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 Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 4:56 pm
 
This is a private roleplay between Miaoyin (Venexia) and Jianyu (k u r o - m i z u k i).
Setting :
Near the Goshin Village.
Miao repays a visit to an old archery field he stumbled upon once some time ago, however, he's not the only one who knows of its existance.
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Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 4:57 pm
Some time ago, Miao had stumbled upon a small archery range. It was not as elaborate as the Academy’s, rather it was from humble roots. Worn dummies were stacked upon dusty golden stacks of hay. They bore crude faces, made from sloppy stitches, and bright crimson targets had been painted on several areas of their bodies. Some arrows were still rooted into their potato-sack skin, and others were littered at their sagging feet. These three dummies, slouching on their high and mighty pillars, were to be found in the middle of a thickly forested area. It seemed, to Miao anyways (who was in no way an expert on these sorts of things), that this was some sort of makeshift practice area, perhaps for aspiring warriors who were but lowly farmers. It was close enough to the fields to make for easy access. But did a farming boy, or girl for that matter, really have time to shoot arrows? Miao had supposed that if they had a burning passion they could. Perhaps.
At that time, when he had first laid eyes on the place, Miao had hesitantly stepped over arrows and inspected both them and the dummies. It had been something strange and foreign to the boy, and it had certainly piqued his curiousity. He felt as though he had stumbled upon a graveyard, mysterious and alone, set aside from the rest of the world. Or perhaps a set of ancient ruins, with bloodied runes buried into their sides. This somewhat abandoned archery yard had that nosglactic effect on Miao, regardless of whether his awe in it was misguided or not. His pale fingers had made a trail along the crude, wooden shafts, up and along the arrowheads, and through their feathery tails. Though small and slender, Miao thought he could feel the arrow’s potential, the power that was there to be harnessed. It was electric to Miao, sparks flew through his mind, and for a split second he had longed to fire an arrow from a drawn bow. However, Miao had not followed through with his momentary desires – for one, he had lacked a bow – instead he had pried an arrow from the head of one of the dummies and taken it home.
Now, months later, Miao found himself here again. This time, he had that one arrow in his hand, but the boy still lacked a bow. In all honesty, Miao wasn’t even sure why he was here, but he was, and that was that. Ta da. A real showstopper he was, one lanky youth swamped in a sea of bushes and thorns. He breathed in, his hand balancing his body as it rested against a tree. He could, through a window in the thick vegetation, see one of the dummies slouch over the hay. It was just as he’d left it. Maybe a few more arrows here, or fewer arrows there, but overall, it was the same. It sent the boy’s heart racing. He breathed in sharply, a slow, shaky (and a real) smile spreading across his face. Hesitantly, Miao took a slow step forward, before retreating once more – unsure of whether to proceed or not, and what he would do when he got there.
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Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:05 pm
The archery field was a few miles away from the Qian Household, set off towards the fields beside Goshin Village. It had been quite some time since Jianyu had visited his old training grounds, but finally graduating from the Academy and being thrust into the world of Fighters made life a lot more intense than Jianyu had expected. He felt slightly inadequate when he was in training, especially seeing all of the older, more experienced Fighters who bore the marks of Warriors of Lunaria, and he felt the overwhelming need to train more. His younger age also did not help when surrounded by those beyond his years, both physically and mentally.
Jianyu crossed through the fields, brushing aside some stray branches. His most prized posession - the elegant bow given to him as a gift from Tae Kyung and then presented to him at his graduation - was, as usual, strapped to his belt, a sheaf of homemade arrows bound to his back. He had taken to never going anywhere without his bow and arrows, and it was a hard habit to break, even when he was only going to the Ichi-Koi Inn and Bar for a drink or to play a game of cards. It sent a sign to the Nobles that he was not unprepared for a fight, but besides that it was a comfort to Jianyu; a familiar weight on his back.
The archery field was in sight now; the old, ratted target dummies he had made years before still standing (albeit, a bit crookedly and slightly more dirt-streaked than before) on the edge of the field. It looked nearly the same as it had before.
Except for the boy. That was not the same.
Jianyu stopped, startled. There was a young man standing beside one of the dummies, looking rather anxiously at the broken and snapped arrows that littered the ground. He seemed quite distraught over something, though Jianyu was not quite sure what.
"Er." he said awkwardly, breaking the monotony of the silence surrounding them. "Are you...what are you doing?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 4:14 pm
He blinked slightly, straightening as a pair of eyes fell upon him. Miao had known people came her – or a sole person in this case – or, well, he had thought people had come here. Had being the key word in the sentence. It had just seemed so abandoned, regardless of the number of arrows littered across the ground. Maybe it was the lopsided stacks of hay, maybe it was the limp, makeshift dummies, or perhaps it was the fact that there were no footprints left in the ground. Everything about this arena of sorts had just seemed ancient and abandoned – Miao was almost disappointed that this area wasn’t his small secret. Almost. Of course, logically it never could’ve been, but one could always hope. Nevertheless, he wasn’t upset that someone had discovered his presence. He just wasn’t sure who (or what) his newfound company was.
The man – for it wasn’t a boy that greeted him – that stood before him was somewhat older than Miao, but not by that much. He was still young, perhaps just beginning his journey as a proper adult. (Though Miao was of a respectable eighteen years of age, he still didn’t view himself as anything more than a boy.) There was something boyish behind the man’s gaze, something familiar. He probably went to the academy, Miao figured. That would, at the very least, explain the familiarity that radiated from the other’s humble looks. He was, Miao noted as he struggled to take in key details without staring, definitely a fighter. The muscles, not huge (like certain classmates) but there, that Jianyu had certainly meant some form of business. One didn’t acquire such definition – not even in this fragile state of war – just for the fun of it (at least, not most citizens).
Not to mention that bow attached to is waist. The bow! Miao’s eyes lit up just at the sight of it. What an elegant being it was, the feathers, the wood – its entire design lit Miao’s imagination. What skill it must take to fire it! The man before him had to be an excellent archer, Miao concluded, it only made sense. How could someone with pathetic skills at best attain a bow of that splendour? They just couldn’t.
However, admiring would have to come later – Miao needed to find his words.
“Oh, um, hello?” Miao ran a hand through his dark hair nervously, pulling back his lips into one of his many smiles – no teeth, thin lips, the perfect way to show general friendly feelings. “Forgive me, is this your… is this your shooting range? I – I’m Miao,” the boy extended a pale hand, “I don’t shoot, myself, but it seems like something absolutely thrilling.”
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Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 11:21 pm
Jianyu did not recognize the young man as he turned abruptly towards him, looking somewhat startled. He was a few inches shorter than him, with sleek dark hair, scarlet colored eyes, and pale, pale skin that accented his smaller, slighter frame. His voice was quiet, the words slightly stuttered as he spoke, and then he extended a hand, offering a gesture of friendship. Or, at the very least, an amicable first approach. Jianyu reached out, cautiously grasping the young man's hand in his briefly before giving him a very slight nod of his head.
"I am Qian Jianyu." he said. This young man - Miao, was it? - seemed to be quite interested in his bow. His dark eyes kept looking towards it, as if fascinated by it, and his comments were carefully constructed, quiet awe. Jianyu was somewhat surprised. He had almost expected hostility, but Miao seemed to hold none.
"Yes, this is my old archery range." he answered slowly, looking around at the decrepit and decaying straw dummies. "Though I must admit...it has been quite some time since I have last been here."
He turned back to the younger man. "May I ask...what brought you to this field?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:52 pm
Qian Jianyu. That last name… it was especially familiar to Miao. It wrung some foreign, faint bell. It was a song that Miao should’ve been able to sing off by heart, and yet he faltered on it. The name was one he should know, it was at the tip of his tongue just waiting to escape out the window of Miao’s open mouth – but nothing would come. Instead, he could only nod slightly as their hands met. The family name, Miao was sure, would annoy him to no end now, but first encounters were not the time nor was it the place for grievances, he could always wrack his brain on the matter later.
As Jianyu surveyed his old creation, Miao did the same. How did this man see it? Was it something modest he had constructed as a young boy? Had he built better? What memories did this nearly abandoned range hold for the older boy? Questions poured quickly into Miao’s mind, but just as quickly they fizzled. Dissolving into the atmosphere as the boy’s attentions shifted from the field to the man and back again.
“It does look somewhat abandoned,” Miao nodded, trying to adopt a more thoughtful look. Now that the initial shock of being found here had passed, Miao was relieved to find his stutter had fled with it. The boy straightened slightly as he continued, “But it’s not bad like this. It has a certain appeal to it. It would be a nice backdrop to a play, perhaps.” That last bit was, perhaps, more of a comment to himself as he greedily inhaled the details of his surroundings, perhaps hoping to replicate them for the opera house. Perhaps. ”Regardless, it’s clear a fair bit of effort went into this… composition, no? It’s almost homely, the do-it-yourself effect is nice, though it create a bit of inner tension, I will admit. The thought of young boys – or a young man in this case – training here… It makes the war that much more real.” He nodded again as he nodded, a look of approval if anything as Miao muttered on.
”What brought me here? Who can say? Perhaps it was just blind luck, or perhaps it was fate. I wasn’t looking for it, or perhaps I was – subconsciously.” The pale youth rested his chin on a web of fingers as he mused over this. ”I’ve always admired archers, I suppose, they just have a certain flare… But I’m not destine for the bow.” To this he threw in a good-natured laugh, not a true one of course, but often with Miao one couldn’t even tell.
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Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:54 pm
Jianyu looked out across the decrepit and dilapidated old archery field as the young man beside him spoke, his eyes running over the broken and shattered arrows, the dirt-encrusted straw that littered the grass, the homely, insect ridden dummies that he had made so long ago. He had painstakingly sewn each one together, then set them up very specifically and very carefully so as to further his training.
"Fate?" Jianyu repeated softly, mostly to himself. "I do not believe...in fate."
For a few moments he was lost in his thoughts, lost in the memories that cascaded over his mind. Then, with a slight jerk, he brought himself back to reality and turned back to Miao. The boy was speaking with a casual, relaxed smile, but his eyes kept straying towards the bow in Jianyu's hand, and Jianyu could not tell what exactly it was that laced his words. Sadness? Bitterness? Or...jealously? He could not tell, or perhaps he was just overthinking things. Jianyu held out his bow.
"I do not believe that there is only one destiny to a man." Jianyu said seriously. "So would you like to learn the art of the bow?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:29 pm
Fate, what an intoxicating debate one could have on the subject. Does fate exist? Does a Lunarian make his or her own destiny, or is it preplanned? Fate. It was so heavily linked to the opera, Miao could not help but believe in it. He had grown up on these fantastic stories – filled with legends and magic and myth. They had been as influential as Miao’s own parents, and now the boy’s head was filled with these fairytales and dreams. Not that this was something the boy would’ve admitted aloud.
There was no bitterness, no sadness behind Miao’s words. Jealousy? Perhaps a touch, but most of what the boy said was driven by pure wonder and awe. There was something about that simple arc of wood – or in Jianyu’s case, a more elaborate and elegant one – that was just tantalizing. Swords too were elegant, but they did not have the same… splendour? a bow did. There was something much more graceful, and perhaps cleaner about the bow. It was not tainted and tarnished with blood, not to the same extent a sword or spear was. Perhaps that was why Miao liked it. Perhaps.
“This is only one destiny – once man has reached his end. But, as they say, thirty years the east bank, thirty years the west bank,” Miao recited the proverb with pride. He nodded slowly, as if it the phrase was but a meal, and he was taking in all the flavours, before continuing, “This, of course, means that one’s luck and destiny will change over time. And who I am to question it? The world is changing, the war is changing, the people are changing. We all change, we all grow. Perhaps fate has a hand in this, perhaps it doesn’t.” This wasn’t a matter of stating Miao’s own opinions, passion created enemies – Lunaria herself should know this, it was the reason for her people’s war.
“Truly?” At Jianyu’s offer the youth’s heart skipped a beat. Sure, the man had donned a serious tone, but Miaoyin was well versed in the art of facades and lies, he needed to ensure the offer was sincere. “Ah! But what if I am a noble, and you are a legion? Or the other way ‘round? Personally, I could care less –“ Miao’s hatred was reserved for only a few lucky families, “ – but perhaps you do. And who would want to educate the other side? So, Qian Jianyu, allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Chen Miaoyin, a Legion by loose choice.”
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Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 5:51 pm
Jianyu gave a short shrug, his arm still extended.
"I am not one to discriminate between those who choose the Legion against those who choose the Nobles." he said. "I myself am a devoted follower of the Legion, and I will fight for my cause to the death, regardless of whoever might be on the other side. I hold no animosity to those who are dedicated to their cause, only to those who fight for their own selfish reasons. This is the path that I have chosen."
"However," Jianyu added, shrugging again. "Seeing as both of us are Legion, I see no problems in teaching you how to shoot the bow. But I must warn you; it is not an easy task. You must be willing to submit yourself to me and to be willing to work hard to gain the strength and agility needed to use such an instrument."
Though he had never before agreed to teach someone his archery, there was something almost...endearing about Miaoyin's blatant eagerness to learn. He seemed quite fascinated by the bow, a fact that both interested and impressed Jianyu. He held great respect for those who could also wield the slender wood bow.
"Are you interested?" he asked.
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Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 4:38 pm
“Ah, but perhaps you are one of few, or one of many. We pass by each other and exchange pleasantries without every asking the other allegiance. However, bring in the guise of the night and clench a weapon in your fist… and Lunaria, she becomes a splintered world. For some the weapon makes all the difference, and some find themselves so bound to their cause they would prefer to sabotage the enemy, rather than bring him up – be the individual friend or foe. So, with both our interests in mind I thus inquired…” Miao paused, “It’s good, however, that our interests are aligned, even though that’s not an necessity for either of us.” Miao ventured a smile, still lacking teeth. His lips pulled back across his face, settling at a comfortable length. Yes, be friendly, but not forceful or overbearing. A comfortable medium between an acquaintance and a friend, yes, that seemed appropriate.
His fingers fluttered in the air, itching to reach out and run his fingers along the embellished bow Jianyu held in his grasp. The bow… it just had a feeling. A special sort of aura or tune. He wondered what sound an arrow would’ve made as it shot out from the string and whizzed into the heart of the target. Perhaps he could’ve conducted a symphony out of arrows and bows and drawn strings. What an interesting performance that would be! However, Miaoyin knew better than anyone else that his skills with instruments were incredibly lacking. He could belt out a tune, sure, and carry it with strength until his face turned blue… but give him a harp or even a child’s string box, and his skills seemed to vanish – poof! – like magic. It was an odd side effect of his opera talent, and one Miao lost slept on. How the boy longed to play like the best of them! But some things were just not meant to be.
Nodding slightly to nothing but the air, Miao exhaled subtly and calmly. What if the bow was like an musical instrument? What if it snapped in two when he held it in his hands? What if the arrows flew skywards, or buried into the ground? Miao breathed in and out, the rhythm of his heart increasing – he didn’t want to be the barer or shame, he didn’t want that embarrassment. Miao closed his eyes, he just had to think positively, ac as if everything was okay… He couldn’t think like that – not yet anyways.
Opening his eyes, the youth turned to offer the older man a genuine flash of his teeth, “I can’t think of anything I’d rather learn.”
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Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 8:57 pm
Jianyu smiled. He was rather taken by the boy's calm, yet somewhat...sweet? nature. He could almost see himself in Miaoyin; that same impulsive desire to learn, to grasp ahold of whatever it was that fascinated him. He could see the interest in those dark eyes, could see the pull towards wanting to learn. And then there was that clever way of speaking he had, weaving intricate designs with his words. It was quite a gift, and Jianyu was almost envious. He had never been one to be able to speak so eloquently, and it was quite...beautiful.
"Very well." Jianyu said, and stepped forward. Reaching out, he took one of Miaoyin's hands in his, twisting his wrist so that the boy's palm faced towards the sky. Laying his bow in Miao's palm he pushed the boy's fingers over the smooth wood. Then he stepped back, moving to stand behind Miaoyin. Reaching around him, he gripped Miao's wrist and raised his arm for him, keeping the bow arrow-less.
"Be still." Jianyu said quietly, and with his other hand, reached to take Miaoyin's free hand, guiding his fingers to take the thin wire stretching from each of the bow's tips. "See if you can pull back the string. It will be difficult, but it is necessary to build up your strength."
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:27 pm
He was touching the bow.
A strange spark of electricity surged through his body. The current lit his fingers, surrounding them in an invisible flame – exciting and numbing the tips of hands in one sudden action. Energy pulsed in him, new and yearning – it’s gluttonous belly slowly filling just from making contact with the elegant bow. What an honour this was! What – Miao’s mind couldn’t even find the right words. The boy found himself in a somewhat dreamlike state, limp yet excited. Jianyu’s hands guided his, which were trembling from sheer enthusiasm. He had to force himself to be grounded, force his hands to latch, firm and stiff, onto the bow.
Without an arrow Miao could only imagine ki shooting through the bow. Imagine using a bow as a channel! What would come out of such a thing when combined with a conduit’s powers? Or even a warrior’s? The boy’s eyes widened slightly as he mused over how Jianyu funneled magic into this elegant wooden arch. Perhaps, if he was lucky, he’d get to see the fighter in action one day – magic, arrows, and everything.
However, fingers now firmly grasping the bow – though his mind was still bubbling with delicate spheres of inspiration – Miaoyin soaked in the older boy’s words. His crimson eyes narrowed, locking in on a chosen target – the head of one of Jianyu’s dummies. There was no arrow to launch (which was, perhaps, a good thing, as it might have only embarrassed the boy), but wouldn’t it help him focus? He could only hope. And then, Miao attempted to pull back. The string, how small and frail it seemed to the eye, but what strength it held within it! Tension mounted within the thread, working against Miao instead of with him. He bit down on his lower lip, skinny arms attempting to pull it back further, and, after a few more moments of struggle, he found himself holding a good – but painful –extension.
Now, arm trembling, he waiting for his next instruction.
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 3:14 pm
Miaoyin's fingers were warm as he let his fingers slide up and down the smooth wood a few times before gripping the handle tightly, steadying himself more. His other fingers plucked at the thin, wiry string a few times before he gritted his teeth and pulled.
Jianyu observed carefully. With some significant effort, and to Jianyu's surprise, Miao was able to pull the string a good portion of the way back. Albeit, his slender arms were trembling from the effort and there was sweat starting to drip down the side of his head, but it was obvious that he was trying. Jianyu smiled.
"Good." Jianyu said quietly in Miao's ear. "You did well, I'll give you that. Now, let me tell you something about pulling back the wire. When you have the arrow just right, and your fingers positioned well, if you pull back just far enough it gives way just a tiny bit and suddenly it will become easier to hold the arrow in place."
Reaching around Miao's shoulder, Jianyu let his own hands mimic the boy's, each one resting on top of Miao's hands. The hand that held the string covered Miaoyin's smaller fingers, and Jianyu hovered closer.
"Feel it." he said quietly, and pulled the string back farther. With a quick shudder it gave way, the string becoming less taut, and Jianyu pulled it easily the rest of the way back. "Did you feel that?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:34 pm
A certain, small sense of defeat filled Miao’s heart when he failed to pull the string back. Oh, he had pulled, but he had been shaking. It was as if Miaoyin had been made of fault lines, and an earthquake had rumbled through him. Or it had been as if he was a million paper cranes, and a breeze had soared past him – scattering his paper self into a million different, isolated pieces, all fighting to stay together – and all losing. Miao could describe his sense of defeat in a million different metaphor, and a zillion different similes – but that didn’t take the kernel of pain away. It was throbbing, beating, growing within his chest. His head slumped slightly, his shoulder rattled for a moment or two.
His eyes wandered, hesitantly, to the older man’s face, expecting a glare or scowl. But Miao only found a smile. Emotional, that was one word to describe Miao, and just as quickly as the sadness had come, it left. Instead, energy filled him once more. He returned Jianyu’s smile shyly, letting the tide of frustration roll out, and a wave of happiness soar it.
Like a sponge – one he had used over and over again at the Ichi-Koi – Miao soaked in Jianyu’s words. He absorbed the man’s touch, letting his hands meld and melt and become his instead. When Jianyu pulled, he pulled. He nodded along, now and then, thoughtful and attentive. The promise of it becoming easier – well, Miao could not complain. The boy wasn’t an avid supporter or shortcuts, but tricks to help you hone and develop skill, that was different, no?
He held firmly as Jianyu pulled, watching with wide-eyed curiousity as the string became full of slight tremours – just as he had a moment ago. He felt the string now, lighter, less resistant to his arm’s whims. Amazing.
Miao nodded slightly at Jianyu’s question, his lips gently pursed as he awaited his next instructions.
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:51 pm
Once the string was in place, Jianyu's fingers tightened slightly around Miao's fingers, keeping them from letting go of the string. Then, with his free hand, Jianyu reached behind him, sliding an arrow from the sheath on his back. He held it out in front of Miaoyin.
"The arrow is only a small part of the archery." Jianyu whispered, and his voice was low, quiet. He felt a strange sense of peace and underlying excitement throbbing in his heart. It had been a long time since he had found something to be happy about, to find joy in, and teaching something as dear to him as his archery - which he sworn never to teach anyone - made him feel more content than he had been in a long while. It was...unusual.
"The bow is what you need to focus on." Jianyu said. "Do not worry about the direction the arrow should point. If you are holding the bow correctly and you are channeling your focus into it, then the arrow will land in the right place."
Reaching around Miao, Jianyu carefully slid the arrow into place, cautious not to let the string be let go. He slipped the thin reed of wood beneath Miao's slender fingers and held them tightly, his voice soft in the boy's ear.
"Focus. Keep your target in your mind and in your eye. Let yourself understand where it is you are aiming for.
"And then let go."
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