BZPRPG - Kentoku Archipelago

[Void Emissary]

IC - Inazuma Tetsu:

 

IC: Saritsu - Eiyu Castle Grounds

 

Saritsu raised an eyebrow, a slightly bemused smile playing on her face. Truth be told, she didn't wholly disagree with Tetsu -- not that she would ever admit that to the rogue Menti's face, obviously -- but she found herself wondering just what had pushed her from simply not liking this society and actively leaving it.

 

"Look, we're not arguing with you," the Menti said -- whoops, admitted to not disagreeing with her. "No need to get all growly and stuff. We're all friends here."

 

IC: "My dear Raiyo, you're an angel! Do you think you can ran out there onto the street and lead Relisai and her friend by hand into the drains? I'll work to keep the guards busy."

 

IC: Zyla - Sado

 

"Um, hello there. Excuse me, ma'am?"

 

The young Dashi poked her head out to look at the Datsue/Dashi duo diabolically determining the disappearance of the deranged Vilda Toroshu.

 

"I, uh, couldn't help but overhear you discussing the, uh, escape of Toroshu Relisai," Zyla said, smiling sheepishly and bumping her knuckles together nervously. "Now, I, um, would hate to argue with a Datuse, but I feel as though the, er, particular fact that the Vilda Toroshu is a ... urm ... wanted criminal and escaped prisoner of the state has been, I suppose, forgotten."

 

Her smile grew a little more forced.

 

"All due respect, ma'am."

 

-Void

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

There was a look of sadness and regret in Roberta's face as she looked at the Dashi saying her piece. It broke the Vilda's heart that anyone could think such things about her sister. Relisai was a such a sweet woman, she wouldn't- no, couldn't, hurt a fly! It was in the clan's very nature to adore all life and preserve it wherever possible.

 

Whatever had happened that had led to her sister's imprisonment had been one big misunderstanding, Robalta was sure of that.

 

But now, people were fighting and trying to kill each other. If Zuto-Nui would grant the elderly Dastue one wish, it would be for everyone to put down their weapons and to go home.

 

"Child, I don't know who you are and I think you for the respect you're showing under these circumstances, but that's my sister out there. My dear, little sister.  I know people are saying horrible things about her, but I assure you it isn't true. I just want to bring my sister back to Oki where we can tend to the wildlife while all this business of politics and clan fighting burns out. 

 

"Please, won't you let a family pick up it's broken pieces?" she said, almost pleading.

 

She didn't want to have to hurt anyone.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Ma'am, I don't know exactly what happened that ended with your sister locked away," Zyla said, choosing her words as carefully as she could. "All I know is that her breaking out of prison and trying to escape with the help of sellswords isn't going to help her make people believe that she's innocent of whatever crimes she's being accused of. It's just going to end with the Empress hunting her down to the ends of the earth or Clan Vilda being ostracized from the Empire, neither of which is going to help anyone."

 

The Dashi tugged nervously at her scarf.

 

"Please, ma'am," she pleaded. "At this point, the best thing to do would be for your sister to hand herself in. It won't be easy, but the best way forward for you would be to work with the system to exonerate your sister ... not this violence and chaos. Please, ma'am. Remember our virtues."

 

-Void

[Daniel the Finlander]

IC: Masome (Sado docks | With Somei)

 

She frowned and looked at the ground. "Hmph, if there's one thing I hate about nobles the most, it's their constant struggle for power and lust for bloodshed. Can't they just live together in peace? Wars are horrible things." She remained silent for a monet and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Anyways, uh, do you need any help? Askha told me to assist you in some way."

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Somei smiled humorlessly. "You may want to hold your opinions when Askha comes back; in... the old times, both her and I were nobility. Her father, my brother, was the second-most prominent male in the clan. My younger sister was the Toroshu. And you forget, we stood with Clan Umbraline against out Fursic neighbors. Now, we're just... outcasts."

 

The Datsue's eyes were cloudy for a moment. "Anyway, right now, I am trying to carter a ship leaving the island. holding it until... our clients get back."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"If you don't know who we are by now, you need to rise and shine. Out of our way," Jasik barked at one of the Imperial guards as they stormed the Palace. Both Twins had no doubt noted that the guard on their apartments had been doubled since the secession. At this point, it didn't matter. The apartments meant a chance to talk. The apartments meant Arsix. The apartments meant, most of all, no intrusions. 

 

When they reached the apartment Jasik went to pull his coat off out of habit before realizing he'd still left it in the muck and mire of the Imperial Markets. That made him curse aloud, but a coat was a small price to pay for a safe distance between Arsix and Relisai. Relisai... who the even wanted Relisai out that badly? What was Sheika's game? Outright hamstringing them? That left her current arrangement half as profitable. It made no sense. No no no no no no--

 

He groaned through gritted teeth and spilled the tea leaves on the counter before he could even prepare them. His hands were shaking with exhaustion; he was panting, and blood and sweat had left his undershirt clinging to him. He felt like he wanted to flay himself alive. But before he could, he had to know. 

 

"What happened."

 

-Tyler

[Palm]

IC: Dastana Arsix - Apartments

 

Arsix had to sit down to catch her breath before she could say anything to her brother, but when she recovered, the Toroshu explained the best she could, "Sheika told me to meet her outside the prison," she began, speaking through grit teeth, "Told me it was urgent. I thought she was in trouble," Arsix took a breath, "Next thing I know, the prison wall explodes, and Relisai is tossed into my caravan - driver's gone - and before I can stop her Sheika has vanished."

She stood up, wringing her hands together for a moment, "I thought I could control her. I was going to start paying her more," she stopped the wringing and made fists instead, "She set me up to take the fall. The whole Archipelago knows that Sheika works for me."

 

Arsix wiped the sweat off her face and after a moment of silent contemplation she looked at her brother, "She does work for me doesn't she Jasik?" The Dastana Toroshu narrowed her eyes for a moment. She knew that there was something her brother hadn't been telling her. Ever since their meeting with the Fursic's, Arsix knew she simply wasn't as in the loop as she could be.

 

"She does." He looked down at the golden bracelets on each wrist, and their reflections glinted angrily in his topaz eyes, the same color as the ornaments. "Well...I thought she did."

Arsix narrowed her eyes further.

"I was wrong!"

 

"You can't protect me anymore Jasik," Arsix said softly, "Not in the ways you used to," her moment of respite upon her brother was quickly washed away as it had come and she looked at him harder again, "Sheika hasn't been ours since the Rora's assassination has she?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"I didn't figure it out until they met with us," he admitted, surly looking now as he sat up on the tea table and tensed his arms. "That old Fursic ...all Sheika ever wanted was money, she always told me so herself, she never gave a...we kept paying her the usual, and our usual is more than anyone else's. I don't understand."

 

He flicked a few crumbled tea leaves against the table sullenly.

 

"I should have just come right here when we landed at Sado. If I had, I would have been with you when you'd met her and--" He broke off, chastising himself and biting his lip for his moment of retrospection. "Well, we know now. And we know the Fursics aren't happy with us. How do you want to play this?"

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

The secret of a successful Willhammer attack involved subterfuge, rather than brute force. A brute force attack can be resisted, and even if successful, little more can be accomplished but to render the individual unable to effectively act. Thus their methods usually tended towards the more subtle influences, coercion likely to go unnoticed; a tactic Robalta knew well, given her methods. Unfortunately for the Vilda, what might have worked on most was largely ineffective on her Eiyu target.

 

For Hanabe's principles were not of the usual sort. She believed in the proper use of power, and to that end, used her own as little as possible. Relisai represented an all-too-common crime of the upper classes, one that offended the Menti to her very core. The idea of her escape was angering enough to force the Eiyu into action. By choosing to interfere, she had decided that her action was necessary and just. To influence her to abandon her efforts to capture Relisai, the only direct target of her ire in the situation, was enough to raise suspicions.

 

Influencing her to go after Arsix, whom she had intentionally offered the chance to leave, even more so.

 

Without the Willhammer discipline, she could not counterattack against the intruder in her mind that she knew to be there. But aware of her suspicions, she knew what she could do. She entrenched herself in her own mind, focusing her efforts and her entire will on the former Vilda Toroshu. She would not permit her to escape, nor would she permit interference in her own mind without a fight.

 

"Someone secure Relisai." She intoned calmly, her tone slow and steady, given that her attention was fixated on both maintaining her illusion and protecting her own thoughts.

 

IC:

.:She is a bad influence on everyone, sister. Myself included sometimes.:.

[otter]

IC (Inazuma Tetsu, Eiyu Grounds):

 

Tetsu relaxed, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm used to people trying to defend it all, sorry. It gets on my nerves and I've really just come to expect it. 'Your system is messed up. You just had a secession.' 'Oh, it's fine, it'll all turn out well in the end, everybody's happy, blah blah blah!' 'You just had a bloody secession, the Rora was assassinated, and everything is falling apart. What's wrong with you.' Stuff like that."

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"You of all people should know that the viewpoints here are much, much more diverse than that."

[otter]

IC (Inazuma Tetsu, Eiyu Grounds):

 

"Yes, but the urge to get annoyed is about as deep-set in me as is the muscle memory for using my sword," Tetsu replied sweetly.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"I'm not sure why you need the latter; your tongue seems sharp enough to do the job by its lonesome." The Toroshu commented innocently, hands clasped behind her back in regal form. 

[otter]

IC (Inazuma Tetsu, Eiyu Grounds):

 

"Most assassins and brigands and thieves and such would disagree with you," Tetsu replied, raising an eyebrow and grinning. "And you're one to talk, you know. Considering that we both learned to talk like we do from the same source...and that I always had your shining example to look up to."

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"I rather think that looking up isn't quite right. Nor do I think anyone could say you've followed my example." The Toroshu replied, with a faint note of dry humor coloring her voice. "Nevertheless, I rather think your tongue might be sharper than your blade."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"Seconded," Saritsu said dryly.

 

-Void

[25K Now!]

IC: Higashi

 

She was really feeling the weight from all the weapons she had confiscated from the sellsword.

 

"I don't know how you can carry all this stuff," she said with a grin. "It's real heavy. You pretty strong, ay?"

 

Right, so how would she stop this Mindarm from getting away or trying to kill her?

 

Hm.

 

"Say, would ya mind if you rolled over?"

 

The Soulsword fist descended threateningly.

[Mel]

[sado, Market District]

 

Yukie nodded at Hanabe--the Eiyu menti was strong enough by herself that he risked withdrawing his mental shield.  Then he walked briskly forward, intending to secure the Toroshu.

 

He prepared himself for another mindarm assault.

Edited June 13, 2015 by Mel

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Robalta felt close to tears. She could sense her Willhammering against the Sighteye was not going as successfully as she'd hoped. The usual tactic of subterfuge was being negated by the opposing Menti's strong sense of will and determination - Robalta knew a lost cause when she saw one. The only way to possibly win was a brutal assault, but the Vilda Datsue didn't dare do that for fear of harming the Menti. She was just trying to do the best she could, after all. 

 

The Datsue took a long, deep breath. 

 

She withdrew from Hanabe's mind, finding new targets for her Willhammer skills.. First Raiyo. :You must go get Relisai and the Mashtet, now! We do not have much time.: Second, Relisai. Robalta sent her sister of the image of the street she herself saw, hoping to provide some feedback to help the Toroshu escape. :Relisai, Raiyo is coming to help. Take her hand. Watch out for the Menti trying to capture you.:

 

Finally, Robalta returned her attention to the Dashi. She sent a few subtle thoughts, infused with kindness and concern. The thoughts were simple enough :care for your elders:.  "Perhaps you're right" Robalta told Zyla. She raised a hand and wiped moisture from her eye. "Won't you help escort me away from this messy affair?"

 

 

Relisai grimaced.

 

She hated being told what to do, especially from her fox of a sister. But the aging Toroshu had no choice but to believe the image and words sent into her mind. They were her only chance of escape.

 

Still unable to properly see reality, she created a thin strip of telekinetic force a half dozen feet around her, around shoulder's height. If she felt anyone push into at any point, she would respond with a much larger application of force.

 

Now, she just had to wait.

 

 

Kulrik swore as he saw Shuuan walk away with the giant of a Menti Jiyu. He couldn't fathom why in the world the Plangori would ever (ever!) choose the hulking oaf over himself. Jiyu was a living monstrosity for Zazaka's sake! Hardly even natural! While Kulrik himself was handsome beyond anyone's measure, even the Empress's. 

 

The First Son shook his head.

 

Something was wrong with the world. Very, very wrong.

 

In what world could a woman, even Shuuan, prefer Jiyu over himself? 

 

And the necklace! In his fuming, Kulrik had nearly forgotten about it. How could have so carelessly given it over to Shuuan? How didn't he see that her judgement was undeniably wretched? Kulrik had to get that necklace back. The only question was how. Jiyu and Shuuan were out of sight by now, and the Vilda had a feeling that seeing them again so soon wouldn't be good for anyone's health. No, Kulrik needed to figure out where their next destination was and meet them there.

 

If he remembered correctly, one of them had said something about returning to Oki.

 

"Come on Seigyo" he told his dear friend, "looks like we've some more travelling to do."

 

....

 

A short ferry ride and walk later, Kulrik and his trusted Herupa aide were standing by the grounds of clan Plangori.

 

"Let's see who's around?" he asked cheerfully, as much to himself as Seigyo. With that, he walked forward. 

[Palm]

IC: Arsix Dastana - Sado - Apartments

 

"Rayuke might not like us, but he'll listen to us."

 

Arsix looked at her brother, "We need to see him."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Jasik scoffed.

 

"We just seceded. If we go to him, they'll think it's only a matter of time before we come crawling back into the Empire."

 

-Tyler

[Palm]

IC: Dastana Arsix - Sado - Apartments

 

"Maybe," Arsix said, mulling this over, "So we... don't ask for help. We're helping them."

 

She looked to Jasik, "I'd be willing to bet the Empire wants to find out who really is responsible for the Rora's death. We have information the Umbralines want. So we give it to them. That's all."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

His smile came back in force, then.

 

"Sell him Sheika," he purred thoughtfully, crossing both arms and leaning unceremoniously on the liquor cabinet. "And the Battlemaster?"

 

-Tyler

Edited June 15, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Void Emissary]

IC: "Perhaps you're right" Robalta told Zyla. She raised a hand and wiped moisture from her eye. "Won't you help escort me away from this messy affair?"

 

IC:

 

"It would be my pleasure," the Dashi said to the Datsue, bowing slightly as she smiled. "But I may need the assistance of your handmaiden here --" she added, gesturing towards Raiyo "-- if that is all very well."

 

-Void

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"That proves my point, sister." Nihonei said innocently, addressing her sibling with a thinly veiled mischievous light in her eyes. "You are, after all, the expert on sharp tongues."

 

IC:

Hanabe felt, dimly, the tendrils of influence leave her mind, but she did not dare lower her defenses. Despite her desire to secure Relisai herself, she would wait. She could not move in without dropping the illusion, and risking the entire endeavor.

[silo]

IC: Maripi - Sado

I wish this pompous brat would stop acting nice and get it over with. What does she think it will achieve? I look into the other Menti's eyes. Would she kill me? Unsure. I'll wait till this gauntlet's out the way before attacking. No matter how much she bluffs, there's a limit to how long she can keep it hovering there. When it falters, even for a second, I'll have my chance. Still, nothing wrong with wasting this smug ####'s time a little. "What do you mean?" I ask in a flat voice.

[25K Now!]

IC: Higashi

 

"I could kill you, but that'd be boring," explained the Hogo. "So I'm gonna t-i-e you up."

[silo]

IC: Maripi - Sado

So, this Menti isn't just a delusional imperial, but is also moronic. "Tell me, do you find this situation amusing?" I ask, my tone icy and my body still unflinching. This mentally defective fool is asking for a punch in the jaw.

[25K Now!]

IC: Higashi

 

"Yep."

 

The soulsword fist immediately descended, striking towards Maripi's right shoulder.

[silo]

IC: Maripi - Sado

The Menti stands in front of me. The gauntlet rushes forwards so fast that I don't have time to dodge before it slams into my shoulder, my entire body twisting around it with the force, my left side coming forwards. My right side rebounds off the wall, the energy rippling down my right arm, the elbow flying backwards too, while my head snaps back and then forwards as my body bounces up and forwards slightly with the shock. That's all that's needed for my panicked feet to lurch forwards unthinkingly in an instant. Primal instinct taking over, I charge at the dasaka before me with every ounce of speed I can muster from my mask, subconsciously and forcefully pushing away everything around me with my mindarm. This happened in no more than a second. I didn't think.

OOC: By the way, I tested if this move was actually possible (minus mask and Mindarm ) beforehand, to make sure that it was feasible...that isn't weird, is it?   

Edited June 17, 2015 by OLISI

[25K Now!]

IC: Higashi

 

"I shoulda hit you earlier if you were gonna be this fun!"

 

Man, this chick could take a real good hit! She hadn't had so much fun in ages! Calix active and mouth opened into an ecstatic grin, she leapt over the shockwave of frantic Mindarm power and above her opponent, allowing herself to be sent flying upwards into the ceiling and through the roof.

 

A split second passed.

 

Higashi slammed her feet back down into the roof with a satisfying crunch, breaking apart the fragile hut's supports and collapsing the roof top above her enemy.

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Raiyo giggled nervously. "Ahah....ha... No, I think you can handle it, I have to do... errands..." The Dashi was still in shock. She was supposed to go into a battle? But... she must do what was required of her. It didn't matter that she was just a housemaid... She was a Vilda, and it was her duty to her clan to save her Toroshu!

 

Brave tears streaming down her face, Raiyo let out a pitiful squeal as her warcry as she started jogging toward the battle, rushing past Hanabe to Relisai, reaching out for her hand.

[Mel]

[sado, Market District]

 

Raiyo was blocked however, by Yukie’s left arm and the shimmering pink shield on it as he stepped between her and the Toroshu.  This is getting ridiculous.

 

He made for the Torushu as fast as he could, aiming to secure her before she tried to assault him again.

 

[Oki, Outside Plangori Compound]

 

Kulrik and Seiyo had been being watched for a long time, although neither of them was aware--until a tall female menti wearing a kanohi votilak materialized in front of them.  She had somewhat of a severe set to her brow that was reminiscent of the toroshu, Morie.  They were in fact, distant cousins.

 

“Vilda Kulrik, what brings you to our home on this day?” she said politely, if with no particular warmth.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Mel

[otter]

IC (Inazuma Tetsu, Eiyu Grounds):

 

"Regardless of whether or not my tongue is sharper than my sword," Tetsu began, smirking, "I'm not in the habit of talking or licking my enemies to death. I'll continue to use my weapon if I have to fight, if it's perfectly alright with the two of you."

[silo]

IC: Maripi - Sado

Bear in mind that the following paragraph takes place in just over a second. 

So, I'm madly sprinting forwards, mask activated as much as I can without actually catching fire. There's a bubble of Mindarm force around me, not all that strong, but frantic. If I had been thinking straight, or, for that matter, had had time to think, I might have noticed that the actually bloody roof was falling apart above me. Luckily for me, I was blissfully unaware. At my insane speed, most of the wood and crystal from the roof landed behind me, the rest diverted to either side by the subconsciously formed Mindarm barrier. 

As I said, I didn't really have much coherent thought in these few split seconds. But I might have noticed that the world had been converted to a tunnel around me, made of blurred streaks of colour. And there was a light at the end of the tunnel. A few seconds later, I would realize that this had been the unfortunate door I had forcefully entered through. Well, it got slightly more unfortunate as it was blown clean off the hinges that it had previously just been hanging from. 

 

So, I'm out of the building.

I skid into the street. The rest of the roof collapses. I manage to scrape up the mental capacity to know to turn off the mask. As it turns out, just in time - I eventually come to a halt less than a metre from the front of the opposite building, a slightly taller affair. There are still a few enemies in the street, although they're mostly distracted. Like elastic, I manage to get my brain to go from mindless panic to focused thought in a second, albeit only for a second. I need to get to the rooftops. That was where I'll have the advantage. As another half second passed, I spin, catching a glimpse of the collapsed building - it'll take a while to get out of that rubble, even with Soulsword - and using the momentum to kick at the door, smashing the cheap brittle-crystal lock apart, before flinging the door open and racing inside. Losing a second of time but probably making up for it with the result, I wedge a chair against the busted door, knocking over a nearby desk on top of it for good measure. Inexpert, I'll admit, but better than nothing.

Once that's done, I activated my mask once more on a more passive setting, beginning to bolt up the stairs before me.

Edited June 19, 2015 by OLISI

[25K Now!]

IC: Higashi

 

"Man, I wonder if she remembers that I still have all her ."

 

Higashi waited in the rubble, arms crossed as she sat on the collapsed ceiling.

 

The Menti lifted her opponent's clan token up to the light, inspecting it, before safely storing it away in a pack.

 

She was pretty sure the sucker was going to be right back. Nobody was going to leave all that stuff with someone like her. Ohohohoh.

[Void Emissary]

IC (Inazuma Tetsu, Eiyu Grounds):

 

"Regardless of whether or not my tongue is sharper than my sword," Tetsu began, smirking, "I'm not in the habit of talking or licking my enemies to death. I'll continue to use my weapon if I have to fight, if it's perfectly alright with the two of you."

 

IC:

 

"I don't know how to respond to that," Saritsu said. "Sis, how do I respond to that?"

 

[sado, Market District]

 

Raiyo was blocked however, by Yukie’s left arm and the shimmering pink shield on it as he stepped between her and the Toroshu.  This is getting ridiculous.

 

He made for the Torushu as fast as he could, aiming to secure her before she tried to assault him again.

 

IC:

 

...

 

well, that happened

 

"Ma'am," Zyla said to the Datsue, being ever the picture of decorum, "I believe that we should be leaving?"

 

-Void

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"What makes you think I know, Saritsu? She has a habit of taking things in very strange directions."

[otter]

IC (Inazuma Tetsu):

 

"I didn't necessarily intend for my words to be understood that way," Tetsu replied, lifting an eyebrow. "I might have the sharpest tongue, but what do you two have?"

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

"An increasing lack of patience."

 

-Void