ic Dakana Summer – The Turquoise Coast

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Marmaris, Turkey

Mid-July, 2019, 11:34 AM local time

 

The small city of Marmaris, Turkey was nestled among low foothills along the southwestern coast of Turkey, not far from the Island of Rhoades. With long, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters, the city was one of the key resort towns along the section of the Turkish coast line known as the "Turkish Riviera," or the "Turquoise Coast." For most, the primary attraction of Marmaris was the city’s vibrant nightlife, and in particular the collection of nightclubs and discos along bar street.

 

Out in the Marmaris harbor, a sleek sixty foot yacht was making its way towards the inner part of the harbor, easily blending in with the other similar yachts and large sailing ships that filled the harbor and marina. However, unlike the majority of the passengers on the other similar vessels, the four teenagers aboard this yacht were not here for the exciting nightlife, or at least not directly. During an investigation into the possible disappearance of Daka crystals from a border region of Dakana, the teenage children of the Dakana king and two members of the Danger family had uncovered a group of mercenaries smuggling crystals across the border.

 

Information obtained from some of the captured mercenaries had revealed that other members of the mercenary group were planning to meet with some potential buyers in Marmaris the next day. So, the four teens had arranged for a non-descript yacht to transport them to the costal town, providing them an chance to blend in with the other summer tourists looking to enjoy the excitement of the city.

 

The sun was staring to approach its mid-day zenith, and already the temperature was over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. The nearby beaches were crowded with people and the harbor was busy with activity as the yacht slowly made its way in.

[alderwitch]

Janus leaned against the railing in an easy slouch, their eyes glittering behind the dark lenses. Despite the temperature, the teen wore another long sleeve shirt though they had pushed the billowing sleeves up past their forearms. Behind the lenses of their glasses, Janus scanned the beach with lazy interest. 

 

"Am I the distraction?" Janus asked, arching one rose red brow up towards their hairline. "Because blending in is not exactly in my wheelhouse."

 

True, at almost six feet of height, Janus pale skin and brilliant hair would have stuck out like a sore thumb even if they were inclined to change their preferred dress. Janus had long ago learned, though, that sticking out could be just as useful as blending in. "Give you stealthy types the chance to do what you do best?"

 

That was said with a slight smile and a tip of their head towards their cousin and the prince before Janus straightened from their slouch and bowed with elaborate formality and only a hint of a smirk for Dakana's crown princess. "I am happy to keep all on eyes on me. It's easy enough especially with a princess to escort about the marketplace?"

[Tiffany Korta]

White Lioness

When she’d brought attention to the events back in Dakana she’d never expected that it would lead to this, not that she regretted it at all. In fact she was enjoying herself immensely, she wondered if her fellow Claremont students were having such a fun filled summer. This time she wore a brightly colored dress as bright as the sun itself.

 

“Well I’m not a slough in the sneaking department, but I’m more than happy to play distraction. I look forward to reading the new sites once the pictures get out!”

[angrydurf]

With his sister and two Dangers involved Kam was surprised it had taken this long for the side trip to evolve into a globetrotting pursuit of international criminals with terrorist ties.  Not that he'd offer complaint.  As lovely as the lakeside estates of the Summer Palace were, they could be, dull, this was decidedly not dull.   Emerging form below decks in comparatively simpler attire of slacks, deck shoes and ruby dress shirt he looked every bit the wealthy vacationer that he in reality was, in such a port of call such were a dime a dozen and hardly remarkable.  

 

The prince looked from Janus to his sister and nodded reluctantly, "I do not relish hearing the lecture about the honor and dignity of the Kingdom again when those hit."  he mused with a smirk, "But I can not argue it is not our best move."  Kam glanced to Victoria, "Entourage or shall we shadow them as independent members of the crowd?"

[Thevshi]

Veronica Danger

 

As was generally the case, Veronica had been thoroughly enjoying the adventure she had found herself caught up in along with her cousin and two friends. As their current lead had them arriving in Turkey in something of a clandestine fashion, the teenage Danger was rather uncharacteristically NOT dressed in her typical adventuring outfit. Instead, Veronica was wearing a pale blue floral print v-neck dress with a pair of sandals.

 

As Janus and Àjàṣorò volunteered to serve as a distraction as they began their investigation in town Veronica could not help but smile as she looked first to her cousin and then her friend. She then met Kam's glance as he asked his question. "I think it might be best if we shadow behind." She replied. "That was we can get the maximum benefit of their distraction and be less likely to attract attention while we investigate."

[alderwitch]

Janus snagged their jacket, swinging it over their shoulders and making a few adjustments. It might have looked like primping to a more casual eye but in reality, Janus was adjusting from casual lounging to deliberately playing the foreign princeling. Even if the specifics of Fortuna royalty didn't track to Prime, enough of the carriage and bearing carried through. Janus straightened their jacket and adjusted the dagger strapped to one thigh before quickly redoing their hair so that while it remained braided back from their face for a fight, enough of it was loose to catch the wind like a brightly unfurled banner. 

 

"I can be the perfect gentleman," Janus pointed out to Kam before they gave Àjàṣorò the classic Danger grin. Janus winked, offering their arm.  "Though, really, where's the fun in that. Shall we make a scene, princess?"

[Tiffany Korta]

 

White Lioness

Àjàṣorò gave a wry little smile “Well that's a shame! Still I guess we do have a job to do here!” as she did she took Janus’s arm, getting suitably good and snuggled up for a couple enjoying the city.

 

Turned her head to look back at her brother and added with a hint of sarcasm.

 

“I’m sure your be more than ready to be shocked to find to sister in such a situation, if we run into potential trouble.”

 

She was already thinking of potential problems that they could come across, as they were looking for people out to cause them trouble.

[angrydurf]

Kam let out a beleagured sigh though it was mostly for show.  "Agreed."  he nodded to Veronica,  "We'll follow at a safe distance."  he quickly donned a pair of darkened glasses and gestured for his sister and Janus to make thier way ashore.  "That is less endearing than you think it is."  he teased lightly as they took thier leave.

 

The Prince smiled to the remaining Danger, "I'll stick tothe crowds and look for local reactions, you want to get a more, elevated, perspective?"  he sugested looking to the rooftops and balconies that woudl giver her beter overwatch positioning.  With a  quick nod ot Veronica he moved to follow a short distance behind to pause and peruse the designer imitation handbags at a nearby market stand and give the 'distraction' time to pull ahead.

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

Veronica gave Kam a slightly sympathetic look at how much his sister and Janus seemed to enjoy their position as the main distraction for the beginning of their investigation in the town. The teenage Danger had little doubt that Janus and Àjàṣorò would be able to keep attention focused on them.

 

Tailing a short way behind with Kam, Veronica gave a small sigh of her own when he asked if she wanted to get up above for a different vantage point for watching the area. Glancing down at the dress it was very unusual to see her wearing, she gave a weak smile. "While normally I would be more than ready to jump at such an opportunity. But I am hardly dressed to be climbing up on rooftops."

"To be honest, I am feeling somewhat exposed not being in my more normal attire. But I would probably stand out almost as much as Janus if I went around town looking like I was ready to go on adventuring in a jungle or the like."

[Thevshi]

GM

 

As Veronica and Kam discussed the best way to carry out the investigation, Janus and Àjàṣorò had confidently strode ahead into the city after disembarking from the yacht. Despite the mid-day heat, there was still a considerable crowd of tourists and others filling the streets and sidewalks around the marina. This was particularly true of the narrow, winding old walkways that twisted among the buildings and were well shaded from the overhead sun, at least partially helping to keep the heat in check.

 

As the pair went they certainly attracted some level of attention from those they passed, whether it was due to Janus’ unusual attire or just Àjàṣorò and her brightly colored dress. The area closest to the marina was filled with shops, street vendors and restaurants, all of which were crowded with people. Now the real question was how the pair wanted to go about making their distraction.

[alderwitch]

With Àjàṣorò's hand on their arm, Janus took the lead, winding them through shops and through knots of crowds in what seemed like a random pattern but was careful to catch as many eyes as possible. Leaning in, Janus murmured softly, "When we get to the street musician, I'm going to spin you, alright?"

 

Despite Janus' teasing about making a scene, Janus had no desire to create a minor scandal. Impromptu dancing would have plenty of eyes on their princess and was exactly the sort of nonsense that one would expect of one of the Dangers. True to their word, Janus doubled back and when they reached the spot in front of the street musician, cheerfully piping a tune on his atenteben, Janus caught Àjàṣorò's hand and deftly spun her into the music in a move designed to maximize the flair of her skirts. Janus pulled lightly, offering a stunning smile as they asked in a voice designed to carry, "I don't suppose you'd let me lead, princess?"

[Tiffany Korta]

White Lioness

Àjàṣorò was enjoying herself intensely janus was always good company after all, but her senses were still sharp and she tried to take in as much as possible. She’d not spent much time in outside of Dakana or Freedom, so this was to her a rather exotic situation. But she was also quite aware that they were here for a reason.

 

“Of course, I’ll be suitably unready...” she whispered back to janus

 

She wasn’t an actress by any means, but she tried her best to act surprised when the impromptu twirl happened. And to be fair if it wasn’t for the artificial nature of the whole scene it would be pretty romantic, acting as people would expect she gave a little giggle.

 

“For you my love anything!”

[angrydurf]

Looking from Janus to Veronica Kam grinned readily, "Ah, I think you perhaps exaggerate how out of place your attire would be here."  he teased lightly as it would take quite the spectacle to compete with the particular brand of Danger charm that Janus brought to the party.  He shrugged agreeing however and nodded as they followed the others into town.  "Though point taken leaping from rooftop to rooftop will have to wait for a later stage of our endeavors."  

 

As they traveled through the market Kam moved from one market stall to another keeping pace with Ajasoro and Janus as he shopped and observed the crowd's reaction to the pair.  He knew they would draw looks but behavior beyond that might alert them to those watching for the Dakanan's arrival and perhaps lead to the buyers.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

It was easy enough for Kam and Veronica to blend into the crowd as they followed along after Janus and Àjàṣorò, with Veronica easily chatting with some of the street vendors she and Kam stopped near in Turkish. The pair acting as the distraction attracted some attention as they moved confidently through the narrow streets of the city, but it was once they came to the open square where there as a group of musicians and began to dance that they truly drew the attention of the crowds.

 

As several people stopped to watch the impromptu dance, at least momentarily, Kam and Veronica took the time to move around the periphery, watching for anything that seemed out of the ordinary. As they did so, Kam spotted a group of individuals that seemed quite uninterested in watching the scene in the square.

 

A man in a light grey suit had turned away from the scene, moving back down a narrow sidestreet, flanked by two larger men in dark suits and sunglasses. The latter two routinely scanned the area around them as they moved.