!PRIVATE! Marchen: The Journey

[Aki Ameko]

Aki froze just as her hand had almost reached the doorknob. "A package...?" She asked, bewildered. And a message... She thought. It gave her a foreboding feeling...but she had no choice but to accept.

She approached the barman, trying not to give away the nervousness inside. "A-are you sure it's for me...? I can't think of anyone who would send me anything... My family has no idea where I am, you see..."

[SilverDragonetsu]

"I'm afraid this isn't from anyone of great distance away though."
What the bar keep brought to set atop the counter was a heavyduty leather carry bag with a strap and silver metal clasp. (More or less, it looks like the detectives kit item.)

The single buckle of the strap of the bag was of pure silver and lain with intricate vinery, as it were. The over flap was decorated in a burnt on elvish embrodery.(sp?) Adn the fastening clasp was of what appeared to be a fang, with carved decor which made up a seal of protection in the fangs surface.

"A months worth of rations: Dried meats and fruits, bread, cheese. Buck skin water cantiens, A hunting knife, blankets. Honestly, I don't know how that man made it all fit...and it weight naught more than a few pounds."

The note stuck to the side read in fine hand writing: "Sorry for the trouble. ~Ryuu"

"Oh, yes. There is a horse in the stables made up right and ready for you. Saddle and all, as well. The stable boy should be out there brushing 'em down now and packing rations of grain for you."

[Aki Ameko]

Aki paled and stared at the man in disbelief, still frozen in the same position by the door. "You're...you're kidding me, right? This is a joke..." There was a slight flutter in her voice, as though she was trying to laugh, but it couldn't mask her nervous disbelief.

Slowly, Aki walked back over to the bar and picked up the note as if it were something vile. 'Sorry for the trouble. ~Ryuu' Aki's face went bright red with heat, then when stone cold. WHY THAT LITTLE... HE'S GOT HIS NERVE... WHAT THE HECK IS HE PLAYING AT??!!

Aki dropped the note on the table causally. "I can't possibly accept this. I've been doing fine on my own for years, honestly. I can't accept such a gift. Tell him thank you, but I'm sorry..."

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Not at all. Such generosity. I wonder what provoked him..?" The bar keep rubbed his stuble in question.
"W-wha-wait. I can't take this back. It's already been paid for in full, adn besides, this bag isn't mine. I can't keep it. I'm afraid your going to have to take this, miss." Gahrroe looked at Aki with stern-ness, pressing the bag across the counter to her.

"If you'd like to tell him sorry, you can say so yourself. The man who left the bag here is out in the stables. He hadn't even left this morning yet."

[Aki Ameko]

OUT IN THE STABLES IS HE...? Well then... Aki took the bag reluctantly, face still stone cold. "Fine. I'll go meet him." And Aki walked out the door a little more quickly than she may have intended.

"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON THAT LITTLE..." She muttered under her breath before walking into the stables. "RYUU!"

[SilverDragonetsu]

"So where'd you get him?", the stable boy asked as he hefted a bucket of seed from the ground and onto a ledge. He was a young boy, maybe 6 or 7.

"I found him causing a ruckus way down east, in the mountains on the other side of Paddrom Tills. Since then, he's followed me everywhere I go."
Ryuu grinned to himself as he helped the boy lift the bucket of grain, which was set into a grain shelf.

"Can I pet him?", the boy asked curiously.
"Pet him? How about I let you sit on his back?", Ryuu lifted the boy up and settled him in the back of a pitch black horse. Or at least what appeared to be a horse.

It's eyes were pure red. In place of it's hooves were what looked like dragons feet, though most of it's feet were covered in long hair that started at about the knee. Parts of the body were dotted or patched with hard gem like material that was melded with the skin; was apart of the skin. And even appeared to change color; at present it was a glowing red.

Peeking from under the long black, red tipped hair at the top of it's head, where the mane began, was a short 3 inch black razor horn, tipped in crimson.
Said mane went all done the creatures back to it's rear where it became the tail. It's ears were still to a Horse like appearence, though were slightly longer and one was pierce with a ring, from which hung an amethyst gem.

Back to the present, no sooner had Ryuu set the boy on the creatures back and begun to explan a few odities about the creatures, the two turned to the door way where Aki had come in. Ryuu blinking wonderingly, wondering why she seemed so made.
"You know, your kinda cute when your upset..."
"Who's that, Mister? Is she your girlfriend?", the stable boy asked from atop the strange creature form which he sat. Said creature turned his glowing red eyes annoyedly at Aki, puffing a cloud of hot steam from his nostrals as he whinnied.

[Aki Ameko]

Aki stopped for a moment, startled by the sight of the strange looking horse. Then she switched her previous rage to cool venom. 'Cute when I'm upset', am I? 'Girlfriend'??

Arms crossed in front of her, she walked right up to Ryuu and narrowed her eyes dangerously. "I don't need your hospitality." She said cooly. "I've been fine on my own for years."

[SilverDragonetsu]

Ryuu looked from Aki to the boy upon the horse. The boy shrugged, "So I'm guessing she's not your girlfriend then?"

"Oookay, I think it's time for little boys to go and finish his chores.", Ryuu sighed gently with an uneasy grin. He pulled the boy down from the horse, he of whom whined gently.

"Alright. See ya later Mr. Ryuu! Bye Mr. Ryuu's lady friend!", he gave a wave and went off to the far back of the stables.
Ryuu turned back to Aki and rubbed the back of his head. "Kids..heh...anyway...What's this about hospitality?"

[Aki Ameko]

Aki gave Ryuu a highly annoyed expression. "Are you playing dumb?? The rations, Dimwit. And the horse...or whatever that is..." Aki gave the 'horse' a rather disgusted look... Perhaps more disgusted than she meant to. The disgusted look was REALLY meant for Ryuu.

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Rations? Oh yeah. I figured we'd need extra. It was really the bag I meant to give you, but I had the bar keep fill it up before hand so it was ready for when we leave. And this isn't ahorse. He's a Horgon. And he's mine. Your horse is in the stable yet. She's---Eh...Aki? I wouldn't stare at him that way....Horgons get real intimidated when you stare, and they're tempermental."

Said creature, the Horgon, lifted his head dominantly in a proud manner, glaring towards aki all the same with intense narrowed red eyes. Puffing steam from his nostrals, the Horgon streateched his neck out to shake his head, tossling his hair from side to side.

[Aki Ameko]

"WE??!!" Aki advanced on Ryuu immediately, ignoring his comments about the horgan. Her eyes burned with anger. "WE??!! I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH YOU. YOU--YOU--" She waved her arms about wildy as she searched for a proper insult, and her eyes fell on his silver hair. "--DIRTY OLD MAN!!"

[SilverDragonetsu]

"D-Dirty old man?!", Ryuu stepped back a few steps. he felt uneasy about that look in Aki's eye. She looked like she was about to kill. Furrowing his brows in his own rage, he stepped up to Aki, towering over her.

"How inconciderate!", he cried out. "After all the trouble I went to to apologise. And you call me a dirty old man! I'm not even that old, either. . ."

[Aki Ameko]

Aki took a step back, but did not let her guard down. "If you want to be considerate, just leave me the heck alone!!" She said huffily.

At his next comment, Aki tilted her head to the side and cocked an eyebrow. "Not that old, eh? Then tell me, how old ARE you...?" A challenging smirk spread across her face.

[SilverDragonetsu]

Leave her alone? Oh dear no. He'd gotten himself involved with her the moment he'd said hello. Well, okay, he hadn't quite said hello, but you get the idea, right?

"Well, if you must know," Ryuu crossed his arms over his chest right diligently, first leaning back, then bowing foreward toward Aki in making a point. "I am only just 23 years old! And how are you? It's only fair."