[Belrea] A Whole New World [Amalric | Maritza]

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Amalric had maintained a number of anxieties regarding the trip to Belrea, and ‘flying machine’ was certainly high on the list. He was pleased to note, though, that at least in the days leading up to the take off, everything went as well as he could have hoped for. He received his approval from Daurelts’ council of supervisors and research team, he got everything of his own that he needed together and packed, and with Maritza at his side, they had made their way down to Sauti, where they hoped to depart in a timely fashion.

Of course, there had been an unintended delay there, where they had found that instead of being cleared for flight, all Belrean transport out was temporarily on hold for the sake of the meeting of leaders to discuss the Dretch dilemma. It had been a troubling scene, which left Amalric both glad to be departing, and hopeful that it would resolve itself in his absence.

Eventually, though, the meeting did reach its close, and they were set to depart.

There were few words in his (relatively extensive, if he did say so himself) vocabulary to describe the feeling in his gut when the ship first lifted from the ground. He had never even been on a boat before. But this—this was actually flying. It was terrifying. Exhilarating. Fascinating, as it seemed to defy all logic. It was one thing to watch them come in and land. It was something else altogether to actually experience it himself, as though, even though he had witnessed it with his own eyes, it wasn’t fully real until he was actually there, in the sky suspended with his familiar homeland rapidly sinking away beneath them, substantial landmarks growing smaller and smaller.

Fortunately, other than unavoidable abject terror in the first moments and perhaps even minutes, Amalric soon discovered that the rest of him experienced no adverse effects to the process — no nausea or vomiting or prolonged loss of balance, and even the fear was a fading thing — facts for which he was immensely grateful.

And, for all that he grew accustomed enough to it not to be petrified, it never ceased to be amazing. It was a multi day flight, and once his nerves waned, Amalric was free to stare endlessly at the surrounding sights — they passed through actual clouds, which he was only slightly surprised to note seemed more like wet fog up close than anything else — and there was no shortage of passengers and crew to engage in conversation with. At least, for as long as any one of them would put up with him.

On the morning of the day they were set to arrive, he rose early, and was out on deck, surveying the sights when it first came into view: Belrea, in all its splendor. He did not bother to contain the first excited yip of sound that came from him, and he bat a hand to the rail, glancing over his shoulder. “Maritza — Ritz! We’re coming up on it! I can see land…”

And oh, what a sight it was to behold. There were even other vehicles in the sky, and from what he could see of its structures even from a distance—it truly was a new world unlike any he'd witnessed.  

[Painted Moose]

The Only Black Uke

Maritza found herself in need of a good stiff drink, and a less excitable atmosphere.

The mechanic had finished up her shift with relatively no issues if one didn't count the incident with a hex key getting jammed into one of the main cooling valves. How that even happened Maritza would never know; the subsequent cleanup had lasted for hours, however, and while everything was ultimately fine she was covered in a fine layer of oil, dirt and sweat. Certainly not the most 'pristine' image to display in front of their travelers, so she'd wisely made her way back to their room for a quick hand wash before setting out in search of Amalric.

Her hair was still damp when she made her way up to the observation deck, and her clothing, while loose, were still respectable enough not to stand out as much in the crowd. A number of returning Belreans chattered among themselves, almost disensitzed by the air travel at this point, but the Tendajians....well, those were the few pressed to the fringes, taking in every sight they could. It would have been incredibly annoying, the way they jostled about and squealed, had she not been headed directly toward one of their ilk.

It hadn't seemed incredibly fair to leave Amalric behind while she worked, but that was just it; his passage was free because of her connections and in order to keep them she needed to work. At least he'd managed to occupy himself when she was away; he certainly didn't seem any worse for wear.

If anything he seemed to be glowing. There was something endearing about it, and as irritated as she was by everyone else, she couldn't find it in her to act that way around him. She passed the windling a little smile before stepping up beside him and looking out over her homeland.

"That's Zenner; so far it's the only place we can launch from, but we won't stay for long. We're heading to Valmon after that." Even though they towered above the land beneath them it seemed as if the city itself was stretching upwards, trying to bring them in. The airship was closing in on a port now, one just one the edge of the grand city, where a few other ships were docked. So far their 'fleet' wasn't much, but to her, it was still something of a miracle. A few ships was something far greater than nothing, after all.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Painted Moose

“Zenner…” Amalric repeated the city’s name with a sort of quiet reverence as he looked out over it, it’s tall buildings stretching high into the air like spires reaching for the heavens. Perhaps the awe that came with novelty would wear off in time — the Belreans, unsurprisingly, did not seem affected by the view — but being his first occasion to witness anything like it, Amalric couldn’t help the tingling ripple under his skin that came with amazement. “I’ve been told it’s the elevation that made it the primary choice as an air base, and I can certainly see it. It’s one thing to be told your architecture is sky scraping, but another altogether to witness it. The structural engineering that must have gone into maintaining such vertical distance without it toppling or collapsing on itself…and the manpower, and the vehicles themselves-”

Amalric could have gone on for an eternity. At the mention of Valmon, though, he took his eyes off the approaching city for a moment to glance to his company.

“The capitol and your largest city…” Amalric mused, more to himself than Ritz. “It’s where you house your Academy…”

The concept of there being only one primary source of education which was open only to a select few was still a source of dubiousness of Amalric, but whatever qualms he had with the set up, he was the outsider here, and his eagerness to attend any lecture he could more than outweighed his concerns. Regardless of any imbalance or unfairness in the system, there was no denying this land was far more advanced than their own, and Amalric could not wait to absorb as much as it had to offer.

“Outsiders are permitted to attend your lectures, are they not? Those of you who’ve made the trip to our lands certainly seem open minded to the prospect of foreigners, but I can’t imagine it being any other way in those cases. What of the locals? Tendajians must still not be a frequent sight, but no longer unheard of. Are we generally welcomed? Will I have access to any libraries? And what of the people you work for, might I be allowed to come see-”

Then, abrupt as a match strike, he blinked, as though seeing and observing her fatigue under the smile for the first time. He flushed at all the babbling he’d been doing.

“Could I fetch you some coffee? I’m sorry for talking so much, you look like you’ve been up all night…”  

[Painted Moose]

The Only Black Uke

"I thought Oba held similar structures? I've heard it said that there are building stacked on top of one another to house the growing population." Her words were spoken lightly, almost languidly, as Maritza took in the sights of Zenner. Their vessel was making a wide arc around the city as it slowly descended, prepping itself for the inevitable docking process. She really supposed she could have stayed below deck until it was all over; surely the extra pay wouldn't have hurt, but leaving Amalric along to witness this hadn't been an option. Some part of her wanted to see the way his lips curled in childish delight, and the almost glow about him.

"It is," Even though he turned to look at her, Ritz's eyes were still on Zinner. It wasn't home; not in the traditional sense. Her roots were in Valmon, and she was eager to return, but there was just something about coming back to Belrea that made her feel a little lighter. "We have smaller schools, spaced between the cities, but nothing as advanced as the Academy. We'll go as soon as we've made it to Valmon and you can ask them yourself. Most Academy lectures are reserved for members only, but we've never had foreigners to ask before, so you may luck out."

Maritza leaned against the railing, all but melting onto the cool metal. The airship made a lurching motion, one that didn't phase the mechanic at all, as it started to dock. There was already a crowd of Belreans outside to pick up loved ones, and a few in standard working garb, no doubt ready to service the vessel before it's next launch.

And here they were; the questions. It was always questions with this man, and Maritza visibly groaned, leaning just a little further onto the railing. "Mr. Belwater, I will remind you that my experience regarding relations between our lands is extremely one sided. Most of my time has either been spent in Tendaji or aboard a ship, much like the one we are on now, so I really don't know how they're going to treat you." When she rose, she pushed herself up onto the railing and gave him a tired, but not unsympathetic, look. "You're going to be fine, Amalric; trust me on that."

In all honesty, she didn't know what kind of access he would be granted, how they would view an outsider, or anything else regarding such a venture; it was all still so fresh that Maritza simply didn't have answers for him anymore than she did for her younger self. He just had to be brave; there was no other way around it.

"That's because I have been up all night, but there's no time for that now. We need to get our things; it's time to disembark."  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Not like this,” Amalric said. “Stacked, yes, so they do reach some heights. And certainly there’s enough population to go around…but aside from their palaces I wouldn’t consider the architecture particularly impressive. The bulk of it doesn’t climb half so high to begin with, and most of what is there is cramped, thrown together to stick and guard against sandstorms and sun, and made of whatever could be gotten…”

Most Academy lectures are reserved for members only…

A reflexive and entirely unintended pout pushed at his lip with her admission, but at least what followed wasn’t entirely bad news. There was hope. But what sort of society that prided itself on education and built around forward progress kept all that information from the very public it was to serve? Yet, he hadn’t even landed yet, and he reminded himself it would be wise to try not to form opinions about their practices before he had even set foot on their land. The days ahead would be his opportunity to clarify any number of points. For now, he would do well to observe and listen.

You’re going to be fine, Amalric, was thus perhaps the least specific and most helpful advice he could have been given at that point. He breathed out, and nodded, letting his eyes roam eagerly as they circled and pulled in—there was simply too much to be absorbed at once, and he could only draw in all he could manage-

“All night?” The fact that he himself had been known to pull similar stunts for the sake of finishing a book, a study, perfecting a spell project, or otherwise, was lost on him in the instant. “You must be exhausted—when will we have a chance to rest? Are we leaving the capitol right away, or do you have business here first?” Long, gangly legs stretched for once to his advantage as he maneuvered through the now shuffling crowd of gathered crew, moving with Maritza towards their luggage—or what sufficed as such—and plucking it out from the rest. Fortunately, he packed relatively light, virtually all the bulk in his belongings accounted for by paper of various forms: books, journals, notes. It wasn’t difficult as a result to fetch before they began making their way towards the offload ramp after it pulled to dock.

As Amalric moved to disembark, he was fairly certain he had never felt quite such a condensed sense of simultaneous elation, anxiety, and wonderment. From the moment he took foot off this craft, he would be in Tendaji no longer.

“Do you know someone here where we might stop to get you a some rest? Here, I can help you carry that…”  

[Painted Moose]

The Only Black Uke

"All night." She repeated, adding just enough emphasis for her point to get across, but not much more than that. Maritza was tired, after all. Her body ached as it usually did after a particularly long shift, limbs pulling mechanically when she forced them to, and her eyes watered when met with the full intensity of the sun. By nature she was nocturnal; rare was the day that the mechanic ever came into contact with the sunkissed world, and for good reason. There were far too many people, which made working and moving difficult.

When nudged by a couple trying to disembark Maritza pulled her lips back in a snarl. What was wrong with people? Experiencing a new world was all well and good, but manners were still as important here as they were in Tendaji. "My brother is going to meet us here, and we'll leave in the morning. " Through the mess of bodies she found her small rucksack, and tossed it over her shoulder. It thudded against her back with a resounding 'thud', the familiar weight shifting to and fro for a minute while she regained her balance. It was rare for Maritza to pack more than tools; beyond the clothes on her back and a spare in her bag that's all she'd brought. She had cot aboard the vessel where the rest of her 'things' resided (a few books, soap, and the like) so she didn't see much need bringing anything else.

Even if Rivyn had asked for a souvenir. Amalric counted in that regard, didn't he?

She moved to travel down the offramp onto the cobbled pavement, rocking back on her boots for a moment to take it all in. It was hectic, with bodies moving this and that to inspect the airship, but passengers as well. At Amalric's offer she quirked her lip, "Yeah, sure, you're a big boy." She slid the bag off her shoulder and passed it off to him, careless of how well he handled the additional weight.

For a brief moment she was able to breath and relish the feeling of being 'home' before a voice cut through the crowd.

"Mariiiiiitzaaaaaa!"

The murmured curse she uttered was vile enough to send her ancestors rolling in their graves.

"WHERE ARE YOU?"

"RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, IDIOT." His jovial shout was met with an irritated bellow, one that left her cheeks colored and the bodies around her slightly frightened. Not ten feet away from her a young lightning man was pacing and turning, curled hair licking his shoulders with each step until he locked eyes with his younger sister.

All at once he cried out with joy and took off in a flash. Maritza stilled, stepping back as if to use Amalric as a shield, but it was too late. Rivyn was fast. He snatched her up in a hearty bear hug, squishing his younger sister tight against his broad chest and smothering her. "I missed you so much, Ritz; I was so worried when you didn't come back on the first flight like you said you would, and I didn't know-"

"Rivyn, I can't...I can't breath...."

He let go, but just barely and only because his sister's skin was changing colors. But when he did he saw Amalric, as if he had yet to notice the other man, "Oh, hello there! Did you come over with my sister?" Looking back to Maritza, he furrowed his brow, "You didn't tell me you were bringing anyone."

"That's because I didn't want you to break his ribs within two seconds of meeting him." She wheezed, pushing back from Rivyn enough to stand on her own. "Amalric's come a long way to study in Belrea, and he'll be staying with us, Rivyn. "

Rivyn's true beauty could be appreciated in the way he acted out so dramatically. His eyes practically glowed when his pert mouth made an 'o', and all at once he was smiling. "I had no idea you could even make friends, Ritz....you're growing up so fast...." He wiped away an imaginary tear before holding his hand out to Amalric, "A pleasure, Amalric. I hope your stay in Belrea is everything you hope it will be."  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

…you’re a big boy…

Amalric only had a moment to blink, wondering for just that instant in her amusement if he oughtn’t have—but it was too late, and he grunted, stumbling a moment under the not insubstantial added burden of Ritz’ load as it was unceremoniously passed onto him and as quickly forgotten.

What had she packed, weights?

But then, as he thought on it, that probably wasn’t far from the truth. Belrean mechanics utilized no small selection of metal tools and gadgets, and being that it was her job — it made sense. He adjusted his hold, working to better balance his competing loads as his eyes made an open sweep of the place. He couldn’t get over how expansive everything felt, the very air seeming crisp with possibility and new horizons just waiting to be discovered, abuzz with the hum of its industry.

Somewhere out there, though, was a specific person they were looking for. Having never met him, Amalric didn’t know what to expect and wasn’t hard on the lookout himself. If he had been asked what he would expect from a relative of the woman he’d followed here, well-

Mariiiiiitzaaaaaa!

Rivyn was not it.

Amalric found his eyes drawn toward the call of the familiar name, even if it wasn’t his own, and—he was so happy. It was striking to see he and his sister come together. Like a wave of color and positive energy splashing messily and animatedly against a cooler, more rigid structure of practical efficiency. Eventually, Rivyn’s attention turned to him, and Amalric felt himself flush, smiling almost in embarrassment, as if he were a standing distraction from the moment of sibling bonding he’d just witnessed.

“Yes, ah, actually. I-”

…Amalric’s come a long way to study in Belrea.

That.

And when Rivyn offered a hand, he quickly took it. “And you as well,” he said. “It’s—amazing so far, I must say. I can’t stop looking about, as if I’m dreaming it all still. I am sure I’ve driven your sister half mad with all my goings on and I hadn’t even set foot aground yet. Now that I’m here…” He drew a breath, and then cleared his throat, tucking hair behind his ear as he realized he was sounding again like a hopeless fan rather than a researched academic. “I look forward to learning all I can here, I am excited to be in your country, and I hope I can make as little a burden of myself as possible. Thank you in advance, for your hospitality as well…it is the opportunity of a lifetime to me.”  

[Painted Moose]

The Only Black Uke

Rivyn gave Amalric a speculative once over as he shook his hand, critically appraising him in that way only Rivyn could. Maritza didn't know how to explain it; he had the same look on his face in that moment that he did the first time he saw himself dolled up in eye paint. Like he'd latched onto something that could meet an end goal in his mind, and from the look he was passing her way Ritz knew she wouldn't like it.

When he let go, Rivyn 'allowed' his sister to have her freedom and stepped back, tucking his hands into his pockets. The man was lean, much like his sister, but in less androgynous fashion. He was very clearly male, with strong features hidden behind youthful exuberance and insecurity, all of which was easily read by anyone passing his way.

As he rocked back on his heels, Maritza checked her pockets, making sure she still had Belrean currency instead of the coins used in Tendaji. The exchange rate wasn't the best just yet, and if Rivyn hadn't managed to book a room she sure as hell wasn't going to settle for some cheap shack on the street.

"It really is, isn't it? All I've ever known is Valmon so I'm pretty amazed just being in Zenner." They both listened to Amalric's heart felt blurbs; Rivyn more outwardly amused by it while Maritza kept her features more controlled. Still it was...cute, to say the least. It made her happy to see him happy, and that...that in itself was something new.

"He's going to cook and clean for us while he's here, Riv. In exchange for his room and the food he'll need."

"Ritz! You can't just make a friend do something like that. He should be able to stay without all of that, we make enough to cov- " A stern glower from Maritza had Rivyn backtracking, "Alright, you make enough to cover expenses, but really, what's one more mouth?"

"He's an adult, Rivyn; this isn't a charity and he can handle himself. " She passed Amalric a 'right?' sort of look before stepping forward towards the street. Until the dirt and loose stone of many Tendaji settlements Zenner's pathways were lined with hard packed stone. Many had been wedged so tight that they formed a near seamless roadway. Painted posters lined decorated the facades of many a building, advertising musical acts and talents, from sword swallowing to acrobatic daredevils. It was all one giant tourist trap; any and everyone who wanted to make a coin off the foreigners swarmed Zenner, turning the city into one of the more seedy places in Belrea.

And yet, it was also one of the brightest.

"Well, Mr. Belwater, where to first? We can find a room and explore or walk around for a bit to let you get your bearings."
 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Ritz!

At Rivyn’s initial spirited insistence that he needn’t become their new housekeeper, Amalric opened his mouth to say that really it wasn’t a problem at all, he had volunteered, he didn’t mind, it would make him feel more useful and less like a burden-

But Maritza evidently had that base covered, and thus when she sent him a look, Amalric settled for nodding then. “It really is alright,” he said. “I told her I would do it. I’m quite used to it and it’s the least I can do after all you’ll be doing for me. I would be embarrassed if there weren’t some way I could contribute. Besides, it’s only the two of you isn’t it? When I was growing up we had a fairly full house to keep after. It’ll be no trouble, though you may have to help me at first with what you like to eat…this is my first time here, of course, so I’m not familiar with the cuisine or what you two are accustomed to…”

He would have to learn the staples of the Belrean diet, and the personal preferences of his housemates—but that wouldn’t be so hard. Cooking was little more than a simple science in his mind, and could be relaxing in that fashion: a set of sequential instructions which could be repeated reliably to produce the desired result. New lands would just mean variations on the blueprint. Different building blocks to experiment with.

Well, Mr. Belwater…

He glanced over, and admittedly, ‘exploring’ sounded like everything he wanted to do in that moment. There was so much to see his eyes couldn’t take it all in—but Ritz’ eyes showed the shadows of fatigue. Seeing her brother, for all her grumbling, must have been pleasing, but now that they were all here and the possibility for getting a room was available—it would have been selfish to do anything but that first. He would be here for quite some time, after all, and it wasn’t as though there was a rush.

“I would love nothing more than to see the city,” he said, “all of it if I could though I have a suspicion I won’t get the chance. But…” He leaned, giving a light nudge of his shoulder to Ritz as his eyes softened, “this one has admitted to me she hasn’t slept yet, and after a night of keeping me high in the sky while I slept, I think we should get you to a room first. Then…” He glanced to Rivyn, “whoever was interested could accompany me for some sightseeing? I’m sure there’s so much you could show me…”

He adjusted the weight of both bags, still carrying both despite the fact that they had come to a sort of clustered standstill together after Rivyn’s appearance.  

[Painted Moose]

The Only Black Uke

"Well, it is, now." Rivyn amended, and not without a certain tinge of bitterness. "Our mother thinks she's too good for....family....sorry." The more he spoke the harder Ritz's gaze became until it was damn near close to burning through the very core of his being. Just because Amalric was staying with them did not mean he needed to know every last tidbit of useless information regarding their bloodline, and Maritza was keen on keeping it that way.

They were just wasted memories, and the more fat they trimmed from the necessities of life the better off they would be.

At his softer tone, Maritza couldn't help softening just a bit. Not that she would admit it. She even went as far as to knock her hip against his, despite the burning ache settling in her eyes. All she really needed was a good rinse, maybe a strong cup of something, and she'd be good for at least a few more hours.

"She's just like mom, staying up all night and- AND THE BEST INN IS RIGHT OVER HERE." Catching himself, Rivyn gave a very loud, very fake laugh and ushered the two across the street once traffic was cleared. "You won't believe the things I can show you, Amalric. You'll have to tell me all about Tendaji after we get her tucked in, and we'll get something to eat while we're out. Of course, I'll bring you back something Ritz- oh, and that reminds me, you said something about food, right? She loves sweets, so much so that when she was a kid she was on the chubbier side-"

It occurred to Maritza in that moment that she very likely could tolerate Amalric's ramblings if only because her brother was very similar. When flustered Rivyn tended to talk until something inevitably became too irritated to handle him, but he'd gotten better since taking up acting. At least now he was actively trying to divert the conversation instead of talking about stupid things like rocks and a weird cloud.

He led them down a familiar set of streets, and even with exhaustion tugging at her mind Maritza could pick up on the location. "...Best inn, huh? Are you sure you're not just taking us to the cheapest hovel in the city?"

"....no?....okay, look, my things are already here and I thought we might as well stay."

Maritza wasn't pleased to say the least. It was quite possibly the shadiest establishment in Zenner with an exterior dark enough to rival her soul. It wasn't the 'impression' she wanted to leave on bright eyed Amalric, much less any place she'd ever considered bedding down for the night, but leave it to Rivyn to pick a winner.

Turning to Amalric, Maritza motioned vaguely to the inn, "Do you want your own room or do you want to share?"

"Oh, I'd be fine with that! I have a big bed in my room and-"

"I meant with me."