BZPRPG - Kentoku Archipelago

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"You overestimate the strength of your position." I stated simply. I wasn't going to rise to the bait- and yes, it was bait- on his second question. The first one, though, I could deal with. Would love to address, actually. "My ward is in self-imposed isolation. Which means that until he returns, I am the highest legal authority in the Empire. It doesn't matter what Yumiwa wants to believe. My ruling is final."

 

He's sizing me up. Inokio has always been a snake, eager to ensure his own position. It's why he struck his deal in the first place. And right now, he knows that if I remain in control there is no good ending for him. Which means he'll try to remove me. Bound though he was, he was still a Battlemaster. My own skills might be enough in open combat, but this was not open combat. The answer is clear; minimize the threat.

 

So without looking back at him, I reach out with my mind. And with a flick of my fingers I start to yank his Kanohi off of his face. None too gently, to be honest.

 

"Stay still."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Inokio yelped softly as his Kanohi was ripped away from him, and as he bared his maskless face to the afternoon sky he let his eyes rove over Masayoshi. I will kill you. He was assured enough in his lifetime of skill to know that he would put the assistant down, no matter how secure she thought she felt in her position. Enduring her disrespect, the verbal spittle she was flecking him with time and again, would be worth it in the end when he reached Sado free.

 

"You don't really think she survived a trip to Kozu, do you? She's too kind hearted for what we do. She probably let some Fursic slide a Soulsword through her just to make them happy."

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"Honestly, I'm still stuck on trying to understand why you seem so determined to die."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"I've been mulling over this final arrest of yours in my head, wondering much the same about you."

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

IC:

I actually laughed at that. I really did. How completely out of touch he was was hysterical. "You really don't get it, Korae. Unless you manage to kill me- which is unlikely, since I have your mask and your hands are tied, so no effective disciplines for you- then I'm safe. No matter what I choose to do to you, when I reach Sado again, I will have nothing to fear."

"Think about it. For once in your life, see if you can pull your head out of your and think." I gestured to myself. "I am Rayuke's assistant. Not only does that make me legally justified in what I do to you, Rayuke will be the one swinging the sword if Yumi tries to sentence me to death. And Rayuke won't kill me unless he's certain I'm guilty. It will take him two questions to determine that I was justified."

 

"And even if you do kill me. And even if you kill Desdemona, and you make it back to Sado alive and free, Rayuke will ask you where you've been. And then it's all over."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Even if I were self-assured enough to believe I was in a position to kill you -" for now "- it wouldn't be what I'm referring to. If you want to reach the center of Kozu alive, you'll need me. If you didn't, you'd be keeping me safely stored somewhere until a return trip. Even if you do put me in full control of my powers again, the likelihood that we walk out of this situation in one piece is barely at non-zero. So I'll ask you again, and I would ask that the Assistant grant the excused his wish." Inokio leaned forward and rotated his wrists slightly, testing his bindings. "What is going on behind that visor of yours? What do you care?"

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

IC:

My gaze pivots, finally, to regard the Battlemaster coldly. "I refuse to let her life be ruined by your bargain and your prejudices. Not that you who, by your own admission, would prefer she took the short cut from her tower to the ground would be able to understand that."

"Frankly, I suspect you lack for anything approaching empathy at all."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"You do not know me, woman. I fought shoulder to shoulder with Yusanora in the last Fursic Rebellion, even as dozens of my clan-sisters and brothers fell around me. I've taught Yumiwa since she was a child, and Hanako too. Could have taught them more, if they had been the type to listen. I loved those women all, each for different reasons, each in my own way."

 

Inokio's lips pursed nervously, so thin they almost disappeared.

 

"But you're half-right. I don't care about your princess. I care about my life. As long as it's in your hands, and we're at sea, that makes me as strong an ally as you could ever want of me."

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"Then that makes you the kind of man who would kill the women he loves for a Fursic's promise." I felt physically sickened, listening to him try and justify his actions. That... More than anything, claiming he loved Yumiwa was enough to make me want to strike him. I can't even claim to like her, but that struck a nerve. "Do you even recognize that disconnect?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"I am a man." The statement, however obfuscating and obvious it may have been, rang quietly as Masayoshi's boat pushed off from Iki. "We are all...disconnected. Full of contradictions. You see me squirm and fidget like a worm on a hook, but I assure you I have been confident in my ability to kill since the day I first conjured a Soulsword. You know me to be a traitor, a courtier who sold his Rora twicefold to her greatest traditional enemy, but my Empire has been a truer love to me than any woman since the day I was old enough to know what she represented. You see me as a monster, Umbraline Masayoshi...but I am more complicated than you would ever like to believe. Men are like that." Inokio's head lolled back along the back of the boat and he sucked in another heaving breath, tasting the salt on his dry tongue, feeling it dry his cottony mouth. "And perhaps women, too."

 

His desperate breaths became sad, and slowly his hands stopped rotating inside their bindings. The cut on the Battlemaster's handsome face reddened.

 

"The Empire is dead, you know," he said mournfully. "We killed it. Not just me, not just Nera, not even those brats we're leaving behind us right now. Each and every one of us will go down in history for this, like it or not. Dead before Desdemona, dead before Yumiwa, dead as early as Yusanora. Even if I had not..."

 

Inokio's eyes found Masayoshi again and then turned away.

 

"Enough. You won't listen. Wake me when we reach Kozu. To die napping is inglorious for any Menti; for a Battlemaster, 'tis inexcusable."

 

-Tyler

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: With one hand pulling along her uncooperative (though not unwilling) Toroshu, the other blocking the strong scent of waste and earth. The tunnels around them seemed to be reflecting sound around; still, she heard splashes that weren't coming from them. Raiyo had no idea how long it would be before whoever was following caught up with them; nobody was shouting, so it probably wasn't either of the mercenaries. The Vilda maid's breathing accelerated as she looked around, before realizing a solution, however temporary, was right in front of her face.

 

Well, on Relisai's face, anyway.

 

"My lady, I-", Raiyo stammered, "you're not going to like this, but you have to do this. Just go along with the current." Before Relisai had a chance to object, Relisai pushed her head under the water. It may be foul, but it was still breathable to someone with a Kaukau. Raiyo stepped away, looking around her. The tunnel split off into several more passages, with light pouring in from several points from storm drains. The maid grabbed a floating piece of wood, and splashed as she walked against the current.

 

"I will defend you, Toroshu."

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Relisai didn't have the time to open her mouth to object when her handmaiden's hand pushed her head below the surface of the water, for which the Toroshu was ever grateful.  The stench alone of the sewage and Zataka-knows what makes up the junk in the tunnels was horrendous - Relisai had no desire to imagine how it might taste.

 

So, instead, Relisai kept her mouth shut and activated her Kaukau. She could do it, she told herself. She breathed slowly through her nose, imagining the smell of Oki wildflowers, of running through the jungle as she had in her youth.

 

There was still something she had to take care of. She relaxed her body, expelling enough air to sink to the bottom of the water. She felt a current here, slight but distinct, hidden by the heaps of trash littering the surface.

 

She thought of running between the trees, scents of pine and mint filling her being.

 

Her body was being pulled now. Away from Raiyo, away from the approaching male. She didn't resist. All she did was focus her mind. With effort, she slowly wrapped her mental self in shadow, stilling the reverberations across the mental plane that usually emanated from all life. She stayed as silent as possible.

 

She thought of walking pleasantly through a garden, admiring the serenity of the glade.  Of stepping in something. Looking at her foot. Something didn't smell right. Oh. Dung.

 

A few bubbles rose. 

 

She started to slip into a small pipe, scarcely big enough for the Menti to fit in, built into the wall and completely submerged in water.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Toa Fanixe

[Mel]

OOC: While Raiyo could have mistaken Yukie’s shield construct for a soulsword, he has yet to activate it.

IC:

[sado, Sewers Under Market District (Yukie)]

 

The light ahead illuminated the dashi ahead as Yukie caught up with his targets.  She was holding a spur of wood and looking resolute, if utterly terrified.  Yukie sped up as he ran towards her, his feet lifting only a fraction above the water before moving forward and coming down, trying to minimize the drag he had to deal with from the sewer water.

He raised the bounty hunter’s falcata as if to attack...and streaked right past her, not even sparing a glance.  He was smart enough to recognize a distraction when he saw one.  There was also the conspicuous absence of the Toroshu, who was known to wear a kanohi kaukau.

Yukie followed the current, the light from his shield giving little visibility in the murky water.  It was, however, enough to catch a glint of crystal and a shadow in the water.

Yukie reached down.

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

 

Hatchi did raise quizzical eyebrow this time. "I take it you didn’t hear it in polite company.”

Edited December 30, 2015 by Mel

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Raiyo bristled as the Plangori ran past her, splashing her with the foul water.

 

"You... you....!" The maid sputtered, she threw the hunk of wood she had armed herself with at Yukie.

 

Then, upon getting a closer look at him, Raiyo realized... realized that the Plangori vexing them wasn't a he. Not naturally, at least. Raiyo had heard of a few cases of this in her gossip-mongering; not to fault them any, but the Vilda Dashi needed any ammunition she could sling at the moment.

 

"You! Plangori woman! You think you're fooling anyone?"

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Relisai felt panicked as she sensed a figure sloshing towards her. She could tell that the figure was large. Too large to be a Dashi. Then a hand plunged into the water beside her head , scrambling, searching for her.

 

Then she slipped in the pipe entirely, beyond the grasp of Yukie.

 

She relaxed. The pipe was just big enough for her to fit in, and completely filled with water. All she had to do now was let the flow of sewage take her where it willed.

[Mel]

[sado, Sewers (Yukie)]

“Zataka’s fine arse,” Yukie spat, as he felt the tunnel edges of the tunnel where Relisai had no doubt vanished into.

He only dimly registered the piece of wood clattering off his shoulders as he stood up and channeled his frustration into flinging the bounty hunters falkata away.  It landed with a splash some distance away, but Yukie turned away before he saw it hit the water, sprinting up to one of the sewer covers and taking the rungs that led up to it two at a time.  

It was only after he had flung the grate away and ascended into the daylight blinking, that he was able to process the dashi’s words to him.  As always, there was that familiar twinge of doubt and as always, Yukie shoved it down.  He had more important things to think about,and it wasn’t as if he hadn’t heard the dashi’s words--or some variant of them--half a million times already.

He charged ahead, heedless of the stares of nearby civilians.  All his concentration was focused on keeping hold of the dim notion of Relisai’s consciousness through layers of stone and crystal.  Because Relisai had made a mistake.  Her simple cloaking attempt might have worked on Yukie had he not come from a clan dedicated to detecting the influence or presence of another’s mind so readily.  But calmness, although a tremendous aid in the channeling of mental powers, was not in itself an effective concealer.  As placid as it was, it was still the indicator of a living mind.  No stone feels nostalgia for its childhood home, or remembers the smell of mint.  Relisai had been using her willhammer quite liberally in the battle previously, and her mental “scent” was burned into Yukie’s mind.

 

And if the troublesome Toroshu had another trick up her sleeve, well, all water eventually flowed downward and toward the sea.

Edited January 1, 2016 by Mel

[silo]

IC: Maripi - Sado Docks > Sado rooftops

I looked for Askha and our client at the docks. Only Somei was there. Karz. I reach instinctively for my dagger as I hear a sound, but-- Of course, it's gone. And so is my token. In the rush I completely forgot about it. That imperial slug must still have it, but...I can't go back. I can't risk another run in with those clueless loyalists. I feel conflicted for the first time in ages...rationally, there's no reason to go back. Askha can handle herself, and the token is nothing of use. But...but...both of them are all I have left of the Mashtet. I can't afford to...lose them...No, I won't. What I can't afford is to let my feelings get in the way of my survival. That's all I need to do, survive. I tried feelings before, and let me tell me tell you they're overrated, I think bitterly. An image of the abandoned camp flashes through my mind, making me feel sick. No emotion. No fear. Nothing standing in my way.

I look down, and see my legs running along the rooftops. While I was caught up in thought, it seems another part of my brain has commandeered my body. Oh well.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

"The Empire was dead to me long before you knew it to be true." I commented, ignoring the Battlemaster for a few minutes to concentrate on the world around me. Truth be told, I hated boats. Out on the water, my Arthron gives me nothing but empty infinities for meters and meters. Beyond this boat, nothing exists for me. It's a vast, uncomfortable feeling. All the more reason to keep my eye on Inokio, though Zuto Nui knows why I'm still bothering to talk to him. "Long before the Dastana Twins knew it, before Desdemona knew it. I knew it. And many more knew it before I did."

 

"I'll make you a deal, Korae. And it burns me to even have to think about it." It did, too. Even the thought of giving him nothing less than what a traitorous First Son deserved sickened me. "But I can't run the risk of a blade in my back, once we get there. You're a reasonably intelligent man, and you value your own life. The Fursics won't let you live once they know you ratted them out. Even if you deliver them my head, the Dastana know. You're officially a liability, and the Fursics aren't known for their mercies."

"You get me in, and make sure we get out alive, and I'll let you live. In jail or in exile, that I'll leave up to the Chojo. But you'll live. Which is more than the Fursics will give you. And more than you'll get if Rayuke starts wondering where I disappeared to."

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Relisai wasn't sure how much time was passing. Ten minutes? More? First she was in one chute, then another. Some were topped off to the brim with water, completely submerging the Toroshu, while some were half empty. A few had currents so strong Relisai was practically hurtling through the underground system, while other's were much more manageable. About halfway she stopped trying to cloak her presence - if anyone was still looking for her, chances were they halfway across the island.

 

A few times she entered larger caverns several pipes met up; she decided not to interfere, letting the current drag her where it would, figuring that the current would bring her as away, and as low, from the centre of the city the possible, to docks. Or at least someplace close. Until then, she would continue crossing underneath one street to another where above no alley existed, and below crowded corridors that provided passage from one district to another.

 

Throughout it all, though, the horrible stench was always present.

 

Then, all of a sudden, the tunnel she was in started narrowing. Uncomfortably so. The pressure began to increase as well as she had to fold her arms in to keep from getting stuck. She was going fast now. Too fast. This wasn't good. Why, oh why had followed Raiyo's plans!?! She was about to start screaming....

 

And then, she was in the air.

 

She flew a short distance  as she fell in the sea. Relisai flailed her arms as her head fell below the surface, pushing downwards to bring herself back up and she breathed. Fresh air! Finally. She looked around. She was right next to the Docks!  She swam as quickly as she could to reach the shore. She waded through the mud until she completely out of the water, dripping with water and smelling far worse than she ever had in her entire life. 

 

Her gaze travelled from one dock to another.  Now where was that Mashtet she'd been told about?

 

She stared back inland for a moment. She prayed there was no other brainless slave of the Empire coming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mel]

[sado, Docks (Yukie)]

In a nearby alleyway, Yukie watched.

He had lost Relisai briefly for a few tense minutes when the flow of the water had outpaced even his sprinting, but luckily his previous guess had been correct.  All the sewers eventually spilled out into the sea.

As he caught his breath, he watched the stunned Toroshu look around.  It turned out he wasn’t the only one.  Relisai (and her smell) had caught quite a few stares from passers by, including the suspicious glances of a couple of private guards who were watching a pleasure boat.

Yukie flattened himself behind a bit of molding as Relisai glanced inland.  If he could lull her into a false sense of security than he might have an easier time catching her.  On the other hand, it might be a good idea to have the dock residents on his side--although perhaps a bit expensive.

 

He needed to make a decision soon, before she could find any more allies.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Mel

[Geardirector]

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

 

Hatchi did raise quizzical eyebrow this time. "I take it you didn’t hear it in polite company.”

 

IC: Ageru Tamachan (Odaiba, Ageru Lands)

 

"I very rarely find myself in anything but 'polite' company, frankly," Tama replied, "you'd think Imperials had to spend all day rehearsing to remember all their honorifics and proper forms of adress and turns of phrase"

Edited January 9, 2016 by Dr. 0

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: It hadn't been particularly difficult for Somei to find a merchant vessel that would take a datsue to Oki. The captain was less than thrilled when Somei sheepishly told her that she was bringing along more passengers: two dashi, three dasaka, and another datsue. When Somei implied there might be a hefty payout at the end of all this, the captain decided to go along with it. The Mashtet datsue decided to wait along the ship's railing. She couldn't deny that there was some feeling of dread inside her. They can handle themselves, Somei thought.

 

Her train of thought was interrupted when she noticed many of the people around her were talking amongst themselves, looking to the other side of the boat. She walked over, and peered over the railing. There was an absolutely filthy dasaka swimming in the water, looking bewildered. Well, if several years of travelling with Askha and Maripi had taught her anything, it was that this dasaka was more likely than not the one they were looking for.

 

"Hello down there! Need some help?" she called out. As she spoke, she used her Mindarm to uncoil a rope and send one end over the side of the ship.

 

IC: Well, both of them were gone. Raiyo froze up, thinking about what to do next. Absentmindedly, she waded through the water and gingerly picked up the abandoned falcata. Robalta. She would know what to do. Raiyo went to the nearest source of light, another storm drain. She tossed the falcata through, then climbed up herself. Gripping the abandoned blade, she wandered through the streets, looking for her master.

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Relisai whipped her head towards the source of the offered aid. A Datsue, on a swift merchant ship. Well, she was either devious slaver, part of the rescue team, or she was about to become part of it after some Willhammering on Relisai's part. In any case, the Datsue was her best, and quickest, way away from the Zuto-Nui forsaken island and it's crazed inhabitants. 

 

She to where the boat was docked, which was remarkably close to where she herself had been standing, and then Relisai quickly pulled herself up the rope with ease. A Menti did not become Toroshu in the forests of Oki without some athleticism.

 

On deck, she pulled the rope up after herself and surveyed the captain and her Datsue rescuer. Yes, she was a Mashtet - her clothes betrayed that much.

 

"We have to leave, now. The others should be able to too enough."

 

 

Robalta, tucked away in an alley while she Willhammered the Sighteye into exhaustion, fell to the floor as the Dashi beside her pushed her roughly. Her concentration didn't break - she'd learned long ago how to keep her mind focused on a single task while her body was moved around. It was a dangerous game though; by purposely preventing reflexes from functioning, her body was more likely to suffer.

 

Her shoulder crashed into the ground with a loud crash, and though her concentration didn't break, even she couldn't stop from crying out in pain. It was going to hurt in the morning. More than it did now, anyways.

 

 

"Actually, just one more request, if its not too much trouble" Kulrik told the more alluring of the Toroshu Plangori's daughters. "It's been a long journey, and there many opportunities to enjoy the delicacies of life while on the road. I can't tell you when I last ate a pleasant meal in proper company. I was wondering, if you don't have too much work, if we might have dinner together tonight. I would love to talk to you about the going-ons of the Empire, and hear more about this clan that produces such exquisite beauties" he said, his eyes staring rather intently at Plangori Akiyo.

 

"All i the name of diplomacy, of course."

Edited January 5, 2016 by Toa Fanixe

[silo]

IC: Maripi - Sado rooftops

At last I get a good vantage point. I look down at the place the battle occurred. I can't see Askha or that dog of a Menti. I scowl, realising how much panic is building up in my mind. Surely the token and Askha don't mean that much to me? My subconscious seems to disagree.

[Mel]

[sado, Docks (Yukie)]

As Relisai clambered up on the boat.  Yukie made his move.

::STOP::

While the ideatalk was clearly directed at the captain of the merchant vessel, it would have been impossible for anyone in the general vicinity of the docks to have missed it.  Yukie came striding out of the alleyway, seemingly heedless of the gunk covering his boots.  He pointed a finger at the assembly on the boat to make sure everyone had no doubt as to who he was talking about.

::You are currently harboring the escaped Toroshu of the Vilda, Relisai, and her accomplices.  I would advise you to not to set off.::  He turned to the crowd, his voice ringing clearly now that they had mostly quieted in anticipation.

“This is the very Toroshu who, in the presence of the Empress herself, attacked one of her own elders in petty jealousy.  If she has such little regard for her own clan members, imagine what she will do to others, once free.  Even now, I’m sure she has deceived this honest captain with false promises of wealth.  I, however, do not make such false promises.  I am of Clan Plangori, and Zuto Nui herself has blessed our coffers as of late.  I will offer sixty emerald dragons to anyone who will count her hand in with mine in apprehending these...dishonorable menti”

He left the crowd to mull it over as he dashed for the boat.

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Somei backed away from Relisai, looking between the Plangori and the Vilda. Now, she doubted these charges against the smelly Toroshu were false, but they were hardly despicable. She resisted the urge to tell the Plangori 'Oh, honey' as she thought of some of the things that had occurred within the enclosed walls of the Mashtet keep on Hanaloi. However, regardless of the severity or guilt, the promise of wealth was sure to turn even the most uncaring of bystanders into a mob. Zuto Nui, it was was why Askha and Maripi did what they did.

 

"Now now," the Mashtet datsue said, both to Yukie and Relisai, "I'm sure we can resolve this without doing anything... crass."

 

IC: Hearing the cry of pain, Raiyo rushed to to again find the Vilda Datsue. "Lady Robalta!"

 

The maid ran over, helping up the datsue. "My lady, there's nothing more we can do. We should head for the docks, leave the city while we still can." Raiyo looked up as she heard clicking of boots and a walking cane, but the Menti passed them, with a flash of crimson.

 

IC: Sydelia sighed. It had taken her a while, but she had tracked down the call for her help. It looked like a real mess; it looked like a building had partially collapsed, and there was a faint whiff of sewage somewhere. With every tap of her cane on the carved stone beneath her, Sydelia though of a reason why she would rather be in the Royal Gardens right now, blissfully unaware of any crises that demanded her attention. Just taking puffs of her hookah and enjoying the weather.

 

Well, that was just one of the reasons.

 

Still, she was helping people. And seeing the gratitude on the masks of the ill was why she had embraced her mask and training, was it not? Having access to the good herbs certainly helped in that regard, but the smiles were the main reason. Of course they were.

 

"Well, I finally managed to find you, Hogo." Sydelia stated as she rounded the corner into the alley Higashi had alerted her from. "What seems to be the-"

 

"You traitor!" Askha snarled from against the wall.

 

Sydelia sighed. Happy, smiling faces.

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

Robalta let the mental energies unravel as she ceased her Willhammering fro the time being. Her job was likely done on that end. She let the Dashi handmaiden help her up off the floor. Her right shoulder burned as she leaned against Raiyo for support.

 

"Yes..." she gulped. "Yes, you're  right. We've done what we can here. Let's go"

 

She steadied herself, pushing Raiyo gently away as she stood on her own two feet more confidently.

 

The two departed.

 

 

"That offer is nothing to the reward you will receive by helping me" Relisai assured the Dashi captain. "Among my friends are counted the Dastana, and we both know their pockets run far deeper than the Empress'. Now let's set sail already."

 

The captain nodded and relayed orders to the crew, who proceeded to follow them as quickly as possible.

 

The Vilda Toroshu sighed, and began preparing for another battle, should Yukie make it onto the boat. At least she'd had time to rest in the sewers.

 

"I would love it if we could avoid any crass situations, but circumstances are making that difficult. Did you have any suggestions?"

[25K Now!]

IC: Higashi

 

"Wow you're seriously bitter."

[silo]

IC: Maripi - Sado Rooftops, over alley

My heart skips a beat as I catch sight of Askha...and three others. The loyalist Menti is there, but I can't see my token. Then there's another from the battle. The third...seems strangely familiar, but I can't place where I've seen her. I creep to the edge of the roof completely silently, observing the three attackers. My heart races as my muscles tense. I'm tired, but I can do this. I think.

At once I pour all my strength into telekinetically grabbing the two closest Menti*, trying to fling them off of their feet and backwards, away from Askha, into the wall below me. In a split second I've hopped back out of sight. I land lightly on my mask-assisted feet, expecting to hear the crunch of the loyalists' sudden impact. But I can't wait - if they stay conscious they'll likely try to find where that attack came from, and I'll be getting a taste of my own medicine. I've got to move.

 

OOC: * that's Hanabe and Higashi...I think

[Mel]

[sado, Docks (Yukie)]

Yukie only had a brief amount of time to scope out the merchant vessel as he hurtled toward it.

It was all he needed.

One of the dashi sailors started to move the planks connecting the boat to the dock.  She shouldn’t have bothered, because Yukie had landed on the boat with a flying leap before she had barely touched them.  He scrambled over the side railing and landed on the main deck, as agile as a monkey.

And his will coalesced.

“A machete.  Interesting.  I know your clan is rather fond of them, but for it to reflect in you...”

The flash of pink in his hand hardened, gaining substance.  As soulswords went, it was perhaps a little underwhelming--a short blade that grew slightly broader at the tip.

 

“It’s not a pretty weapon.  It does not kill cleanly, and it maims easily.”

People always expected Yukie to play nice.  He had mastered the ambiguity and formalities of the capital as easy as he had picked the tradespeak of his clan’s dashi dyers.  He was the gentleman, the perfect first son--except for the unfortunate “not really a first son” part.

When the first challenger had suggested casually, that if Yukie was so intent on fooling herself, she could at least have a lesson in how men fought, he had accepted.  The other students had expected the fight to be over quickly, with Yukie relying on the formal elegant style of combat taught in the school.  He was good, everyone acknowledged that, but only through experience could one learn the improvisation that was necessary to the style.  They were right, at least, about the fight being over quickly.

Yukie did not fight like a gentleman.  Yukie fought like an animal.

Not a graceful one either, not a great cat like his pretty eyes might suggest.  Yukie was vicious.  While the rumors of him taking a huge bloody chunk out of his opponent’s arm with his teeth were certainly exaggerations, they weren’t completely without truth.  What do they teach them in the jungle? had been on the lips of everyone the next day.

While his opponent had easily anticipated the series of lightning-quick feints and strikes he had led with, he hadn’t been expecting the kick to the shin, or the elbow to the gut, or Yukie’s fingers scratching across his face.

But they didn’t have to pull him off, because after fighting like firebranded ashbear Yukie stopped.  He stood up, brushed himself off, and bowed to his stunned and bloody opponent--leaving with formal words of thanks that oddly didn’t sound the least sarcastic.

“But while most swords are unquestionably tools of war, it can be a tool for a farmer, or a gatherer of fruit, or an explorer.  It is not a pretty weapon, but neither is it just a weapon.”

Yukie had never felt as exposed as he did when his soulsword instructor had looked into his eyes and said those words.  It was natural of course, as she had been contemplating his very reason for being.

The shining sword went through the sturdy ship’s rope in barely a second, and shouts followed as the main sail swayed, now looking dangerously limp.

“I’ll pay for that,” Yukie said loudly and to no one in particular.  “I will not pay, however, for any more damage that this boat may incur if you do not cease and desist.  Consider this captain--you only have Relisai’s word that the Dastana are her friends, and while mine is not greater than hers, I can assure you that they are false.  The last time Relisai encountered the Dastana, Jasik himself was threatening to blow a hole in her chest.”

 

Yukie didn’t always play nice.  But he would for as long as possible.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Mel

[Toa Fanixe]

IC:

 

 

Relisai frowned at the Imperial puppet. She'd had a long day. The Toroshu really wanted to just go home and enjoy nice, long bath, free from distraction and horrible smells. Now this upstart was in her way, and quite frankly she wasn't in the mood to have to deal with his, her, ego and delusions. Given that Yukie was in her way, Relisai was very, very angry. 

 

"Lies from a liar" the Toroshu began, her voice bored as though she was teaching a particularly dull lesson. "You are too foolish to see the hypocrisy of your position, and more, you lie about your very identity. You are a  disgrace to your clan and your Empire, and yet you seek to enforce it's rule and bind another that has suffered unjustly at it's hands. Stand down, Plangori Yukie, and leave me be. I can offer you more than you realize, if only you'd be more attentive to the world around. This is your last chance. Get off the boat, or suffer and be an even greater embarrassment to your family."

 

When she finished, the captain of the ship threw her a crystal longsword. It was the captain's own, kept in case of any pirates that got unusual ideas of grandeur. It was a slender weapon, but with good reach. It would serve Relisai for now. 

[Mel]

[Oki, Plangori Compound (Akiyo)]

“I shall have the finest dinner prepared,” Akiyo said.  “Though I must warn you our food tends to be a little heavily spiced as compared to the capital’s.  But--”

 

She looked up at Kulrik, tilting her head slightly.

“I must inquire as to what the honorable first son means by ‘together.’  Surely you intend to allow your valet to dine with us.  After all, it would be...inappropriate for two young persons such as ourselves to be alone together.”

She smiled, softening a bit as her eyes became somewhat wistful. “I’m afraid my cousins are somewhat strict on the matter.  Considering your reputation, I doubt they’ll let us dine without at least one guard in the room and two outside.”

The menti wearing the Votilahk near the door remained silent.

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

“I had to rehearse, believe me,” Hatchi said, looking out at the horizon.

 

“I got used to it.  After I while, I started to feel naked if I encountered an Imperial who found the requisite groveling unnecessary.”

Edited January 10, 2016 by Mel

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"Not much here is bland- We prefer to grow our own food here at the compound, saves us the hassle of trying to import. For the most part anyway," Jiyu rambled, pleased to be back home, "Let's see if there's some fruit that the cooks won't care if it vanishes... Unless you'd prefer something else?"

[Mel]

[Oki, Herupa Compound (Shuuan)]

“Fruit is just fine,” I said, taking Jiyuu’s hand. I liked this Jiyuu a lot more than the one who insisted on avenging his sister’s honor.

“I’m partial to mangosteen.”

Edited January 14, 2016 by Mel

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"Then," Jiyu started, passing her the fruit of choice before gathering some for himself, "I've taken residence up in my mother's old offices- Would you like to dine there, or someplace more scenic?"

[Mel]

[Oki, Herupa Compound (Shuuan)]

I scrunched up my face.

“I’ll take the scenic route, thanks.  I don’t really like the idea of being anywhere where your mother was on a daily basis.”

To be honest, I didn’t understand how Jiyu would either I mean...but perhaps that was the difference between us.  I tried to escape bad memories.  He tried to confront them.  Useless posturing that only made you more like the people you were trying to fight.  He’d probably get along with Yukie.

[25K Now!]

IC: Higashi

 

Oooh, telekinesis. That seems familiar. Who'd wanna save this bleeding gal?

 

Higashi's feet pushed against the wall, and with the telekinetic energies no longer affecting her, it was easy for the Hogo to drop back down onto the solid ground with a quick flip. The blade she had stolen immediately found itself right in front of Askha's face, mere millimetres away from piercing through the head.

 

"If you wanna save this cutie, you might want to rethink that," she said loudly, voice resonating through the air. "She's not really doing swell right now, and I'd hate to speed up her death."

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"There's not much time to dwell on my mother while I'm busy trying to run a clan," Jiyu remarked.

 

"But let us not dwell on it too much, the gardens perhaps? They offer moments of silence when trying to distract oneself from the nuances of day-to-day life."

 

Or inane quests led by idiotic boys.

[Mel]

[Oki, Herupa Compound (Shuuan)]

The angry look on Jiyuu’s face made me wonder if maaaaaaybe he was thinking about Kulrick.

I poked him.

 

“Come on.  Let’s go to the garden--though I’m hoping it’s not completely silent.  Because that would be creepy, frankly.”

Edited January 15, 2016 by Mel

[AuRon the champion]

IC:

 

"There's a stream that runs through the garden, it make's a quaint babbling sound," Jiyu said, beginning to ramble, leading Shuuan onwards at the same time, "Apparently, my great-grandfather was such a fan of bird-watching that he installed several bird houses so that he could try to keep an eye upon the various Rahi of flight..."