe, wows!" He listens in, giggling at 'Captain Knuckler's' pose.

Aikuen as himself, stick out his good paw, "Alright so this is the Bilge water.." he movies his paw a few inches to the right, "And this is the Darkwater, And as they sail on they get closer... " he moves his paw from one place to the other but closer., "And closer..." He does again, even closer. "Until there sides are bumping into each other!" He barley moves his paw that time. Going back as Lorra, he grabs an imaginary rope, and pretends to swing across, yelling "Ahoy, Knucklehead! It is I, Captain Lorra, and I've come to say Hello!" He makes a landing and starts doing sword play at the imaginary foes, "Aha! Take that you mangy scum! And have some of this too, you lily-livered Know nothings!" Then jumping into as the Knuckler, he places his sword on his head a cries in fear, "Oh no, It be the Captain Lorra! The Greatest and strongest of all the sea Mice!" he points with the sword at the imaginary captain Lorra, "The first beast to gut 'em ill be Rich!"

Zen giggles and laughs more and more! "Kunckler's gonna needs all the helps he can gets!!! Heh, and... how's he gonna makes them all riches if Captinas Lorra's gots all the greatest treasures?!?! Hehe, surely won't steals it..." He then listens a bit more, curiousity burning in his youth.

Aikuen goes back as Lorra, "Oi Knuckler! why don't you stop cringing like a baby and fight me like a Mouse!" He makes a blurring motion with the sword, He continues, "Come on ugly! i wont hurt yah much!" Then jumping back as Knuckler, he acts all steamed, "Nobody ever calls me Ugly and lives to tell the tale!" Then yelling to his crew, "Leave him to me i wants a piece of him" then in character he walks toward his imaginary foe... Jumping back as Lorra, "That's right Ugly come an fight me, beast to beast, and claw to claw." He goes back as Knuckler, walking to where Lorra would be standing, acts all tough by cracking his knuckles and waving the sword around menacingly. As Lorra, he just yawns and sets his sleeves at a certain length, commenting, "Are you quite ready, its getting hot, and we need to make port by nightfall...". As Knuckler, this seems to just set him off, and he charges with the sword in front at the place where Lorra would be...

Zen blinks and watches intently! He doesn't have any comment now, it just got serious! Well, as serious as it is to a 3 seaons old dibbun.

Aikuen as Lorra, he neatly sidesteps and there is a quick blurring motion of the sword. Then jumping back as Knuckler, he trips and falls to the ground with a loud thump. Then back as Lorra, he neatly sheathes his sword, and yells back to his crew, "lets these 'Darkwater' crew down in the Brig..." Then jumping as a new character, as one of Darkwaters crew. Slumping forward, and letting his arm hang, he says, "Da captain aint dead he jus trip cause you trip em... tis not fair! We is not goona go nowares, till you fight him proper..." Then jumping as Lorra, He waves his paw in the air as if swatting a fly, looking at the previous speaker, he explains, "Oh, i did fight him proper. I did not trip him at all, he fell on his own accord..."

Aikuen as himself, he explains, "see Captain Lorra did get Knuckler. The mouse was just so fast and so good that he managed to cut him so many times that he actually died a hundred times before he even hit the ground! And all the crew after seeing there captain slain, dropped all their weapons, and put there paws on there heads, fully surrendering to the Greatest and Strongest of all the Sea Mice!"

After finishing the story, Aikuen gives a short bow. "Thank ye... i hope you like my story!" He looks around at the almost empty great hall. Then he sees the now sleeping dubbun of Zen. Laughing to himself, "Wow, my story must be riveting! It tuckered him out." He picks up Zen with his good arm, and heads toward the dormitory. Sort of talking to himself and to the dubbun, he says softly "I hope ye like my story, and my acting... Even though i made it up on the spot...". He heads up the stairs, "It was actually a good story, maybe i should write it down..." He disapears up the stairs with Zen in his arm...