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 Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 5:44 pm
Nuriko stopped at the rock she and Riku had been talking together earlier that day. She hesitated, then sat down, staring up at the moon. Why did she feel so empty inside all of a sudden? Her hand went up to touch the spot where her symbol was glowing feebly. What the heck is going on? Why did I say that? What's gotten into me? I'm so lost . . .
She took something from her bag stared at it for a while. It was a pendant of the Yin-Yang; the birthday present Liang had given to her before he left on his trip that eventually lead to his disappearance. He had one like it. She smiled sadly, and parted the two sides.
"Lian."
A 15-year-old Cho Xiao-Lian looked at her twin, curious.
"Yes, Liang?"
Her brother had turned serious. "I brought your present for a purpose."
"A purpose?"
He nodded. "When the time comes, give the Yin side to the guy you're going to marry."
"Liang! I told you I was going to-"
"Lian, you can't be a doctor forever! You're going to set a passion-"
"My passion IS healing people!"
"Lian, hear me out, okay?" He sighed. "Look, I know you've promised yourself not to marry, but one day, you're bound to meet a guy who'll sweep you off your feet. I know it sounds strange, Lian, but I guarentee you it's going to happen." He gripped her shoulders. "When you do decide to marry and settle, give the Yin side to the guy. Tell him it's to remind him that you and he are like Yin and Yang. One cannot work without the other. One cannot hope to obtain harmony without the other." He smiled ruefully. "You know, I got these from Mother and Father. They had one too, remember? So . . ." He hugged her. "Make us proud, Lian. Whoever you marry, make them happy, and make them proud to have you there." They exchanged kisses on each cheek. "Well, I'm off, Lian. Good luck!"
She sighed and fingered the pendant.
"Liang, this isn't what I had in mind," she said to the necklaces. "This is really not what I had in mind."
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 7:42 pm
Ayame smiled up at Sun Li weakly when he returned, hoping her quiet manner wasn't worrying him, though by the questions he was asking her, it seemed the opposite was true. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, to reassure him, but nothing came. Instead, she meekly took the tea that he poured for her, smiling at him every so often to keep his worries at bay.
Eventually, Mika returned while they were in the middle of their meal, oddly standing there talking to them with her hand behind her back. Ayame tilted her head to the side, curious as to what she was hiding, but she didn't stay for long, saying something abour more warriors before leaving again. When the said warriors came in soon afterward, introducing themselves to her and Sun Li, Ayame found herself completely dumbfounded. She was still trying to deal with having two warriors and going to some other new city to meet some Emperor...she only hoped she wouldn't let all of them down with the title of being their Priestess.
Still, Ayame smiled all the way through the meal, watching the warriors intereact with each other. She was at least happy that they were happy with each other, especially after hearing how hard it was to be who they were. There did, however, seem to be some problems between the people, as soon the three new warriors had left the dining hall. Looking down at her half-eaten plate of food, Ayame looked up at Sun Li. "I wonder what that was all about..." She did, of course, want to go out there and talk with them, but she didn't know how they'd react. Would they really want some foreigner meddling in their private business, even if she was the Priestess?
A small sigh escaped between Ayame's lips. She felt like she was failing before she even started.
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TionneDawnstar Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 8:35 pm
Tamahome looked over to her and smiled softly, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. "Please don't get discouraged Ayame. I think those three have some sort of history together. Let's just eat, then maybe we can go for a walk." He smiled and took a drink of his tea. "We need to keep you relaxed, and your strength up."
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Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 10:42 pm
Sighing slightly, Mika waited as the blade heated. She didn't know what was going on outside of the kitchen, and at the moment she didn't care. She was too busy trying to figure out what would be needed to be done. Not to mention the tongue thrashing she was sure to recieve from her brother. They were now short four bandits because she couldn't keep them reigned in. A small frown crossed Mika's face, one of the few times it would really appear. Mika always smiled, or atleast always tried to atleast have a smirk upon her lips. But now... she had screwed up. She was certain she was going to have a bit of a problem to own up to.
She slid the sleeve up her arm, looking at the four marks. Mika knew that her brother now knew. Afterall, they had a very peculiar bond. When a mark appeared on one, it appeared on the other as well. The only time this didn't happen was on the two days of the month where they weren't connected. She was half expecting to hear his voice chime in her head, but he was being surprisingly quiet.
Once the blade in her hand was glowing bright red, and a piece of thick leather was placed between her teeth, she touched the heated metal to her skin. The leather muffled her small scream of pain, tears slipping down her cheeks. Once each of the four wounds were sealed, she pulled the knife away, setting it on a table to cool. While the blade cooled, the leather was pulled out of her lips, and some white linen bandages along with some cooling salve were slathered onto the now sealed wounds. She made sure the cooks, who also doubled as nurses, prepared a second batch as well, for her twin. He would need them as well.
With the still warm blade in her sheath, and the white bandages around her arm, she stepped back out into the Dining area with a small plate of her own, carried in her right hand so as not to agitate the wounds even more. "Oh? Did they come in?" she said, looking at Tamahome and Ayame.
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TionneDawnstar Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 8:41 am
Tamahome looked over to Tasuki. "No they came in, sat down, and bickered of bread and wine, then Chiriko got up and left, Nuriko followed him and the Prince went to spy I think. Drama..." He took a drink of his tea. "I think they all know eachother or something..."
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 12:48 pm
She stared into space, still fingering the Yin-Yang. She began singing, a little, quiet, sad song.
"kesshite chikazuite wa ikenai
nido to modore wa shinai
hime yaka ni soshite hiya yaka ni
maku wo furoshita sangeki
(furuete...) nemure yo..."
She did not pay attention to where she was going, not really caring about it either. So it wasn't until she felt her foot hit emptiness and she felt her stomach leap until she realized she was falling.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 12:55 pm
Riku had followed her after he saw her walk by, not wanting to disturb her, but worried that she could get hurt but a bandit. When she started to fall, a strong arm grabbed her hand and caught her, but she was dangling below him. "You have to reach up and grab my other hand, I can't hold you for long like this."
Chiriko went back inside, hurt by waht Nuriko had said, but decided not to let it get to him. He sat down next to Mika and smiled, "You're a gutsy woman, I really admire that."
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 1:59 pm
A small wave of steel dust blew in the wind and slowly collected on the ground. As it took shape Kyo emerged from the dust. Man that a** packed one hell of a kick. Kyo stood up favoring his stomach. He started wandering around the mountain area in hopes of finding someone.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:22 pm
She looked up at him in surprise; hadn't she been alone when she walked off? Then looked down at the bag and necklace she was holding.
"I . . ." she raised her hand and bit onto the strap of both items, then she raised her now free arm to Riku.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:29 pm
He gripped her hand tightly and winced a bit. The arm he'd caught her with was the one he'd injured before. But he didn't care about that. "Don't worry, I stayed back, I didn't want to intrude, but I was worried with all the bandits." He said this softly to her as he pulled her up, he had her put her hands around his neck and he looped his arm around her waist and he rolled them both away from the cliff. He was breathing heavily, his mark glowing brightly on his neck. His healed shoulder was throbbing, but he was glad he'd managed to catch her.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:47 pm
She saw him wince and her brow creased with worry.
"Riku! Are you . . . you used your bad shoulder! Oh, gods . . ." Hurriedly she put the necklaces back and rummaged through her bag. "Ginseng . . . lotus seed . . . ginko . . . ohh, where is it?"
At last she brought out a stone container. Opening it, she took some of the greenish-grey paste in her fingers.
"Riku, bare your shoulder. This will help with the soreness. Ohh, I should have been paying more attention . . . I'm so sorry!" her last comment was said with a small choked sob; she turned her head so he couldn't see her crying.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:55 pm
He let his robe fall open, baring half of his chest. There was some bruising around where the wound had been, but he reached up with his good arm and wiped the tears away with his thumb. "Please don't cry," he whispered softly, "I'm just thankful I caught you in time. I almost wasn't fast enough to get there. Shhh..." he said in a soothing voice. "I'll be alright."
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:58 pm
Kyo began to walk up the mountain still a bit weak. He was stumbleing around and collapsed. As he layed there unable to move he thought about what the warrior had said. Was he right, should I change my ways....
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 4:56 pm
She smiled tearfully and nodded.
"Thank you . . ." she whispered as she applied the paste gingerly over the bruise. "I should have been paying more attention to where I was going . . ."
Putting away the container, she wiped her fingers on a cloth she had fished out from her bag, then took a roll of bandages and wrapped it around Riku's shoulder and chest, to keep the bandages in place and to stop the paste from going everywhere. Once done, she packed everything away shouldered her bag, standing.
"Can you stand?" she asked, holding out a hand. After a moment, she added, "You must have seen Chiriko, right? Did I injure his feelings?" When she saw the look on Riku's face she continued quickly, "I'm just worried; him being a fellow Seishi and travelling companion."
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 5:04 pm
"I'm not really sure actually... he seemed a bit upset, then he went inside and started trying to flirt with Tasuki. I think there is something deeper going on with him, and until he deals with it, he really shouldn't flirt with girls. Everyone will just get hurt that way." The pulled his robes back on, closing them and retied his sash. "Anyway, I'm just glad you are alright. Thank you very much for tending me."
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