[RP]Obake Blade

[Jason Skywalker]

Akira smiled at Aya's comments on what the coin probably meant, finishing his potatoes. His smile became a grin as she winked at him.

 

Then Kyo came in.

 

"Heads it's about the coin, tails it's not," Akira said, taking out a coin and flipping it.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Yes, the meeting went well. Yes, the old woman is out of her mind. Yes, I got what I was looking for. Oh, and that 'key' from earlier? Figured out what that is too." he said, mimicking her. When her mouth opened to speak, he interrupted her.

 

"If we could speak alone, please?" he said, motioning towards the door to the back courtyard.

[Jason Skywalker]

The coin came down to his hand as he closed the key between his hands.

 

"Well, what do you know, the gamble angels where right, it is heads," He said in a low tone.

[JasraLantill]

Aya looked down at her half-eaten dinner, then back up at Kyo. "Can't it wait until after I've finished eating?" She nodded to an empty chair at a nearby table. "Pull up a chair and join us," she invited. "Then we can talk."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Aya, please?"

 

Aya blinked. "No." She stabbed a potato with her fork and put it in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing she said, "Cold potatoes are horrible. And I'm starving." She looked at the empty chair once more. "Sit down. I'll be finished in a few minutes."

 

Kyo frowned slightly, impatiently dragging the chair over to the table and sitting, trying to calm himself.

[JasraLantill]

Kyo straddled the chair backwards, his arms resting on the chairback, and his fingers drumming impatiently on the table. Aya gave him a dubious look before taking another bite of her food. To her, there was something distinctly 'odd' about Kyo's agitated behaviour, and she wondered if the old woman had put some sort of 'spell' on him.

 

She glanced askance at Tellis. If anyone could calm someone, it was her and her magic fingers.

 

"By the way, Kyo, this is Tellis," Aya introduced the beautiful doctor's assistant sitting in the chair beside the warrior. "She helped Dr. Waverley take care of Carwyn's wound. In case you were wondering," she added cautiously.

[Rogue Nine]

Tellis noted the mysterious swordsman come into the inn and demand to speak with Aya. It was clear he was in a hurry and that Aya had something he wanted. Aya didn't quite seem to want to give into him just yet, though.

 

Taking her cue, she said, "Hello, very nice to meet you." She extended her hand. "You must be the swordsman everyone's been talking about. Please, won't you have some dinner with us? You don't look as if you've eaten just yet. I'm sure whatever you need to discuss with Aya can wait until you've had some of Renn's ale." She smiled her sweetest at him.

[ForceFightWMe12]

He shook her hand before resuming his fingers resumed their tapping. "Kyo." he said, with a small nod. "Thank you, but I'm not hungry. And it is rather important.." the swordsman shot a glance at Aya.

[JasraLantill]

"Important?" She gave Kyo a confused look. She wondered if she had heard him right, or if it was the affect of the ale that was causing her to misinterpret things. "Kyo, I don't mean to be rude, but... we've really only just met. And I'm just a merchant. What could you possibly have to discuss with me that would be that 'important'?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

He smirked faintly. "You're getting ahead of yourself, dear." Kyo answered, looking at her from the corner of his eyes, "It's important to me. Perhaps not so much to you. To any of you, for that matter."

[JasraLantill]

"Oh," Aya said quietly. She looked at her plate. She really wanted to finish her dinner, but she felt guilty about not helping Kyo. After all, he had been very helpful to her. And he, along with Akira, Carwyn, and Jonas, had saved her and the others from those bandits. She owed him. A lot. Besides all that, she was a bit concerned, and curious, about Kyo's odd behaviour.

 

She sighed, then put down her fork. She picked up her ale glass, then said to the others, "Will you excuse me, please? I'll be right back."

 

Locking eyes with Kyo, she gave a nod to the back door, and then, with ale in hand, rose and walked towards to the 'smoking' courtyard just outside the back of the inn.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo's sigh of "Finally." could hardly be heard over the faint background noise of the bar. He stood, spun the chair around so that it faced right-side-in, and followed Aya outside.

 

"Sorry to drag you away from your dinner." he said as the door closed behind him. "But I need a favor. I need your coin."

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn opened an eye sleepily, then the other as a chilly breeze swept over him. The room was dark, illuminated only by the moon coming through the open window...

 

What? Carwyn sat up. I thought that'd gotten closed... Pulling himself gingerly out of bed, he half-hopped, half-limped to the window to shut it. Man, I wish I could put my pants back on... he thought as he reached for the window, but stopped when he heard a familiar voice.

 

"Sorry to drag you away from your dinner. But I need a favor. I need your coin." It was Kyo's voice.

 

Carwyn peered through the window. Aya and Kyo stood in the rear courtyard, the young merchant holding a flagon, the swordsman looking very pensive.

 

Well well well. I'm just being a regular fly on the wall tonight. He craned his head to better hear what they were saying.

[JasraLantill]

Aya's eyebrows raised. "Excuse me?" she asked, completely taken aback by his bold request. She looked at him suspiciously. She didn't trust the old woman he had visited. He was acting odd ever since he returned, and now he was demanding something that she held very dear. Favours were one thing, but...

 

She took a sip of her ale.

 

"Need it for what?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

He took a breath, trying to calm himself.

 

"It's to help me find the Obake Blade." Kyo answered her, dropping his voice. "I have the parchment translated, but now I need to open this puzzle thing, but I can't get the peices to move without have the two coins.

 

"The old woman has one coin, and you have the other. I'll give you whatever you want for it. This is the closest I've ever come to a breakthrough - please, Aya."

[JasraLantill]

"The Obake Blade?" Aya's brow raised. "Erm.. that's just a legend, Kyo. A story. It's not..." She paused, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. She downed the rest of her ale in one go.

 

The old woman obviously wanted the coin, Aya thought, and she had put some sort of a spell on Kyo so that he would get it for her. But for what purpose, Aya didn't know.

 

Her hand reached up and felt for the coin, still secure on its cord under her clothing. "And what does this 'puzzle thing' do?" she asked him.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"I'm not sure exactly. There's a riddle that needs to be solved and then you have to move the - look, it's really complicated. All I know is that the tumblers on the lock won't move unless the coins are inserted on either side." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking away from her. He smirked humorlessly. "You probably think I'm insane, don't you?"

[JasraLantill]

Even though he had turned away from her, Aya flashed a brief, but nervous and lopsided grin. "No, no. Not at all," she said, glancing back at the door as a possible escape route. Kyo seemed to be becoming more and more agitated, and that was beginning to scare her a bit. "Riddles can be rather frustrating sometimes. And insanity is really just having a different perspective on things, right?"

 

She took a step closer to the door, trying to be as non-chalant as possible to glance through the small window to the people within the common room.

 

Where is Tellis, she wondered silently... She couldn't quite see everyone at the table, but thought that maybe if she could attract Tellis' attention, that she might be able to calm Kyo.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"What's so important about that coin?" he asked softly, still not looking at her

 

"It's old?" Aya suggested, taking an involuntary step backwards.

 

He laughed quietly, looking at her now. "Not to me or the old woman. To you."

 

Aya's brow crinkled. "My father gave it to me. It's what I have to remember him by," she answered. "I won't part with it for anything."

 

"Not even for a few hours?"

 

Aya bit her lower lip, thinking. Then shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said, with geniune concern on her face. "But... I can't part with it. What if you lost it or something? I don't want to take the risk."

 

"Hm." he murmured, his hands in his pockets now as he stared thoughtfully at the ground. "And there's no chance of you coming with me?"

 

Aya's eyes widened. "To see that old witch?" She shook her head vehemently. "No way!"

 

"What makes you so scared of her?" he asked, shaking his head. "Sure, she's out of her mind - she thinks that her cat is her husband for gods' sake - and she might be able to predict the future, but she would not hurt you. She hardly comes up to my knee, Aya. She couldn't do anything if she tried."

 

"She's a witch, Kyo," Aya said, plainly. "She doesn't have to be 'large' to be intimidating." She eyed him. "And how do you know that cat of hers isn't her husband?"

 

He rolled his eyes. "Please be serious, Aya."

 

"I am being serious!" she said to him. "She scares me, Kyo. I've been there before. Twice, in fact, with my father. She's..." Aya shifted uncomfortably. "...she's always babbling about purity and legends and destiny.... And she gives me creepy looks." Aya eyed Kyo over. "Sort of like what you're doing now. A crazed, determined kind of creepy look."

 

He blinked at her, surprised. "Wait - what?"

 

Aya glanced quickly towards the door again. "Kyo, you've got the same sort of look that Bob gets when he's just about ready to kick someone."

 

"Er...really?" he asked. Dropping his gaze, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry. I don't normally get like this..."

 

Aya breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." She managed a weak grin. "You were sort of scaring me. For a minute there, I thought you were just going to throw me over your shoulder and carry me off to see the old witch anyway." She shivered. "I'm getting cold. I'm going back inside." She turned and started for the door.

 

"Aya-" Kyo said, stepping forward and catcher her by the arm. "Please. I need your help." he was practically begging her by now, and somewhere in the back of his mind he realized just how pathetic he must have sounded. He plowed on anyway. "It'll be the last thing I ever ask of you. I just need to get whatever is in the puzzle and then you'll never have to see me again for as long as you live. Please."

 

With her fingers on the door handle, Aya paused. There was desperation in Kyo's voice, and it pained her to hear it. But her coin... She fingered it through the fabric of her blouse. It was much more valuable to her than anything she could imagine Kyo or the old woman would want it for.

"Can you just let me sleep on it?" she asked Kyo. "If I do decide to go with you to see the old woman, I'd rather go in the daytime. Besides, whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait until morning. And you still haven't eaten."

 

The swordsman seemed to think on it a moment and then, deciding that allowing her to sleep on it would be better than a flat out no, he slowly nodded. "Alright. Fair enough." he murmured.

 

With that, the two moved back into the inn, Kyo holding the door for Aya as they entered.

[Rogue Nine]

Tellis' curiosity had gotten the better of her. She'd excused herself from the table, telling everyone she'd be going to the restroom when in reality, she'd silently followed Aya and Kyo. They went outside into the courtyard, still rapt in discussion. Ever since she had first seen Aya's pendant, Tellis had known that it was an item of some value. When Kyo had come in demanding to speak to Aya, Tellis was sure it was about her pendant. Her suspicions were only confirmed by her eavesdropping on their conversation.

 

From what she was hearing, it sounded like Kyo was pretty desperate to get his hands on Aya's coin. Tellis licked her lower lip again as she heard them come to a compromise. Aya was certainly good at handling people. She heard them move towards the door. Quietly, she moved into the shadows of the corridor, her dark blue cloak swirling.

 

****

 

In the room not more than a dozen feet away, Carwyn shut the window and locked it tight. His mind swam with all the information he'd just overheard from Aya and Kyo. He was still pretty groggy from the hearty dinner and the strange drink Aya had given him, but he'd caught and understood enough of it to surmise that Kyo really wanted Aya's pendant for something. For what purpose, he wasn't exactly sure, but he made up his mind to find that out in the morning. He was also just happy he didn't have to rush out into the courtyard to get between them with a bum leg and no pants.

 

Limping back to the bed, he flopped down on it and within minutes was sound asleep again.

[Dark_Lady]

"Well, I'm sure they've probably found some place to sleep for the night, so I might as well follow you back to your inn. I still have enough in my pocket for a night. Assuming you'd like the company." He said, a smile still on his face. While he wanted to be home, it was fun traveling and meeting new people. Especially if they were not as social as others. Then it was just fun to try to get them to talk.

((So sorry for missing this and ignoring you.))

 

"Okay then," Hoshiko replied, flipping her hair back as she turned and started leading the way to the inn. "I'd love the company," she said over her shoulder." And for once, the statement was true. She didn't usually enjoy being around people, but Toa and some of the other people from the group were different. Especially Toa though.

[ForceFightWMe12]

As Aya went to go speak with the bartender, Kyo grabbed an apple from a basket on the corner of the bar, setting a coin down on counter before biting into the fruit. He looked from the corner of his eye and saw a swirl of blue as a woman from before came in from the same hallway as the two of them had just come through. He narrowed his eyes a bit.

 

Eavesdropper.

[Rogue Nine]

Entering the common room again, Tellis resumed her seat at the table. Aya was speaking to the bartender, and the two gentlemen she'd left were finishing up their dinner. Her eyes wandered over to the bar, where the swordsman Kyo was standing. She was surprised to see him staring at her intently. She was sure there wasn't anything behind her, so he had to have been looking at her. Did he suspect something...

 

Making her mind up to find out, she excused herself again, taking the flagon of ale that Renn had left on the table for her. Sidling up to the bar, she took a seat next to Kyo. "So just what is it that has you so spooked?" she asked pointedly.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Not spooked, really." he said, looking at her, "Is it...Tellis, right? I find it curious that you happened to come right out of the same hallway that Aya and I just exited." Kyo turned the apple over in his hand. "Any particular reason why?"

[Rogue Nine]

"Can't a lady use the restroom when nature calls?" Tellis replied innocently.

 

"She could." Kyo nodded, looking at her from the corner of his eye, "Though, I'm still unsure of why she would hide in the shadows after."

 

"Now that you mention it, that hallway was not particularly well-lit, no," Tellis said, looking thoughtful. "But I do not beleve I was hiding in it."

 

He smiled faintly. "Tell me why you came over here."

 

"To be friendly. You seemed awfully tense and worked up when you came in." Tellis' tongue appeared again, running over her lower lip. "I specialize in helping patients relax. Perhaps I could be of some use to you?"

 

He took a bite of his apple. "I'm not the kind of person who relaxes easily."

 

"Yes, you broody warrior types never seem to." Tellis smiled, then took another sip of ale. "Doesn't mean I can't try to help."

 

"It also doesn't mean that you can try to help."

 

Tellis bristled inwardly at the man's frostiness. "Well, suit yourself," she said softly. She started back towards the table. Looking at him over her shoulder, she added, "But please, try not to upset Aya. I worked quite hard to get her to relax and would prefer it if she didn't become wound up again."

 

"Hm." he muttered, tapping his fingers on the bar top. "You don't have to worry about her."

 

"Oh, but she's a patient. That makes it my duty to worry about her." And with that Tellis slinked her way to the table.

 

He twisted what was left of the apple around in his hands, glancing over his shoulder at her. She had wanted more than to just 'help him relax'.