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 Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:34 pm
  This is a private roleplay between Jianyu [Kuro-Mizuki] and Xiu [Honeybii].
Setting:
Xiu's place.
Attacked by a group of rogue Nobles, Jianyu collapses into the street. Who is this mysterious young boy who finds him?
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:51 pm
The arrow that whipped past Jianyu's face nearly caught him in the shoulder. It might have, had he not managed to twist his body away from it at the last second, pivoting on his back foot in order to bend backwards, maneuvering himself out of the deadly weapon's path. Swearing loudly, Jianyu ducked into the shadows of the abandoned house he was standing near to, breathing heavily. There was already the shaft of an arrow protruding from his upper left arm, and several more smaller cuts lined his face and hands.
This is not good...
Earlier that evening, Jianyu had been walking through the back streets of Lunaria after running an errand for his father to pick up more dye for their tattooing paints. He had taken the lesser known roads, since it was faster, although he had rapidly regretted his decision when he had been abruptly and rudely accosted by a group of unhappy, rebellious Nobles obviously intent on attacking him. When he had expressed no interest in fighting them, one of the men had taken a swipe at him with a knife, and now here he was, pressed against the outer wall of an abandoned home. He had managed to take out two of the three men, but there was still one left that kept coming back for more.
Letting out a string of foul curses that would have made his ex-lover proud, Jianyu strung his crossbow with shaking fingers, the bloodloss from his injury making him feel weak and lightheaded. He raised it high, holding the bow up to aim at the man (standing on the roof of the house next door) and released the trigger. There was a satisfying thunk as the arrow embedded itself in the leg of the Noble man, and an even more satisfying shriek of pain from his throat. Jianyu took the opportunity to dart out from where he was hiding, skidding around the corner of the house just as the man jumped down in front of him, his injured leg collapsing instantly beneath his weight. There was another series of obscenities, but the man staggered back to his feet, yanking the arrow from his leg. Jianyu could not shoot at the angle he was in, and swung the heavy crossbow hard at the man's stomach. He dodged it, moving backwards, and pulled a small dagger from his belt, throwing it at Jianyu. It caught him in his side, and Jianyu nearly dropped his crossbow, flinching in pain, automatically pressing his free hand to his midsection. Blood spilled over his fingers, spattering the ground with a crimson liquid and Jianyu swore.
Swinging his crossbow back around, Jianyu managed to whack a good one to the man's head. He stumbled backwards, and Jianyu took the split second of his distraction to hastily slide a bolt into the notch of the crossbow. Whipping around just as the man lunged towards him, Jianyu jammed the crossbow into his stomach.
"Noble scum." Jianyu hissed and pulled the trigger. There was a gasp from the man's lips as the arrow instantly cut through him, sparing nothing as it careened straight through his body, exiting out of his back. He let out a hacking cough, blood staining his lips, and then fell to a motionless heap on the cobblestone floor.
Pulling his crossbow away, Jianyu flicked it, ridding the tip of the man's blood. He coughed, his lungs aching, and spat out blood, tasting copper on his tongue. His entire body was rigid with pain and Jianyu barely made it three steps before his strength gave way and he collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.
Just a little while... Jianyu thought, his eyelids fluttering shut.
I....can...lay here...for just a minute...
Within moments he was unconscious, his breathing shallow.
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 11:07 pm
Fear clutching his belly, Xiu took a few hesitant steps forward. When nothing moved to attack him, he took a few more steps. It looked like the fighting was long over. Gods. He’d only want to take some peaches to Master’s friend and he ran into this crap.
About to turn tail and run the other way, ragged breathing from one of the bodies stopped him. Nearly panicking, thinking it was a ghost, Xiu whirled around, only to lay eyes on the prone figure of some archer. Biting his lip, he wavered from foot to foot, unsure.
He almost left. Almost.
“Sir, sir are you alright?” The student asked stupidly, kneeling beside the stranger hurriedly, bag of peaches forgotten on the bloody ground. He shook the man’s shoulder before noting the various wounds. “Sir?” He asked again, touching the battered face and chest now in a tentative arousal. Nothing.
Still unsure, Xiu finally tried to heft the heavy body up. His temple home was close by but the man was so much bigger than he! The noble never knew how he managed to drag the figure home.
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 11:55 pm
The first thing Jianyu noticed was the pain. It ricocheted back and forth inside of his head, across his stomach and up and down his legs. He let out a ragged cough, opening his good eye slowly, with quite a bit of effort.
Where...am I..?
He did not recognize this place. From the high-ceilinged walls, to the unfamiliar hangings, to the unrecognizable drapes across the window beside him to the comfortable bed he was lying across. Nothing seemed to ring a bell in Jianyu's head. He tried sitting up, wanting to see better.
That was a mistake. A flash of white hot pain seized through his stomach and Jianyu let out a small roar, gritting his teeth as he fell back down. Sweat slid down the side of his face, and he reached a hand up, his fingers sliding over the cloth covering his blind left eye. It was still there, thank goodness, since he had never before shown anyone what exactly what was under the cloth. Jianyu licked his dry lips, glancing around the room as he tried to resist the urge to roll over and heave the contents of his stomach onto the floor.
"H-hello?" he called out, his voice hoarse. His throat felt raw. "Is some...one there..?
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:03 am
The strangers roar of pain startled Xiu from what he was doing in the adjoining room. He nearly shrieked, dropping the china pot he held. The thing hit the floor with a shattered crash and the boy moaned angrily at himself for being such an idiot.
“Just a minute! Don’t move!” Xiu cried, hurriedly picking of the broken pieces and getting a knew pot of tea. Moments later he was padding into his bedroom with a full tray of tea and medicinal things. “I’m surprised you’re awake.” The student tried for a smile, but he was still nervous as he warily eyed the stranger while setting down his handful down on the small bedside table. Well, if the man attacked, Master Ziye and the others were close bye and would hear his screams.
“Are you hurting too badly?” Frowning, he pressed the stranger more deeply into the bed while gently replacing the cool cloth that had been dislodged. “Don’t be afraid or anything. This is my home and my name is Xiu. I brought you here.” He added a little triumphantly.
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:35 am
The boy that came darting into the room was small. Very small. Jianyu eyed him warily as he came over to the bedside, slender hands gently pushing him back onto the cushions. He let the younger boy do it without much struggle, merely because he was in too much pain to do resist. However, he was still confused as to how he had gotten here in the first place. He had been walking down main street...ah, yes. The attackers. The group of rogue Nobles that had been stupid enough to try and fight him. Yet Jianyu vaguely remembered collapsing in the street. He turned his gaze back to the person next to him, somewhat confused. How had this small..tiny...young boy managed to cart him back to his home?
No matter. Jianyu winced slightly as he lay back down, the cloth on his forehead feeling cool and comforting.
"Xiu...is it?" Jianyu managed to get out before he let out a hacking cough, spitting blood onto his palm. That was a little troublesome, but Jianyu was hoping he was not quite as injured as he certainly felt. He turned his head, looking at the boy beside him. He was small, with slender, almost delicate features. Curly auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck and luminous turquoise eyes matched a quiet face, one with a half worried, half excited expression. Jianyu closed his eye again, sighing.
"Th-thank you for your...hospitality." he said. "My name is Qian Jianyu. I am a loyal follower of the Legion, but for some reason I do not see you as being a Legionnaire. Are you a Noble?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:47 am
“Do you always announce your faction when meeting people, Jianyu?” Xiu asked, lips quirking teasingly. “But, yes, I am Noble. However, you are at the Lotus Temple and it is the creed of the monks to help anyone in need.” Pausing, Xiu drew the blanket back to expose Jianyu’s vicious wound, intent on cleaning it out. “How did you come to be in need anyways?” The youth asked curiously as he gently pulled gauze back to tend the wound with the infusion he’d made.
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:47 pm
Jianyu's dark eyes moved to survey the young man next to him, his expression carefully neutral. Although he knew he was in this person's home - Xiu, was it? - he did not know where that home was.
"Yes, I do." he answered tiredly, letting Xiu work, the feeling of the tea-wettened cloths on his forehead somewhat relaxing. "I've learned it best to get things out straight away, so as to not create misunderstandings or unfortunate circumstances."
Jianyu couldn't help the quiet grunt of pain that escaped his lips when Xiu pulled the bandages back, and he flinched, gritting his teeth tightly to keep from shouting aloud. Though the boy had reassured him that he would be all right, Jianyu certainly did not feel like it at the present moment. If anything, he felt somewhat horrible, dizzy and still a little disoriented, and it took quite a bit of effort to turn his head to the left, facing Xiu once more.
"I was right, then." he said. "A Noble. I was attached by a group of rogue Nobles in the streets by Lunaria's abandoned homes. I am...unsure as to what happened after that, although I know I defeated them."
Wincing again at a particularly firm jab, Jianyu said "A monk, is it? Are you a monk yourself?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 11:10 pm
“I guess that’s helpful, but what if I’d wanted to kill you or something like that?” Xiu laughed just to show that he was teasing. He began to wonder about Jianyu though. The warrior had only one eye and the student was interested in the story behind it though didn’t dare ask. What other things had the male seen? “And yes, you did defeat those men. Their bodies were in the street and you not far from them.” Xiu added quietly, trying not to remember the horrible sight or smell.
Mouth set rather grimly at having the war so roughly shoved into his face, Xiu wasn’t sure what to do with the Legion in his bed. Obviously take of him, but what would happen when the man was well? Would he try to hurt him or the monks in the temple?
“I am no monk.” He replied cryptically. “What about you? A Legion warrior? Will you perhaps try to gain revenge because you were attacked?” The question had been weighing heavily on him.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:01 am
Jianyu eyed Xiu with a look of wary disbelief, arching one dark eyebrow.
"You?" he said, somewhat incredulous of the younger boy's audacity, though he knew it was meant as a joke rather than a serious statement. Jianyu let out an amused snort, a faint smile touching his lips, barely there. "No disrespect intended to my caretaker at the current moment, but you do not look nearly strong enough to kill me, even in my weakened condition. I am assuming from your age that you are only an Academy student? If that is true, then your confidence both surprises and impresses me, though it would be best to make sure that you are more subtle in your intentions the next time you want to 'kill someone.'"
His stomach felt much better after it had been cleaned and rebandaged, and even some of the dizziness had dissipated. Jianyu was grateful for the assistance, though he felt slightly out of place in a temple.
He did not remember the bodies, but from the look on Xiu's face, the younger boy certainly did. He felt a pang of regret, feeling somewhat responsible for the boy being exposed to such horrific things. After what he had done to those men to defeat them, it was no wonder Xiu was looking so solemn, his eyes barely revealing his horror at what must have been a bloody scene. Jianyu reached out a scraped hand, touching the younger boy's sleeve.
"I am...sorry to have imposed such a thing on you." he said seriously, honestly meaning his words before dropping his hand again. "No one should have to see what I have done or what I have seen."
Reaching up, Jianyu touched the black cloth at his eye, momentarily dragged into his thoughts before Xiu's question pulled him back out of it. He let out a small laugh, turning back to face him.
"Revenge?" he repeated, and shook his head - a movement he regretted, since it hurt like all hell. "No, I do not deal with revenge. It serves no purpose in life than to aggravate one own's heart into darkness."
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:15 am
“It’s fine. It…wasn’t your fault. Don’t apologize.” He was looking at that eye patch again and the sad expression on Jianyu’s face. He felt an unfamiliar pang of remorse for the man. He was the enemy and yet Xiu found that he still wanted to ease Jianyu somewhat. “I’m just sorry for what happened to you, whatever it was.”
It was Xiu’s turn to offer a sympathetic touch, fingers giving Jianyu’s good shoulder a light pat. “C’mon, can you sit up? I think it’s time for some tea.” Gingerly, the youth helped the fighter to prop up further against the fluffy pillows, maybe sure the male was comfortable as much as possible. “I must admit, that I feel more at ease knowing that you won’t look for revenge. Can you hold the cup okay?” He asked, offering the glass full of steaming tea to Jianyu.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:30 am
Jianyu slowly (and very painfully, he might have added) sat up, wincing at the discomfort in his stomach. He glanced over at Xiu, and a small, smile graced his lips once more as he said "I did not mean to insult your strength. Forgive me; it was merely an inaccurate observation on my own part, as you seem to be telling me. I am sure you are very capable of taking care of what's necessary."
He stopped abruptly at the boy's next statements, his good eye flickering ever so slightly before he said quietly "Thank you. I...that is to say, it was a Noble ambush. My men...well, I am the only survivor."
His voice was barely audible in the quiet of the temple. Jianyu was used to hiding his memories, keeping the past events of that night locked away deep inside of his heart. They were too painful to bear, too hard to remember, so he did his best to simply...not.
Reaching out, Jianyu took the offered cup from Xiu's fingers, raising it to his lips. The tea was a perfect mixture of bitter and sweet, and the heat was soothing on his dry throat. He gave a nod of approval to Xiu before saying "Thank you. And you do not have to worry about revenge from someone such as myself; I see no purpose in it.
"But what of you?" Jianyu asked, taking another sip. "You said you are not a monk, so what is your purpose here in the Lotus temple?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:47 am
Xiu stuck out his tongue, his manhood slightly mollified. “That’s right and don’t you forget it.” With a stern nod, he let the silence settle for a moment, hearing the pain in Jianyu’s voice. Xiu decided not to broach the subject again and let the topic quietly slid of back to wherever it had come from. With a deep breath he poured himself his own cup of tea when it was clear Jianyu could handle his own.
Quietly, he took a sip of his own tea to try and settle his riotous emotions once again. He glanced over the rim of his cup at Jianyu, nodding in understanding. Thank the gods the male wasn’t out for revenge. He didn’t want anyone at the temple to be hurt because of an angry Legionnaire.
“I…” Xiu flushed and looked away, taking another long swig of his drink. How could he explain to Jianyu that Master Ziye had essentially bought him from his conniving father? “I’m just an errand boy. I help out around here and keep the books in order as well as conduct local exorcisms. Nothing much.” He shrugged, fidgeting a little awkwardly now.
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 5:42 pm
Jianyu nearly choked on his tea at the sight of Xiu sticking his tongue out of him. He turned his head away, wiping his mouth and attempting to keep the amused expression on his face as he turned back around, pulling his stoically neutral facade. There was more to this boy than he had thought previously; though he was delicate in both appearance and voice, small in stature, and not very muscular, there was a subtle feisty mischievousness in him that rather impressed Jianyu, despite their contrasting alliances.
"An errand boy, is it?" he said, taking another sip of the tea. It was quite good, and felt warm and soothing as he swallowed it, calming both his heart and his mind. "That is not a particularly bad thing. In fact, I would think it quite advantageous, seeing as how you could have access to hearing and seeing things one would not normally see or hear."
Setting down his teacup, Jianyu felt much stronger than he had a few moments before. Though his stomach still ached and he felt somewhat lightheaded, he did not want to rest.
He looked over at Xiu. "Would you be so kind as to show me around the temple, then?" he asked, unsure if his request could be filled. "I would...very much like to see where it is that I am being cared for so diligently."
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Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 7:02 pm
“Yeah, I guess.” He hedged, digging the tip of his toe into the rug, looking down. “Most people don’t pay any attention to kids, so.” The student sighed, making it clear that being a child was something to be suffered through and not a thing that was advantageous in the least. It didn’t help that he was growing increasingly envious of Jianyu either. The man seemed so put together and poised, despite being so grievously injured. He was tall and handsome also and just...an adult!
Xiu’s was a cruel fate indeed he thought. Would he ever get taller? He admired Jianyu’s height and almost immediately aspired to be taller than the elegant man before him.
“Mmh…are you sure?” Xiu asked, setting down his teacup. “I don’t mind showing you around but Master will kick me in the head if you open your wounds again.” Regardless of his trepidation though, Xiu offered a hand to Jianyu, prepared to help the other up and give him a tour of the temple.
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