Rooftop Training

The Warehouse District, Late Morning

It's a beautiful, clear day. The snow and ice is barely present, and visibility is high.

Which makes it a perfect time for the other part of training! A grey blur launches themselves over an alley, landing with a little slide on a flat roof. She's worked up a little sweat, but she keeps bobbing on her feet, fired up from all the hopping and leaping. She gestures across the way, "Just have to get to the end of the block, and we can take a break!" <Handspeech>

If Aryia is a grey blur, then Culix is more of a green smear as she runs as fast as her shorter legs can carry her along the rooftop. Despite the chill, she's sweating hard- even her mithral chain shirt feels like it weighs a ton at the pace she's making to try and keep up with Aryia. "Gonna barf." she breathlessly complains, but ducks under a railing without slowing, and then hops over a section of raised brickwork. Finally, she grits her teeth and picks up the pace to build up enough speed to clear the gap herself, breaking into a full sprint before kicking off and leaping as far as her searing legs will carry her.

She makes it across the narrow gap between buildings, wheeling her arms to keep her upright when she lands and then breaking into a run at the other side.

GAME: Aryia rolls acrobatic: aliased to acrobatics+wisdom: (17)+25+5: 47

Aryia waits for the smear to catch up with her, a grin on her face. "That's why we don't eat before doing this." She stays near the edge, half cocked to grab Culix if needed, but the other half poised to continue on.

A small clap is awarded for the leap, and she jogs behind Culix. Long strides that keep pace, but seemed leisurely in comparison to their effort.

Now to the other side of the roof, the mute steps up to the edge. And in another grey blur, long jumps up and across to the top roof of the next two tiered building, twisting in a flip, and landing with boots on the edge. "Remember, feet first! You don't want to slam the edge with your body!" she advises with wide gestures. <Handspeech>

GAME: Culix rolls acrobatics+5: (5)+12+5: 22

Culix's pace was slowed for a few strides after her landing, but she picks it up again as she runs after Aryia, hands out at her sides as she builds up speed for another jump. Towards the end of the rooftop she once again kicks up, and once more her arms go wheeling out as she flies through the air. She barely makes it, unlike Aryia's easy hop, and stumbles forwards a bit- not quite to a knee, but shoves off the ground with a hand as she takes off running again.

"Didn't." she manages to reply to Aryia between labored breaths as she tries to keep pace with the much more nimble Mul'niessa.

Aryia grins once more as Culix clears it, but its obvious she can spot the gobbo flagging. Her on the upper roof of the two tiered building, she leans over and down, offering a hand to help clamber on up. "Get up here and we can take a water break." <Handspeech>

GAME: Culix rolls athletics: (17)+8: 25

Culix reaches the tier of the building, slowing as she approaches and then kicks up- grabbing a handhold in the rough mortarwork, she hauls herself up, lodging her foot into the crook of a chipped brick, before finally her hands come up to the top of the roof- skipping the offered hand out of pride- and she hauls herself up and onto the upper tier, rolling over to lay on her back, panting. "Thought I was... pretty fit..." she says as she heaves to catch her breath. She lays there for a few more moments before she slowly works on pulling herself up into a standing position- she really will throw up if she keeps laying down.

Once up, she takes her waterskin from her belt, fills her mouth, spits, rinses the sweat from her face and then takes a swig. She pushes back some stray wisps of her clinging to her damp brow, and looks skyward breathing heavy.

Aryia watches Culix climb up, her watching like a coach ready to leap in if need be. But seeing as the panting gobbo was pulling themselves up and over, she smiles and turns around, sitting on her haunches. Panting somewhat, but not as indisposed as her friend. "Welcome to my workout routine," she quips with a cheeky grin. "But you're doing really good!" <Handspeech>

Culix puts her waterskin back on her belt, and presses her fists into her back as she leans back a bit, and then shakes one leg an then the other to try and dispell the lactic ache in them, "Yeah, clearly I've been slacking." she huffs at Aryia. "Met your mom the other day." she adds then, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth in between brief sentences. "Pretty fucking spooky. No offense." she offers.

GAME: Murder rolls perception: (12)+16: 28

From below, the noises of someone casually walking can be heard. Mostly sounds of discomfort, and the odd hiccup. "Ooof. Damn Kaj can eat.. feels like I'm going to split in half. At least he let me have the meat." She pauses a moment, her head canted. Then slowly looks up at the building above.

Blinking a few times, she grins. Her fingers and hands move in an intricate pattern, and she squeaks a few words in Goblin-talk. After her incantation is complete, she hops up, grabbing onto the building's walk, and crawling upwards like a spider might. After a few moments, she crawls much faster, and arrives up top panting herself. With an expression that shows more discomfort.

Aryia sticks her tongue out playfully. "Or my workout routine is insane and not for everyone."

The admittance of meeting the mute's mother gets a brow to raise. But she just snorts. "If pretty fucking spooky is all you get from a Charneth noble, I'd say that's a win. I hope she helped a bit. She's kind of doesn't do shit unless it can help her somehow, but- whatever."

A long grey ear twitches at the sound of someone skittering up the wall, the mul'neissa woman's gaze behind shades turns that way. Murder comes up to a hand raised, shade and shadow dripping from it. Aryia blinks, and the effects waft away. "... Murder, right? The fuck are you doing up here?" Her gestures, if not understood, carry a gist that anyone can get.<Handspeech/Tongues>

By the time Murder makes it up, Culix has her hands on her knees as she continue to suck air, though her breathing has begun to slow now she's been resting for a couple of minutes. "Yeah, well, I figure it's about time I step up my game." she tells Aryia. "Starting to hit bigger contracts, and they're starting to get more dangerous. So gotta keep up or die trying." she adds

"Was helpful, I think. She was pretty cryptic but- like you say. Charn. Noble." she says and chuckles, wincing at the stitch developing in her side. She lifts her head to look over at Murder, "You look constipated." she accuses at the look of discomfort on the other goblin's face.

Murder peers at the hand dripping shadow, and raises an eyebrow at the gesturing. "Sorry, I uh don't read handsquiggle. Thank you for not uh blasting me or whatever that was."

She turns her head slightly and nods to Culix. "Something like that... just full. Kaj is a giantborn and eats everything, and of course I try to keep up."

Murder peers at the hand dripping shadow, and raises an eyebrow at the gesturing. "Thank you for not uh blasting me or whatever that was. And uh, I could ask you the same question. But you do know it's daytime, yes?" The Gobbo gestures to the other Goblin, "Saw her shadow moving along the building's shadow, and thought I'd say hello.

She turns her head slightly and nods to Culix. "Something like that... just full. Kaj is a giantborn and eats everything, and of course I try to keep up. How've you been, been a while ya?"

Aryia nods her head along, wiping sweat off her face with a sleeve. She does seem to note Culix's state of being, "Yes. But overdoing it is dangerous. Push the limit slowly. It's not a race." Gesturing to continue to take a break. Though, she can't help but silently chuckle. "That sounds like mother. Just keep at whatever she says. She's very prideful, so if she's going to end up helping you, she's not going to half-ass it."

Like mother like daughter.

She quirks a brow at Murder's explanation. "Just was going to make it dark and run away if it was problem. I have a lot of problems. They don't stay problems for very long," she points out before standing up to stretch a little bit. <Handspeech/Tongues>

GAME: Aya rolls stealth+4: (2)+25+4: 31

GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (11)+31: 42

GAME: Murder rolls perception: (8)+16: 24

As much as it annoyed others in the past, and Aya has taken pains to avoid doing so for that reason, sudden appearances can still be entertaining. As well, family members are exempt from some rules. Unfortunately, wards prevent use of the easy button, which leaves her to quietly climb the building to creep up behind Aryia in a much more mundane fashion.

Culix nods her head, "I'm good, really. Just a stitch." she says, rubbing her side, and then rolling her shoulders back and forth to work loose the knotted muscle in her side. "Always get them there, it's where I got stabbed in prison. Guess the muscle never healed quite right." she adds casually. She seems entirely oblivious to Aya's approach. "Yeah, I guess what I figured out from our chat is that there's no point skirting around this shadow situation. Need to put one foot in front of the other, come what may." she adds.

She turns her attention back to Murder, still oblivious, "Oh, self inflicted?" She grins. "Serves you right then." she teases. "Yeah, been busy. Guild work. Training." she gestures vaguely around.

Murder shrugs to Aryia. "I'm only a pain in the ass for people who need a pain in the ass." She snorts at Culix, reaching out to punch at her shoulder casually. "So you're upping your game and getting miss punchup here to train you in the arts of... being sneaky?"

Murder is as oblivious to Aya's approach as Culix.

Aryia raises a brow at Culix, but doesn't push it. "I am rather sneaky when I have to be," she mentions. "Gets the best drop on beating the shit out of people. But no, I train people to use their body to its full advantage. It's painful as fuck, but it's worth it."

A grey ear twitches once more, shaded eyes glancing to the side as a faint smile crests her lips. "Actually, Culix, I know another person who can help with the shadow stuff."

The mute reaches over the lip of roof, and attempts to yank Aya up and over. Alas, foiled. "Hello, sister."<Handspeech/Tongue

Just below the roofline, Aya is anchored and reaching up for Aryia's ankle when she realizes the reach is being returned! Could she avoid? Probably. Yet pull Aryia off the side? Possibly... Instead, she decides to just adjust so that the reaches meet in the middle as an armclasp.

Riding the mutual tugging, Aya crests the edge and gains her footing atop it. "You're still improving, sister... or I am out of practice." She looks to the others, though the inquiry is still for Aryia, "Did you build your school on the rooftops, then?"

"I'm plenty sneaky." Culix retorts to Murder, "We're just going for a run. A casual little jog." she insists, despite the fact that she's clearly been sweating heavily. The stitch seems to be better now as she's standing up straighter. She's slightly taken aback as Aya is plucked out of no where. "Did you just summon her?" she asks, having not even seen a hint of the other woman's approach.

Murder eyes Aryia, "So what do you charge for such training?" The Gobbo pulls at one of her ears, and attempts to not look startled at the sudden appearance of Aya. She slowly steps behind Culix while the two 'sisters' are chatting.

She snorts again. "A casual little jog? Pfff. Well uh, you have fun with your twin shadows." Murder walks to the edge, peering down and pondering."

The mute snorts, rolling her eyes. "The school has no building," she gestures with a light smile. "Perhaps both. Or perhaps we are approaching equality in terms of skill?" she jests back.

She looks down to Culix, grinning some. "She shows up when convienient. Aya," she starts, turning to her sister. "Culix may be having some manifestations of shadow similar to what you can do. She needs guidance. Mother is helping some."

Regarding Murder's question, she shakes her head. "I don't charge. I just want to teach people that their body is powerful if they put their mind to it. I usually teach people at the Colosseum in the morning, if you're around." <Handspeech/Tongues>

"All of that, and more?" Aya offers option D. A brow then arches as she looks to Culix. "Oh? Interesting. Shadows are most useful. If nothing else, most fear the dark, and fear is a potent tool." A sidelong glance is made to Aryia. "Perhaps you should charge. Collect your own little horde and sail around Ea with pleasant companionship?"

Culix watches Murder wander off, "You off, then?" she asks after her, but then turns her attention back towards the other two- Aya in particular. "Does it run in the family then?" she wonders Aryia's way, before nodding at Aya. "I'm... getting that. Never been much frightened by it, before, spent half my youth underground, and the other half at night. But lately the shadows have been a bit more lively round me than I'm used to. Khalees said I need to get past fearing it before I can do anything useful with it." she recalls.

The Gobbo looks back to Aryia. "You definitely should charge. If you do a thing well, never give it away free. But sure, I'll give it a shot. Tell me it's more than just me being beaten up, though."

Murder offers Aya a wave. "Longer time, no see. You're still alive."

She shakes her head to Culix. "Just keeping my options open."

Aryia shakes her head at those suggesting she should charge. "If I charged, and I found myself meeting fresh off the boat, poverty ridden me from years ago, then the potential would never be realized," she explains. "Besides, if I wanted to fuck off and sail around the world, I'd just hop onto my boat, grab who wants to go, and head out."

The mute shrugs at Murder. "It's part of it, but I focus more on someone's physical limits and pushing those. I'm not going to give a mage wanting to work out my more than they can handle. Lot of body workouts and mental exercises. You'd be surprised how much you can push past if your mind is set."

The pugilist unbuckles a few straps on her jacket. "It runs in my /blood/ family," she gestures to Culix. "Aya and I are sisters in everything but blood. So it is probably different to her." <Handspeech/Tongues>

Aya gives Aryia's shoulder a light pat and a flicker of smile to show her comment of fees was in jest. The patting hand turns into pointing at her sister as she adds, for Murder, "She inherited the brains of our non-bloodline, which she would happily confirm. Khalees speaks the truth, though; to use a thing, you must learn to control it. If you fear it, -it- controls -you-. I have always had a penchant for darkness and shadow. For many years, I thought it was a blessing from -Her-, but that was simply Her deceiving me all along."

"Yeah, she said something similar." Culix says then nodding her head slowly and looking pensive as she thinks on Aya's words. "Maybe I've been overthinking this whole ult thing a bit." she continues. She grins over Murder's way, "Aryia's never beat me up. She probably would if I asked, but I get enough of that in the field." she muses. "My collection's not quite as extensive as Aryia's yet, but I've picked up more than a few scars since I started working with the guild." she adds.

She flushes a touch when it turns out that they aren't /literally/ sisters and nods her head, "I get what you mean. Most goblin families are kinda like that, sometimes it's so hard to tell where one brood ends and the other begins that we forget, ourselves."

GAME: Murder rolls acrobatics: (10)+15: 25

Murder grins at Ayria. "So make it an appropriate price, those who can pay, do. Those who cannot, pay it forward." She makes a 'finger guns' gesture at Culix, and then salutes the whole three as she backflips off the edge of the roof. A moment later, she says something in Gobbo-talk.

Aryia can't help but snort at Aya's mention of inheritance, her shaking her head. But she motions briskly and simple, "And that Bitch-" capital B! "-has lied and lied to us waaay to much."

She nods along with Culix, her grinning cheekily some. "When you get strong enough than I can start to beat you up, if you'd think you'd learn something from it?"

The mute sighs. "If they want to pay me, then they can pay me. I don't care about money." She watches Murder go, and just simply waves. They got up somehow, clearly they must have a way down. <Handspeech>

Aya watches the space that Murder vacated, then tilts her head slightly to listen. Possibly for an unintended *splat*. When that does not occur, she turns back to the discussion and Culix. "I can share what I know of shadows. It might be different from Khalees, probably -is- quite different," Aya does not have a sentient shade shadowing her, afterall, "but between her, Aryia, and myself, there should be more than enough insight. Not to mention beatings, once you reach that point."

"Nah, I think I'm good on the beatings. Like I say, the monsters see to it well enough." she grins back at Aryia. But then nods once after listening to Aya speak on the topic. "Khalees mentioned it's pretty unusual to find a goblin with this sorta affinity." she mentions then. "So it might well come from a completely different place, with me. But even so, it's still connected someway somehow to the shadow plane. I been thinking, maybe I ought to do some training outside the city. Away from the wards."

Aryia nods along with Aya, silently giggling about things getting beat up. She pats Aya's shoulder. "Very well, we will save the beatings for each other then," she signs in jest. Or was it?

She perks at that. "I actually go running outside the city to practice some other things that the city blocks. I can't do shadow stuff as well as Aya here, but I kind of skirt that boundary with something I can do. You are welcome to join us." <Handspeech>

Culix grins, "Who knows, maybe I'll be in the mood for beatings by the time I'm tough enough for them." she tells Aryia. The goblin nods, "Yeah, that'd be good. If these changes are coming from the shadow plane, the wards are no doubt messing with them. Getting outside the city might give me a better idea of what's up." she says. "Or, you know, eaten by demons." she adds on, like it's no big deal.

SHe stretches a bit, and when it seems like Aryia looks away for a moment, "Sooo, anyway... you see that boat coming in?" and then she suddenly bolts- running towards the edge of the roof and making the leap to the next one. Clearly, attempting to get a lead on the monk by underhanded subterfuge if she can't do it with strength of limb alone. Not that any such lead is likely to last for long.

GAME: Culix rolls bluff: (3)+9: 12

GAME: Aryia rolls sense motive: (11)+24: 35

Aryia frowns a bit at the mention of being eaten by demons, apparently that a bit of a sore spot. But she shakes her head. "You'll get a handle on it- wait, which one?" she asks, peering off.

Little feet are shuffling, and she snaps to. Mother f- She rushes after, leaping off the building, twisting, and signing to her sister as she falls, "Keep up!" <Handspeech>