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 Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 4:25 am
The Laburnum Tavern was not a place of silence, usually filled with people as it was. Yet perhap's it would lose some of it's noise as Aasimar at last exited the backroom. It was hard to avoid looking at him due to his clothing. Long billowy pants that sparkled with every color imaginable, a shirt that looked both too big and too small of the same color variation marking his chest. Yet the thing that brought the most intereast would have been his cloak. It was long, stretching to the floor, with the hood drawn up over his features. His face was for the most part hidden amongst the array of this cloak.
The bottem of this peice of cloth was an assortment of colors: blues, greens, reds, all intermixed into one peice of fabric. Where one color ended another would begin. In truth though it was hard to tell with the merger. Each was done in a way so fine that the colors melded together but remained seperate. The cloak would have been enchanted for all anyone knew. Of course, to Aasimar, it was known as nothing more then a trick of the eyes.
The glass's had been removed from the bridge of his nose, resting in a small pouch sewn into the cloak's velvety underside. Thus light brown eyes, almost sparkling with mirth, would glance out and slip over the crowd in an instant. At the looks upon some faces he would smile, almost fiendishly, and stoop into a bow beside many a table. Not only had Aasimar seem to become another person, but in truth he had. An actor would possess the ability to slip into character, where-as Aasimar slipped into an entirely diffrent persona nothing like his own.
Even as his form glided across the room with soft footfalls, attracting all eyes to himself, he would stop and bow to the Lady St. Croix with barely a glance upon her. It was all a show, he knew not her name nor her past. But he did this task none the less as a sign of welcoming, or hello, or something of that sort. When Aasimar was in this state of mind, somewhat compared to being drunk, it was an intereasting sight indeed.
With that task done he would sweep past Mercedes and Farren, moving for the center of the room that was devoid of tables. It was in truth little more then a gap between one filled circle and another, yet it would do for what Aasimar intended. Now if only he had someone to play music...Chaos's OOC There, finally got Aasimar out of that back room. I will be around later today to make another post. For now..teh school calls me...
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:53 pm
Tsai continued away from the flaming inferno that had been their village and home for 15 years now. Hoshimi-chan was still limp in his arms as he walked, the only possessions with them, 'Aqua' her staff, his bokken a few changes of clothing, the gold from her family and her necklace. It seemed as tho he had walked for days, his body was so tired. Finally, even his body was about to give out when they finally came to a village. He dropped to his knees, stumbling the last few steps before collapsing before a young boy in peasants' garb. Even here, while they weren't well off it was evident that the Shogun took care of his people. Tsai was pleased to see that the war, that he had heard rumors of starting hadn't yet even this close to the border.
It would be dangerous going into the Gaijin's territory, but he saw no other way to see that Hoshimi was safe. He wanted desperately to go home to their family...to her family. This was his last concious thought before collapsing of exhaustion to the ground the unconcious Hoshimi still in his arms. "Mama, Mama......" The young boy ran to his mother, the local healer who brought her other son and her husband out to fetch the two after her young child explained what had happened. She ran past them both however towards them, her skirt rustling with her movement as she ran.
Reaching the two prone figures, she kneels down the folds of her yukata spreading as she felt for a pulse from both of them "They will be fine, hurry husband" Moving out of the way long enough for the strong men to lift the two figures up and carry them to the house. Moving herself to pick up the staff and bokken and walking slowly behind them, wondering who their vistors were that would carry such valuable items.
Over the course of the week they were tended and healed, the girl waking up on the first day her first words were to ask were her Tsai was, assuming this was the male, the directed her over to him where she cried a bit till he woke up and told her not to worry, calming her back down with a story of her siblings as he getnly stroked her hair, tho as always he did not reveal it was her siblings only a story to her.
"Once many years ago before you were born, a young man who was but a child himself who was one with the water much as you are young one, a boy who knew no fear where water was concerned. His mother even suggested he go to the Temple of Water to train, but he would have none of it. He simply was and as any mother would wanted him to only be happy. Even tho most of his friends went to the water temple he wished to continue his training under his father. I know he has grown into a fine young man probably a guard somewhere in the Shogun's forces." Chuckling weakly as he looked down at the fine young woman she had become before dropping back to sleep again.
Remaining there for several days on his own while the young woman tried to piece together what had happened. She had seen fire and the shadows of deception along with the sign of the Western kingdom. The Shogun's symbol was there as well but it was all so hard to decipher, she frowned as she rubbed her head. She was good when it came to scrying, it was the deciphering that gave her a headache. She leaned against 'Aquarius' and felt a bit calmer, Tsai was leading them west for some reason.
From what she could tell from the healer woman they were only a day's walk from Laburnum and the Temple of Light there. She looked over Tsai exhausted form, from what she knew of geography they had had been traveling for several days to get this far towards the west from the Temple of Water. She kissed the man she knew like a brother and waited beside him hoping he would awaken soon and tell her what she was supposed to do. He finally did only to get a frantic look on his face and pulled her close to him "Laburnum, the temple of Light, please hurry." Before dropping back to slumber, the healer spoke "He is exhausted and has been exposed all to protect you miss, it might be best for you to stay here for a while, we can't spare anyone to accompany you with the crops coming in " Hoshimi nodded before looking at Tsai, no she would do as her guardian asked.
She took from him her staff, his bokken slipping it into her obi as well as taking the gold and her pack of clothing. She gave the healer woman a few gold asking that she take care of her guardian and that she was headed to Laburnum as he asked, not sure what she would find there only determined to do so. Her eyes lit with an inner fire as she began her journey, hoping she would find what she was supposed to there, the necklace around her neck glimmering slightly against her chest as she walked.
She reached Laburnum within a day and immediately felt much at home in the eastern section of town, it was much like the villages at home tho on a much larger scale than she had ever seen before. She wasn't even sure where to begin. She began to knock on random doors asking anyone, if they knew where she could find a Inn but everyone either ignored her or acted like she was someone to fear due to her fine clothing, thinking her one of the nobility. She was beginning to get a bit worried as she continued walking through the town hoping someone could help her, her silver blue eyes were tinged with a bit of anguish as she simply sought a place to sleep for the night.
She would have it much easier if she had been in her normal hakama but no she was in her full kimono, her hair dressed as always and as such people avoided her like she was the plague. The people here didn't fear her per se just wanted to avoid any chance of offending her and she was about to give up and walked up to a buidling that had a bench outside of it and sat there leaning against her staff, hoping for someone to help her. Hoping to prove to Tsai she could take care of herself out in the real world, she didn't want to remain at the Temple of Water, but she didn't know what else to do. Perhaps she would go to the Temple of Light after all....Yes that was it, the next person she came across she would ask where the Temple of Light was located.
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Joseph Brown Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 4:01 pm
"Pity isn't it." Rigel continued to relax in the strangers workshop, "You can heal your temporary problem, but you can do nothing to ease her real one."
Rigel pulled one of the four inch metal pins he had hidden in his clothing out. He held it in front of him, just looking at it.
"You can't heal other people away." The needle passed halfway through his fingers before he caught it, "You can't cure other peoples personality traits, can you?"
Rigel flipped the needle between his fingers, back and forth, back and forth. Tried to act like he cared, but he needed something to get him through the boring part.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 4:05 pm
V13 Virus "Pity isn't it." Rigel continued to relax in the strangers workshop, "You can heal your temporary problem, but you can do nothing to ease her real one." Rigel pulled one of the four inch metal pins he had hidden in his clothing out. He held it in front of him, just looking at it. "You can't heal other people away." The needle passed halfway through his fingers before he caught it, "You can't cure other peoples personality traits, can you?" Rigel flipped the needle between his fingers, back and forth, back and forth. Tried to act like he cared, but he needed something to get him through the boring part. *Shakes his head* I can heal and soothe those who are ill, hurt, or pained, but I cannot heal a broken soul, or change a personality. Those are some things no one can change, but we ourselves can fix, if we try hard enough.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 4:16 pm
Lao exited the palace again, nodding to the guards as he exited. He hoped that his inspection ot the grounds by himself was not too brash of a decision. As he passed by Seyumi and Alcyone he bowed respectfully and courteously before moving towards the eastern section of the city, hoping for a good meal. Yes, he liked the western dishes and had a few favorites- but the food from his country definitely had something going for it.
As he entered said section of the city, he simply walked among the people, getting a few waves and shouts from most of the people there. He had passed through Laburnum many times, and showed that he was not anyone to be feared or revered, though he was a royal guard. In the end, no one passed for him or bowed to him, though a few did. He did not mind- in the end, he was one of them. No different.
As he bought a rice ball from a vendor nearby, he saw her. A young woman with a kimono that was the ocean's hue, a rod and a familliar bokken tucked away in her obi. She looked lost, as if this were her first time in the city. He felt a twinge of pity for her, and walked over to the bench after bowing slightly to him. As he approached, he bowed to her with a smile, looking straight into her eyes. He asked her straight out in the eastern tongue, as he was accustomed to getting straight to the point-
"Hey... you look lost. Is this your first time here?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 4:26 pm
Hoshimi looked up as she heard a voice in the familiar eastern tongue and was grateful that it seemed so friendly. Her silver blue eyes simmered at the edge of tears before she fought them back and graced the man with a small smile.
Her delicate features were defintely weary as she looked at the rice ball with a bit of longing, she had been so busy searching for an inn that she had forgotten to get something to eat. She replied in the eastern tongue simply, her eyes still not meeting his, those hers could still be seen.
"Yes, it is I'm trying to find either a Inn or the Temple of Light, but no one will talk to me" clutching the staff in her hands as she looked past him, almost as if seeing through him, her gaze fading slightly before she shook her head, the hairpieces not coming undone at all, so professionally were they crafted into her hair style. "Could you please help me?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:19 pm
Ah, so she was lost. And by the look of it, hungry as well. The dinner was just around the corner, so this could wait, for the moment. He gave her his rice bun and patted her on the head, awnsering with- "I know were the Temple is, and I can get you there. That is, if you wish."
He sat down next to her and regarded the bokken that was still tucked into her obi, looking at the inscription that was engraved in the wooden sword-
Those who fight the waters will find no rest.
Those who flow with them will find peace.
His eyes widened somewhat at seeing one of the precepts of his family's school. This was no ordinary bokken... "This is Tsai's bokken. How did you come to have it, miss?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:26 pm
She nodded slowly, he was friendly and she needed to find the Temple or an Inn so she would be safe till Tsai got better. Not that she knew what she was running from. "Yes if you would please" eating the rice ball with delicacy even tho she was hungry.
Standing up and bowing slightly, "Apologies for my rudeness..." About to introduce herself when he noticed the bokken, backing away slightly able to break into a run if she needed to. He knew Tsai, that couldn't be good.
Tsai had told her long ago that there was no one who knew him any more other than her. She however would not lie. "It was given to me by my guardian at the Temple of Water". Ready to turn and run if need be as well as to stand and fight, depending upon which way the water flowed, her staff held in front of her in a slightly defensive position.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:37 pm
Tiel moved Yuri's hands off her, then slowly lay down by herself. She listened to the second man's words, finding them interesting. Perhaps he was some sort of traveling philosopher...such a thing was not unheard of, though she'd never actually spoken to one. Her mother had told her stories about one she had met, long, long ago...
"It's not healing...it's changing people."
She thought about it for a minute, about why his words bothered her so much. "The only thing broken about me is the way my hands make things."
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:45 pm
He noticed that she was starting to back away slowly, the fear in her eyes evident, as far as he could see. He stood and put his hands up defensively. "You misunderstand, I was only asking. But why would Tsai need to be appointed as a guardian? I don't see how someone who could hold a weapon as well as you can would need one, anyway.
And did you say the Water Temple? I would know you, then... but I don't. I know everyone at that shrine- almost everyone, anyway."
He took the time to take his first good look into her eyes- and his opened in surprise. Her eyes were the color of a reflective surface of a pond, and had the same shine and glow that those of his family had, including him. They seemed to call to something within him, as if she were familliar somehow. Not breaking his gaze from her for an instant, he spoke quietly...
"Your eyes are beautiful, miss. I think I've seen a pair once before in the Water Temple, though I still don't know who they belonged to. What was surprising was, I didn't know anyone but myself who had those eyes. Interesting coincidence, isn't it?"
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Joseph Brown Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:54 pm
"I suppose people can change." Rigel smiled a bit, "But there has to be a balance doesn’t it?"
He stopped with the pin between his thumb and forefinger. He was all about disrupting balance, the balance of life and death, the balance of families, the balance of human emotion... His own balance even. He really shouldn't be preaching about balance, but it was fun to evoke thoughts.
"But wouldn’t it be dull if we could rid ourselves of all these demons haunting us," He pushed the pin back in to its hiding place, "The ones that keep us company?"
It would be, with out pain there would be no pleasure. At least for Rigel.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:57 pm
She nodded at his words, carefully weighing them for truth as she let them slip into her mind, her hands still held loosely onto her staff, glad for the compliment but still very wary. Tsai had said to trust no one till her came for her. Her necklace was warm on her skin inside her kimono, the light from it peeking out slightly, she hoped it meant Tsai was on his way after all.
She spoke clearly tho heavily accented Eastern as she lifted her gaze to the man. "I have resided at the Water temple for 15 years until the recent attack. Many apologies I do not know you"Turning around to leave, feeling rude but suddenly uncomfortable without the reassuring presence of Tsai around.
Then he spoke again and she quietly answered her back still towards him, tho she would know if he moved towards her. "There are no coincedences, we only go where the tide takes us, even if we fight the tide we always end up where we should"
Taking several quick steps away from him, she had already said too much as it was. She still didn't know why they were running only that they were and she needed to hide, she quickly dropped one gold coin to pay for the rice ball before walking away quickly, her hands still gripped onto the staff.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:11 pm
He was just about to ask for her name, when she ran off, leaving a gold piece for the bun. He picked it up and sighed. It seemed that the closer he got the truth in a matter, the farther it seemed to be from him in an instant. He put the coin in a hip pouch and began to walk away- But was compelled to follow. She was long gone, but he could find her easily. Such an intricate kimono was hard to miss.
He headed in the direction that she ran off to, taking the roof tops as he usually did when trailing someone in heavy traffic. He kept himself at a distance, so he would not be seen easily by her. And all the while, the intended response echoed through his head- "I know that. It just seems that you and I are on the same tide, and I want to know why."
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:25 pm
She finally ducked into a small curiosity shop, the elaborate hair style drawing attention as usual tho it was a bit ragged from wear, it was the main way she wore her hair and could fix it easily with her own hands and had done so out of habit, not thinking of hiding herself as she had never had to before. Several of the people within the shop believed her to be priestess of some kind and they would not be far off in that respect.
She may not have seen him but she had felt him following her and that scared her further. She made her way around the shop, pretending to be looking for somehting as she caught her breath, the deep pants from rushing herself, something she had never done before, forgetting all of her training in that moment of fear.
Finally she found what she was looking for tho it was not a memento, but the back door, pushing it open it led out into an alley, a dead end one at that, she saw in dismay. Perhaps he hadn't seen her and she could leave again, as she headed towards the only exit to the alley, hoping she could find the Temple again without getting into trouble.
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:53 pm
Lao had followed the ornately designed, deep blue kimono to a curiousity shop. She definity knew that he was following her. He knew that she knew, and cared not. All he wanted at first was to get her to the temple and be done with it, but questions and memories came at the worst possible time. Now he was looking for awnsers from someone who had none, when he should be asking Tsai.
Since she had his bokken, maybe she could lead him to where the instructor- former instructor, rather- was. If he could not speak to her, then he would speak to him. For the moment, he would simply wait. He sat down on the roof adjacent to the building and waited for something to happen.
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