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 Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:46 pm
 "No problem, but if I knew you were being carried with me I wouldn't have waited so long to spring the trap. In order for them not to catch on I needed to shut a lot of things off" answered Soul as they walked. As they reached the tree that she had stashed her stuff in she pulled out some food. But then she went an asked a question that most people would have trouble answering. "Every last one of them. When I was a soldier their was no difference between one enemy or another. They were all after your life, and you needed to be after theirs if you wanted to come out alive. Don't underestimate those kids it will get you killed." he answered. "All that power and no training? I'm surprised that city isn't crumbling as we speak. That Lonni girl must be a better leader than I think."
"If they choose to come after us again they will know more about us. They can plan more and if they came at us in full force I'm not sure that even the both of us could take them all. They were holding back because they didn't want to kill us, but if you would have matched up with that Lonni girl could you say she wouldn't have gutted you?" continued Soul. "Those kids seemed desperate enough to do anything that would help them. I can't say I wouldn't do the same in their shoes, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous."
Lonni sat at the table as the boys went over her drawings. "These four are new." said Riki laying them out in front of Bakiryu. Bakiryu took a good look at them and shuffled them around until he found an order that made sense. "It is a long shot. I mean a really long one. But this Soul guy is supposed to save us I'm thinking. And if we would have killed him we would have screwed ourselves over big time." said Bakiryu. "Still what was stopping him from being this other man who killed you instead?" asked Riki. "From what I have seen Soul can make his body just as grotesque if not more so."
Lonni looked angry at Riki as if her drawings were clear enough for anyone to understand. Most of them were dribbles scrawled out in crayon. She was no artist, but she tried her best to convey the images in her head. And most of the time they were hazy at best. "Alright alright I understand. We have lived this long trusting in you. So why start doubting now? Still with Ryl wakes up he is going to be pissed." responded Riki.
Lonni sighed and Bakiryu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't sweat it. Chimera are pretty common just hard to find. I'm sure well run across another one so don't look so down. Even though that girl said she killed a few they were just clones. No one has been seriously injured. You've saved us once again." said Bakiryu. With that Lonni perked up a little. "Still a Fenghuang is one of the most rare ones. We don't even have a kid with that beast. So we would have been letting her go anyways. Albeit with a few more bruises than she entered with." said Riki thinking deep. "Oh let me check you again Lonni."
Riki stepped up and put a hand on Lonni's head, and saw nothing but a fog. "Looks like it is changing. We will have to check again later. Anything would be better than what I saw before." he said. Lonni nodded in agreement. "Get these men to the rear and see them to a medic! If you can walk and hold a sword get your ass in gear. This is where this battle starts!" - Soul Agares during the bestial campaign.
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:44 pm
 Kleio couldn't help but stop walking when she heard his answer. She may like Soul, but his answer proved just how different they were. He may have a difficult consequence, but she doubted he had to live a life similar to those children or to herself. It was almost sad in a way, but she could not fault him for not living a life similar to her own. "It is not that I underestimated them Soul since I am fully aware of their killing potential. I could have killed more tonight since I am able to do much more than any of you know, but there are already two young lives on my hands prior to this encounter and I could not bring myself to take so many more. Fault me if you want, but I sympathize with their plight." she said as she began to walk again. Lonni, that must have been their leader. She seemed powerful enough, but there was something else to her. Kleio could not without a doubt say that the girl would have gutted her. The one that knocked her down, yes, that girl was crazy. But the others were just doing what they needed to survive. Weren't she and Soul just doing the same?
A dog eat dog world was hard to live in for one who is burdened by the past. "I am sorry if I seem like a berating mother to you, but I think there was more to tonight that many of us, even some of their own people just don't understand. Either way, should they come back and threaten us, I will at least trap them in the earth far away from my person. I do not wish to be shackled to the wall again like a common criminal." There were still broken skin and bruises upon her wrists when she tugged and busted her shackles. Stopping outside Soul's residence, she felt him go inside but she stayed out in the open. Putting her pack down next to the rock face, she sat back and breathed in the fresh air. This forest was her makeshift home and because of the Fenghuang, she had a stronger affinity to be with the freedom of the forest. "I think I'm just going to stay out here tonight." she said to Soul who was somewhat inside the cave. No need to put him out of his home just to keep her company, at least that's what her opinion on the subject was.
"Even if his body is grotesque, he had the chance to kill yet he allowed Kleio to sway his decision. He may be a killer, but there is a soft spot in his heart. Plus look at this picture." Sakuya said as she walked forward to the table. She barely glanced at the pictures when she walked in, but from the discussion between the other three, something clicked in her mind. Lonni drew a picture of a red lion with a beautiful bird riding on its back. This one had to be representational in her opinion and there was one who had graced their presence that had a majestic bird's power. "Look, Kleio killed a Fenghuang and Soul a Chimera. What if that's what this picture is Riki? If so we need to get them on our side to change Lonni's fate for the better." Lonni by this point also looked angry with Riki and he eventually was swayed to listen to her. Naturally, who else would they listen to if not her? Certainly not Bakiryu. He was a good boy, but not right to lead the entire orphanage like Lonni did.
After everything being said and done, Sakuya suggested that Riki help Lonni get to bed. She had had a long day and their leader needed some rest. With them gone, she wanted to speak to Bakiryu. "If her fate is now undecided, we need to get them on our side. Kleio may not like me, but I can try to gather enough information on the both of them that may aid one of us to befriending them. She may be the key since he listened to her so closely. I would ask Lonni but I don't want to frustrate her beyond what she was already today. What do you think? Sakuya was truly adamant on this. If they needed information she would get. Hell, she even had names on papers for whenever Tabatha needed to take her blood lust out on somebody. The poor poor souls on those pieces of paper, they had no idea how handy they were at the price of their terrible lives. Turning at a sound, she could hear Tabatha's maniacal laughter as she went to her room. Rolling her eyes, she turned back to Bakiryu to hear his verdict on her idea.
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:31 pm
 "Your right if he really wanted to kill us that was the perfect time to do it. Regardless of what someone else might say. He may have been just looking for someone to stop him. Honestly with what we did killing us was the smarter choice. He caught us off guard he won't get a chance like that again." answered Riki. Looking at the picture of the bird riding the lion it did make sense. But making Soul join would be a lot harder than Kleio. The bounty on his head was that large for a reason. And it stands the last thing that was heard from the Blood Moon in years. And rumor has it that there is still people that with pay out the bounty. Lonni rubbed her eye and Sakuya was quick to pick up on it and gently suggested that Lonni get some sleep. Lonni yawned covering her mouth and nodded standing up. Waving to the group she headed off to bed. Bakiryu was about to hit the sack to as Sakuya grabbed his shirt holding him back, Staying behind he waited for her to talk. Listening to all she had to say Bakiryu thought for a moment before giving a response. "I agree with you, but we need to be careful around Soul for a bit. With all the commotion we may have caught the attention of some dangerous people. If you are going to follow this watch your back. Or bring me to watch it for you." he answered. Bakiryu was the shield that protected them all, and he was willing to give his life for anyone in the orphanage warrior or not. He was their hero after all. Soul clutched a long ribbon in his hand and smirked. "She's a bit like you were. Too kind hearted for your own good." he thought. Narrowing his eyes he placed the ribbon into his shirt. That was one of the only keepsakes that he had from his wife. She was long dead a casualty of the war. Now all he had was that to remind him of her. She would tell him that he needed to stop being so closed off. But that was the only way that he knew how to live. But maybe it was time for him to try something else. Because staying the same was only going to work for so long. Stepping out of the cave he sat resting on a rock not to far from Kleio. "What's the point of camping together if your not going to chat? I've been in that cave for long enough I think." said Soul smoking and blowing a cloud of smoke away from Kleio. "I had a wife back when I live under the Blood Moon. I killed her with my poison before I knew I had it. She was so happy to see me you know? She had been told I was dead, and for her sake I probably should have been." said Soul. "But when she died there was no one I could turn to. I was a fugitive having killed the Chimera that the king so rightfully claimed. I've never really forgiven myself for it. Trying to live for two people is hard and it tears you in half at time. Good thing I heal so quickly huh?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:24 pm
 Smiling, Sakuya patted Bakiryu on the back with a soft smile on her face. "Oh my dear, dear friend. I am master of information. I know how to tread carefully and bide my time till we can confront the two again. But if you really want to spend time with me in the mean time, of course you can join me down in the deep, dark underworld." Laughing, she patted his cheek before leaving the room. She needed to plan everything accordingly. For Soul, she would retrace her steps to gather more intimate information to find what made his clock tick. Kleio's clock would be easier to decipher, but when she originally hunted for information, it was as though she was non-existent. In her opinion, Kleio must have been a nobody in a small village town. If so, she'd need to go to the streets to find information about their Fenghuang killer. Considering the underworld was more of her domain, she would start there and work her way through Soul's information before she even attempted to find out more about Kleio.
Smiling softly at Soul as he came out to join her, Kleio was in the midst of playing with her rose thorn, making it bloom and close at her whim. Her hand lowered with the rose the moment Soul mentioned "having" a wife. The past tense made her heart skip a beat for she knew what it was like to lose a loved one. Her heart went out to him, but she didn't know how to console him. She had never been able to even console herself, let alone a man she was just getting to know. "I'm so sorry to hear that. And trust me when I say, I understand that just because the body can heal but the heart is an entirely different matter." she said as she reached into her blouse. Must have seemed quite odd at that exact moment, but Kleio pulled a locket out and took it off. Opening the sides, her fingers touched the glass covering the pictures though she could not see the pictures themselves. Handing him the locket, she decided to tell a story that had gone unspoken since the time it had happened. "Those are my little sisters Allegra and Caitlin." Taking her locket back, she closed the locket and put it back in its rightful place before speaking again.
"When I was ten, my parents died and since we had no living relatives, I had to grow up quickly and take care of my sisters. I didn't mind it at all really. They could be handfuls at times, but watching them grow into kind and beautiful girls made me feel fulfilled. But as hard as I made sure they had everything they could need, a roof over their head and food on the table, they didn't have the things other children had. They would never ask me for such things, but I wanted them to be happy. So one day a man came and offered me the chance to have as much money he could provide on the condition I kill the Fenghuang. Simply put, I took that chance and was compensated for having to live with my consequence. I left one night to pay for a nice meal for my sister's birthday and when I returned I found them bleeding on the floor and our small home torn apart. I held them through their last moments and in my grief, I ended up collapsing the walls of our home on accident. They've been buried there ever since and I have been here hiding in my shame and guilt of their deaths."
Taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes of the tears that threatened to fall. Looking down at the ground, she waited till her composure returned before she finished. "So I understand how much you might blame yourself, I know I do. Rationally we shouldn't, but emotionally we have to learn to live with wounds that may not heal. You never meant to harm the wife you held dear and I never meant for my decision to lead to my sisters' deaths. These are just more consequences we have to accept." Consequences, anyone who had killed a beast knew the term well. Soul lost his wife and without medicine would lose the ability to get close to anyone else for the rest of his life. She lost her siblings and her ability to see the last things she had left of them. It was this hardship that made them strong on the outside, but on the inside they wanted nothing more than to heal from wounds of their past. Perhaps someday it would be possible, but until then her dreams would be haunted by the dying faces of her sisters.
Taking out some plant seeds, she placed them in the ground and began to grow them. This was the best distraction for her and was surprisingly a soothing action. She could feel her energy flow and concentrate towards the plants, extend, and feel it travel through the plants as they grew. If not for this energy, she would not be able to "see" the outside world. With more time, and the full maturation of the plants, she was calm and no more tears threatened to leave her eyes. At the very least, being blind meant she could not see Soul's reaction. She did not want pity or understanding. She wanting nothing really, but for him to know he was not alone in pain. Maybe them stumbling upon each other would be beneficial for the both of them. Every person needs someone to lean on every now and then and now they both had someone to rely on if times got tough. 
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Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 8:14 pm
 "Things aren't that dark at night for us wolves." he said after her. Bakiryu was worried about a lot of things at that moment. They had never let a captured beast go before, and they had cured many kids already before finding them good homes. Some of the kids wished to continue to use their powers however and stayed to help out at the orphanage. Lonni was the one who brought the original five together and orchestrated the downfall of the laboratory. But sadly after their drugs wore off she had trouble telling the future. As Bakiryu and the others saw this they began to pick up the slack and help around more. This wasn't just a gang to these kids for most of them this was all they had. If someone didn't watch out for them they would end up the tool of someone or worse. Bakiryu left for his room a little bit after Sakuya left. She would be in contact with him soon. She was a tough girl, but she wasn't one to ignore a warning. She was the most careful out of all the leaders. At that moment Ryl walked up to Bakiryu. "Did we really let him go?" asked Ryl. "Ya Lonni got a reading that he was alot more important than we thought." answered Bakiryu. Ryu kicked the wall hard almost caving it in. "I was so close. I let him sucker punch me and I can't even sock him one because he so damn important?" shouted Ryl. Bakiryu placed a hand on his shoulder amd Ryl tried to shake him off but the grip was alot stronger than he thought. Looking down to Ryl Bakiryu held a serious face. "You wanna sock me one instead? Or maybe you would rather hit Lonni?" asked Bakiryu. Ryl crossed his arms. "Shut it. I'm not a child you know!" he yelled. "Then stop acting like one and keep your voice down. Your not the only one who is suffering, and out of everyone your consequence is not as serious. Unless you have a sweet thing that we don't know about" said Bakiryu making a kissing face. Ryl swung at him but Bakiryu didn't dodge. Taking the hit right to the cheek he grinned slamming their heads together. "That's it keep that anger. And the next time you go on a mission. Sock them just like you did me!" shouted Bakiryu. Riki walked down the hallway yawning. "Would you two shut up. Normal people are trying to get some sleep." he suggested. Bakiryu smiled and nodded. "Sure thing doc." said Ryl walking off. "The power was no where near worth what we lost. Id give this power back in an instant if I could bring her back. But she would have smacked me good if I died to a monster like that, and boy could she pack a punch." said Soul rubbing his cheek gently. "But I've realized all I'm doing is running away. I should be doing something to make sure that this never happens to anyone else. So I'm going to leave this place soon for the Blood Moon. I don't know how I'll do it, but I'm going to get that seal working again. Before this world decays completely." said Soul running over the ribbon he had in his shirt with his fingers.
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Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:04 pm
 Smiling softly at his words, Soul was definitely a character. That smile drifted away when a few more words left his mouth. "You can't be serious. Leaving Blood Moon must have been dangerous enough, let alone going back to fix the seal. You're strong but you're not invincible Soul." Kleio was appalled at the idea of Soul going in by himself to do something no sane person would ever consider. Sure, they were hermits and weren't exactly sane... but logistically Soul had not thought through this plan whatsoever. He would need a constant supply of his medicine unless he wanted to kill innocent people he may encounter in the more populated areas of this land and his temper was something that could get him in quite a bit of trouble if he let it get away from him. Sighing, she leaned her head against her fist and looked at Soul as much as a blind woman could look at person. "I'm going with you. Two minds are greater than one and I can grow your plant wherever or whenever you need it." Knowing he was about to protest for her safety, she had a vine smack him on the back fo the head and chuckled. He may be stubborn, but she was once a provider of children. She could handle his protests and if not, she'd just continue to smack some sense into him.
Tossing and turning, Sakuya could not get any sleep. Her mind was racing with potential informants to speak to, the methods she would use to get the information, and the layout of the areas each person would be. This was what gave her a thrill, planning everything ahead and wondering if she'd ever get caught. She hadn't so far and had even made a few friends in the underground that she could count on for either reliable materials or information and they could count on her the same. Grumbling for a moment, she took a pill that Riki made for her and some of the others to keep them awake, and she changed to get redressed. Slipping into her boots, she gathered her sack, weapon, and cloak before moving to leave her room. She would check on Bakiryu to see if he wanted to join her. He probably would, even if he was tired, but she naturally would try to persuade him to sleep.
Down the hall, she could hear Ryl complaining about the Chimera getting away. Even if he was like family, she wanted to punch his lights out more often than not. He was quite the arrogant boy. Maybe it was the chimera in him, who knew? She'd have to look into later. Turning the corner, she knocked lightly on Bakiryu's door before slipping in. He wasn't there but she grabbed his cloak and hid it in her bag for when she found him. Just in case she couldn't persuade him. After a few minutes she found him wandering the halls. Going up to him, she smiled and patted his back before rounding out in front of him. "I can't sleep so I'm going to head out. You can join if you want, but I'd rather you get some sleep. Plus I don't want you to cramp my style." she said as she began to try to walk him towards his room. He barely moved, but she tried tugging on his arm for him to follow her. She was weaker, but it made her point. Smiling at him, she gave him a look before letting him halt her progress to his room.
"Sleep. I'm here as a gesture to make you feel better that I won't just slip out into the middle of the night when you directly made a point to keep me safe. But I'm a big girl who knows how to do her job well so no worries, okay?" Sakuya gave Bakiryu a thumbs up with her question, but he wasn't having it. Glaring at him, she rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. She figured he wouldn't listen to her, but it never hurt to try. As he began to move towards the entrance of their home, she tossed him his cloak and the pill to keep them awake. It was healthy enough according to Riki, though she knew some of them took it more than they probably should. As they walked, she gave him her conditions. He was not allowed to speak to anyone in the underground unless she gave the okay. He was not allowed to threaten or attack anyone who made any form of move towards her. And lastly, he had to act like he heard or saw nothing. People get far too antsy when someone reacts to things overheard and she had seen a few newcomers die by just turning after something was said. Passing someone on their way out, she told them to let Riki know they were heading out for a while and he needed to hold down the fort again. With that said, they were off into the night.
It took a little bit for them to reach the hidden city. They wound their way deep into the forest near one of the main towns. Eventually they came to a crevice in the rock face. Grabbing a leaf from the ground, she set it on fire and tossed it into the crevice. For a moment there was nothing and then all of a sudden there was a rumble and the rocks opened up enough for a person to fit through. Motioning for him to follow, she went through first and led Bakiryu through the rock till they got to the other end. Somehow, nature created a large valley behind the rocks. On the other side they were too tall to climb up and they extended out for a long distance. No one had stumbled upon them yet and they did not plan on it happening ever. It was far to secure. "Now we wait and roam about. One of my informants should spot us soon and then our work begins... Try not to look at anyone funny." she said as she began to walk through the makeshift town in the valley.
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Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:11 pm
 One last bite...
Feeling the slight sting in the back of his head he rubbed the spot and smiled. "To tell the truth...I was hoping that you would come." answered Soul. Things weren't like what they were when he was in the army. Of course he had potential far above the common soldier, but you had numbers to back you up if things got mucked. And now he was going to be the one going against such numbers. "But you have to make me a promise." he said waiting for Kleio to react to what he said and look in his direction. "If things go south, and I tell you to run. Just do it." he said in a serious tone that would convey his feelings. This was his suicidal plan, and he wasn't going to put her life on the line for a stupid half baked plan.
"The hardest thing will be getting a boat to the other continent. I don't think anyone sane will take us there. We might have to think of a different plan." said Soul. "But first things first. Supplies. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. Let's get a good nights rest."
"Your not that big..." answered Bakiryu covering up a yawn with his hand and chuckled a bit. Catching a pill in the palm of his hand he looked at it before cracking his mouth open and tossing it in. The way he ate things often made people just what his stomach was made of. Taking his cloak from Sakuya he already started to feel the effects of the pill. That was probably because he took the pill on an empty stomach. He would need to grab some food on the way to where ever they were headed.
Sadly Sakuya forbade him from eating any of the tiny woodland creatures he saw on their way to the city, and they had no time to grab something in the kingdom. Feeling the rumble of his stomach he had to believe in the promise of food upon arrival. Distracted by the hunger pains he didn't notice what Sakuya was doing with what seemed just an ordinary leaf. Suddenly the cracking of rocks drew his attention. "That is a nifty little trick." said Bakiryu. "The things that you must see on your travels."
Chuckling in response Sakuya issued him a warning as an answer. "Have you ever known me to cause trouble. That's Ryl you have me confused with." he answered following her through the passage. It wasn't a long walk through the secret path, and before long the lively city came into view. A collection of tents and horrible man made living conditions. Still the location was perfect for a den of thieves and bandits.
Walking through next to Sakuya he kept his eyes forward and settled his nerves. Soon as Sakuya said a man approached them. Stopping slightly behind Sakuya Bakiryu waited for the man to stop eyeing him up. "So who is this? You hire a bodyguard?" he asked. Sakuya introduced him, but even with that Bakiryu didn't have his trust. He was told to wait outside while Saku and him chat. Bakiryu was sure that she could take this man if need be, but he hated being told to wait outside like some dog. But Sakuya assured him that this was standard for new people.
"Fine just hurry it up I'm hungry." answered Bakiryu. As she headed inside he stood next to the door watching a few people enjoy some food and ale. It wasn't long before one of the drunken fools spotted the newcomer. "Hey come over here and share a cup with us!" yelled the man. Bakiryu ignored him and closed his eyes leaning against the wall. "O-oh you too good for us dirty mutts eh?" said the main stumbling to his feet and making his way over taking a swig out of his jug.
The man grabbed Bakiryu's cloak and tried to pull him down to his level, but Baki was a wall when he wanted to be. The cloak slipping from his grip the drunk man fell backwards breaking his jug as his friends laughed at him. "Grrrr! Yo-ou buy me another one!" he shouted at Bakiryu. "I've had about enough of your idiocy. Just go back to your table and quit making an a** out of yourself." said Bakiryu glaring down at the man. The man stood up drawing a knife as Bakiryu sighed. "Im sorry Sakuya." he said as the man lunged at him. Spinning quickly he shoved the mans head into the brick wall and snatched the knife from his hand. Stabbing the blade into the man's shirt he pinned him to the wall.
Turning around another man had ran up and punched him in the face. Smiling Bakiryu headbutted him so hard he went unconscious. "That was quite a punch! Get up so we can go another round!" he shouted. The remaining patrons got up one by one as the shopkeeper quickly closed up shop. Knives, swords, and a few broken bottles arming the drunken masses. Bakiryu took off his cloak and threw it onto a chair nearby. Making a few test swings he took a crouched stance as he counted his opponents. "Just seventeen? Maybe Sixteen and a half if I count shorty over there." taunted Bakiryu. The short man yelled and ran flailing his sword. Smirking Bakiryu stood up straight placing his hands in his pocket and kicked the man into a table splintering it. "Sixteen."
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Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:15 pm
Kleio scoffed silently at his request. What type of friend would just run away at the sign of danger? If they were going to do this, they were both going to come out of this alive. Crossing her arms, she tried to muster up the most stubborn look she could convey. "No. Either I'm in this with you all the way or no dice. I'm stronger than I think you give me credit for." she said. Her emotions must have extended to the vine she was controlling because it bobbed up and down as though to nod its metaphorical head in agreement. Noticing the vine by extension of her vision, she released her hold on it and let it fall limply to the ground. "As for the boat, I can get us that.... Um... I kinda have a lot of money that is buried deep in the ground of my home village. We can get most of our supplies there too, except for your plant of course. I'll grow three bushes before I go to bed." Pulling out the small piece of the plant she kept and placed it in the ground. As usual, it didn't take long for it to grow into three separate, and quite large, bushes. Taking another piece from the plant, she placed it in her pouch and readied herself to go to bed. Saying goodnight, she snuggled into her fur bed and dozed off.
"He's my unrelated brother, got it? I vouch for him and I can say without a lie that he's mainly here to see if the conditions I do... business in are safe. Now you've always been so kind, shall we just move on with everything? After all, you've always taken such good care of me." Sakuya asked as she flashed a dazzling smile to the guy. He grunted once and with a nod, held his arm out for her. She linked her arm in his, turned her head to shush Bakiryu, and walked towards his home. Outside, the man stopped Bakiryu from entering and she shrugged. There were unspoken rules of conduct to follow and just because he was with someone who was considered a part of the community did not give him a reprieve from those rules. "Remember what I said and if you're a good boy I'll buy you the best food in all of the valley when I'm done." Smiling at him, she turned and went into the home, securely locking the door behind her."Now what is it you're here for now? I thought you got all of the information you needed." the man said as he sat down at his table. Sakuya sat down across from him and put her bag on the table.
"I actually need more information on the man. Background, likes, dislikes, you name it I need it. I also need the same type of information on a woman named Kleio Rhode. In return, I can not only triple your usual payment, but I also found out the name of man that killed your partner. I can send Tabatha after him and make sure he dies an excruciating death. I'll even throw in her bringing back a trophy from the kill for you." As she spoke, she pulled out a decent sized pouch of medicine Riki made and placed it in front of the man. Riki knew she bartered his medicine and poisons as one method to gain information and he always made extra for her to trade. Luckily she had been stock piling it for moments like this. The man picked up the bag and sorted through its contents before nodding his head. Taking hte bag back, she smiled and shook his hand. "You're going to have to give me some time to gather what you need. Come back in three weeks. In the mean time, I think your brother is causing trouble."
Turning her head, Sakuya heard the sound so common to her ears: a fight. Standing, she let herself out of the home and after closing the door, she moved to stand behind Bakiryu. One moment she was calm, the next moment she quickly kicked the back of his knees hard enough to make him falter and look at her. "I told you not to cause trouble. I'm supposed to business here, you crazy trouble magnet." Shaking her head, she listened to his explanation of everything and moved to the man pinned to the wall. Taking out one of her knives, she put it to the man's chin. "Oh dear, what am I to do with you? You knew he was with me, and yet I know you started everything. You hate newcomers and me. But you forget that unlike most, you're just a weak and sniveling pocket thief. Mess with me or my brother again, I'll send you know who after you." Dragging her knife down his jaw line, she made sure she left a scar as a reminder of what she said.
Cleaning her knife on his shirt, she smiled and walked away. Grabbing Bakiryu by the arm, she dragged him far away. Soon they were on the other side of the valley at another food establishment. Trading some goods for their hot meals, she put five plates of food in front of Bakiryu and one smaller one for herself. "I would have gotten you more, but you weren't exactly a good boy like I asked." she said with a laugh as she dug into her food. All of that threatening put her in a foul mood, but this food was the best in all of the valley. Took a bit more of a barter to get the food, but it was always well worth it. Finishing quickly, she threw her plate away and sat back down in front of Bakiryu. Motioning for him to be silent, another person came up to them, this time a small girl. Taking out a piece of paper, she handed it to the girl along with a smaller bag of medicines and the girl nodded before running away. Sakuya was well known for what she had to offer in trade: Tabatha's services and medicines and poisons from Riki. Everyone wanted some, but only a few were trusted as reliable for the information she sought. The most unlikely of characters were always the best.
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Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 11:40 pm
Bakiryu was just about to charge the group and make a real mess of the place when Saku just had to ruin all his fun. He had a real short temper when he was hunger, and this lot chose the wrong time to tangle with this famished fighter. But he didn't want to cause more trouble for her than he already had so he kept his hands placed firmly in his pockets. "They started it. I was just minding my own business. See I'm not even using my hands here. You should be proud." he said smiling.
Feeling Sakuya tug at his arm he let her guide him away before he trashed this entire man's shop. Sitting down he waited for Sakuya to trade a few thing for their meals. It was times like this that they were lucky that their group was so diverse. Riki with his medicines and Tabby with her killer instinct. They helped pay the bills and provide food for the kids. They couldn't steal that much food without drawing a large amount of attention to the orphanage. So they were left with using legitimate means of obtaining food.
Bakiryu just made sure that nobody just treated them like a bunch of kids. He was bigger than most adults and when his patience wasn't being tested he could act pretty well mannered. "This will do for now Sakuya. Thank you." he said digging in to a well anticipated meal. One of the entrees she got from him was a nice thick steak which he decided that he would save for last. The others consisted of soups and other food from the other food groups. Sakuya always made sure that if she got him a meal that it was a well rounded one that would actually fill him up. His body consumed more calories than most of the group combined so it was a chore keeping him fed. Because of that Bakiryu was only used when his strength was truly needed as not to waste energy.
As the girl approached Bakiryu made himself busy with his meal, and by the time the girl had left he was finally on the steak that he coveted so much. Tearing into with beast like manners he teeth shredded it like paper. He was truly an animal in a human's form. If not for the orphanage he would spend his time in the forest truly living like one. "So did you find anything useful?" said Bakiryu as he finished the last bit of steak licking his fingers with satisfaction.
As Kleio snapped at him he smirked. "Fine, you have a point. If we are going to be partners I need to have more faith in you." he answered sitting down on a stone. "Is your home far from here?" asked Soul. A long journey was the least of the problems. He had enough stamina to go just about anywhere he needed to. But the risk of getting caught by bounty hunters was always lingering on his thoughts. The bounty was high since the order was issue by the king himself, and after all these years he still heard whispers of it here and there on his rare visits to the village. People are still as desperate as ever to make a quick profit.
Getting an estimate on the distance from Kleio he began to map out the journey in his head. It would take about half a day to get there by normal means. But Soul always had a plan or two up his sleeve. Finding some left over wood he stored he carved a saddle, and cushioned it with some furs. Smiling at his handy work he decided that it was time for him to get some sleep as well. The next day was going to be a long one even if his plan did go well.
The next morning he woke far ahead of Kleio and put his clothes into a bag. Placing his hands on the ground he changed his body into that of a horse. Forming tendrils he picked up and fastened the saddle and absorbed his supplies into his body. To anyone else that would seem something grotesque, but to him that was normal behavior. He was sure that Kleio wouldn't appreciate it so he would have her fasten her things to the saddle. Easing himself down he rested on the ground waiting for her to awaken.
"Years as a bloodied warrior, and now I'm using a flower to dull my fangs. My comrades would never let me live this down." - Soul Agares
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 3:24 pm
   Sakuya laughed and shook her head. Bakiyru had a lot to learn about information gathering. It never happened that quickly. "You need to give this time. Why do you think I disappear for days on end? By the end of the day someone should come by with a lead for me or a full piece of coherent information. After that, we leave and follow the trail... Or I leave and you go back to the job you know how to do without getting me in trouble" she said with a wink to him as he finished devouring his food. Once taking their plates away, she led Bakiryu around the stalls and carts. They didn't purchase anything, but it wasted enough time for the girl from before to catch up to them. She slipped a piece of paper into her hand and walked away as Kleio slipped another bag into the girls hand. Peaking at the slip of paper, she burned it and took Bakiryu's arm to lead him out. They could go home for now. The man wouldn't have information about Soul for a week, but Kleio's information could be found now. Or at least a lead was given.
Something changed in Kleio's immediate environment and that stirred her sleeping mind into consciousness. Grumbling, she stuck her hand out of her cocoon like fur bed and touched the ground. In Soul's place was an animal... a horse? Shaking her head, she began to disentangle herself from her bed. "You don't think anyone will be suspicious about a blind woman riding a horse? Really?" she asked as she flattened down her hair and began to pack up her belongings. It didn't take long and she kept her bag near her side as she figured what to do. He kept trying to use his tendrils to take her bags, but her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to allow him to take the bag. Eventually she decided to at least put her pack on him and she moved towards him and sighed. Riding by horse would be faster, but it would most certainly be weird for her. She hated to be off the ground. Creating a vine anklet, she allowed a small piece to dangle off. It would extend to reach the ground as she sat on Soul.
"No funny business." she said as she adjusted herself on the saddle. She could only feel the vaguest things about her environment through the vine and it scared her. Clutching strongly to the saddle, she told him he could start heading to the destination she gave last night. Upon the saddle she wouldn't be able to direct him. Hopefully nothing came out to attack them. He could handle it, but she was no damsel in distress. Grumbling silently all along their way, Soul made it to the outskirts of the city shortly after the sun left the center of the sky. Sliding not so gracefully off her horse, she latched on to the closest tree she could find and took a few deep breaths. "Next time, I'm walking. So can you change into something other than a horse? I can hide our things in this tree." Not waiting for Soul to agree, she took the bags off of his saddle and hid the bags in the tree roots as she had done further in the forest. It was so nice to be able to do something for herself again.
Kleio chided her inner self for thinking such thoughts. Soul was only trying to be nice and make the journey easier. Biting her lip, she waited for him to change into something a blind woman would keep around. He did so and she put on her cloak to lead him into the village. It was the poorer end of her village, run down with wooden homes and raggedly dressed people. Kleio grew up on this side of the village and even after they gained money, she and her sisters resided here. Just thinking about that time made her heart and mind cold and sad, but she had things she had to attend to. Her sisters would want her to help Soul with his goal. Through the dirt streets, a few people began to stare at Kleio's cloaked figure. A few she recognized as old neighbors, but none were going to harm her. If anything they were just curious. She was, after all, going to the sink-hole in the village. Stopping at the edge, her mind extended into where the house sunk in because of her. The jewels weren't originally in the house, but after it sank she buried them deep in the earth with her sisters. No one would go near the place due to silly superstitions.
Biting her lip, she jumped down into the sinkhole. It was only a ten meters deep. Landing lightly on her feet, she moved to the center of the hole and began to focus. Gemstones and jewels were a bit funny to get from the earth, they were natural yet not the same as living plants. It took a few minutes, but she was eventually able to locate them and began to push all of the gems up to the surface. One by one sparkling and beautifully colored gems were popping out of the ground. Once the last one was out, she took out a bag and picked every single one up and made her way out of the hole. Not before she said goodbye to her sisters and that she missed them though. At the top, she motioned for Soul to follow quickly. No one would want the stones in the hole, but they were now out and she knew what that could mean. Rushing quickly, she made it to the tree and began to grow poisonous plants large and tall around the tree they were near. It would keep away the villagers for the time being. "Is that enough to pay for our travel expenses?" she asked as she held out the bag to Soul.
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Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 11:01 am
"I figured you were out having a blast. Your job seems very boring. There is no way I could go out for that long without getting in a fight or two." answered Bakiryu. He was a brawler before and after being infected with his beast. As a kid he always got into fights with the other kids for stupid things. He didn't win every fight, but he always gave as good as he got. As him and Sakuya wandered through the city streets he got a couple of looks from the people behind the stalls, but no one started anything with him. It seemed that word of how he dealt with the last attempt circled fast.
He was both happy and sad at that. On one hand he didn't have to worry about getting Sakuya in trouble, but on the other he couldn't fight anyone else there. And he was sure that there were one or two people that would last at least two or three rounds. But they were the people that paid little attention to him. They were obviously the bosses of this area. The superiority was always easy to see once you were in a like position. "We are leaving already?" he said as she started leading him back to the entrance. They headed back through the tunnel and back out to the forest.
"Looking for Soul? What do you need with that stray mutt?" said a voice closing in. Bakiryu couldn't tell where the voice was coming from even with his experience. Finally a man stepped out in front of them with a crazy smile on his face. After Bakiryu felt something else in the forest. It was huge, but in the dense forest he couldn't see it. It was almost as it was making itself known on purpose as a threat. "Your better off staying away from him. He is known to bite." said the man keeping the focus on him with a smile. This guy was far more dangerous than he was trying to seem.
"Wouldn't dream of it," he said smiling. As a horse the smile looked pretty weird. He had forgot to make the teeth of the horse flat so he had fangs. "Almost forgot," he said as he formed his teeth to the proper shape. As he did that Kleio found her proper position. After she was ready he galloped off in the direction she gave him. It wasn't long before they arrived near the village, and he was ordered to change into something different. Deciding the wolf form would be fine he changed into that. With the pipe hanging from his mouth he would look a little weird so he swallowed it spreading the smoke around his body with a second mouth he created internally. He had done something like that before but it was as uncomfortable as it sounded.
Soul often felt down about the things he could do with his body. It made him feel alienated like he wasn't really a man anymore, but just some thing. It wasn't far from the truth but he liked to believe that he was till somewhat human.
Sitting down on top of the sinkhole he waited patiently for her to gather the money. He knew this place held bad memories for her. When she came back out he was signaled quickly to follow him and he did quickly. As they were surrounded with thorns she showed him the gems. "Its enough but...we'll need to sell them somewhere. They won't take them like this at the ports. To many people have used alchemy to form fake stones." he answered.
"I know a few places, and the way you are dressed now will fit right in. Luckily the place is near the port city of Alundra." said Soul. "Let's get out of here while we still remain somewhat unknown." They retrieved their things and ran off into the forest toward the city. As soon as they were sure they weren't being followed they slowed down. "I'm sorry we had to come here. It must have been hard for you." he said moving the pipe out of his body to his main mouth. "We'll be at the port city by the end of the day at this pace. We will sleep in an Inn and in the morning we will head to the place we can sell those gems. And don't worry about getting into the Inn. I have a form that will get us a room for free."
When the arrived in the city the view was breath taking from the cliff. Paper lanterns lit the city streets and in the distance you could see the ocean and the boats coming in to dock. The buildings were like those in the Kingdom of Kusokai. Since they ruled this Territory it only made sense. Their ships were the safest means of travel across the ocean. "This way" he said leading her down the cliff. On the way down he changed his appearance to a middle aged man with brown hair and a scar across his face. "I helped deal with a gang problem, and they gave me a free room to stay in when I'm here. Easy right? If only every city had a problem so easily fixed."
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