[RP]Obake Blade

[JasraLantill]

"Good," Aya said as they continued to walk towards the city gates. "Not that I don't enjoy moments of silence. I do. There's a lot you can say without words, you know--the raising of an eyebrow, the upturning of the mouth, the way someone grins, or nods, or even looks at you. Take me and Bob, for instance. He doesn't say any words at all, yet I always sort of know what he's saying. Of course, he's only a pony," she added. "But that's beside the point. The point is, silence can be very enlightening."

 

She suddenly bit her lip, then cringed. "Sorry," she apologised. "I have a slight tendency to ramble when I'm nervous." She gave him a weak smile. "It's my first time out on the road alone." She frowned at him, deciding to take the risk and ask the question that she had been thinking about since she first saw him. "You're not some sort of a bandit, are you?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

An actual smile appeared this time. And stayed. "A bandit?" he asked, "Perhaps I appear as one - and have the travel tendencies of one - but no. I'm not a bandit."

[Dark_Lady]

"Well, we'd best be leaving then," Hoshiko remarked to Toa as she exited the cantina and stepped outside to join the rest of the caravan. Ah, the air was much better. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, then exhaled, a smile slowly spreading across her face. She opened her eyes as the horse whickered next to her ear. It was a magnificent stallion, with a coat as black as Hoshiko's hair was white.

 

"Oh Ciaran," she said, untying him as his hoof pawed the ground eagerly. "Always wanting to be on the move. Kind of like me, eh?" She vaulted up into the light saddle and stroked his neck. "Relax, why don't you?" He wanted to run. She couldn't blame him, but galloping down the street was usually not a good idea. And they had a long way to walk yet.

 

Looking up ahead towards the caravan, she noticed someone slip into one of the wagons. He didn't look like he wanted anyone to see him. Well, it was none of her business, as long as he didn't bother her. And he could just be another drunken member of the party who needed some sleep.

[Grace]

Takara hurried forward, her quick eyes singling out the leader of the caravan moving in that direction.

 

"You see, Katsuro?" she said, frowning. "Your little bit of... 'fun' has almost made us late!"

 

Katsuro, panting in his attempts to keep up with his mother's speed, exclaimed, "How was I... to know the... stones on a... public road... belonged to somebody?"

 

"You wouldn't," Takara conceded. "However, once you discovered the fact, you might have left them alone rather than attempting to barter for them... especially when you've got nothing to barter with. And furthermore, you ought not to attempt running off with them."

 

Katsuro grinned, but said nothing further in his own defense.

 

"Ho, there!" Takara shouted, trying to catch Irithoi's attention. "Caravan!"

 

Slowing to a walk, but still overtaking the caravan leader, she smiled apologetically. "My name is Takara. This is my son..." She turned to see Katsuro lagging behind and shouted to him, "Hey, Katsuro! Here! Now." Turning back to Irithoi, she said, "That is my son, Katsuro. We mean to join your caravan."

 

Brushing a loose strand of hair from her face, she continued, "We intended to be here sooner, but someone," here she shot a meaningful glare at her son, "tried to run off with..."

 

"... unmarked rocks in a public street!" Katsuro interrupted. "If they belong to a person, they ought not leave them in plain sight in public!"

 

"At any rate, we're here now," Takara said, taking a deep breath and smiling. "We're not too late, I assume... seeng as you haven't quite departed yet..."

[Rogue Nine]

Shifting the quiver of arrows strapped to his right thigh, Carwyn continued to follow the tail end of the caravan. The departure from the cantina was sudden, to the point where he didn't even have time to ask the barkeep for a plate of cookies for the road. Ah well, he thought as he trudged forward. The caravan was a pretty lengthy affair, with quite a few wagons of all shapes and sizes plodding forward.

 

He fingered the string on his shortbow idly as they made progress forward. They were still within the city limits, meaning he still had some time before he would have to start being alert and watching out for trouble. He sighed and decided to play one of his favorite games to pass the time, which consisted of him imagining random people in the crowd in their underwear. It was a game that almost always amused him, except for that one time in that troll-infested mountain pass. That was something he'd rather not remember...

[Dark_Lady]

Hoshiko, still at the back of the caravan, noticed the cookie-eating ranger from the cantina striding along. He shifted his quiver and sighed, then started playing with his shortbow and looking around at various people. Hoshiko rode up next to him.

 

"Bored already?" she asked with a wry smile.

[Rogue Nine]

"Bored already?" a female voice asked, snapping Carwyn out of his game. He turned to look at the white haired mage riding beside him and smiling wryly at him.

 

"Oh, not really," he replied cheerfully. "It's going to be a bit before we get outside of the city gates, so I'm just playing a game in my head to pass the time."

[Dark_Lady]

"Ah," Hiroko said. "Sometimes I do that too." She slipped off of her horse and started walking next to him. "Out of curiosity, what game was it you were playing?"

[Rogue Nine]

"Errrrr..." Carwyn was a bit taken aback by her question, unsure of whether to tell the truth or to lie. He wasn't very good at the latter, but the former could potentially get him in trouble.

 

"Well, if you must know," he sighed, deciding to pick the seemingly lesser of two evils, "it's a game that one of my old friends taught me to pass the time. When traveling along, I imagine what people look like in their skivvies." He ran a hand through his hair, looking rather sheepish. "It's pretty amusing most of the time, especially if there are a lot of old people around," he added quickly.

 

Carwyn kicked himself mentally. Smooth move, rookie. He smiled nervously at the mage, who had slipped off her horse and was now walking next to him.

[Dark_Lady]

Hoshiko clapped her free hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle the laugh that threatened to burst forth. Too late. Once the first chortle escaped her lips, there was no holding back. And the look the ranger gave her only made it worse.

 

"Sorry," she gasped, choking back another wave of laughter, and then clearing her throat and trying to keep a straight face. "I admit, I've done the same thing myself at times."

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn breathed a sigh of relief as the woman laughed heartily. Whew, he thought to himself. "Heh, I didn't think I'd ever meet someone who played the same game," he said. Then he remembered his manners.

 

He extended his hand. "I'm Carwyn Stormchild."

[Quanon]

Bora Cho was sleeping at the city gates , his bottle of home brewed strong sake was empty . But his drunken dreams where abruptly over : loud noises of clapping feet of men and animals , wheels of wagons squicking and the chatter of voices .

 

Bora Cho opened an eye , the caravan was asembling at the gate .

 

" Great , just when your trying to sleep ... " : he thought , muttering to himself he got up , grabbed his short bamboo stick and his pouch . He then started walking , towards the crowd .

 

Man , he was thirsty ... time to open another bottle .

Mmmhh , that felt good , the alcohol started to warm his body ... and happyness was spreading his wings .

 

Fuelled by his drink he started to run to catch up with the tail of the caravan .

 

He ended his sprint next to two persons talking , one had white hair and was laughing , the other was playing with a small bow and looked a bit puzzeled .

 

Feeling glad he didn't missed the caravan , Bora Cho continued his morning drink ... hoping his companions wouldn't mind his smell , it had been 3 months since he had the change to take a bath .

[Rexraptor2000]

Toa got bored quickly and, since it would be rude just to walk in on another's conversation, he decided to create his own little display of tiny fire soldiers that ran around in circles doing nothing, when hitting something they would explode into sparks, but not enough to start a fire or do anything. It was fun to see some of the people jump at being startled by a tiny exploding fire soldier. Then one exploded off of the boot of Hoshiko who was talking to the archer.

[Relenzo2]

Even, having decimated his hat, starteed looking around for people to talk to. He noticed one rather smelly guy with a drink... but it wasn't grog. He noticed Toa marching along fire soldiers and smiled, going over. But first he took a look out for barbarians. Sad dance, there were none to be seen.

[Master_Archon]

Xan was waiting outside the city gates for the caravan and it's leader, Irithoi. He was a guard-for-hire, and well...he had been hired, around a week before the whole major caravan group. His purpose, protect the merchants, and protect Irithoi personally...simple, until the cocky son of a...until Irithoi decided to order him around with authority he didn't have.

 

He had spent the last few days escorting merchants into the city, he always had to walk two or three miles out, so that any last attempts by bandits to raid the merchants would be thwarted. He had to do this at least four times a day, he didn't complain openly, but it wasn't exactly pleasent to be doing his job. Luckily the last of the merchants had come in today and he had time to rest before he saw the caravan traipsing out of the city.

 

Saddly his rest was all too short. The caravan was assembling outside already, and he had only had around an hour of rest...'this is going to be a long, arduous journey,' he thought to himslef. He watched as people, merchants and others, came pouring out of the city. He looked over and saw the drunk who had been sleeping near the gates get up and wonder towards the caravan. He observed the company, a lady with a pony talking to a man with a sword...okay? He shifted his attention over to a figure that he saw slip into a wagon...'stow away...I'll deal with him later,' he thought.

 

He yet again averted his gaze somewhere else. He saw Irithoi being conversed to by a woman and her child, something new for him. He drew his attention to a fire mage, and a man with a...wierd looking hat. He sighed and kept letting his eyes search, the drunk had taken interest to an archer and....a lady....a very familiar lady. He knew her...from, somewhere?

 

He thought back in his life...no, he didn't remeber ever falling in love with someone like her....or getting beaten over the head by someone like her....actually when he thought about it, his luck with women almost always ended like that. Then he thought back in his career...'oh, her,' he thought as he snarled under his helmet as he remembered who she was.

 

He waited until they had passed, and were moving away from him before moving towards the caravan himself. He started walking towards the lady, slowly drawing one of his two throwing axes. He was approaching from behind, if he knew her, he knew that Irithoi, his employer, might be in trouble, so he was only doing his job. He was only a meter behind them now, and for a man in full battle armor, he was surprisingly quiet.

 

He was almost directly behind her now, but he held back. He reached out and lightly tapped the womans shoulder with his free hand. "Hello Hoshiko," he said ever so quietly to her.

[Relenzo2]

Even noticed one of the fire soldiers sparkle against a tall archer, who was atlking to Hoshiko. Looked like a ranger. Good. As a rule, it was good to have a ranger along. Then he noticed... a guard, joining the caravan? They needed more protection? Were they carrying stolen imperial artifacts (He had done taht once.) What they needed protection from was boredom. And maybe hunger, too.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Irithoi looked from the mother to the child and back again. It had been a very long time since he had had a child on board...

 

"Very well...Takara, was it?" he said, "Yer free to travel with th' caravan. Jus' be sure th' boy can keep up - I dunno tha' many here'll pay attention ter a child gettin' left behind. If he can't keep up, there's a wagon tha' he can rest on."

 

The caravan leader glanced away for a moment as a figure caught his eye. He had been wondering when and where Xan would show up.

 

"'Scuse me." he murmured to Takara and leaped up onto the wagon traveling next to him.

 

"Be sure te get th' wagons in formation." he told his right-hand-man, Gravis. "It's gonna be a long trip an' th' last thing we need are a bunch of wagons bummbling around."

 

"Already taken care of, Chief." Gravis answered, and Irithoi nodded, dropping to the ground again.

[Grace]

"I can keep up!" Katsuro announced indignantly. Takara smiled and guided him away to join the caravan.

 

"I know it, Katsuro," she said, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "However, there are none here who understand how long you have traveled with me... or how many great distances we have crossed at what speed."

 

"It's unfair of him to judge!" Katsuro complained.

 

"Many would not know better," Takara answered patiently. "Let it go, son. We're on the move." She smiled slightly. "Dazzle them with your stamina, perhaps... but don't overdo it."

 

"I won't be riding on any wagon!" Katsuro pridefully stated. "They'll see!"

 

And with that, he ran off ahead of his mother, going near the front of the caravan to 'prove his stamina'.

[Relenzo2]

Even was getting hungry, so he left for one of tehe wagons to find some grub. But as soon as he stepped inside, a hand with a knife shot out and barred his throat. Great. Probably one of his debtors. "Well, who is it this time? Old Barglebodden?" "No," his captor said, "I'm... your worst nightmare. hehehe." There was only one person he knew who talked as cheesy as that. "Ah, Janhasin. Long time no see. Sooo, who do I have the pleasure of owing a ridiculous amount of money?" "Red Rock the great barbarian captian. And you owe him three hundred royal kishi." Even owed Red Rock "Great" barbarian captian no such amount. "Alright," he said, "You'd better let me go get the money." "OH NO YOU DON'T." Janhasin hissed. "Last time you tried that, I ended up facedown in a well! You'll lead me to the money." "Very well." Even walked out of the wagon with a bounty collecter behind him. "Still and idiot." Even murmured to himself, and casually crossed his arms accross his chest so they were inches away from his axes.

[Dark_Lady]

Hoshiko looked the drunken newcomer over, and ignored him.

 

"I'm Hoshiko Shadowstorm," she said to the ranger, shaking his hand. Noticing something from the corner of her eye, she looked down just as a small fire soldier exploded on her boot. A little away, several more of them were running around. Toa must be having fun.

 

She considered creating an army of little wind wraiths to see what he thought of that, but her plans were cut short when she felt a hand tap her shoulder and a familiar voice quietly bid her hello. Xan... She turned her head. Yep, definitely him. There was no mistaking that armor.

 

"Well," she said, "I see you're as quiet as usual." She kept walking, much as before, but her hand slid down to the hilt of her sword, and her muscles tensed. If he made a move with that axe, he would regret it.

[JasraLantill]

An actual smile appeared this time. And stayed. "A bandit?" he asked, "Perhaps I appear as one - and have the travel tendencies of one - but no. I'm not a bandit."

Aya let out an audible sigh. "Well, that's good to know. For a moment, I was a bit worried that you might be some sort of a scout or something. It’s been known to happen before—someone joins up in the caravan, pretends to be a traveller, gets to know the routines and weaknesses of any security details, and then he sends off a messenger to tell his buddies. And then, out of nowhere…wham! They attack!”

 

She looked behind over her shoulder at the rest of the caravan company. “Mages, soldiers, swordsmen….” She shook her head with disbelief. “I feel like I’m travelling in support of a small army here.” She grinned. “But hopefully any bandits will think the same thing, and keep well away from us during the journey.”

 

She was silent for a moment, content to just walk alongside Bob and the stranger. Then it suddenly dawned on her that she hadn’t properly introduced herself. “I’m Aya, by the way,” she said to the swordsman. “Purveyor of household goods, novelties, and other useful items. And this is Bob,” she motioned to her pony. “My lowly equine employee.”

 

Bob let out a loud blasting snort and vigorously shook his head and shaggy mane, nearly jerking the lead out of Aya’s hand.

 

“Okay, okay!” Aya apologised. “Humble assistant in charge of my mobile shop.” She wagged a finger. “Don’t get delusions of grandeur, Bob. You can’t read or write like I can, so your career options are severely limited.”

 

She looked at the stranger again. “So, now that we’ve established that you’re not a bandit, what are you? A mercenary? A soldier? Or are you on the way to Ryuu-Tokai to visit your sick granny or something,” she joked.

[Rexraptor2000]

"Charge!" came the barely audible comic voice of a fire soldier leading a hord behind him and they started to swarm Xan. They had apparantly seen Hoshiko tense since they were both small enough and close enough. It looked hularious to see Xan covered in fire soldiers banging against his armor with their useless fire swords, exploding into sparks each time they hit only to be replaced by another. Toa was having a good laugh as they spawned at his feet and charged Xan. They couldn't do anything to Xan since they barely emmited heat.

[Master_Archon]

Xan ignored the little fire soldiers, they were harmless, and didn't even bother him in his armor.

 

Xan let the blade of his axe rest on Hoshiko's shoulder as he walked inches behind her. With his free hand he pulled the other out, then let the blade tickle her neck.

 

"Do you really think that sword will save you? I'm only doing a job, which in many cases you've made sure that I leave those jobs payless, often my employer dead, luckily I've done similar to you, so you know where I stand," he said to her, his words only audible to her.

 

"I'd enjoy it, assassin! If you'd kindly tell me what you're doing here, come to gloat and boast around me, come to mock? Come to make sure I go hungry again? I wonder what profit it is to kill Irithoi?" He questioned threateningly.

 

"If you've come to kill someone else in the caravan, well, my job dictates I protect them, and if one dies, I could have a pay-dock, or not get payed at all. So you answer me this, should I tie you up later? Or kill you now?" He asked her, the anger he had for her coming through his voice, memories of living hungry and on the streets coming to mind.

[Relenzo2]

"Now, the money for your eomployer is right over there..." Even said, right before grabbing both of his dire axes and turning around to face Janhasin, spinning them for good effect. the bounty man stepped back, hesitating. Not surprising, as he had met the wrong end of these things before. But then he charged Even. With a knife. How wortheless. Even waited until he was in close enough, then brought the flat of one of his blades down on Janhasins head. The man smilede a silly smile and dropped uncouncious. "Guard? Go throw this trash somewhere." Even called. Then noticed more metal being unsheathed near him. He went to check it out.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo's amused smile widened as he watched the display between woman and horse. Perhaps he would have laughed, if he were in more practice of doing such a thing.

 

"Kyo Rurouni at your service, Ms. Aya." he said, giving a slight bow. "Professional wanderer and collector of rare artifacts."

 

He tagged on the last bit to make it appear as if his life had an actual purpose to it. Declaring that you were out for vengance or to solve the secrets of a fabled sword wasn't exactly something you would tell someone.

 

The sound of a scuffle came from behind them. It was faint, but many long nights of laying awake at night, listening for the return of the murders to finish off his family had trained his ears to even the slightest noise. It would appear that a man was trying to get even with the windmage at the back of the caravan. Kyo's good mood vanished.

 

"If you'll pardon me, a moment." he said to Aya, before proceeding back towards the two.

 

"Excuse me, sir." he called to the armored man, his face and voice hard. "I would very much like it if you were to release the woman."

 

He stood tall and erect, but his muscles were at ease, his arms folded casually over his chest. His eyes, however, were as hard as steel and cold as ice.