[RP]Obake Blade

[JasraLantill]

They really need to floss more often."

 

Aya had nearly choked on her toast when Takumi had his hydra-phobic attack, and now she nearly did it again.

 

"Wow, Master Nightsinger," she finally managed to say. "You've really had interesting adventures! It's good to know that we'll have such an experienced traveller with us when we go to the west," she added in earnest. She grinned. "I feel more secure already."

 

She looked over at Kyo. "So, where's Akira and Xan? Are they coming with us?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo shook his head slightly in return to Aya, finishing the mouthful of food he had, swallowing before looking at the merchant.

 

"Akira, apparently, after speaking to Father Abbott, Akira found some pertinent information relating to his past. As far as the monks can tell, he has gone to follow up on some loose ends - he left yesterday morning.

 

"As for Xan...I couldn't tell you." the warrior said, "No one seems to be able to tell me where he has gone - no one has seen him."

[Quist]

"I haven't seen him since the night before, in the kitchen," Maggie offered. "He seems quite reclusive..." She frowned. She had tried to be hospitable to the burly warrior, but she obviously couldn't be of more service to him, and this disappointed her a little bit. "I'm sure if he chooses to stay, the brothers here will be more than happy to have him around."

 

She looked at Kyo and smiled. "Maybe then I won't have to feel so guilty about leaving this monastery with a big strong warrior here to guard it."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo's smirk was faint, and his nod slow as his eyes flashed to Maggie's. There they hesitated with an indescernible expression before he looked away again, his thoughts and concerns returning to the group at large.

 

"It seems that our travelling band has both shrunk by three and now grown by two. I haven't seen hide nor hair of Kai," he said, glancing at Tellis, "And I'm not sure if he'll be joining us once more or not. However, it seems that both Miss Magdelena and Master Takumi will be joining us on our venture."

[Rogue Nine]

"Ah, so we lose ourselves the lunkhead, the loon and the lightshow and gain the lissome lady-monk and the loquacious lyricist," Carwyn said, grinning crookedly at his improvised prose. "A fair trade, to be sure."

 

He turned his grin on Maggie and Takumi. "I just hope you two know what you're getting yourselves into. Master Nightsinger has already encountered little Hedri, but there's worse yet to come on our trip." At their surprised looks, Carwyn laughed and leaned towards them conspiratorially. "Kyo," he whispered, surreptitiously gesturing towards the warrior with his elbow, "snores something fierce."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo, who had overheard, looked as if he were seriously throwing the buscuit in front of him at the ranger, even though he had a smile on his face.

 

"That's a lie," he said, looking at Carwyn, "I hardly sleep to begin with - because someone falls asleep on guard duty almost constantly."

[Rogue Nine]

"You wound me, Kyo," Carwyn said, holding a hand over his heart as if struck by an arrow. "I can't help it if your snoring causes me to lose sleep and consequently fall asleep at my post."

 

He laughed, then ducked the biscuit Kyo had tossed at his head. Straightening up in his chair, he still had a grin affixed to his face. "I can tell we're going to have a good time on our trip out west," he said merrily. He turned to Aya with a glint in his eyes. "Once we're out there in the forests, I've got a few places I'd like to show you," he told her. "Hey, we might even get far west enough that you can meet my family."

[JasraLantill]

"You wound me, Kyo," Carwyn said, holding a hand over his heart as if struck by an arrow. "I can't help it if your snoring causes me to lose sleep and consequently fall asleep at my post."

 

He laughed, then ducked the biscuit Kyo had tossed at his head. Straightening up in his chair, he still had a grin affixed to his face. "I can tell we're going to have a good time on our trip out west," he said merrily. He turned to Aya with a glint in his eyes. "Once we're out there in the forests, I've got a few places I'd like to show you," he told her. "Hey, we might even get far west enough that you can meet my family."

"Your family?" Aya's brow raised. "That'll be fun. Bet they've got a lot of stories to tell about you that would rival any Master Nightsinger could tell." She winked at Carwyn, letting him know that she was just being playful. "But the forests...." She let out a wistful sigh. "I love the forests. They're always cool and green and pleasant. Aside from the wolves, of course," she added, cautiously. "Father and I used to travel as far west as Enkahiru, but that's about as far as we went." She grinned as she recalled the memory. "That was about two years ago. Nice place, as I remember though. It's on top of a hill. Hard road up to the top, but great views. You know, on a clear night, I could almost see the sea."

[Rogue Nine]

"Enkahiru..." Carwyn repeated as he ran his hand over the fuzzy skin of a peach. "My mother used to take me and my sisters there on weekends; it was only a few hours by horse." He put a finger to his lips, drawing the memory from his mind. "The path from the west was less steep to the top, if I recall. Our old mare couldn't've taken us there if it had been as steep as the eastern slope."

 

He tossed the peach up and down a few times. "Cimorene, my big sister, used to take me up to the highest tower in town and practice archery with me." He smiled ruefully. "I could never match her accuracy. And just when I thought I might be getting close to equaling her ability, she converted to monkship."

[Quist]

Maggie giggled at the barbs Carwyn and Kyo threw at each other. The two blonde men had very different dispositions and personalities, but each knew how to lighten up and have fun, which was a very good thing, as they seemed to be the two most prominent members of the group.

 

As Carwyn and Aya got to talking about the west, Maggie turned her attentions to the third blonde at the table. "Master Takumi," she started. "What's your story? And what made you decide to join this merry band of miscreants?"

[Jae Onasi]

"My story?" Takumi asked in reply to Maggie. "Well, I was the tenth of eleven children, my parents being very...healthy. My parents and my oldest brothers and sisters worked hard on our farm to keep everything working well until the youngest of us were old enough, but it still was a challenge to feed all our hungry mouths. So, we never did have very many gold pieces to pass around. What we did have, however, was music, and on the cold winter nights we spent a lot of time playing our homemade instruments and singing songs. We had our own little choir after awhile, actually, and one year we competed in the town fair. I don't even remember what the prize was, anymore, but I remember standing in front of the crowd as they stood and cheered at the end of our piece. All I knew is that I loved that moment where I had made people happy with music, and I wanted more of it. We captured the attention of a bard who had traveled to the fair for the competition. He convinced my parents that I might have some talent and could he take me as an apprentice? Well, my mother and father both knew that I was not cut out to farm, with delicate hand such as these--" he held up his hands and wiggled his fingers "--which were better suited for instruments of music than instruments of animal husbandry. I was Girard's apprentice and then journeyman for a number of years, and we journeyed around the lands, as all good bards do, to hone our craft. We came across Durham at one of the many festivals that had requested our entertainment. He required the services of a music teacher and entertainer for his household, and his offer was too good to pass up. I do hope that he and his children will be all right with traitorous brothers in his midst. I don't wish them to suffer harm at the hands of these two men."

[JasraLantill]

Finished with her breakfast, Aya pushed her empty bowl aside and then leaned back in her chair a bit. "Sad to leave a job that you love and under difficult circumstances," she said to Takumi. "But you've just got to hope that things will be okay. What goes around comes around, my father used to say. The traitorous brothers will get what's coming to them in due time, I'm sure."

 

She looked over towards one of the windows. The sun was well up now.

 

"Speaking of due time...," she said. She looked at Kyo. "Shouldn't we be heading out soon? I left Bob tied out in front of the stables. He'll be getting antsy soon." She grabbed a piece of cinnamon toast. "Better use this to appease him. He loves cinnamon." She gave Carwyn a coy look as she rose from the table. "You, erm, want to come with me to check on Bob?"

[Rogue Nine]

"Absolutely," Carwyn replied, rising from his seat and grabbing another few pieces of cinnamon toast. At Aya's curious look, he waved one at her and grinned. "We've been here a while, so one piece might not be enough to make it up to him."

 

As they made their way back towards the stables, Carwyn stretched, crossing his arms behind his head. "We only just got here a few days ago, but it feels like we've been here forever, y'know?" he remarked to Aya. "I mean, I've grown to quite like this place and all, but I'd also like to get back out into the world. I'm not saying I'd like to encounter another rock snake or a band of enemies, but I sorta miss being on the road."

[ForceFightWMe12]

((As I started up my laptop, I was thinking that I should probably give Obake a bit of a kick. Looks like you two beat me to the punch ))

 

Kyo had forgotten to pay attention to the time - they had already idled longer than they should have when Aya pointed out that they should probably get going. The warrior could have kicked himself - the few days they had spent at the monastery seemed to have somewhat disabled him.

 

"Yes, actually..." he murmured, following the young merchant's eyes to the morning sky. "We probably should have left a while ago."

 

As Carwyn and Aya left to appease Bob, he watched them go with a distant look in his eyes before he too stood up. Snatching his pack from the floor, he tossed over his shoulder before giving a bit of a smile.

 

"Everyone ready?"

[Jae Onasi]

Kyo said, "Everyone ready?"

 

"Aye," Takumi replied. He turned to his monk hosts. "Blessings of the gods upon you, Brothers. Your hospitality is a great testament to your honor and love for mankind, and I shall ever think of you fondly for your charity when I was in need." He gave them a deep bow.

 

Then he reached down for his pack and hoisted it up on his shoulder. "I shall follow your lead, Kyo. I suspect Carwyn and Aya might need a few...moments...."

[Quist]

"I'll meet everyone at the door," Maggie told Kyo, rising from her chair. "I've got to get my things and bid farewell to everyone." Her voice caught a hitch, the weight of what she was saying and what it meant finally dawning upon her. Dabbing at suddenly moist eyes, she quickly fled out the kitchen door.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo watched after Maggie as she departed, taking a step towards her, as if to follow her...but then he hesitated. Should he go after her, to make sure that she was alright? That she wasn't having second thoughts? If she didn't want to go, he would be almost just as happy as if she did...

 

But then again, if she was going to say goodbye, then it would have to be more of a...private thing. That's why he was standing there now. That's why he walked away.

 

"They'll be fine." Kyo murmured in return to Takumi. "They can have their 'moments' later on, when we're not late."

 

He stopped to speak with Abbot Carlisle, thanking him profusely for all that both he and his brothers had done for all of them. Once everyone was assembled, all goodbyes said, and all thanks spoken, the gates of the monastery opened wide, and they set forth on their journey once more.

 

((lame post, I know but...let's not let this die, shall we? ^.^'''))

[Jae Onasi]

"They'll be fine." Kyo murmured in return to Takumi. "They can have their 'moments' later on, when we're not late."

 

Takumi shouldered his pack and followed Kyo into the bright morning and towards the stable. As they approached, he spoke, just a bit over-loud in order not to catch Carwyn and Aya off guard or surprise any animals, especially any of the horses and a certain pygmy hydra. "Well, then, we're off! And a lovely day at that, after a night of such nasty weather. I wonder if Aya needs any assistance loading supplies before we make our way to the west with its deep blue skies."

[JasraLantill]

"...wonder if Aya needs any assistance loading supplies before we make our way to the west with its deep blue skies."

 

No sooner than Takumi had uttered the words, Aya staggered out unsteadily on her feet, seemingly shoved abruptly out of the barn. Looking shocked, she rubbed her backside, then scowled at the open barn door.

 

"Bob!" she shouted inside the barn. "You bit me! That was completely and utterly uncalled for!"

 

A horsey sniggering whinney echoed from within the stables, and Aya's jaw set. Then, noticing that Kyo and Takumi were just behind her, she began to blush--a brilliant shade of scarlet.

 

She let out a nervous sort of laugh. "Erm... apparently, Bob's in a hurry for us to get going," she said to her traveling companions, not wanting them to know that the reason Bob was irritated with her was because she had been cuddling with Carwyn instead of securing Bob's pack.

 

"Carwyn?" Aya called into the barn as she strode towards the open door. "Are you, erm, ready?" Seeing as how Bob's bite and hefty nudge had thrown her out the doorway, what Aya really wanted to know was if Carwyn was okay as Bob had 'nudged' the both of them.

[Rogue Nine]

The pony's shove had sent both he and Aya flying; she outside the door, he into a pile of hay just inside the door. One moment he had been hugging Aya, the next he was headfirst in yellow straw. Raising himself up gingerly, he turned to glare at Bob, who had a look of self-satisfaction on his horsey face.

 

"You bit me! That was completely and utterly uncalled for!"

 

Carwyn nodded. "Yeah, what gives?" Bob just whinnied in reply to both he and Aya, still looking quite pleased with himself. Carwyn stuck his tongue out out at the pony.

 

"Carwyn? Are you, erm, ready?"

 

Picking a stray bit of straw out of his longish blonde hair, Carwyn trotted out of the barn, Bob's bridle in hand. "I am," he replied, striding up next to Aya, who was standing next to Takumi and Kyo. "But apparently not as ready as Bob is."

 

Bob clucked his tongue, then nuzzled up against Carwyn's arm.

 

"Yeah yeah, you big oaf," the ranger said, rubbing Bob in between his eyes. "Think you're soooooooo clever."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kyo took in a deep breath, rolling his eyes as he exhaled slowly. They were getting kicked around by a horse...

 

"Honestly, the three of you." he muttered, running a hand through his hair. Reaching into his half-open pack, he pulled out an apple that he had found in the garden earlier that morning, offering it to Bob. The pony took a quick snap at it, tearing off a mouthful with what Kyo imagined was a haughty glare at Aya and Carwyn. Sometimes, he wondered just how much of a horse Bob was - he often times seemed almost....human.

 

"Has Maggie come back around here?" he asked, his eyes flicking to each the merchant and the ranger. "She left us to go say her final goodbyes to some of the monks and told us that she would meet us afterwards."

[Jae Onasi]

Takumi did not miss the blush that raced across Aya's cheeks, or the bit of straw that Carwyn pulled from his hair. If Carwyn was nudged hard enough by either Aya or the horse to fall, all three had to be very close to each other. Very close, indeed.

Takumi just smiled to himself and patted Bob as they all waited for Maggie. Bards loved their secrets. It wasn't the telling of those secrets to others that he loved. It was just the knowing, of being able to put pieces together and having answers that no one else could see or figure out, at least as soon as he did. This group was full of surprises, and he looked forward to learning all their stories. And seeing what developed in the, er, 'group dynamics'.

[Quist]

Maggie appeared through a side door, shouldering a rucksack and clutching at a quarterstaff. "Sorry I took so long, everyone," she said a little breathlessly. "Brother Hanzo took quite some time with his parting instructions to me." This was partially true, but she did not tell them that she had also spent a good while clutching the frail old monk in her arms and crying into his shoulder. He was the only father she had ever known, and now she was leaving him. It had taken her more than a few minutes to deal with the gravity of that fact.

 

She let out a deep, cleansing breath. "I'm ready now," she told them. "For anything."

[Grace]

Katsuro ran out from the monastery and arrived at the gathered group a little out of breath. "We're a little late," he huffed. "Mom's on her way."

 

At that moment, a light wind began to blow and Takara descended from the window of the room she'd been staying in. With the long black cape now firmly reattached around her shoulders, she was quite the sight to see, drifting down on the wind as it played gently with her loose black hair and flowing black cape.

 

"We're a little late," she said, unknowingly echoing her son's words with a faint, apologetic smile.

[Rogue Nine]

"As are we," a lilting voice intoned from the doorway. As heads craned over to look, Tellis and Toa emerged into the light. "Apologies, but we simply couldn't leave the monastery without refilling our supplies." They held out their respective carrybags and Carwyn noted that both seemed to be bulging with all sorts of oddly shaped containers and the like.

 

"You know we wouldn't go anywhere without our merry 'mancers," Carwyn told them with a crooked grin. "I guess we're all ready, then," he pronounced, looking at each individual person. "I just hope our warrior friends find their new lives more interesting and worthwhile."