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AnqeIicDemise Vice Captain
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 Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:51 pm
The Citadel
Upon stepping through the grand double doors of the Guild Hall large stone pillars reach toward the sky as to uphold a massive roof in place. Shadows abound here and the exterior corredor stretches in two directions, the walls and intermitent pillars lined with flickering torches for light. Upon closer inspection,however, it is evident that the living flames radiate no heat and if one where to run their hands through them it would be of no consequence. These are made of holographic images that radiate enough light to fool the senses.
Some twenty paces from the entrance, just beyond the pillars' reach, polished, two-tone marble gives way to cobble stone. Here, the sky plays witness and backdrop to water-stained, ever vigilant, granite gargoyles. Their grotesque forms perch along the outer edge of the roof atop a stone pillar. An army of these creatures look downward upon the vast expanse of the citadel as the corridors eventually bend in sharp corners to enclose the area. In the center of the open space, a large fountain resides, where a trio of mischievous cherubim are caught in midflight, pouring water from their conch shells to the center. Aphrodite herself can be seen caught in the middle, her long hair trapped in a perpetual, unfelt breeze as she bathes with the water provided. She is laughing, enjoying the scene which the little winged-ones provide.
Around the fountain four hedges grow so each forms a quadrant of a large circle. A second circle is then composed, again in four quadrants in the shape of marble benches as a tree, a rather young apple variant grows right behind it.
The Citadel is the most popular place among the Hall's residents. Visitors from far and wide come here to congregate to such a degree that various merchants line the outskirts of the courtyard and haggle their wares. Spices, food and voices fill the area in a rather picturesque fashion.
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:08 pm
Bagel winced again. The low rumble of his stomached caused him to wince in discomfort. It had been a few days since the young man had tasted the sweet flavor of fruit or the filling warmth of a fresh roast. He had no need to be thirsty, for the marble Aphrodite provided all that he could drink. The fountains crystal clear waters where probably the only free thing left theses days.
Bagel got up from his seated position beneath one of the many stone gargoyles that littered the area. He proceeded to pat the dust off his cloak. The small clouds of finite dust left the tattered and aged fabric only to settle again on the weathered stone of the courtyard floor. Bagel glanced up as he walked out from the cool shadow of the grotesque sculpture. The sun was starting to get low in the sky and had turned a color that rivaled the depth of red one would find on a fresh apple.
The moment of admiration was cut short by another rumble. Bagel decided to see if he could try and get something to eat from one of the many vendors that littered the courtyard. The small stands sat in rows and contained just about everything a person could want. Foods where sold there that came from many of the surrounding countries. The rarer ones priced accordingly. Among the food stands there were also many that sold clothing, weapons, jewelry, and tools. All of which were out of Bagel's price range at this point. He walked towards the lower priced shops. They looked more run down and older than the other ones. their posts worn, and their signs faded. yet the quality of the stand did not reflect on the quality of the items they peddled.
To save some time bagel walked past the fountain at the center of the courtyard. He walked somewhat lazily. He was on no hurry for the deed he was about to do. he always felt guilty when he had to do anything dishonest. Despite the fact that he had done it many times before, his heart would not let him commit his crimes of hunger without feeling the familiar twinge of guilt. His worn shoes padding slightly on the stone ground, causing little puffs of dust to form with every step, as he made his way past the fountain. He paused a moment to examine himself in the reflection of the cool waters. He smiled his crooked smile as he stared at the dark haired figure that could only stare back at him. The dark blue cloak they both wore appearing almost black in the fading light of the evening. Satisfied with what he saw he ran his hand thru his dark brown hair and continued toward the food stands.
Just as he passed the hedge on the other side of the fountain he heard a large commotion. The volume of the usual buzz of business was heightened exponentially.
"Stop! Thief!" He looked up at the sound of this, a guilty reflex. He noticed up ahead that another cloaked figure, with his or her hood conveniently up was a mere few inches from colliding with him. attempting to side step the oncoming person, bagel tripped over his own robe. It was a few sizes to large and drug the ground, a constant deterrent of evasive menu avers. Caught off guard, he began to flail his arms in an attempt to keep from falling. His hand however found itself striking the accused thief square on the shoulder. Both cloaked figures fell to the ground in a heap. An explosion of fruit, apples peaches, and oranges, erupted around Bagel. Seizing the opportunity he grabbed the nearest one and concealed it under his cloak in a hurry.
Now to get away with it.
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:56 pm
Keiji pushed open the large double-doors and cringed at the loud creek it had to make as the hinges rubbed each other. He cringed again and shuddered as the door closed and slammed behind him. Slowly looking around, he took a moment to admire the dark and mysterious beauty behind the look of The Citadel. Rubbing one of the pillars, the torches bolted onto the pillars caught his eye. After having watched it flicker until his eyes started to hurt from the constant exposure to light, he quickly looked away and blinked at the green spot in his vision.
Moving on he looked up at the gargoyles that decorated the roof. He placed his hand on his chin in the cliched thinking stance. Then, deciding that he couldn't look at the ugly beasts any longer, he left the area.
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:02 pm
-The cool air felt good against Shainals skin, and she enjoyed it while sitting peacefully upon one of the marble benches. Placed next to her was a small basket in which several different fruits and vegetables were compiled. She had brought them in hopes of trading them for something more valuable, but had gotten too entranced by the Citadel to move on. It seemed that she had been staring over at one of the massive statues that lined the hall for hours. The stone gargoyles were depicting just enough ferocity to make Shainal inwardly cringe, and she hated that the granite creatures were affecting her so. Her eyes still focused on the gargoyle, she blindly reached into the basket next to her and plucked out a fruit at random, not bothering to look at it as she lifted it to her lips and bit into it. As the sweet juices entered her mouth, however, she identified it as a peach.-
Mm..goodness..I can't sell this now..
-She ate the peach and mumbled things to herself every now and then. Talking to herself was common, as she was almost always alone. Shainal had learned that if anyone loved listening to her talk, it was she. Most people she came across found her to be slightly crazy, but she didn't mind it. She rather be crazy talking to herself, than crazy talking to a wall.-
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:44 pm
Ryken browsed the market stalls, buying an apple at one, a pear at another, and inspecting the quality of the weapons at another. He sat down by the fountain for a while to inspect the things he had bought. He lifted his pack and lowered it to the ground, then put half a dozen fruits, a large coil of tightly-wound rope, and a dagger with an ornate blade in the shape of a long, coiling dragon. he tied the equally ornate sheath of the dagger to his belt and placed the dagger inside, hung the rope from a hook on the side of his pack, and placed all the fruit but an apple into the main pouch of his pack.
he held the apple in his left hand and munched on it thoughtfully while examining the people at the market. He noticed many things; a pickpocket lifting the coin purse from a man talking to his companions, a botched thievery that ended in a collision, and something that appeared to be a coin lying on the ground. Not one to give up money, even the slightest amount, Zandar strolled over and picked it up. It wasn't worth much, it was just a small, silver coin, but he placed it in the small money pouched tightly secured to his belt. He strode back over to where he was sitting and resumed his silent, unnoticable watch of the market stalls.
Due to the leather, steepled hat he always wore, his face was shadowed and impossible to distinguish from a distance. He trailed his hand through the waters of the fountain with a small vial between his fingers. He corked the vial and carefully placed it in a pouch attached to his belt that was filled with half a dozen other vials of the same size. "Quite an interesting place here..." He ate the apple whole, including the core. He wiped his hands off on his pants and resumed his people-watching.
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:23 pm
Fruit exploded in the air their sphereical forms casting many a shadow on the ground as the sun still peeked over the distant mountains. Oranges, even apples and the random peach or plum all bathed in the deep sunset red which reached as far as the eye could see; granted the horrific shadows of the gargoyles stained the ground an off black.
All seemed to fall into a slow motion blurr as the two cloaked figures hit the ground rather roughly. The hooded of the two fell on their bum, but more so than the thud of the small figure was heard the distinct 'twaing!' of a bass guitar - yet at the same time the clinking sound of metal hitting the ground as well.
A little short, one might figure an adolescent girl. However, as the child slowly rose they would be able to hear the distinct sound of the broken voie of a young teenage boy. "Te, te, te.." He mumbled to himself in a Japanese tongue as he rubbed his poor, possibly bruised toosh. However, as one would expect from a young man, he was as hot blooded as ever - perhaps more so than his fellow teen. Ripping back the hood of his cloak, the first thing one would notice would not be the striking amber eyes but rather the tall black ears atop his head. A cat person! (I'm more creative than that!) No, some how not as fuzzy as a cat's ear they resembled a bat's ear more than anything.
"Oi, man!" One could, if not for the eyes, come to realize that this young black and orange haired child was of Japanese decent for his English was slightly broken. Adorable, really, as he spoke English well but it still wasn't perfect. "What d'ya think you're doin'?!" Angry, of course, he was just busted by a male who stole one of his precious fruits! As he shouted small fangs peeked out at the world their pearly whites making one think he was a vampire at first. However, one doesn't see a vampire with such ears now do they? Considering the fruit.. Perhaps some sort of fruit bat? T'was a story for another day!
"I'd have gotten away if it wasn't for you!" He spoke in a serious, perhaps even somewhat frantic tone of voice as if the issue at hand was not the fact that he would be branded a thief now, but something more important at hand. One may be able to guess he was a were-bat, or something along those lines, for the sun was rapidly setting chased by it's silver counterpart. However, they weren't so lucky.
"I'll kill you! I'll kill you for this!" Not letting the elder male get a word in edge wise, the firey youth ripped away his own tattered dust coated cloak to reveal quite the hip and tredny little outfit of.. A rather long coat buttoned low enough to cover his unmentionables, black and white stockings, and comat boots? A little more than one's average goth is what the black lipstick said which painted his lips.
It was at that very moment the source of the earlier twaing because obvious as a bass guitar was ripped from his back, the wooden beauty glaring back at the disappearing sun with a black gloss finish. Added to the glare one would find a sickle built into the base of the guitar. Hell'a deadlier than anything in FLCL, no?
His first step towards the male before him was made, the weapon of music and madness raised above his head. The teen grinning madly, hungry for blood! ..And as if he were a character for an old Sega Genisis game, he froze in that position budging no more - though one could tell that his face has gone pale. The sun was.. Gone!? Already?!
((Sorry for rushing time, comical goodness coming up next!))
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:05 pm
Pandemonium.
The only word that could fully describe the event that was takign place not far from the very hedges that surrounded the centerpiece of the courtyard. The hysterics, the anger, the confusion were enough to draw attention to the two figures even if the very earth would have opened up. Two figures , one standing in his prominece with musical instrument in hand, the other sitting in the position he fell in, were silouetted agains't the waning light of the even' sky. Harsh words could be heard and tension was definately growing.
Ive done it now. Bagel though to himself. Im sure to get bashed in this time. Figures, my luck finnaly apears to be going for the better and I find myself about to bashed in by this obvious foreaner. Not that his origin matters so much as his disire to leave me broken and bloody. All this for a bit of fruit. I never had it this bad before.
In the brief moment of hesitation before the striking blow Bagel's mind wandered back to a time before the hugner, and before the lonelyness. Images of a small farm house in the coutry. visions of siblings in their childish glory playing faugh battles with sticks in the front yard. The young boys mother sitting upon the porch knitting in a very picturesque if not cliche' vision. But a darkness came over the vision. A darkness known only as disease. The origin and the name of the disease did not matter except to say that it claimed the life of the boys' only teacher.
The vision shifted again to images of the two boys now young men living off what they could at the farm. But as time grew on they produced less and less and gained even less and less money. But salvation came one day. At least for the one brother. He gave up on the live of a farmer and joined the military with no thought to his brothers needs.
It had been a month since his brother left him. Lonely and hungry Bagel shifted to a life of begging and simple thievery. Things he abhored but needed to do to survive. The military wouldnt take him. "Not strong enough" they said. " Not worth their time" said. All that now leading up to a moment in the day where he might find himself in a position where worries of hunger would no longer matter.
The hesitation was killing him
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:24 pm
A brow twitch made the once frozen young man alive once more as he caught the glare of the rising moon behind him within the sickle attatched to his beloved guitar. All was lost now, not only would the merchants likely to be hunting him down for stealing so much fruit, but his lovely little secret would be unfolded as well!
A cold sweat broke out on his body as a the familier pain made itself once more. Rather than growing larger as most 'were' creatures did his bones were creaking and cracking reforming themselves to a much smaller shape. Granted, if he got any smaller he'd be near midgit status! "You'll pay!" His free arm flailed as he cried out in anger, before he whirled around to flee. "I'll get you for this later! Watch your back man!" With that, he was off fleeing into the shadows!
Well, he should have been at the very least. Instead he found his feet wrapped up in his discarded cloak which was but a few inches before him. The damnedable piece of clothing resulting in his second fall of the day - granted he seemed to be the type who ate dirt on a regular basis. The brown, cotton guard against weather was tossed into the air as the young lad hit the ground, and soon fell to cover him.
All was motionless at that point, granted the small little boy-thing's shape was constantly changing.
((Eww. Tiny post. e.e; ))
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:48 pm
Zandar watched the unfolding scene with, what he would admit to be, a touch of amusement. He noted the ears, the fangs, and, of course, the sickle. he stood and tipped his hat up just enough to get a better view of the scene. He began to draw his sword as he saw the sickle raised into the air, ready to intervene if it meant preventing the shedding of blood.
He stepped back and hid his sword and sheath behind the shadow of his cloak once more in an attempt to stay inconspicuous, if such a thing was even possible for him. He looked on with a silent chuckle at the attempt at an escape that was foiled by the boy's own discarded clothing. His eyes wandered to the other figure who seemed to be frozen on the ground, possibly by fear. He looked rather thin and definitely hungry, which possibly was why he was trying to hide one of the stolen fruits.
He stood there, looking on in a combination of waryness and amusement with his hand on the hilt of his sword. He nearly broke the bones in a man wrist with his left hand, because his hand was just retreating from his belt with a small bag of coins grasped firmly in the fingers. Firmly, that is, until the pain caused him to drop the bag into Zandar's right hand, which reattached it to his belt while his left shoved the minor nuisance away to examine the injured limb. A smile crossed his face.
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:56 pm
((It's only to get more amusing, Zandar. ninja ))
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:54 pm
((Prepare to experience trauma like never before...))
All that noise, tsk, tsk, tsk, the death threats could be heard from outside, which quickly got the attention of one merchant who no one in that citadel would soon forget. All one could see was a silhouette of man carrying something twice the size of his body, and... a pair of ears on the top of his head? That might explain the large fluffy looking tail he seemed to possess...
Boom! Went the doors as the merchant kicked them open, knocking down one of the people trying to get out, the poor man was bleeding from the nose after being hit by the door. Soon enough, all would see the crimson hair the merchant posessed, flowing through the wind like any shining locks should. Beneath that red fur, was of course his blood colored eyebrows, which were only there as decoration, since the main feature seemed to be those wild green emerald orbs, filled with greed and determination. If anyone would be afraid of clowns, they would despise this being for having his lips match his hair, and his pearly white smile shine brighter than ten moons.
After his green eyes scanned the area, he proceded to take his first step in, not even looking at the poor man he damaged. His wooden sandals made a light tap as any wooden footwear would. His red clothing and saphire pearls that were hung around his neck dancing in the wind, he continued on to investigate this seemingly live place. Soon his fox like origin would be revealed to all, especially with that crimson fur, complete with matching tail and fox ears.
The merchant looked around once more, catching the sight of the fight, which was probably the best place to go. His mind was like a calculator, he was already reading the numbers he would have after dealing healing items to those fighters, which means he wishes only for them too fight. Saddly, one of them was transforming, but the other seemed to be either hurt or just plain shocked.
The fox human toook a step back in a graceful way, one who would make most dancers jelaous, then he used his right foot as leverage, and kicked off with his left, leaving him in the airs as he leaped right to his new found customer. He landed with a heavy sound, one which would make most living things flee the scene. His green eyes were now looking at poor bagel.
"Hello there, I'm Baza, it seems you are in need of help" Of course the most polite thing to do for a customer was introduce yourself, it was Baza's first rule of thumb. Though, after that peaceful introduction, the fox merchant said the words that have made several men kill themselves just so that they can have death's bliss. The words who were going to be spoken by Baza are ones that would make most men soil their pants and make their knees shake. Those emerald eyes, filled with greed, and that taunting smile still there since he entered, Baza let the deadly words out:
"Would you like to buy something?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 7:38 pm
Upon seeing Baza, and hearing those infamous words, Zandar shrunk back into the croud, seeking not to be seen. He remembered full well his last encounter with the fox merchant, and he could only describe it as "the least enjoyable thing I have ever done." in his words.
He still had those potions he had bought from the fox merchant, and he admitted they were very good quality and twice as useful. He just... didn't want to be bothered into buying something *again*, even though, although he would never admit it, he actually somewhat enjoyed the chase that ensued from their last meeting.
finally, he spoke up a word of greeting to the fox merchant. "baza, you fox! (no pun intended) still up to your tricks, eh?" he hoped he wouldn't live to regret greeting the fox merchant, or at least not stick around to.
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 7:39 pm
Slipping in through the open doors of the hall, the small figure wrapped heavily in thick, dark velvet cloaks paused by a man who seemed to be cluching his bleeding, and appearently broken nose and cursing at the merchant who was already gone from the hall and out past the fountain. Gazing out from under the large straw hat, the figure seemed to be satisfied with what it saw, for it quickly continued on it's way towards the merchant stands leaving the injured man where he was. Padding softly around the gathering crowd of people who appeared to be watching a fight or something of the sort, the small figure peered around the larger bodies that was obstructing it's view. Seeing the scattered fruit, the figure gave a small chuckle as it scooped up a fallen pear and quickly scampered over to the fountain, it's feet, hidden by the various royal blue and sea green cloaks didn't make a sound against the cold cobble stones.
Dismissing the stone benches, the small figure to a seat on the ground by the hedge closest to the merchant stands and the commotion. Flicking it's gaze back and forth to see if anyone was watching, it lowered it's straw hat down further over it's face and brought the pear up to it's mouth. Pulling away the thick, black scarf that was hiding most of it's face, it sank its small pointed teeth into the fresh fruit hungerly. This was what the small figure had been wanting ever since it first left it's home to come to the Citadel. Fresh fruit, and more noise and confusion then it knew what to do with.
If one were to crouch down and peer under the enormous straw hat that was perched on the figures head, they would find that there was indeed, a girl hidden there. Overly large, luminous eyes, the right a flaming red with orange swirled in and the left a shining black, were partically closed as she continued to munch on the slightly bruised pear, small button nose that twitched lightly everytime she chewed, and a deceiving small mouth that was filled with tiny, sharp teeth were visible with the obscuring scarf pulled out of the way. What she was, however, was not yet visible due to the cloaks that swathed her body and the messy, snow white hair that hung down just low enough to cover her ears and to fall playfully into her eyes.
Looking up as she finished the pear, the small (although she was not short being five feet, seven inches tall and she was made out to be larger due to the velvet cloaks) figure re-adjusted her black scarf around her face and neck and made her way back out towards the merchant stands. Her physical hunger was stated from the stolen pear, but her hunger for excitement was still swelling up inside of her as she slipped in to join the crowd.
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:06 pm
The commotion had grown to the point that even Shainal was pulled from her current infatuation with the gargoyles in the Citadel, to take a peek. There were two people in particular, one standing and one sitting a good distance away, but Shainal could only see the dark outlines of their bodies as the previously setting sun had now been replaced by the glowing orb that was the moon. She had eaten the entire peach by now, and had been contently biting down on the seed when the noise had begun. It seemed that her features were deminished now that night had overcome day. Her long ebony hair, which was kept in a neat braid down her back was close to invisible in the darkness, her skin the soft tone of copper. Although her lips could no longer be seen, they were the dark color of crimson. At times it looked as though she used blood for a lipstick. Her eyes however, maintained their bright maroon glow, shocking passer-bys into taking second glances.
In one sweeping motion she brought the hood of her white coat over her head, hiding herself from the curious people that came by. Standing up, she proved to be tall for a woman, but still very curvacious. Bringing a hand to her mouth she took the peach seed out and placed it back into the basket on the bench, hiding it beneath the untouched fruit. She then picked up the basket and headed towards the crowd, listening as they spoke in hushed tones about the two strange men that apparently dropped out of the very sky.
Some sort of bat-man, hmm...Very interesting..Were-creatures are absolutely fascinating.
Shainal was talking to herself again, her glowing eyes focused across the Citadel on the two forms. As she grew closer, she was able to make out which of the two was this bat-man, and was also able to bear witness to him tripping over his very own cloak and then tumbling to the ground.
Well, that isn't any good..I imagine it hurt a great deal..
She glanced down at the other form and for a moment thought the people were mistaken and that he was instead a she. But upon closer observation, she noted that he was indeed male, just by the look on his face.
Probably not having a very pleasant day...
Turning her head away so as to pay attention to where she was going, she bumps into a young lady. Upon impact, the fruits and vegetables in her basket were thrown from their places and scattered upon the ground.
Ah! Come back!
Shainal kneeled down on the ground and began to chase after the rolling produce, placing them into the basket as she caught them.
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:00 pm
(( this is turning out to be pretty good now)) Snapping out of his mental escape Bagel's look of impending doom was immediatly replaced with one of shock and minor ammusment. His attacker, or victim, whichever your point of veiw, had began to spasm and change.Change? Yes, into what appeared to be a bat. And from the looks of it he wasn't a very agile bat. But then again agility wasnt yet proven in the first place. After making a very embarassing spectacle of itself. The poor creature was on the ground wracked in the throes of untimely transformation. Bagel seized the opportunity to attempt his escape.
He glanced around to see if there were a few more peices of fruit he could pilfer in the commotion. He spied a very nice looking peach, the local favorite and snached it up. He quickly concealed the fuzzy delacasy to meet its partner in the many pockets within the folds of his tattered clothing. Bracing himself to pull his weight off the ground Bagel was caught of guard once again. A somewhat large and very enegetic fox had position himself in front of him.
Bagel's observant earth colored eyes took in this newcomer to his field of vision. The flickering tail and red hair were a immediate tell tale sign to the nature of this person.Typically persistant, not the kind of thing he wanted to deal with right now
Buy anything? I had to pilfer the fruit I have now. Bagel contemplated in his mind. Knowing the truth of the dedication of this merchant to his sales, Bagel's mind raced at a possible excuse or way out. Wait. was that someone calling the merchant away? Bagel silently hoped it was. Now was not a time to be caught in a sales pich for something he couldn't afford nor desired at this time.
If only he could be so lucky.
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