[RP]Obake Blade

[ForceFightWMe12]

"You're back again." the woman murmured, seeming unsurprised as she opened the door, her enlarged eyes narrowed as she looked at Kyo. "I knew you would be. They always come back."

 

He frowned faintly at this, but didn't inquire into the statement further. Who 'they' were and why they 'always come back' wasn't high on his list of priorities right now.

 

"A friend of mine told me that you were able to predict the future." he said, "She said you told her exactly how her father would die."

 

The smile that split her lips was wide and menacing. "T'was the girl before, was it not? Your other half? Hehehaha...What is it you wish to know?"

 

Curiosity killed the cat... a small voice quoted in the back of his head. Well, in that case, it was a good thing he wasn't a cat.

 

He took a breath, then said, quite decisivly, "How I will die."

 

The menacing smile became decidedly more wicked as she snatched up his wrist. "Very well then! Come in!"

 

The swordsman was once again shoved uncerimoniously into a seat. She ripped off the glove of his right hand, ignoring the discolored tissue there as she flipped it palm-up.

 

"So you wish to see..." she murmured, "So it will be."

 

The old woman began to chant, the words first coming out slowly, syllable by syllable to the point that they were unrecognizable. However, as she continued, her speech grew frighteningly fast.

 

The Old Language. Kyo realized.

 

Her fingers tightened in a ring around his wrist, the skin beneath them growing uncomfortably hot. He grimaced slightly. She continued chanting - faster, always faster - and the heat began to grow and spread. Where her skin made contact with his, the heat surged almost unbareably, making him grind his teeth together to stop from crying out. It spread quickly down his palm and to the very tips of his fingertips. A choked groan escaped from his lips and he peered through a half-opened eye at his palm, which had begun to glow along the lines of his skin.

 

"Earth, Wind, Spirit, Water, Fire!" the woman cried, and at the same time an agonized cry emanated from Kyo's lips, the pain growing to a torturing status.

 

And then it was over. His glowing palm, the burning pain all ended in a split second. Sucking in a shakey breath, he opened his eyes to see the old woman standing before him, a glassy, far-away look in her eyes.

 

"Hm..." she murmured, "How interesting..."

[Master_Archon]

"You're doing well," Takara told Xan, nodding her approval. Katsuro grinned.

 

"Never seen a boxing match before," he admitted. "It's cool!"

 

Takara smiled faintly and shook her head. "Oh, the mind of an eleven year old," she concluded, "a place where beating people up is 'cool'. However, in the case of your opponent, I must say... he's right. Though I think I'd more use the word 'appropriate' in relation to the level of beating you're giving him."

 

The faint smile slowly faded, replaced by a blank look as she stared across the ring into nothing. Slowly, her hands clenched into fists and a flicker of anger passed over her face. Then it was gone and she smiled again, her eyes refocusing on Kai and Crispin as they began another round.

 

Xan smile at the two, but it faded fast, his attention averted to Takara, who seemed to be disturbed, and though he could not see the exact expression on her face at that moment, he had other ways of knowing what was going on with others.

 

Takara had grown distant and quiet, very suddenly, something must have crossed her mind, but he let it be.

 

Turning his attention back to Kai and Crispin in the ring, he studied as best he could what the two were doing. But Xan couldn't help but look over at Wolf, who was sitting down, rubbing, and massaging himself, he already seemed rested, but that didn't take away the already inflicted damage.

 

Wolf too glared at Xan, a scowl crossing his black and blue, and bloody face. Then Wolf averted his attention to one of his goons, who he began conversing with.

 

Xan squinted in suspicion at the defiant man, but he didn't let it get to him, and reverted his gaze back to the match, ready to tag back in, when it became necessary.

[JasraLantill]

"It's okay to be mean once in a while!" he yelled back at her as the crowed cheered. "Besides, you're cute when you're angry!"

Aya’s brow raised at Carwyn’s comment, and then she grinned.

 

He thinks I’m cute? Aya's grin widened further, and she felt herself flush, but she resisted the temptation to speak to or even look at Carwyn, lest she put her foot in her mouth again. Hmm... it’s nice to be noticed that way sometimes.

 

She focused her attention on the ring, but then she noticed that Crispin had found her in the crowd and, despite his injuries, was smirking at her. Her grin faded.

 

Noticed by certain people, anyway.

 

Her eyes narrowed, and just as she was about to yell out a cheer in support of Xan and Kai, an odd looking squirrel suddenly scurried up the pole she was hanging onto and stopped startlingly close to her face.

 

“Ack!” was all she had time to utter before the furry rodent scurried up the post and perched itself on a handbar above her and Carwyn’s head. And then it stared at them. A really, long and uncomfortable type of stare.

 

Aya tugged gently on Carwyn’s pant leg, and when he looked down to see what she wanted, she nodded up to where the squirrel was. “I think we’re in his seat,” she said to the ranger. “Wonder if he's cheering for Wolf or Xan?”

 

It was then that Aya noticed Wolf call one of his lackeys ringside and then began conversing with him in a suspicious manner. “Uh oh.... I think this match is about to get a bit more interesting.”

 

Worried by Wolf's behaviour, she cast a quick look over her shoulder at her makeshift wagon 'stall' on the other side of the square. She could see it clearly from her lamppost perch, and although Bob was still there, Gabe wasn’t manning it anymore, having volunteered as an assistant referee for the match. There weren’t any customers, since everyone in town was watching the match, but Aya suddenly got a strange feeling that she should at least be there to make sure nothing ‘important’ got misplaced. Or stolen.

 

“I’ll be right back,” she said to Carwyn, and she slid down from the pole.

 

Navigating through the crowd was difficult for her--not being as short and agile as Katsuro to dodge underneath people, and not being as large as Kyo to just bully them out of her way—but eventually, she made it back to the wagon and Bob just as the blacksmith announced that the next round was about to start.

 

Aya hopped up into the wagon. She was surprised to see that most of the merchandise she had expected to sell was gone, but Bob’s blanket was still right where she had hidden it. She unwrapped it, and then let out a sigh of relief at what she saw—the special urn that contained her father’s ashes. Oh, and a small, but plump bag of coins. "Gabe, you're a gem," she said to herself. She kissed the urn, wrapped it up securely inside the blanket again, tucked it back in its hiding place, then picked up the bag of coin, attached it to her belt, and climbed up into the driver’s seat to watch the rest of the match.

 

She wasn’t as close to the ring as she once was, but the view was still good and her comfort level had dramatically increased.

 

She put two fingers in her mouth and blew out a shrill whistle to catch Carwyn’s attention. Then she waved at him, letting him know that she was not returning to her perch on the post and that he was welcome to join her if he chose to.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo waited for her to speak again, feeling both impatient and worried. What would be his fate?

 

After a few excrutiating moments, she looked up at him with curious eyes. "How did you think you would die?"

 

He looked at her blankly. "I'm sorry?"

 

"Of natural causes? Sickness? A blade? Or did you think you would live to a ripe old age and die in a fire?"

 

Again, another mention of his grandfather. Kyo's eyes instantly grew dark, his frown deepening. Had this woman really known his grandfather when they were both younger? Or was she what so many spoke of her - was she really a witch? Was she an old woman even when his grandfather was a young man?

 

"It will be none of those..." she murmured, her gaze far away now, "Yes...I can see it. You will be poisoned..." her eyes turned to him now, cool and hard, "By one that you percieve to be a friend."

 

The swordsman took this news with no perceptible sign of shock...or any emotion at all, for that matter. So then...he would be murdered. Just like his grandfather.

 

"It will not happen for some time...yes, you will finish your quest first. But it will not be in the usual means that you will be poisoned...no, someone will know your weakness, and they will exploit it."

 

"Weakness?" Kyo murmured, but even as his lips formed the word, the woman was bounding into a back room, returning with a fruit in hand. It was a soft orange color with the texture and look of a peach, but the size of a grapefruit.

 

"This." she said, "This is Dragon Fruit. To one such as you, this is dangerous."

 

He took the fruit, bouncing it in his hand for a moment.

 

"I'll be poisoned by this..." he murmured, his eyes calculating.

 

"Do not try and keep an eye out for the poisoning." she warned him, "For even if you do, you won't know that it is coming, nor will you be able to prevent it. You cannot play with fate."

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn watched Aya pick her way through the crowd back to her stall and then heard her whistle as she waved. Deciding he didn't really need to be so close to the action, Carwyn hopped off the pole and weaved his way through the crowd towards Aya's stall.

 

"Powerful set of pipes you've got there," Carwyn remarked as he approached the young merchant. Testing his newly stitched up leg, he pushed off on it and was happily surprised at the very minor discomfort the action took. His leap landed him next to Aya on the wagon. "Looks like Gabe handled your things rather well," he remarked, eyeing the almost empty stall.

[JasraLantill]

Aya nodded. True, there wasn't much of her stock left. "Yeah, he did," she agreed with Carwyn's assessment. "And, look." She jiggled the bag of coin around her belt, then grinned. "He sold stuff, too. Not that the money is really all that important," she added. "I mean, I'll use it, sure, but... at least this will tide my family over for a while, and still let me buy food to barter with the Northern monks for artefacts and stuff."

 

She turned back to the ring where Crispin was squaring up against Kai. The low murmur in the crowd began to intensify into shouts of encouragement. "C'mon, Kai! Give him what for!" she shouted, adding her two cents in. She turned to Carwyn, then shrugged, slightly embarrassed by her outburst, but not by the sentiment it conveyed.

[Rogue Nine]

Chuckling, Carwyn shifted in his seat, angling for a better view. "Hey, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't want Wolf's son to win."

 

Aya offered him an amused smirk. "Why, whatever gave you that idea, Carwyn?" she asked in mock ignorance.

 

"Oh, I don't know," the ranger replied, playing along. "Probably because this is the most enthusiastic I've seen you be?"

 

The merchant snorted lightly, gazing at the crowd, then back at the fight. "I think I was pretty damn enthusiastic to be out of that crazy old coot's house earlier on."

 

Carwyn couldn't argue with her there. "You moved so fast, I think you left burn tracks on the floor," he joked. He shifted again, trying to get a better view of the ring. He placed his left hand on one of the wagon's support posts for leverage, then moved his right to the seat to push himself up. His hand came into contact with something soft and warm. Aya turned to look at him with a surprised face, and he looked down to see his hand on hers. He withdrew almost immediately. "Errrr, sorry about that, didn't see yours there," he said quickly, feeling his ears go pink.

[JasraLantill]

Aya supressed a grin. The heat from Carwyn's accidental touch still comfortably lingered on Aya's hand. "That's okay," she said, slowly setting her hand in her lap as she averted her eyes back to the boxing ring.

 

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a moment, then Aya caught a glimpse of Akira near Xan's corner.

 

"Look," she said to Carwyn. "There's Akira." She waved at the young warrior. "Think he's giving Xan advice?" she wondered.

[Jason Skywalker]

As Akira, excited for the outcome, looked around, he found Aya with Carwyn at her wagon as she waved at him. He smiled and slowly got there.

 

"Hey there! So, how was the encounter with the old witch?"

[Rogue Nine]

Carwyn rubbed at his still-burning ears. "It was... interesting to say the least. Lots of weird things in that house." He made a face. "She was a crazy old bat too, blabbering on about all these strange prophecies and stuff. Told Kyo and Aya a bunch of stuff I really didn't understand. Told me to watch out for a 'blonde' or something." He shook his head. "All in all, not something I'd like to repeat anytime soon. And by soon, I mean ever."

[Jason Skywalker]

"Well, can't say i blame ya'," Akira told him, still remembering what Aya had told him, "But well, Kyo's got his thing complete, i guess this the last we see of him?"

[JasraLantill]

Aya frowned worriedly at Akira's comment as she looked around in the crowd. The last time she had seen Kyo he had been watching the fight with everyone else, but now he was nowhere to be seen. She gave Carwyn an odd look. "Where is Kyo?" she asked. "I don't see him anywhere."

[Jason Skywalker]

"Well, i did saw him on the other side of the ring when i talked to Xan," Akira started, "But then he just disappeared."

 

He was curious. It would be improper not say goodbye...

[Rogue Nine]

Squinting, Carwyn looked into the crowd, trying to spot the tall warrior. "He would stick out like a sore thumb, wouldn't he..." Carwyn mused softly. He stood up, scanning the crowd more intently. After a few minutes, he sat down again, frowning. "Nope, I don't see him anywhere. He could've gone inside or something, though." He looked at Aya. "Besides, he's a big boy, I'm sure he can take care of himself."

[JasraLantill]

"You dont' think he...." Aya swallowed hard. "Went back, do you? To the old woman's?" She hoped not. The old woman was scary enough with her prophesies and creepy 'cat husband.' She couldn't imagine anyone, even Kyo, going back... willingly, that is.

 

Her eyes grew wide with alarm. "You don't think she put some sort of spell on Kyo, do you?"

[Jason Skywalker]

"Well, i'm sure he's fine," Akira said, trying to calm Aya down, "Besides, he probably knows what he's doing. If he went back, then that's because he wanted to go back. We can't force him not to."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"A spell? I think not." Kyo said, his voice laughing as he hopped up onto the back of the wagon, crouching down and taking a seat to watch the match. "Did I miss anything good?"

[JasraLantill]

Aya had visibly relaxed when Kyo had arrived, thankful that he was alive and well and still looked 'human'. "Well... yeah," Aya replied to him. "Wolf and Crispin lost the first round, and the second round is just starting." She pointed to where Kai and Crispin were circling in the ring, sizing each other up. "But I think Wolf might be planning something for this time around. I saw him call one of his lackeys over and they looked like they were being... well, in a word, 'shifty.'" She scanned the crowd. "And I don't see Wolf's man anywhere now."

[Rogue Nine]

"I think all of his men look 'shifty'", Carwyn commented, his eyes again searching the crowd, this time for any of Wolf's lackeys. "If Wolf or his son try anything, I think it'll be obvious, though. So keep a sharp eye out."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"If it's obvious, we shouldn't have to keep an eye out." Kyo pointed out, grinning faintly. Despite the fact that he had just had his death prophesized to him, he seemed to be in pretty high spirits. "Regardless of what he does, he's fighting Xan and whoever the newcomer is. I can't imagine what he could do to take out Xan so easily, and I know that a fighter like him wouldn't choose his associates flippantly. This second man must be skilled as well."

[JasraLantill]

"Well, since people have been cheering, 'Kai!', I'm assuming that's his name," Aya said. "Haven't seen him around here before though, so he's not from Ryuu-Tokai. But, a lot of people pass through here on their way South." She eyed Kai critically. "He moves like a cat," she observed. "Might have been trained by monks. They move like that...all deliberate and purposeful, but quick and graceful."

 

She looked over her right shoulder, in the direction of the Smoking Dragon Inn. "Speaking of monks, I haven't seen Bora-Cho or Istergard in a while." She scanned the crowd for either of them, then shrugged. "'Course, there might be something more interesting for Bora-Cho at the bar, instead of out here. He does seem to like his ale."

[Rogue Nine]

"I just hope he's around after the match to help clean up the fighters," Carwyn said as he observed the ring. "We might even need to call on Dr. Waverly again if it gets anymore brutal."

 

"I'm sure Tellis wouldn't mind helping out either, wherever she is," Aya commented.

 

Carwyn nodded. "Probably not. And I'm sure that none of the combatants would refuse her ministrations."

[3yks]

"C'mon Kai, afraid to fight? Just gonna circle me all day?" Crispin had tried to get in a few punches right off, but Kai was just ... drifting away from him, ducking and dodging, not bothering to actually ... fight Crispin. "You can't spend the whole fight avoidnig me! Refer-" Crispin was cut short by Kai's fist hitting him in the right temple.

 

Kai danced back again, Crispin growled and threw himself at his lanky opponent. Their bodies collided, Kai was caught off guard and found his back against hte ropes. Crispin's fists pummeled into Kai, 1 2 3 ... 10 ... 15 .. 20. .. 24, the referee pulled Crispin off of Kai, who stood there a moment, his face was bloody, he had taken a lot of punches to his face, and all over his body. He stumbled a moment, grinning.

 

"Kai thinks that perhaps this lesser wolf is no too happy with Kai." Kai laughed, and as he laughed blod dribled out of his mouth. Which made him laugh harder, and cough a bit, blood sprayed over Crispin who started to look a little sick to his stomach. "Come on Crispin, Kai is not done with you yet." Kai's eyes had taken an odd gleam at all this blood, and he jumped up. Crispin looked confused, looking up just as Kai came down with his fist forward. It collided with Crispin's temple. Crispin stumbled, and his eyes rolled back in his head. Kai swung with his other fist, hitting the ther temple. Crispin seemed to fall in slow motion. If it had been a cartoon or somethng little stars would be swimming around the lesser wolf's head. Then Crispin hit the stage, hard. Wolf was up, bellowing at his son to get up. But he didn't, and the count started. And then it finished, and the bell dinged. Kai chuckled softly, and stumbled to the edge of the ring, leaning over the ropes and spitting blood onto the ground.

 

"I am sorry you did not get to fight this round, this man xan." He said, his eyes still had that ... psychotic glint as he slid off the stage and lay down on the grass.

[Jason Skywalker]

Akira chuckled, "Huh. I wouldn't mind a riot or sorts. You know, Wolf and Crispin cheat, Xan and Kai break the rules and the audience gets in the ring to brawl out," He chuckled once again.

[Master_Archon]

Xan was surprised, it had taken less time for the fight to take place, than it did for the initial 'show-down', but Xan just shrugged and sighed.

 

"I am sorry you did not get to fight this round, this man Xan." Said Kai as he exited the ring.

 

"No worrries, alowes me to rest longer, doesn't it?" He asked rhetorically.

 

Xan squinted at Wolf, he seemed too...confident, and he was back to talking to one of his lackeys'. Wolf seemed to ask him something, because the lackey nodded, then shook Wolf's hand with a friendly smile....and Wolf didn't seem the type to get chummy with his goons just for asking a question.

 

What no one else saw, was the fist that Wolf made after shaking the goon's hand, his thumb tucked into the fist. But what nobody, including Xan, or even the audience or referee's saw, was the barely visible moving of the thumb, as he positioned something inside his fist.

 

"Two minutes before the round starts, get everything you need finished, done now," the blacksmith called out to the fighters.

 

Xan was quite certain something was wrong, but because he could pinpint no amount of cheating just by Wolf talking to his lackey, then he couldn't do or say anything against him.

 

"Two minutes up, starting contestants for the third round please step into the ring," the blacksmith called out. Xan and Wolf complied, stepping into the ring at the same moment.

 

Xan's eyes were covered, but Wolf knew he was being stared down, and he did likewise, only, he had an odd smirk flash across his face, and his eyes glinted with an eerie, sinister joy.

 

Xan shifted into his fighting stance slowly, making one of his fists like how Kai showed him. 'Guess I might as well try it,' Xan thought to himself.

 

Wolf too got into a 'fighting stance', if it could be called that.

 

The blacksmith lifted his hand, looking from one to the other, there was great tension in the air, and the crowd had grown silent. Then the blacksmith dropped his hand, shouting, "FIGHT!"

 

Xan was tapping around the ring lightly, but as was his way of fighting, he kept himself back, gauging his opponent. Wolf too, seemed to be doing similar, odd.

 

Xan stopped, staring at Wolf, then he moved at Wolf, striking at him, Wolf moved back, and Xan missed. Xan was quick to countering his miss, but he missed again, but Xan jumped back, then ran forward, slamming his right fist, the one Kai had shown Xan how to make, into the side of Wolf's neck. The hit made the blood curdling sound of metal striking meat.

 

The crowd paused in their cheering, grimacing at the sound. But what was more surprising was the grin that was on Wolf's face, he seemed maniacal. Xan had a faint look of surprise on his face, but he wiped it away, and lept backwards, something really was wrong.

 

Wolf knelt down a bit, the hit had done damage, but he was obviously too happy to care, odd.

 

Xan began studying Wolf more carefully, keeping his distance, Wolf doing the same. But then something unexpected happened, Wolf pounced, charging at him with more speed that Xan thought the unfit fellow could muster. Xan dodged the punch that Wolf threw with his left fist, countering it with a hard hit to Wolf's temple. But Wolf only grinned more, the glint in his eyes were near that of...insanity, is all Xan could guess at such close range.

 

Then Wolf maneuvered to Xan's side, punching into Xan's right pectoral ((that would be the chest, for those of you who don't know your muscles)). The crowd gasped and grew silent, and Xan wondered what was going on, then Wolf pulled his fist away, and there was a short spurt of blood from Xan's chest, then it stopped. Xan looked down at his chest, shocked, his adrenaline had dampened the pain, but it weakened him quite a bit; his chest had a bloody hole in it now, it was small, but large enough to cause bleeding, and thus weakening.

 

Before the referees, or even Xan could react, Wolf punched Xan once more in the sternum ((center chest; bone)), but the wound wasn't as bad as the first. Then Wolf went for a strike at Xan's left pectoral, but Xan finally reacted, moving away from the punch, causing the wound to be light, and more of a cut than a gash.

 

Xan looked over at Wolf's fist, which was covered in blood, but now protruding from inbetween his middle finger and ring finger was a noticeable shard of metal, sharp, small, and triangular in shape.

 

The ref was so shocked he almost didn't call out, but just as he was about to, Xan lifted up his hand, "NO! If the only way he can win is through cheating, then let him cheat."

 

Xan stood up straight, breathing heavily, Wolf moved back, grinning insanely. He licked some blood off his hand, "mm, warriors blood, tasty."

 

Xan face went from emotionless and stern, to full of hate, and anger. Xan charged him, coming at him with amazing speed, Wolf went from pleased with his short term 'victory', to shocked as Xan was on him in a moment. Wolf swung frantically, cutting into Xan's right bisep ((right upper arm)) blood gushing out for a short moment. Everything seemed to slow down, then Xan was swinging into Wolf, Wolf was taking it hard, his eyes wide, he had little time to react, none actually.

 

Xan kept going, his eyes glazing over with hatred, though no one could see it, he wasn't holding back. Wolf went back with each hit, until Xan paused momentarily, uppercutting into Wolf's jaw, sending him backwards, flipping over the ropes, and on the ground in an unconcious heap, it was probably the only thing that saved his life from Xan beating him to death.

 

Xan had been a bloodlusting warrior, and that's what he would always be.

 

Xan stood up straight, his eyes clearing, his breathing went from shallow to heavy, as he looked around a little confused, and dazed. The refferees stared at Wolf, then Xan for a moment, the crowd was silent, but they started whispering to one another. The blacksmith ran up to Xan, lifting his hand up, shouting, "Xan is the winner!"

 

The crowd's chattering and whisperig increased, until they finally let out a roar of applause and cheers. Obviously they were glad to see the pompous and greedy Wolf pummeled into pulp, almost literaly.

 

Xan smiled weakly, then went for the outside of the ring, getting out. "I don't think I'll be able to help you in the last round Kai...huff huff....but I don't think Wolf will bother you either....Crispin's all yours, that is, if he's awake," Xan told Kai with a smile.

 

Xan got down from the stage, sitting down weakly, fatigue was written all over his features. He leaned against the side of the stage, breathing rapidly and heavily, his wounds still bleeding, as they didn't seem to be coagulating. Xan looked over at Takara, giving a tired smile, "how'd I do?"

 

((there, Xan's out of the match, but so is Wolf, so it's up to you 3yks, if Crispin is still concious that is. ))

 

Edit: - ((I also hope all this was okay?))