[RP]Obake Blade

[Jason Skywalker]

"Well, now that's a first. Someone accuses the pretty lady of flirting with me instead of the other way around." He chuckled, looking at the pyromancer and the swordsman.

 

"I was only talking about the tea she gave me, thank you very much Aya by the way, i was not talking about the supposed "flirting", Carwyn," He told the ranger.

 

"To answer your question, fair maiden, I would not consider myself worthy to be the subject of your flirtations." He took one of Aya's hands in his own and dropped to one knee. "But if you were indeed doing so," he continued, "allow me to repay the favor in kind." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, coming away with a stray smudge of horse salve on the tip of his nose.

 

At this moment, Akira's mug started shakin a bit and his eyes having a "tick" or so, but he cooled it off and got out of there.

 

"Blast it," He muttered lowly, so no one could hear. Aya was the most espectacular girl he had ever seen, yet it seemed both he and Carwyn where "fighting for affection". Although, she was a merchant, and would probably always be travelling. Not him. Not Carwyn. Their lifestyles collided.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo couldn't help himself. He had been listening to the conversation outside; to the ridiculous speech Carwyn had given, and simply couldn't help himself...He laughed. The noise was quite loud and clear...a laugh he hadn't used in a very, very long time.

[JasraLantill]

"To answer your question, fair maiden, I would not consider myself worthy to be the subject of your flirtations." He took one of Aya's hands in his own and dropped to one knee. "But if you were indeed doing so," he continued, "allow me to repay the favor in kind." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, coming away with a stray smudge of horse salve on the tip of his nose.

 

As Carywn left for the water barrel, all Aya could do was stare dumbfounded at the hand he had kissed. Akira seemed bothered by something too, and soon left as well.

 

"You're welcome," Aya said after Akira, unsure whether or not he had heard her.

 

She stood there next to Bob, not exactly sure what she had done to cause the two men's sudden departures, when whe heard the clear sound of laughter coming from inside the covered wagon near her. Frowing a bit, she lifted the canvas flap and peered inside. It was Kyo.

 

"What's so funny?" she asked him in all seriousness.

[ForceFightWMe12]

The short-lived laughter had been dying down when Aya appeared. After her question, a new bout began, and he had to double over. It was a moment before he could speak.

 

"Are-are you s-serious?" he asked, trying to control the laugh. He failed miserably.

[JasraLantill]

Aya wasn't laughing. In fact, her brow furrowed even more. "Yes. I am serious." She took a quick look over her shoulder. Next to Bob, only Toa was still in the vincinity, and he wasn't laughing. He was occupied with the seasickness remedies she had given him. "Is it something I did?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

His laughs continued to die off as he realized her true seriousness. He coughed to mask the last few dying chuckles. "I uh...I suppose you could say that."

[JasraLantill]

Aya looked away from him, obviously embarrassed by the whole situation. After a moment, she said, "Well, could you tell me what I did that was so amusing? 'Cause it seems like I've driven everyone away, and...." She paused. "I'm not exactly sure why," she added reluctantly.

[ForceFightWMe12]

He smirked faintly. With his legs folded Indian-style beneath him, he rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward, and resting his chin on his folded hands. "Well...what didn't you do..."

 

Kyo saw how uncomfortable she seemed - she still seemed uneasy about being on her own. He tried to keep his face straight as he sat up again, patting the wagon pannels across from him. "C'mon. Sit."

 

He continued. "It seems, milady..." he couldn't help the smirk now, "That at least one of our traveling band has a crush on you. And he's not happy with Carwyn at the moment."

[JasraLantill]

As Aya sat across from Kyo in the wagon, and took a moment to consider what he had said. "So, you're saying Akira's jealous?" she finally asked. "Over me?"

 

This didn't make sense to her. "Why? I'm not beautiful, like Takara. Or elegant, like Hoshiko." She paused. "I'm just... plain 'ol me. Plain, 'ol, non-flirting, me," she added.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"That's where you're wrong." Kyo murmured, his expression morphing again. His eyes - shining with wisdom beyond his years - now appraised her, as if looking for something in her expression.

 

"From what I've seen, you are fairly normal." he said, "Except for one thing...something that I've been trying to figure out myself.

 

"You have a certain...charisma about you. You just...naturally draw people in. Without even trying! I can't really understand what it is...what you do, what makes you...you. I must say that it's one of the most perplexing aspects of human nature that I've met yet."

[JasraLantill]

"Me? Perplexing?" This made Aya crack a grin. "I've never heard anyone call me that before."

 

She gently bit her lower lip. "You know, I've always got along with most people I've met. But until now, my father was always there to..." She paused as she tried to think of the appropriate word. "...protect me. Well, not really 'protect', but rather to defuse any potentially sticky situations." She shook her head. "I'm not quite sure how to explain it." She looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm telling you this. I'm boring you, aren't I?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

He shook his head slightly, his eyes still studying her cryptically. "Not at all." the swordsman answered, "So it seems...huh." he leaned back, seeming to be satisfied for the moment. "You truely are that naive, aren't you?"

[JasraLantill]

Aya frowned. "I am not," she said defensively. But then she paused a moment, and let out a sigh. "Well, I suppose I am about some things," she admitted. "My father and I were very close. He was always with me when we travelled." She let out an amused snort. "In fact, if he were here, he would highly disapprove of me talking to you in here," she said as she looked around the wagon. "Alone."

 

At that moment, there was a loud snort outside the canvas and Bob poked his shaggy pony head into the wagon.

 

"Well, almost alone," she said, grinning at Bob.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo grinned as Bob poked his head in, the expressions now coming more and more easily. He held both hands up defensively.

 

"Don't worry, sir." he said, looking at the horse, "I'm being quite the gentleman."

[JasraLantill]

Aya giggled. "I don't think he's that worried about you," she said to Kyo as she stroked Bob's nose. "He likes monks."

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn rubbed the tip of his nose briskly to dry it after dunking his face in a pan full of water taken from the barrel. The scent of that horse salve was pretty damn strong from afar, but when placed right in front of his nose, it got down right obscene. Still, he had been determined to make a spectacle of himself in order to take the attention off of Aya. It was clear she wasn't used to so much attention being paid to her. Maybe if she wasn't so charming...

 

He stopped short. Did he just think that? No...

 

Carwyn picked his way back into the hold. Hearing murmuring coming from Aya's general direction, he slid carefully into an adjacent wagon. She and Kyo were having a conversation. His mother had told him it wasn't nice to eavesdrop, but then again, he didn't always listen to what his mother had told him. It seemed the swordsman was calming Aya down, which was good.

[ForceFightWMe12]

He laughed again, though not quite as loudly as before. "A monk?" he asked, grinning at her. "Not quite."

 

Aya's brow raised. "You're not a monk? But I thought... I mean, with that parchment you've got that... " She cocked her head and eyed him critically. "I thought only monks were interested in that kind of stuff." Her mouth twisted. "So, if you're not a monk, then what are you? A scholar? Or one of those archeologists?"

 

"I think I'll settle for treasure hunter." Kyo answered, still smirking.

 

Aya nodded. "Oh." She cleared her throat and rose to leave. "Well, I'd better get some sleep," she said changing the subject. "When we get to Ryuu-Tokai, I'll show you where you can find that old woman. You should get on famously. She's a treasure 'collector'. "

 

"Oh she is, is she?" he muttered, seeming slightly distracted. "Well then, one more question before I bid you goodnight. The trinket, around your neck..." - he glanced to where her shirt dipped slightly - "Where did you get it?"

 

Aya shrugged. "My father gave it to me. I wasn't with him on that trip so don't know exactly where he found it. Someplace up North. But he said it was too badly damaged to be of any value. But he thought it would make a nice good-luck charm." She pulled it out to look at the strange coin. "Now that he's gone, it's really the only thing I have to remember him by."

 

He nodded faintly, his eyes drawn to the coin. "I see...interesting." he was silent for a few moments. "But now...I believe I'm keeping you from bed."

 

"Bed?" Aya snorted out a laugh. "More like a 'Bob'." She rubbed the pony's nose. "He makes a great pillow for napping."

She climbed out of the wagon, and Bob's head disappeared as well. Outside of the wagon, Bob laid down, and Aya curled up near him, resting her head on his neck to nap until the sea voyage was over.

 

Kyo tucked the edge of the canvas flap back, allowing him to watch Aya as she moved through the gloom. He sat quietly, feeling the strange feeling of energy in him subside as the silence pushed in on him again. After a moment, he turned back to his whittling.

[JasraLantill]

Aya snuggled down into Bob, making herself as comfortable as she could. The rocking of the boat wasn't so upsetting to her stomach when she was lying down, and she soon closed her eyes began to relax, secure in the knowledge that Bob would alert her to anyone's presence if she fell asleep.

 

She began to think of what she would do once she got to the city. First, she would check into the the Smoking Dragon Inn. They had always had a room for her father and she didn't think it would be any different for her. Then, she would stable Bob, unload his pack, and have a good meal. Early the next morning, she would deliver some of her goods to various merchants, then go to the marketplace and set up her stall. She planned to stay for at least three days, but the length of her stay would depend on how much she sold. Later, she would head up North--through the Rock Snake canyon and then up to the Dovetail Peak. It was a dangerous place, but a place that she had to go. She had an important task to do. A personal task. A promise to fulfill.

 

She opened her eyes, and turned over to feel in her pack for the urn that held her father's ashes. It was still there, secure under all the other goods. Bob nuzzled her.

 

"Yeah," she said to him. "I miss him, too."

 

She turned over, draped her arm over Bob's neck, and closed her eyes again.

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn listened as someone, most likely Aya, moved from the wagon. A few more words were exchanged, then things gradually quieted down, until the only sound was a whittling noise, presumably Kyo. Sliding carefully out of the wagon, he stepped into the area to see Aya curled up against Bob and Kyo sitting inside a wagon, whittling away at a small piece of wood.

 

The ranger stepped softly and quietly over to where Aya lay. Bob turned his eyes to look at Carwyn as he approached, but did not move his head, so as not to disturb the sleeping merchant. Carwyn raised a finger to his lips at the pony as he reached over to take a blanket from Bob's back. Bob blinked, then uttered a soft whicker. Carwyn could've sworn there was a note of approval in the horse's noise. Opening the blanket, he spread it over Aya, carefully tucking it under her arm and making sure it covered her fully. Satisfied with his work, he gave the pony an affectionate rub on the head and padded over to where Kyo was sitting. The normally taciturn swordsman nodded at Carwyn as the ranger took a seat next to him.

 

"Thanks for reassuring her," Carwyn said, glancing at Kyo as he removed an arrow from his quiver and began to work on the tip. "She's a sweet girl, but completely unaware of how charming she is."

[Darth_Velrogh]

Istergard observed the entire discussion since Akira and Toa came in till now. He had first fallen asleep inside a wagon in the hold but he quickly woke up and decided to sit back and enjoy the "fireworks".

 

He almost couldn't help to laugh when Carwyn made the ridiculous speach but Kyo laughed for him and he just smiled, Istergard heard Kyo and Aya talk and tought Well she is quite naive... but she's just a merchant.

 

Carwyn came back in and Istergard turned his attention to his blade, whiech he started to sharpen, trying to get go to sleep

[Rexraptor2000]

Toa had taken Aya's advice, and while he liked the tea, he added some of his own spices from home to spice it up. He didn't really pay attention to much after that, although he was sorry for putting Aya in distress as he observed. He had meant it to be a joke, but, as always, his joke backfired. His pack, which was rather large, began to move a little bit and he looked at it puzzled, trying to remember if he had forgotten something. Then his eyes widened and he opened the pack. He put his hand in and felt three sets of teeth nip his gloves. He reached in more and pulled out a three headed pigmy hydra. It was only about two feet tall, and had white scales. It let out a little growl as Toa pet it and he chuckled. He scrounged around the bag for the meat pack, only to find it empty. Toa gave the hydra a father look and asked "Did you eat the meat?"

 

It gave him the innocent angel look and let out a growl, wanting more food. Toa saw that Aya was asleep, and judging from the time of day the kitchen aboard the boat was most likely closed, so there was no food to give at the moment. Toa sighed and said "No food right now Hedri. You'll have to wait until breakfast." It let out a growl, it's dragon like heads twitching in annoyance. Hydras could go months without food, but they got cranky after five minutes.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo glanced up a moment, smirking at Carwyn's statement. "Her father was a good man." he said, "But his one mistake was being too protective."

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn nodded as he worked the arrowhead. "Well, you can't really fault him for wanting to protect her and make sure she doesn't fall in with the wrong people." He sighed as he looked at his hands, the gloves making it impossible to properly modify his arrowhead. "But hopefully this experience will show her a thing or two about herself."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo nodded, looking up as Aya shifted in her sleep. He dropped his voice as he spoke again. "I'm hoping that she won't run into any trouble for a while...once we reach Ryuu-Tokai, this caravan will disband and we won't be around anymore. She'll be on her own and with her naiveté..."

[Rogue Nine]

Sighing, the ranger put the arrow back into his quiver. Pulling his legs up, he hugged them into his chest with his arms.

 

"Despite being a bit naive, she's a big girl and I'm sure she can handle herself," Carwyn said. Winking at the pony, he continued. "Besides, I don't think Bob would let anything happen to her."