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 Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:32 pm
Syn slid down the rock and stood near the stream, kneeling down to wash her face as Iri landed. She looked up at her and squinted, grinning widely as she noticed the branch.
"It's plenty safe, big Sis~ Safer than landing on dead branches, at least. It's not going to look good to your friends if you fall."
She snickered and pointed at the branch, already beginning to moan under Iri's weight. She glanced back at Tier and Shokubutsu before looking back to at Iri, a little more serious this time.
"Are you guys on a mission? You all seem ready to fight, especially the yellow man."
She was referring to Tier, using the color of his chakra to set him apart. And as far as Tier could tell, there were no significant lifeforms nearby, just the normal wildlife.
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Tier walked forward so he would get closer to the brook.
Strength... 40%
Speed... 60%
Tier's black exoskeleton flashed with yellow chakra for a second before his frame started to become more buff. The air around them was too calm. Tier was ready for an ambush that might come at them.
He continued to walk towards the brook, getting closer.
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:21 pm
Iri sticks out her tongue in a teasing manner.
"Oh, fine then."
She leaps off the branch, relieving it of her weight, and flaps herself into a position in which her shadow is cast directly on Syn. If the girl moves, Iri will move with her. Iri isn't a big woman, but her wings are massive. The shadow should be big enough for Tier to use, if necessary.
"I just want to stay ready to move in a hurry. We're out here trying to find somebody. There have been some pretty recent attacks on the academy, and we mean to put a stop to it. If I were you, Syn, I'd go back home. I can event escort you, if you like."
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:43 pm
"Mmm... I dunno. I think I'll be safer here. Plus, Jii-Sama doesn't like for me to bring people back with me. I think he would be alright if it were you, on account that I told him a lot about you, but I don't know your friends... I don't want to get in trouble."
Syn barely noticed that she was in a large shadow now, and she didn;t seem to care anyway. It was pretty apparent that Syn was believing her Big Sis completely, her innocence shining brilliantly in contrast to what they may have been expecting.
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:51 pm
Shokubutsu remain camouflaged, completely still, motionless, he'd only move if things got rough, but he kept a good eye on the situation.
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:23 pm
Oh, snap. Really?
As far as Iri's features show, nothing is troubling her. She keeps flapping away, expertly spinning her naginata just out of range of her wings as though she is simply bored.
"Ah, I see. Well, we can't blame him for that, can we? It's not like you can trust everyone you meet. But why do you say you'd be safer here? I would think you would be safer at home, with Jii-Sama."
Iri reaches out to the minds of the two men. "I've got an idea. Syn trusts me enough to take me almost anywhere. Tier, if you can hide yourself in the shadows, then you could follow. I don't know about you, Shokubutsu. Syn can see auras and chakra. I don't know what you're capable of, but if you can't hide your aura, then you might have to follow far enough behind to keep from being seen. Opinions? Make it fast."
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:02 am
Tier was about to shake his head in disagreement, but the girl would see.
If they followed this girl, that would also lead them into a possible trap. Tier continued to walk closer to the brook, now within several yards. The shadow binding would work at this distance.
Tier stopped as his single yellow eye stared at Syn. He had a flashback of what happened at the Mizu Dojo with the other woman who's face had fallen off with a mask. Motoko - Neko The strange energy manifested itself in her face, and an intricate mask fell from it, hitting the ground. The face underneath was quiet and yount. Not even twenty, it seemed. Her sword, laying on the ground now, was now just a boken, like one anyone would find in a martial arts dojo, or a school gym.
The girl woke up from her daze and looked around her in confusion. She quickly screamed in pain, clutching her side and coughing up blood as she spoke.
"Wha... AAAHHH! IT HURTS!"
A slight blur appeared on the wall. One of the feathered lizards that have been hanging around as of late swooped down and grabbed the mask as soon as it touched the ground. It fled as fast as it could, slipping out of the dojo and into the swamp.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:18 am
I'll become a tree. No one can notice me when I become a plant.
At that moment, it was if Shokubutsu disappeared. He was unable to communicate with the two himself, but he could still see the situation.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:47 pm
"Relatively, but I'd be more likely to run into this person you're chasing down if I were on the move, as I'm sure he wouldn't frequent the path more traveled."
Syn sounded uncharacteristically articulate, looking off into the forest before climbing up on that sun-baked rock, her eyes distant before she snapped back and grinned wide.
"Besides, it's cozy here~"
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:19 pm
Iri can see Tier just well enough to read his body language. He hadn't shaken his head. Nor had he replied via any telepathic link, though Iri isn't sure if that's within his abilities or not. What she can see is that he had kept moving toward Syn, and he had somehow seemed to stiffen when she communicated with him. Maybe he didn't even do that, but there was something about his presence that seemed to dislike her idea. Maybe a different approach is in order?
"Okay, so that's not gonna go the way I wanted it to. One last try, and if that doesn't work, then Tier needs to nab her while he can. Just give me one more chance to make this easy on ourselves." Her mind had broadcast the message to both men.
She doesn't think this will be easy, though. Syn seems different. Something in the way she speaks is certainly changing. But there's something more subtle that's making Iri a little nervous.
Violet eyes narrow a little in apparent concern. "I'm still worried, though. What if he travels the creek to hide his tracks, and finds you? I would definitely prefer it if you went home. I could even escort you. My friends can track this guy on their own. And what about Jii-Sama? Shouldn't he be warned about this?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:28 pm
"Mmmm"
She placed a hand on the rock, thinking, and finally nodded happily to Iri, hopping down to the ground.
"Alright, but just you. The other two have to keep following the bad guy. Jii-Sama doesn't like company, but I think he's been wanting to meet you, he just hasn't been able to come out much lately."
Syn hiked her robe up and forded the creek, waiting on Iri before leading her through the forest.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:01 pm
Something about what Syn says gives Iri chills. At least, it would have if she didn't have the hold on her emotions that she does. Instead, it's more like a sick, shaky feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"I know this is risky, especially on my part, but there's a chance we'll get the bottom of our problems this way. I'll try to keep her distracted enough for you two to follow. Just don't let yourselves be seen. And if things get complicated or rough, there should be plenty of shadows for you to use in along the way, Tier. If there aren't, I'll create some for you."
Iri smiles as though in relief. She turns in the general direction of her comrades. "Okay, take it from here, guys! You know what he looks like! I'm just gonna make sure the little one is safe, and then I'll meet up with you later. Remember, boss man wants him for interrogation."
Then she looks back at Syn. The avian lands next to the girl. Her naginata goes from twirling to its resting position. "Okay, sweets, let's go. By the way, why does Jii-Sama want to meet me? I wouldn't think me to be so interesting. And can he not come see me himself? Is he too weak to travel that far?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:16 pm
"I've told him about you, and he was happy that I made a friend, and wanted to meet you, to see you for himself."
Syn trotted along, quickly moving through the undergrowth of the forest without getting snagged on thorns or anything, not even getting a smudge on her white robes as she made good pace.
"He hasn't been well lately, and he really likes to read. I try to get away so I can get out the studies he makes us do. My Sister has gotten through all of the Prin-cip-i-a Math-em-at-i-ca, and I haven't finished the first book, so Jii-Sama likes to scold me for being lazy."
After a while, Syn leads Iri to a small cave set in a short cliffside, a decent-sized clearing in front of it. She turned around and grinned wide before stepping back into the mouth of the cave.
"You're not afraid of the dark, are you, Big Sis?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:52 pm
Iri listens to Syn as she talks. At the same time, she's very carefully watching her step. She takes special care to insure she doesn't come in contact with any plants. The woman does take note of one thing, though. Principia Mathematica sounds like more math than Iri ever saw in her life. Iri never was one for math.
When Iri stops, it's just before the clearing, still in the shadows of the trees. If Tier and Shokubutsu are nearby, she doesn't know it. Not that she would expect to know it. Shokubutsu had said that he couldn't be sensed as a plant. And Tier seems like the particularly stealthy type.
Aside from that, Iri has another problem. Truth be told, and she has a very hard time admitting this to people, but she does have a fear of the dark. Not in those exact words, though. More like, she has a fear of not being able to see the things around her. If blindfolded, for example, she'll throw a fit until the blindfold is removed. Same thing if she's thrown into a pitch black room. It's an instinctual thing. If she can't see, it's easier for something to sneak up on her. If it's easier for something to sneak up on her, she's likely to be killed or piss herself when something rubs against her leg or flies into her hair.
"Syn's told me that Jii-Sama lives in a cave with her sister. This must be the place. I hope you boys are ready."
Iri steps back a little, further into the forest. "Err, wow. This might be a bad time to admit this, Syn. But, eh, I don't really like dark places. It's a phobia. Part of being half bird, ya know. Or at least, it's part of being whatever I am. Um, jeez..."
"I'm stallin' for ya, boys. Lemme know you're out there to back me up."
"Sorry if I'm seeming rude or wimpy, Syn, but I've had bad experiences with dark places. Eheheh... heh."
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