Welcome To Paradise <Nadai Island, The Sea>

[reed]

Reed, Jialing and Jin walked off the docks in to the city. Nadai Island had many buildings and roads all, in which, lead to the center of the city. The streets were all gray coble stone, and the buildings were all carved and painted in vibrant colors. Soldiers marching in lines of three also patrolled the roads. Though all seemed so wonderful, nothing was. Nadai was a tough and dangerous town in it’s own way, and Reed knew of it. “Jialing,” He said taking out a big, dark brown, hooded cloak from his bag and handing it to her, “Wear it. Don’t ask questions right now. Just wear it,” He said to her also putting on a hooded cloak, “And make sure Jin is kept under control. You don’t want the soldiers to take him.” Reed put up his hood as the three entered the city.

[jialingjin]

A hand brushed away the strands of hair that fell infront of her dark eyes, and the young woman tossed her hair. The salty wind caught her by surprise for a moment, as her weight shifted. Her scratched and bruise arms still were bare of their wrappings, exposing just how bad with a bow she was.
Her brown eyes searched the brightly colored buildings, and the colorful garments that the citizens wore as they exchanged good days, passing each other in the street. One arm curled upward, grasping the band of soft leather that was slung over her shoulder. In the bright sunlight, off the ship, Jialing finally realized what a mess she was. She caught a glimpse of her vest, the once bright green and yellow now dulled by the ocean. A smirk crossed her face.. Now this was the perfect look.

She had just started to walk forward, when Reed thrusted a bundled up cloak at her. For a moment, she stared at it, before looking up at him with a sneer. "What for?"

[reed]

Reed looked over looked to Jialing, increasing his speed to a fast walk. Reed grabbed the cloak from her hands and quickly slid it on to her also putting up the hood, “Jialing, we’re going to go through Dead Man’s Alley. It’s a dangerous place. Most of the people there have either lost their minds or are sick perverts,” Reed said soon stopping before a dark alley. Trash and anonymous objects were filling the way. “There’s a small flab of cloth by your chin, pull it up and over your nose,” Reed told her also covering his nose. This time when Reed spoke it was a bit muffled from the cloth, “Keep Jin under control, Jialing,” He said dead serious. Reed looked over to her, “Hide your hair and keep your head down,” He said sternly, “Come on,” He said grasping her arm as they started through the alley. Reed leaned over to her and whispered in her ear, “Don’t make eye contact with anyone. The people don’t take well to that,” He said pulling her hood down farther as the kept walking.

People were hunched over and digging through the trash. As Jialing, Jin and Reed went by it caught their attention. “Please! Food!” They yelled/ coughed while bowing down at them. Reed pulled Jialing faster as they past the group and came in to the center of the passage. Along the walls were many of the homeless. More than fifteen were there. One man stood up in front of them blocking their way. “Visitors,” He snarled, “And what is this? A woman?” The man started to insanely laugh showing his black stained teeth and cuts and bruises on his face. Reed was fine but started to worry when the entire alley broke in to mad laughter. Reed’s eyes shifted to each of the laughing men. One man was stumbling towards them. But he wasn’t laughing. Nor was he looking at Reed or Jin…But at Jialing. “Princess!” He screeched, his eyes widening, “Take me from here! Princess!” As the man got closer he was covered in sand snakes. The man blocking the way stopped laughing and looked at the snake man. “Get away from here. She’s staying with us!” He roared. The snake man hurdled himself at the laughing man and bellowed to Jialing, “Run Princess! Run away from here!” Reed snapped out of fright and grabbed Jialing’s hand and sprinted out of the alley pulling Jialing with him, Jin following.

Once they were out the sun light once again came in contact with their skin and they stopped by a farm looking place. Reed bent over and closed his eyes shut.

[jialingjin]

With a yelp, Jialing raised her hands up quickly in a vain attempt to quit Reed from stuffing such a horrid peice of fabric over her. Her hair, stuffed into a hoof fell into her eyes and across her face, at which she subsequently brushed away with a growl.
"Just what do you think your doing?!" Snapping at him, Jialing began to follow Reed. Her hand slapped her hip, a signal at which Jin began to follow her at a steady trot. With a huff, Jialing briskly followed from what seemed like a paradise port through the drecreasingly drabbier buildings until they reached an alleyway in the most ruined lower sections of the city. Her nose crinkled as she fanned away the smells, glad to have some filtering offered by the cloak. She held up her hands in protest, still having no clue what was going on.
As Reed grabbed her arm, she shot him a glare, ignoring all he had said. No one touches her!
Quickly, she was pulled into the darkness of the dreary alley.. Her brown eyes tried to absorb all the information that streaked past them, the screeching of the cats, the incoherent mumbling of the crowds who had been shunned from the higher levels of society.

Suddenly, Reed stopped. Jialing slammed into him, her hood falling down from her head. With a snarl, She lifted her face up towards the large man who stood infront of her. Her larged hands clenched, fingernails digging into her palms. Jin growled, his head low as the fur along his back rose in a crest. He even barked, and snapped at a few who dared to get too close.
Jialing snapped her head to the side, her eyesbrow set firmly at her nose. "Nobody... AND I MEAN NOBODY.. calls me princess!" She lunged at the man who stagged from the darkness, only to be caught by Reed's quick hands. His strength far exceeded hers, though she surely had him outdown in rare nerve (at least when she had Jin at her side..)

[reed]

Reed opened his eyes and stood up straight. He put his hood down and took a breath. He knew Jin, Jialing and him would soon be on the move again. Reed took out the map and let his eyes scan their location and the location of where they would soon depart to. Reed stuffed the map back in to his bag and beckoned to Jialing. “Come on,” He said as he started to walk to what looked like to be a stable, “We have to keep going.”

Reed, Jialing and Jin arrived at the “stable” and walked in. Surrounding them were barracks filled with an animal called Turasia. (Though Turasia is its traditional name, most call them Dragon Lizards or Lizard Flies.) A man approached them. He had a strong build and was a bit shorter than Reed, along with his long beard that went to his stomach. “How can I help you kids today?” The man asked. “We’d like two Dragon Lizards if you have ‘em.” Reed replied. “Well, we have two males and a female. This male one over here is seven and this one over here is eleven.” The man walked over to the other side on the stable, “And this girl here is nine. They’re all in human age. Just double the age and you’ve got their animal age.” Reed walked over to the two males. “I’ll take the eleven year old. Jialing,” Reed said turning to her, “Go ahead and make your choice.”

[jialingjin]

Jialing had stepped forward and was all set to poke the thug in his gut and give him a peice of her mind when Reed grabbed her by the hand. She gave a startled yelp, her feet dragging behind her before deciding to work. Stumbling along behind Reed, Jialing gave a shout. Jin had been backed into a corner, his ears pinned down as he snapped and barked at the rouges. Hearing Jialing's voice, however, sent him running towards her with his tail flying.

As Reed Stopped, Jialing wrenched her arm away from him and kneeled to catch Jin as he came running to her. For a moment, she knelt in a tight embrace with her beloved dog. There was a silent worry in her posture, in the way she quietly whispered to the dog. Did she really never leave the dog? It was rare you saw them more than five feet from eachother.

On the move once Again, Jialing listened with impatience as Reed negotiated the use of these... long lizard creatures. A slender brow rose as she met gazes with one of them and it gave a screech. She half-heard Reed make his choice, only snapping awake after a minute's silence. "Oh! Huh..? Oh um.. sure.. whatever one's fiestiest.." She waved her hand.. not really caring.

[reed]

Reed sighed. “Well, Miss,” The man started, “what will you be doing?” Reed quickly cut off Jialing, “We’re just going up north to bring some thing to a friend, is all.” The man looked at Reed and went over to the female’s cage, “Well this girl has much more experience with running and climbing, but she’s a feisty one. If you’re looking for and real friendly one, and by friendly I also mean not the smartest, you’d be best to go with the young male here.” “Jialing, you want one that’s not the sharpest apple in the pick, or you want a fine one with an attitude to match yours,” Reed said half smirking. “Once you make your decision, come out side.” Reed handed the man seven gold pieces. “Thank you, and I’ll go get your saddles.”

The man came back a few minutes later with to saddles. He handed one to Reed and the other to Jialing. Reed thanked the man and walked out of the stable, leaving Jialing to make her choice.

[jialingjin]

"Give me the girl." Jialing said with a smirk, raises a hand and pointed towards the Turasia female. Her lips parted to show her teeth in a smile, as her brown eyes sparkled in the shadow cast by her wind blown hair. Of course Jialing was going to go for the one that would knock heads with her. It was in her blood. One could not doubt it.

Setting to work, Jialing carried the saddle over to where the girl was stalled. She undid the latch and weasled the door open with her foot. Grinning, Jialing stepped foot into the stall. "Hello there, Missy." Lets just see how tough this would be. Jin stayed out of the stall, while Jialing moved closer. She reached out a hand to brush the creature as she moved past. "Good girl. Lets just get this saddle on you." Jialing patted the scaley hide and chuckled.

[reed]

The man laughed in surprise, "Now that's not a sight you see every day! It takes four men and to get a saddle on her! You just got it on by your self! Well done!”


Reed fitted the saddle on his Turisia. “That’s a good boy,” He said adjusting the saddle. The Turasia shifted its weight and dug its claws in to the grass. “You’re all hyper aren’t you,” Reed said getting up on to the saddle. Reed blinked then hopped back off. “Ok that was stupid of me.” “Forget some thing?” The stable owner said walking over to Reed and handing his a pair of reins. “Thanks,” Reed said holding out two silver pieces. “Keep it,” The man said, “It comes free with the package. I already gave your friend one, too.” The man eyed Reed oddly, “You two do know how to ride a Turisia don’t you?” Reed nodded, “I do, and I’m sure she,” Reed pointed to Jialing, “Will know how to soon. She’s a quick learner…Or so I think.” Reed grinned.

[jialingjin]

"Learner, Smearner!" Jialing would proudly proclaim. She had done something rather stupid and had mounted her Turisia in the stables. She rode the fiesty lizard out of the stable door into the sunlight. She cackled lightly, pulling the reins hard to the right. The lizard did a turn around, coming to a unruly stop. "..Well this shall be an adventure. First the woods.. then a boat.. then adrift on a raft... then crazies. Now lizards! What's next? Meeting up with the Fire Lord himself?"
She grinned, her dark eyes sparkling brightly towards Reed.
"So where are we headed now, handsome?" Her voice was thick with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes and head towards him. A sly smile graced her face, but it was full of mischeif and tease. It seems Reed was dragging her all over the place. Well she better get paid good for all this work. Didn't he still need a new boat now that his had been ruined in a storm?

[reed]

Reed smiled at Jialing’s “comment”, “Why thank you Jia,” Reed jested putting his fingers on his chest, “If it is alright if I call you Jia?” Soon Reed shook his head and looked over to Jialing, “We’re going for a wild ride,” He said lifting him self up on to his Turisia. “You might want to hold on to Jin…or lift him up on the Turisia…or do what ever you do. Trust me, unless you want him to be left behind I suggest you put him on the Turisia, because he won’t be able to keep up with these two,” He said motioning his head to both of the two lizard creatures. “It’s that right, Zhen,” Reed said patting the large lizard. “So Jialing, what are you thinking of naming your Turisia?” Reed asked looking over to her, “You’re going to need a name if you want the Turisia to listen to you better. And every thing deserves a name.”

[jialingjin]

"..They don't have names?" Jialing lifted a brow, looking from Reed to the reins in her hands then to the back of the lizard's head. Hm. The young woman blinked, freeing one hand to scratch her head with. "Okay... uh... Niu then.." Niu.. a name meaning 'girl'. Simple.

Jialing would lower her gaze to where Jin stood at the feet of the lizard, wagging his tail back and forth. "Come on, boy.. hop on." She patted the saddle's leather and whistled. Jin pranced in place, whining with excitement before he leapt aboard. His lower feet clawed at the lizard's scaley hide.

The creature gave a shriek and began to shake her head. The Turasia stepped back and to the side, as Jialing pulled the reins taunt. One hand reached behind her, grasping Jin's tangled fur. With a cry, the Turasia began running. Jialing screeched, having been caught off guard as the lizard began to dart into the city streets.

[reed]

“Het!” At Reed’s word Zhen dashed off after Jialing. “Jialing are you crazy!?” Reed screamed catching up to her. Reed moved up beside Jialing, “Jialing, pull the reins like you would with a horse!” Jialing, Reed, Jin, Niu, and Zhen were trampling through small stands and shops. Fruits and other objects flew in to the air and fell on to the ground. The two Turisia’s screeched and continued to rampage through the streets, “Jialing!” Reed once again screamed, “Go to wards that wall!” Reed said pointing to a wall that had to be more than ten feet high. “Jia!!! Control Niu!” The group ran towards the wall. Then the both Zhen and Niu re-acted and swiftly climbed over the wall using their six large claws to scale up it. On the other side of the wall was all forest, or better yet: A jungle. There were vines and gigantic trees. Every thing was a shade of green. Zhen and Niu raced though the jungle jumping over branches and large bushes. “Wahoo!” Reed said throwing his head back and laughing.
Zhen and Niu eventually stopped by a large lake. Reed’s hair was filled with small twigs and leaves. “That was so cool,” He said moving the hair from his eyes.

[jialingjin]

The giant lizard tore through the city, at first catching Jialing by surprise. The sudden accelerations nearly knocked her from the saddle. Jialing's surprised face was quickly set into an expression of intense determination. Her fists tightened, one in the thick golden fur of Jin, the other in loops of leather reins.
Her legs tightened around the torso of the turisia and Jialing reseated herself.

She gained control again of the turisia, but why ruin Niu's fun? Jialing rocked forward, ignoring Reed's cries as his turisia caught up with her. The lizards nimbly dodged carts, buildings, and shoppers. A grin crossed her face as she realised that Reed was in a panic. Did he really have so little faith in? Her brown eyes turned towards the wall.. could these lizards climb? Time to find out!
"Heeya!" The young woman shouted, slapping the reins against the scaly hide. Niu easily scaled the wall.. dashing into the jungle. Jialing kept her down, Jin close to her as they ran through the brush, coming upon a lake within a few minutes.
Jialing wiped the sweat out of her eyes with the back of her hand.. looking mighty pleased with herself.

[reed]

Reed looked upon the large lake in front of him. The light glowed on the water making it look as if it were a pasture of light. Trails of ants over dead logs and trees were here and there. There was moss on the logs and trees, and there was algae on the rocks by the water, also the ones submerged in the water. It was almost completely silent; the only noise was from the slight breeze rushing through the branches of the trees, and the leaves of the shrubs and bushes. Then, a frog crooked. Reed laughed and looked up to Jialing, still on her Turisia. “Hmm…I say we go across the lagoon here, and then we should be at the manor in about an hour,” Reed said getting on Zhen, “That is if we’re going the right way…” He said as the Turisia gradually got in to the water and paddled its large feet and began to swim across the lake.