Ranch Life

    Winter time! The time of snow, cold, and winter things.Though not everywhere has snow, but there is still things that need to be done to keep animals warm and make sure trails stay safe.

In this case, Xander has been out here working on the ranch, probably to the Scales displeasure. For the most part the Salamander has decided to just isolate himself to work life. For whatever reason he is keeping to himself.

In this case, wearing a sleeves slightly rolled up, long pants tucked into boots, he is carrying a sack of feed for the pekos across the ranch, while humming a song to himself.

Though the situation in Ninetails is far from over, Rylen had chosen to spend the winter back at his home, rather than freezing on the battlefield. However, that hasn't given him much in the way of relief from the responsibilities of his role as one of the key representatives of Crescent Moon.

It is obvious how much it weighs on Rylen, as he hasn't quite been his usual cheerful self these past few weeks. On this particular occassion, it seems to have come to a head. "No. I said I'm done." He holds the door open for a frustrated looking Sylph who he seems to be ushering out.

"But there are still matters to atten--" The Sylph starts.

"Done." Rylen cuts him off. "My well of near infinite patience has run dry. If you want to badger someone about how terrible we are, you're welcome to bring it up to one of the other representatives. I've had enough."

"But I--" The Sylph protests.

"Done!" Rylen points towards the exit of the ranch. "Now get off my property before I throw you out."

The little patch of ground Uta usually employs as makeshift traning grounds has gained an additional item along with the various martial arts mannequins, musical instruments, miscellaneous medical equipment and monster taming gear: a barrel. A large barrel, so much that Uta can sit inside it and be completely submerged.

Which is exactly what she is doing right now, with a pipe sticking out vertically for her to breathe.

This would be her 'homework' for her elemental Water training; she's been attempting to get the liquid to form a whirpool, or at least a small eddy. Up to now, it's just the occasional bubble.

On the opposite side to where her mouth-pipe is.

We don't talk about those bubbles.

Given the winter weather, the barrel is slightly raised and there's a little fire going underneath; for this reason, farm hands have started to jokingly refer to the whole setup as the 'Uta Soup'.

The Spriggan pokes her head from the water, drenched, hair sticking to her face, just in time to witness Rylen escorting out the Sylph. After the mandatory sputtering, head shaking, and slight shivering, she asks, "...Alliance politics?"

    Xander places down the sack of feed about the time he hears Rylen not to far off. Those fiery, gold draconic eyes look over with a gentle 'Hm' escaping his lips.

He then goes to slowly turn around to watch the rest of the event play out. With a gentle brow raised toward his dear mate, watching the body language, the words exchanged. There was a slight frown, but also some understanding in his eyes.

    Xander looks over to Uta who is practicing her water bending techniques (or maybe bubble bending) and then back over to Rylen. "... I think its actually a lander." He says of to the side shifting his weight a little with a that heavy scaled tail giving a minor flick.

The Salamander inhales deeply and then makes his way over to where Rylen is, giving the Sylph an apologetic look, along with a quick inspect, before he looks to Rylen, "Everything alright?" Dangerous question, but a question that needs to be asked.

It isn't until the Sylph has not only walked past the main gates of the Ranch, but out into the city beyond that Rylen seems to relax at all, his expression softening without the need to play politics. It's only then that he answers Xander. "It is... fine." He lets out a breath. "The middle of Winter, snow blanketing most of Ninetails, what do they expect us to do? Freeze ourselves half to death trying to throw ourselves at an enemy that doesn't even feel the cold?"

With frustration, he runs a hand through his hair, only stopping when he notices the strange... apparatus that Uta has set up. "I... don't want to know, do I?" He asks. Having her live at the Ranch means dealing with a lot of strange things that are best not asked about.

"That's the other side of my frustrations." He motions at her, "I've got representatives of other guilds trying to drive members of Crescent Moon out of the Alliance. All because not everyone believes that the only way to make this world better for us is to put one step firmly into New World Alliance methodology and choose to want to stay here forever."

He throws his hands up, then leans against the railing on the outside of the ranch's main house. It isn't often that Rylen gets frustrated like this, but the cold weather seems to be helping to chill out the worst of it. "Sorry, I'm ranting..." He admits. "It's been... a bad day."

    "Hey, rant away." Xander says gently as he goes to place his hand on Rylen's back, giving it a gentle rub. "You listen to me rant all the time, so about your turn to do the same, you know?"

The Salamander looks over to Uta as if hoping maybe she'll have some helpful words or maybe even hoping she doesn't blow something up-- or maybe make Rylen laugh. He probably needs a good laugh.

"So, I know I can't help too much with either problem. Though seems like outside looking in, Ninetails is on a standstill with both sides having their feet firmly planted.... But what is going on with this whole disagreement in Crescent Moon?" He peers over at Uta once more; After all, isn't she in that whole alliance as well?

"Aye, but at least you're cute when you rant." Rylen offers, managing the smallest of smiles. "You get these little smoke trails that come out of your nose." It's a light-hearted sort of teasing, which shows that, likely, the worst is over.

"What we need in Ninetails is a concerted push from people who have real battle experience. The best Crescent Moon can offer is support. Craftspeople, healers, a few fighters but we don't exactly have a standing military force." Rylen explains. "I've tried talking to Amalthea, but Scale has their own problems. Though, maybe with the tenth floor a no-go at the moment, they might be able to divert some forces to other things."

When Xander looks over towards Uta, Rylen's gaze follows. "It's not a disagreement in Crescent Moon, but in the Olympus Alliance." Rylen taps his fingers along the railing, "Proteus is pushing that we can't make this world our own, following our principals, if we are allowing Scale Emblem to destroy the world by climbing the tower." He grunts, "Went so far as to tell one of my guildmates that they don't belong in Olympus when they disagreed."

Shaking his head, Rylen sighs, "I had to explain to Goldenblade that Proteus doesn't speak for the Alliance, or for Crescent Moon." He tugs his coat a bit, perhaps finally starting to feel a bit of the cold now that his temper has ebbed. "It's possible to want to make this world a better place, without completely giving up on the idea of escaping."

    Xander goes to lean against the rail as he listens to Rylen, also allowing the other to lean in close if he likes to 'steal' some of the Salamander's warmth that they just naturally radiate.

His tail flicks ever so slightly as his eyes gently close as he continues to listen. "I remember Proteus." He says softly, "That imp has... issues. Very sure of themselves and kind of arrogant really." The Salamander inhales deeply as his eyes open. "I can't speak for the Scale though, hell, I may as well be an outsider at this point given how much I've removed myself from them after the who mess with Giganpor."

Xander growls a little, but shakes his head. "That and the constant disorganization within, my own voice being ignored, and just the general... No true cooperation. I think as Amalthea once said-- its herding cats and sadly, they will continue to get stuck unless they learn to change the way they think."

    The Salamander rolls his shoulders a little, before he relaxes yet again. "But honestly... I am happy where I am right now... Though I do wonder... if my aloofness is driven further by that death and... you know. Not... ever getting that memory back of what they did." His voice getting softer as if not wanting Uta to overhear. "But back to the alliance... People are going to do things. They are going to be idiots. We been stuck here for-- a year now. You got those who are going to give up. Others who are going to get more frustrated-- and its only going to get worse really."

The shift in Xander's behavior is still something that Rylen is getting used to. He had gotten used to the Salamander being more aloof around him in situations where others were involved, and it still takes him a moment to remember that being 'in the closet' is something in the past. So, with that subtle reminder, he leans slightly against Xander, letting the other man's presence ease some of the tension.

"It is hard enough fighting a war in Ninetails against the monsters. What we don't need right now is another war, this time against other Adventurers." Rylen murmurs. "But people are going to do what they are going to do, and believe what they believe. Crescent Moon has always been about teaching and growing as people and players of Elder Tale. Some of those newbies may want to stay, some may want to leave, and that's all okay."

He shrugs then, "I just hope Proteus doesn't push more of this 'you're with us or you're against us' bullshit. Crescent Moon belongs in Olympus. We're trying to make this world better for those Adventurers who are just learning to play, but also for those who don't want to fight. The crafters and merchants and people who are scared."

He pauses then, "Scared of what they might lose." Rylen looks at Xander, then. It does worry him, that memory that has never returned, but he doesn't press the issue, especially with Xander speaking more softly about it.

    "That is what I am worried about." Xander admits in a hushed voice as he looks at his own hands. "A war between adventurers. The longer we are here, the more likely it will happen. Us versus them. This belief versus that. It /will/ happen. That is-- just human nature."

The Salamander moves to rest his head against Rylen's closing his eyes. "... and maybe that is why I have even further removed myself from so much of everything going on. I'm a soldier, some part of me will /always/ be that, no matter how far I've been removed from it." He opens his eyes once more. "... and I don't want to be on the wrong side when things /do/ happen... The trouble is, there is /no/ wrong side, just... different opinions taking to extreme."

He moves away from Rylen and looks at him. "... and I worry that one of those will have us at odds. You, Uta, myself... Setsuna.. so many others. I-- don't want to pick." Xander looks away, "... So I figure if I keep myself out of it all. Work here. I won't have too." He laughs gently, "Not like most of the Scale cares anyways. Just another boot they can replace."

@emit "Proteus and I have some fundamental... ah... divergences of opinion," Uta continues with a sputter as she takes care of the damp tuft of hair that was obscuring her eyes. "And if it's any consolation, I also feel like there's a lot of disorganization and lack of communication within Olympus. I disapprove of her political games, but, hey... what can you do when every time you leave to be in Ninetails on Tuesday, you suddenly find out you are in Fourland on Friday, or you think you're in a warehouse at the docks and you find out that you're on a ship for the Palace Lands?" she gives a little shrug and a self-conscious grin "I mean, I tried. I really, really tried to negotiate some agreement between the parties. I even thought I had succeeded, but once I was done, I figured out I mediated the sale of a herd of cattle between Landers." Her wide smile returns, "They both complimented me on my negotiation skills, though, so that's good."

With a shiver, she sneezes, sending droplets of water all around her, then rubs her nose with a finger. "That's exactly why this whole political situation bothers me. Keeping my options open and doing my best is exactly why I am in Olympus. Well, okay, technically I'm in Olympus mostly because I'm in Crescent Moon. But still, you get the idea. Of late, I've been cooperating on open researches with members of New World and Scale as well... it's ridiculous how much more I learn from then than my own alliance."

"Well, despite my charm, I've found I don't have a silver tongue for negotiation, myself." Rylen motions down towards the entrance of the farmyard and the man he had just dismissed. "Maybe next time you try to forge one of your peace treaties, I'll tag along, maybe I'll learn something." Even if it is just how to barter cattle.

Rylen's gray eyes follow Xander when he steps away, feeling the loss of that warmth acutely. His lips set into a thin line as he shakes his head, "That isn't going to happen, Xan." Pushing himself to his full height, which is still a bit shorter than Xander's own, he reaches up, setting his hands on either side of the Salamander's face, thumbs lightly tracing his cheeks.

"You're mine, Xander, Marcus." He uses both names for emphasis. "There is no force in this world that is going to make me fight you, least of which some stupid argument over ideals and views on our life in this ridiculous game." The Pooka huffs, "Anyone who tries is in for a whole lot of disappointment."

Then, letting his hands drop, he looks towards Uta, "Same goes for you. You're family so far as I'm concerned. You both mean more to me than Olympus, or Crescent Moon, or anything else."

Then, he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I need to go work off some energy. I'm going to go take Moko and the other Pekos out for a run." With that, Rylen steps off the porch, clomping into the snow as he leads towards the barn, obviously still weighed down with his thoughts, but... they are, perhaps, a little lighter.

    Xander closes his eyes at the touch, a low rumble escapes, before his eyes open once more as Rylen moves his hands away. "Ditto." Is all he manages to get out, but there is a gentle smile there.

Once Rylen moves away, his eyes turn to focus on Uta, "And Uta... you really should maybe take a break for a bit. You keep playing with water when its this cold and you'll manage /to/ catch a cold." Insert dad noises here. "So, give it a rest, yeah?"

Then he looks back to Rylen as he goes off and sighs softly, his arms coming to rest on the rail once more. "... It just be nice if we could ignore the world entirely, the alliances.. the wars... and just.. /be/ a family." He then laughs softly to himself. ".. never thought I hear myself say those words." Before he pushes away from the rails and goes back to cleaning.