Well, the first thing that comes to mind is.. Dash kinda gets yelled at again.. heh.

Actually, although it didn't really live up to my hopes when I started writing the piece, it gives some insight into the past for Dash and Riko, which I quite liked delving into... especially when we discuss the days in which Dash wasn't such the noble hero type. Dash leans up against that forth wall here, a bit..

I kind of got the sense Riko was disappointed with the turns in this one.

Sadly, it also marks the last roleplay for Riko. Onwards.

Sebastian Dash stood in the center of an empty room of the Department of Shadowy Arts and Crafts. That was the real name of the run down building, although officially, it went by the 'abridged' title of Dept. of Arts and Crafts. Most of the slysters and tricksters avoided Dash out of habit. Dash's reputation since he'd returned ensured that.

Dash's moves were even and firm, showing off years, decades of practice. Sessions that would stretch a better part of a day on just a small aspect of moving with Bad Beats, or learning to defend himself against dangerous attacks, had allowed him to think of the sword as an extension of himself. It fit into the rhythms of battle, into his mindset of fighting.

He let out a quiet growl. Something felt wrong. Off center. Nothing the human eye could detect, Dash was sure. To an onlooker, he figured it would look like his daily routines. Using the sword, staying in tune.. keeping himself ready against unexpected attacks.

Dash's head ached a bit as he tried to figure it out. He'd gone over every possible problem in his mind at least twice.. his grip on the sword 'felt' right- but didn't. His hand wasn't shaking as far as he could tell. Maybe it was nothing.

It felt so awkward, like something was wrong, even though everything was right. (Damn that sounded corny.) It had been like that since the ruckus in Hey Daze, when Dash's sword was heavily damaged and later mysteriously repaired.

Maybe it was only in Dash's head.. he wasn't totally sure.. a feeling had crept over settled in over Dash. It felt a little like an ominous dawn storm. Dash pushed the disquieting thoughts away.

His eyes swept over the unfamiliar faces around him. Dash tried to ignore him and focus on the sword, and the problems at hand. After all, the mosquito bit promised to be easy.. showing Riko around town might not be so easy.. After everything Dash'd done.. would the prim and proper princess really be so understanding?

Urgh! Dash grinded his teeth and finished the exercise he was at with his sword. He had to get moving! She was likely still waiting outside the clan halls for him.

Dash froze in his tracks as his eyes automatically swept the shadowed walls of the Department. A familiar face.. no.. two!

They hadn't noticed Dash yet. Good.. too busy brushing against each other. Dash's skin crawled a little. She looked as beautiful as Dash remembered, just - like Dash and the guy she was with- all grown up now. White cotton top pressed to his open jacket. (Dash couldn't tell from this angle if he had a shirt on.. he assumed so.) He still had that scar from their youths...

Dash turned and sourly stalked out the door, doing his best to avoid detecting attention.. He told himself he was only hurrying so Riko wouldn't get cross at him for taking so long. Maybe by the time he got to her, he'd actually believe it...

=-=-=-=-=-

Meeting Up with the Princess

The Roxzan princess, Ri'kona, stood outside the Clan Hall of KoKoL, waiting for Sebastian Dash to return and take her for a tour.

A pang of guilt swept over Sebastian Dash as he spotted her, but he pushed it out of his mind. "Hey.. Riko. Sorry if I kept you waiting.. I wanted to get some last minute practice in with Bad Beats. Ready for that tour?"

Riko flashed him a thumbs up, a move she'd learned from him. "Of course, Sebastian, lead the way."

Dash hesitated.. his mind still on the figures from earlier. "Well.. we grew up on the outskirts of town. This was before the tracks were up, of course. I'm not sure if any the buildings are left.."

She smiled, shrugging despite his claims otherwise. "I did not grow up here, Sebastian, now show me the town. Don't make me use my authority on you."

Dash smirked. "Huh.. now that you're a part of KOKOL, I've got seniority over you, you know?"

"Sebastian, I am still a Roxzan princess, don't you ever forget that much." She gave him a quick bump at the hip and poked his backside with her index finger. "Now about that tour? Save me the historical notes until we get to each section."

Dash shrugged. "Alright.. let's start at the Market Square. Used to spend myself hours down there.. when I was a punk kid."

Riko rolled her eyes as she followed him, taking in the sights as she walked at his side, golden harp slung at her side and a short sword on the other hip. Dash looked around, smiling at a few memories and frowning at others. "Ahh.. it's changed a bit since I was young. The Market was still there, but most of the other junk wasn't. There was a convenience store.." Dash pointed the armory and leggery. "Course, it was a lot smaller then." Dash smiled. "Ohh.. and in summer time, they used to fill up the space where the Bugbear bakery is with cola displays."

"A shame that it no longer can be done then." She nodded and stood there. "I suppose the Armory and Leggery comes more in hand."

Dash nodded. "I guess.. wasn't quite as much need for weapons back then, though.. although I guess I might be romanticizing the past a bit. It could still be a pretty rough neighborhood back then."

"Shall we press on? This marketplace is quite like the one back home, except this one is not under water." Riko looked rather bored with the market, though she probably would be less so bored shopping here.

Dash hesitated. "Ahh- are you sure you don't want to see if the armory ever got those colored beads in?"

"Oh, I did forget, I did ask about Coral. We should look then." The princess blushed softly, embarrassed that she could forget about it.

Dash smiled, almost seeming relieved. "Good.. then we can get down to the mission!"

Riko was already walking to the Armory and Leggery, anxious to see if the Roxzan coral she was looking for was in stock. Dash rushed to catch up with her. "The Market had 'em, anyway. Weapons, I mean."

Riko strode in, and then leaned against the counter while she waited for the shop keeper. He hopefully was around and had an answer for her coral needs.

Dash smiled. "Pretty much learned the ins and outs of stealing there."

She looked back and frowned. "Never ever mention theft in my presence. I will not tolerate it except in the heat of battle."

Dash held up his hands, innocently. "Mostly through observation, mind you. Sorry.. I was a bit more.. reckless in my youth."

Riko sighed loudly, then turned her attention back to her wait. "Sebastian, you are very lucky I am a patient woman. The first time I met you, you were still brash and impudent. And a thief then as well."

Dash smiled slightly. "Well, the sign plainly said, 'Take what you need, leave what you don't.' So.."

"Yes, and you clearly did not need those Rupees." She glared at him again. "Now, where is that shop keeper. I grow tired of waiting for him here."

Dash eyerolled. "I don't know.. he always takes longer when there's unresolved plot points. And I wasn't taking the rupees, I was examining them."

Riko turned around completely and pulled him closer by the collar. "Again, you had no need to take them, even if it was to examine them. I told you that the last time, and I'm sick of reminding you. Do you always examine the coin of the realm where ever you go?"

Dash politely removed her hand. "It was three years ago.. you were the only one who cared, princess. And no.. only in rooms utterly filled with them. Since I'd never seen them before.. but can we please drop it?" Dash looked up. "I think I see our limbless shopkeep now."

Riko sighed and turned around to look down to the owner of the establishment. "Good day, sir Shopkeep. Do you have news of Coral from Adrule?"

The limbless shopkeep had an embarrassed look on his face. "Heh.. turns out I don't even know where Adrule is. But we got string in!"

"So you have no coral at all, then. A shame, I did look forward to having some in hand again." The princess looked rather upset, almost ready to hit Dash just out of frustration.

Dash looked a bit nervous. "Why don't we just ride down to the Beach after this mission? Especially if we get another month's downtime."

"I suppose we can, but it won't be the same." She looked back to Dash and stood upright.

Dash suppressed a smile. "I'm sure you'll come to love them in a totally new way."

She shook her head and walked out, not speaking to Dash until she got outside. Dash joined her but a minute later, his eyes falling wordlessly on the distant tracks.

Riko looked back at him. "Something wrong?" Her eyes tried to glimpse what he saw, but her sight on land did not match underwater.

Dash twitched a little. "No.. just reflecting. Do .. listen, do you mind if we skip out on the rest of the tour? I'm not really sure I'm ready to deal with this town yet."

"Perhaps we should go on with the task. A mosquito larva sounds like it should be a fairly easy task to accomplish. As I said, a milk run."

"Thanks." Dash smiled a bit. "You know.. only one of us can keep it, right?"

"I am not worried, I doubt it will do me good." Riko nodded, already ready to let Sebastian keep the larva in question.

"I've already got my terrarium picked out!" Dash answered, smiling. "Just gotta figure what to feed it."

Riko shrugged and started to head out of the town. She was ready to get going on the quest at hand.

In fact, our next chapter is Raw Hide, making his first and only apperance in this mission!