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 Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 10:08 am
[Academy Student]
Tricks and Punishments
PRP with JianyuWhen he decides to pull a scam, Kiran picks the wrong person to try to trick. [COMPLETED]
The day had been a complete and total bust in his mind. Kiran shuffled out the front door of the Qian Tattoo Parlor. Pausing, he turned to start back at the building. He felt annoyance and irritation toward Jianyu. He wasted the entire day, looking for someone to con. He thought he had found that person in Jianyu only to be proven wrong by the man's intellect. He failed to get any money out of Jianyu. At least, he managed to get out of the punishment with only doing a minimal amount of work.
Oddly, that didn't feel like any great victory. Maybe that had something to do with Jianyu's comment about him faking any interest in his skills just to con the man. While his main goal was to get money out of Jianyu, Kiran still admired the man's skill. For whatever reason, the comment felt like a stab at him, like Kiran was too blind by his own greed to notice the skill of his opponent. Jianyu had sparked some interest in him for archery. Their meeting was his first real experience with the low ranged weapon. And the little shooting the apple off his head trick had really intrigued him. But he doubted Jianyu would care to teach him how to shoot an arrow from a bow after everything that just happened. And Kiran didn't think he was all that eager for another encounter with the man.
But why had Jianyu just let him go? It almost seemed to easy. Kiran would have expected the man to suddenly change his mind and drag him into the tattoo parlor and force him to finish the cleaning. Yet, Kiran was standing right outside the building and nothing happened. No sign of Jianyu anywhere. He really was free to just go. Kiran scratched his head in wonder, trying to figure out the reasoning behind that sudden decision. He simply could not understand Jianyu's thinking. Then again, the man had one of the best poker faces that Kiran had seen to date. He simply couldn't read the man.
Sighing, he realized he had a long way to go before he could outsmart someone like Jianyu. He frowned, disappointed in his own skills. Or perhaps, that should be lack of skills. He could scam the gullible teenagers around his home. But against someone like Jianyu, his skills at conning people were obviously useless. He had been cocky, overconfident, and thought his plan wouldn't be found out until he was long gone. He felt frustrated with his loss against Jianyu. But he would simply have to hone his skills better so that next time he wouldn't get caught.
Kiran shook his head and turned away. He folded his arms behind his head as he walked through the streets, heading back home. Maybe the day hadn't really been as much a loss as he thought. Jianyu showed him something interesting. Or maybe he should say two things. Those paintings hanging on the wall were masterfully done. One day, maybe, he might consider looking more into those tattoos. But living under his parents' roof meant there were certain rules he needed to obey. Getting a tattoo might not be exactly on top of the list, but it was fairly high up there.
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Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 10:10 am
[Academy Student]
A Quiet Stroll?
PRP with Zhong - Battle with ZhongA quiet stroll down the Main Street turns not-so-quiet when a battle ensues. [COMPLETED - NOBLE WIN]
After the fight, Kiran had wandered around the neighborhood near his house, trying to calm down his anger and frustrated before returning home. His mother would throw a fit when she saw the bruise on the side of his face where Zhong had landed a kick and a punch. He cringed, imagining the lecture his mother would give him. She always hated when he got into fights. But this time around, it wasn't his fault! At least, he kept telling himself that. After all, he wouldn't have gotten into the fight if that Legion snob hadn't gotten all huffy about having to apologize for bumping into him. But, for some reason he couldn't understand, that didn't help ease his annoyance over the whole incident. He had won the fight. He should feel victorious! But instead, he only felt this emptiness over beating Zhong, and that only added to his frustration.
Kiran touched the bruise gently with his fingers and hissed as the feathery touch caused a biting pain. That bruise wouldn't fade for a while. He sighed. There was no way he was going to hide the bruise from his parents. The right side of his mouth twisted up in a half smirk. But he could delay them finding out about it. Sneaking around was one of specialties, after all. In his own mind, at least.
Slipping around to the back of the house, Kiran checked where his parents were. His mother was in the kitchen working on fixing dinner for that night. Kiran shuddered, wondering what dreadful supper they would have to suffer through tonight. The kitchen, though, was easily bypassed. He would be able to make it to his room without his mother ever knowing he was there. As long as she stayed in the kitchen, of course. But his father - Kiran glanced through the windows to scope out the rest of the rooms in the back of the house, but he didn't see his father anywhere. That wasn't too unusual. His father dedicated a lot of his time to training the falcons. But it seemed a little on the late side for his father to be working with the falcons.
"What are you trying to hide this time?"
Kiran gulped when he heard his father's voice coming from behind him. He turned around slowly, keeping the bruised half of his face turned away from his father. "Hey, Dad. What makes you think I'm hiding something?" he asked with a nervous smile.
"I think I've been your father long enough to know when you're hiding something," Baladeva said with a stern look on his face. He took hold of Kiran's chin and turned his head around. "That's some bruise. You better not let your mother see it." Baladeva shook his head, disappointment shining in his eyes. "I'll keep your mother distracted while you sneak off to your room."
Kiran's brow furrowed in his confusion. "You're not going to punish me for fighting?"
"I'll leave the punishing to your mother if she catches you with that bruise." Baladeva shrugged. "She can lecture you until she's blue in the face, but boys will be boys. And sometimes that means getting into fights. I was a bit of a troublemaker too when I was a boy." He reached out and ruffled Kiran's teal hair. "Hurry off to your room now." Baladeva headed into their house.
Kiran blinked in surprise as he watched his father enter the house. He found it hard to predict his father's reaction to some things. When this mother was around, Baladeva would usually side with her in an argument, part of the whole presenting themselves as a united front thing or whatever. But when it was just him, Baladeva would sometimes help Kiran get away with whatever he was trying to hide. But other times, Baladeva would get just as angry as his wife over the things Kiran did. This was not one of those times, and Kiran was glad for that.
With his father distracting his mother, Kiran had an easy time slipping through the house to his room. He escaped the angry glower from his mother, but he wouldn't be able to dodge her for long. Perhaps he could avoid her until the bruise faded away to be less pronounced. But before he could reach his room, Kiran heard soft footfalls behind him. He cringed, fearing his father failed to keep his mother from finding out about the bruise. But when he turned around, instead of finding his mother standing there, Kiran saw his younger sister Xiuying. He released a sigh as his shoulders sagged in relief.
"You shouldn't sneak up on me like that," Kiran told her, unconsciously signing the words as he spoke them. It had become a habit of his when talking with his sister, that sometimes carried over to when he spoke to other people. Inwardly though, he was proud to see her picking up some of his habits, like sneaking about. She had a natural quiet grace that made it easy for her to move about without being heard.
Xiuying frowned at her brother. Where did that bruise come from? she asked, her hands flowing swiftly through the hand signals they had developed over the years.
"Oh, this," Kiran said, laughing. "It's nothing." Then he frowned at his sister. He felt bad for still not getting her anything special for her birthday. He took hold of her hands. "I promise I will get you something really special for your birthday." The days kept passing by, and every time he went to look for a present, he returned empty handed.
Xiuying pulled her hands free so that she could speak again. I don't care about that. Did you get into another fight? She frowned at him as she gave him a stern look, an expression that wasn't normally seen on her.
Kiran sighed. He knew how much Xiuying hated when he got into fights, like their mother. "It wasn't my fault. The other guy was being a stuck up jerk."
Xiuying rolled her eyes at that response. You shouldn't start a fight with someone just because you think they're being a jerk. What exactly happened?
Kiran frowned, not really wanting to explain what happened. But the stern look didn't leave Xiuying's face. She could be just as stubborn as the rest of the family when she wanted, despite her normal gentle nature. She wouldn't be dropping the subject until she heard the full story behind the fight. He raised a hand to his head and scratched at it for a moment in thought. Then he explained about his search for a present and the encounter with the Legion snob that led into the fight.
"It was his own fault for making such a fuss over the whole thing," Kiran finished. The look on his sister's face made him believe he wouldn't be getting any support from her. "He should have been watching where he was going!"
Xiuying shook her head at him. And you were paying complete attention to where you were going?
"Well... No," Kiran answered lamely. He didn't think he would like what she would tell him next.
It's just as much your fault as his, Xiuying signed as she sighed. If you had been paying attention, you would have avoided him instead of bumping into him.
Kiran ground his teeth, feeling a burst of frustration. Why did she have to point out something like that? The whole fight with Zhong made him angry enough already. But why was he so mad after the fight? He still couldn't figure out the answer to that question. If he knew he was right in the fight, then shouldn't he be happy with his win?
Xiuying tugged on his arm, and Kiran looked back up at her. What's wrong? You look upset. Her brow creased with concern as she stared at him.
Kiran shook his head. "I'm fine. Just thinking about things," he explained. "I'll get you a great present soon." He smiled at Xiuying as he patted her on the head. He had plenty of years of being a bad big brother to make up for. Is that part of it? he wondered as he strolled down the hallway to his room. Was he simply at himself for all the mean things he did to Xiuying when they were younger?
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Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 1:29 pm
[Academy Student]
“Kiran!”
He cringed when he heard his mother shout at him. She used that normal angry tone that denoted her disappointment in his behavior. Since his fight with Zhong, Kiran had been careful to stay out of his mother’s sight. His bruise no longer stung with the lightest of touches. But it still had yet to fade away completely. He thought he would be able to keep it hidden from his mother until it was gone completely. Apparently today, he was not stealthy enough to sneak past his mother on his way out of the house.
“Honestly,” Daiyu said in a huff as she stood in the doorway of the kitchen. “Do you think I don’t know when something’s up? Like I don’t know my own son after all these years. You start avoiding me, skipping meals even, and you think I won’t notice anything wrong with that.” Clothing rustled as she folded her arms. “What are you trying to hide this time?”
Kiran sighed, hanging his head. He knew there was little point trying to hide his injury after his mother confronted him about it. She was just as stubborn as the rest of them and would persist until he finally answered her. He turned around to face her but kept his gaze cast aside. From past experiences, he knew how angry she would be to see the bruise still marring his face. A hand gripped him by the chin and forced him to lift his head so that his mother would have a better look on the bruise.
“You never listen!” Daiyu snapped angrily as she released her hold on his chin. “How many times do I have to tell you not to get into fights?”
“What? You want me to just sit back and let the enemy beat me up instead of defending myself?” Kiran argued, growing equally angry. Why didn’t his mother seem to understand that there was a war going on right now? Again and again, she told him not to fight. But Kiran wasn’t the type to ignore the conflict spreading through their land. At least his father understood. Baladeva fought for the Nobles as well. Kiran didn’t understand why he was always getting punished for getting into fights. He had to do his part to fight against the Legions. “Do you think I train with Uncle just for the exercise?”
“Fighting doesn’t solve anything,” Daiyu complained. Her lips were pursed in an angry line as she glared down her upturned nose at him. She didn’t approve of fighting, much the same as Xiuying. But unlike Xiuying who was merely firm and stubborn about her stance, Daiyu could come off rather hostile in argue against fighting.
“There are times where a person has to fight.” Kiran knew it was useless to try to convince her to see things from his point of view. This was just one of their many points of disagreement. “You may be blind to the war, but I’m not.”
“You’re still just a child. You shouldn’t have to concern yourself with politics and the war.”
“Argh!” Kiran shouted and pulled at his hair. “I’m not a child! So stop treating me like one!” He stomped toward the exit nearest the kitchen. After he stepped through the doorway, he slammed the sliding door shut, ignoring his mother’s shouts of, “Kiran! Kiran, get back here!” Kiran continued stomping, making his way across their yard. He loved his mother. He knew he did. But sometimes, their conversations just left him so infuriated. Why couldn’t she treat him more like an adult?
It would be nice if fighting was unnecessary. But they lived in an age of war, not peace. Fighting was unavoidable in some cases. And Kiran felt he was old enough to understand what he was getting into by joining the Nobles side. But his mother, apparently, still looked at him as a little five-year-old child only playing at being a warrior while not understanding anything at all. He hated that. He hated how people still treated him like a misbehaving child.
Kiran stopped walked near the edge of their yard. When he looked up, he saw his sister sitting at the base of a tree. She had a large sketch book in her lap, and she frowned as she stared up at him. Kiran sighed, knowing what she would have to say to him. Still, he walked over and sat down beside her and leaned back against the tree.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Kiran mumbled tiredly.
You were arguing with Mother again, Xiuying signed, the frown still gracing her face.
Kiran cringed. He knew how much his sister hated when he argued with their parents. He tried to avoid that when his sister was around, but sometimes, he couldn’t keep his angry and frustration in check and let his emotions burst out of him. “She’s not pleased with the fact that I got in a fight again.”
It was a stupid reason to get into a fight, Xiuying reminded him.
Kiran groaned. “I know. I know!” He still remembered their conversation from the day of the fight. He knew he had been stupid to get into a fight with Zhong. He hadn’t been paying any more attention to where he was going than Zhong had, which was why they bumped into each other in the first place. “But what’s done is done. So there’s no point dwelling about what happened. I’ll just be more careful in the future not to get into a fight over something like that.”
Xiuying hid a smile behind her hand. When she could almost keep a straight face, she signed, I don’t think you can hold to that.
“What?” Kiran shouted, sitting up straight. “You don’t believe what your big brother tells you?” He pouted, somewhat offended by that. He could control his mouth and not get into trouble if he really tried. Maybe. He believed he could anyway, though there was a nagging feeling of doubt gnawing at him.
It’s because I know you so well. Xiuying grinned as Kiran sighed with his head hung. She did know him well. Kiran leaned back against the tree again and watched the clouds roll slowly by above them as he listened to the soft scratches of his sister drawing.
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Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:05 pm
[Academy Student]
Fishing in Dead Man's Cove
PRP with Huang - Battle with HuangWhen he makes a trip to his favorite fishing spot, Kiran finds someone else already there. Neither one wanting to give up the spot, they duel for the rights of the fishing cove. [COMPLETED - NOBLE WIN]
Kiran left his favorite little fishing cove, weaving his way through the dense forest. He caught quite a haul after spending a few hours sitting there, and now he wanted to hurry home to put them in his ice bin so they wouldn't start to go bad. He planned to take them down to the docks to sell them, but many of them were a little on the small side. He would keep those little ones and give them to his mother for cooking dinner. But he shuddered to think what she would make with them. His mother wasn't exactly known for making delicious meals.
The fishing helped to clear his mind of things, like it usually did. But he still felt some residual frustration from the fight with Huang. No one had ever discovered his fishing spot until today. Or at least, anyone who knew about that specific spot never showed up at the same time as Kiran. But he might have forgiven the intrusion if Huang hadn't announced that he belonged to the Legion. Kiran released a tired sigh as he hung his head. It was a shame really. If Huang was a Noble supporter, Kiran might have been nicer to him. He hadn't met anyone else his age who shared his interest in fishing. It would have been nice to have someone around that liked fishing as well, even though he mostly preferred to fish alone. Why did Huang have to be on the Legion side of the war?
Kiran shook his head. Questions like that wouldn't do him any good. He should just be happy that he managed to defeat Huang in battle and protect his spot at the little fishing cove. As he walked, he began to whistle. He had stood his ground and protected what he considered his territory. He had every right to feel proud over his victory. His side still ached from where Huang landed a punch, but at least that injury would be less noticeable than the bruise to the face that he received during his prior fight against a Legion follower. He felt little concern this time around about his mother finding out about his fight since he should be able to hide any bruising on his side.
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Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 6:47 pm
[Academy Student]
He didn’t know when his hobby of climbing first developed. His parents loved to tell stories about when he was little and would climb all over the place. His father had half a dozen stories about having to rescue Kiran in the nick of time before he brought a bookcase down on himself. Kiran smiled a little to himself in memory of those stories. But he was glad his enthusiasm for climbing continued into his teen years. The ability to scale walls and trees with relative ease was a great skill to have.
Today, Kiran put the skill to use when he scaled the wall of his home and found a comfortable place to rest. As of late, he usually put his skill of climbing to use for listening in on passing conversations, hoping to catch a tidbit of interesting information, or simply observing people to see who he might be able to pull a scam off on in the future. But he wasn’t feeling up to that today. As he watched the clouds rolling by overhead, he thought back on the past few weeks.
It all started on that day he went searching for a birthday present for his sister. Kiran was still frustrated with himself for not finding anything to get her. His run in with a Legion boy named Zhong had led to a fight. After his mother found out, he was forced to clean up the bird house where they kept the falcons for training. This wouldn’t have been a terrible punishment, since Kiran cleaned up after his own falcon all the time. But one particular falcon, Zibaniz, disliked him, for some reason. It was difficult to clean the bird house while fending off attacks from any angry falcon trying to peck him to death.
Kiran knew he deserved that punishment, as annoying as it was. It was a pointless fight, in retrospect, against Zhong. It wasn’t like Zhong hadn’t apologized for bumping into him. It was a mere accident, and he had let his private frustrations get the better of him. He told his sister that he would be careful of his actions in the future. Yet…
“I hate when she’s right,” Kiran mumbled to himself as he rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his palms. Sometimes, he found it really annoying that his sister knew him so well.
His fight against Huang was nothing more than a territorial dispute. Couldn’t they have solved the problem with words rather than fists? Kiran knew his sister would ask that if she had learned about the fight. And he knew the question was right. He tried to reason that he was just in those fights because he was fighting against Legion members. But their fights had little to do with the politics behind the war. They were merely frustration boiling into anger which transformed into rage after learning about where his opponents’ allegiances stood. If he hadn’t discovered they were Legions, would he have grown angry enough to battle them? He would never know the answer to that.
In his argument with his mother, Kiran yelled that there were times when a person had to fight. But now, as he thought on it more, he found himself facing a dilemma. He still believed in what he said. A person had to fight for what he believed in. But he was seeing now that maybe he wasn’t seeing the times when he should fight clearly.
“You have to pick your battles,” he whispered to the clouds above him. But how was he to know which battles those were? He knew he had flaws, most specifically his mouth which when he let run without thought usually got him into trouble. In the heat the moment, though, it was hard for him to even think about stifling his words. He had been like that for as long as he could remember. How could he change that part of himself? He wasn’t exactly known for his restraint.
“Ah, this is pointless!” Kiran let out an exasperated sigh. Why was he dwelling over this so much? It was all in the past anyway. What was done was done, as he had told his sister.
“What’s pointless?”
The question made Kiran jump in surprise. He turned around to see his father leaning over the edge of the roof as he stood at the top of a ladder. “Sneaky old man,” Kiran muttered, frowning at his father.
Baladeva chuckled heartily. “Did you think you were the only sneaky one in the family?” He climbed all the way onto the rooftop and took a seat beside his son. “Now what did you think was pointless?”
Kiran flopped over onto his back again. “I was just thinking about things.” He glanced out the corner of his eyes at his father. “Do you ever wonder if the battles you fight are right? What if they were just meaningless spats that could have been solved another way?”
“I think that’s something every warrior has to think about,” Baladeva answered as he gazed out over the land from the rooftop. “Everyone will have a different answer to that because everyone has their own reasons for fighting.” He turned his gaze onto his son. “But for every battle you fight, you make a new enemy. Are you prepared for the consequences of having those enemies?”
Kiran sat up with a smirk. “Just let them try and seek revenge. I’ll beat them all again and again.” He held up his right arm and patted his biceps. He still had a lot to learn from Uncle when it came to fighting, but he was fairly confidently in his current abilities. Baladeva let out a booming laugh as he slapped Kiran on the back. Kiran smiled at his father as they continued to sit on the rooftop, the ominous stench of dinner drifting out from the opened kitchen window.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:56 am
[Academy Student]
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
PRP with YuudaiKiran heads down to the docks to sell his latest haul from fishing. [COMPLETED]
Kiran was in a fantastic mood as he made his way home from the docks carrying a nearly empty ice bin. After Yuudai's purchase of all his yellowtails, business had picked up at Kiran's stall, and he managed to sell off most of his merchandise. He still had a few fish left that were on the slightly small size. He thought they were large enough to sell, but no one had given them a second look. Kiran shrugged off the disappointment in not selling off the entire haul. He was happy to have a fatter purse of coins.
Kiran would have to thank Yuudai the next time that he saw the other Lunarian. While he was certain he would have eventually gotten some buyers to stop by his stall, he knew that his business boomed because Yuudai had decided to stop by and take a chance on him. He really owed Yuudai for that. But who knew how long it would be before they were both at the docks at the same time again so that he could thank the other Lunarian properly? Yuudai had invited him to visit his family's inn. Kiran never really thought much about inns, having no real reason to pay a visit to one. But now he was a little curious to see the place that Yuudai's family ran. And all kind of Lunarians stayed at inns. Kiran grinned at all the potential scams that he could pull off in such a popular place.
Kiran frowned. On second thought, that was probably a bad idea. If he caused trouble at the inn and Yuudai heard about, Kiran would likely lose the potential regular customer that Yuudai might become for him. That certainly wouldn't be very business smart, and Kiran hated the thought of losing an opportunity to make money. It was better to play it straight and cross off any thoughts of pulling scams at the Koga Inn.
He planned to make a trip to the inn to check it out, but Yuudai had provided Kiran with another reason to visit the establishment. Cooking had never been a high priority of things to learn. In fact, cooking never even made it on the list. It wasn't that he believed it to be a woman's job to do the cooking. Knowing how to make edible food was, after all, an important skill for anyone to have. But until Yuudai brought it up, the opportunity to learn had never presented itself to Kiran.
As he walked up to the front door of his house, a thought tickled his mind. Kiran still hadn't found a decent gift for his sister. And while he was planning to use the money from today's profit to buy something, a new idea was forming. If Yuudai taught him to cook, Kiran could make a little birthday dinner for his sister. He wasn't sure how great he would be at cooking. But anything had to be better than most of the stuff his mother made.
He hoped, at least.
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:42 pm
[Academy Student]
 [NOBLE WIN]
You didn't have to come with me, Xiuying signed as she walked with her brother along the Main Street after a brief shopping trip. She carried a bag filled with new paints and brushes and a few scrolls of canvas. It hung on the crook of her elbow, leaving her hands free to sign. To her, it was a very successful trip to an art shop for supplies. For her brother, she knew it couldn't have been very interesting.
Kiran cared little about art when it came to picking up supplies. But he did find it fascinating to watch his sister turn a blank canvas into a beautiful work of art. Though sometimes, when Xiuying started painting, it was hard to tell what exactly the end result would be until she was finished. "I wanted to come," Kiran said with his arms folded behind his head. "And I thought you were going to buy more than you can carry." He grinned teasingly at his sister.
I can carry things on my own. Xiuying pouted, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink. Besides I have some control over what I buy, unlike some people. She stuck her tongue out at him in an act of playful immaturity.
"Hey!" Kiran protested, though he knew his sister was just playing with him. "I happen to have some control too, you know. Oh, wait up a moment. I want to stop in here."
Xiuying rolled her eyes. That's some great control you've got.
"Very funny." Kiran ruffled her hair as he walked past her toward the shop that caught his eye. He liked to look at the new fishing poles available at the shop, though he hadn't found one he liked enough to buy to replace his old fishing pole. The shop had a nice selection of fishing poles. Kiran tried out a few that he liked to test out their grips. There was one that he was tempted to buy, but in the end he decided against it. His old fishing pole was still in decent condition. It would be a waste of money to buy a new one when his old one worked just as well. He bid a farewell to the shop clerk before he stepped back outside onto the Main Street.
"What's the matter? If you're unhappy, why don't you say anything?"
Kiran halted when he heard the comment. He looked and found a male Lunarian towering over his sister. Xiuying knelt on the ground, desperately trying to gather up the paints and brushes that she bought. The Lunarian laughed as he ground dirt onto the nice, clean canvas. Unfortunately, this happened to be around the rare time when no one else was in this particular area of the Main Street.
Kiran stomped over to the boy as his temper flared. He grabbed the bully by the arm and twisted behind his back. "What do you think you're doing to my sister?" he demanded furiously, twisting the arm until the bully gasped in pain. He knew his sister hated when he got into fights, but sometimes force was necessary to get a bully to back off. A flurry of motion caught his attention, and Kiran glanced over at his sister, who was signing quickly in an attempt to get him not to fight.
"Oh, you know, just having a little fun!" The bully stressed the word fun as he slammed his head back into Kiran. The blow knocked Kiran back. He released his hold on the bully as he reached up to hold his aching jaw. The other Lunarian held the back of his head, wincing in pain. "She wasn't complaining. I figured she didn't mind." The bully wore a smirk.
Kiran ground his teeth as he clenched his hands into tight fists. It was useless to point out that his sister was mute. He would bet all his money that this bully was already aware of that. Rushing at the bully, Kiran slammed him against the wall of a nearby shop. "You think that just because someone can't speak it gives you the right to treat them poorly?"
The bully laughed. "And I was supposed to know she couldn't speak?"
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Kiran demanded, glowering at the bully.
"As a matter of fact, yes." The Lunarian stomped down hard on Kiran's foot. A shout ripped from his throat as Kiran pulled back from the bully. Kiran hopped on his good foot while rubbing at his injured foot. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the bully tackled him to the ground. He pulled back his fist, aiming a punch toward Kiran's face. But anticipating the attack, Kiran tilted his head to one side to avoid the blow. The bully cringed as the impact of his hand meeting with the ground shook up his arm.
Kiran managed to wiggle an arm free. Then he rammed his elbow into the side of the Lunarian's head. The bully rolled off him, holding his head for the second time. Kiran hurried to his feet. He charged at the bully, but the other Lunarian had a sly trick up his sleeve. The bully grabbed a fistful of dirt and flung it at Kiran. Catching the movement, Kiran raised an arm to cover his eyes barely in time to avoid getting dirt in them. The bully landed a blow, punching Kiran in the abdomen. Kiran gasped as the air rushed from his lungs.
"You're not much of the hero, are you?" taunted the bully with a smug smirk. He threw a punch. But Kiran blocked it. He thrust out his right arm, hitting the bully hard in the chest. The Lunarian fell onto his back.
"I suggest you don't take me too lightly just because you got in a couple lucky shots," Kiran warned, narrowing his eyes at the bully.
The Lunarian roared his anger as he launched to his feet. He came at Kiran with his fists flying in a wild rage. But his fury made his movements sloppy, which worked to Kiran's advantage. With a tiny grin, he ducked at the first punch that even came close to hitting him. Kiran hooked an arm around one of the bully's legs as he grabbed the front the Lunarian's shirt. As he stood up straight from his crouch, Kiran tossed the bully over his back. The Lunarian landed onto the ground again and gasped from the impact. He winced in pain from the combination of his head and back slamming into the ground.
Kiran walked over along the length of the bully's body. "I suggest that you leave now," he warned with his fists clenched tight. He didn't want a long drawn out fight with his sister here watching it. Xiuying would be upset with him for being in even a quick scuffle. "And I don't ever want to see you around my sister again."
Turning away from the bully, Kiran headed back over to his sister. Xiuying remained kneeling on the ground. Chewing on her lip, she wrung the hem of skirt in nervous worry. He hated making her worry like that. But the sudden panic that entered Xiuying's eyes made Kiran pause. He spun around in time to see the bully rushing at him. As the Lunarian aimed a punched toward his chest, Kiran twisted slightly out of the way. The punch glanced across his side. But Kiran pinned that arm against his side with his own arm. Then with his free hand, he grabbed the bully by the throat. The Lunarian tried scratching at Kiran's arm to make him let go.
"Leave now," Kiran ordered then shoved the bully away from him.
"This isn't over," the Lunarian muttered as he scowled at Kiran. Then he hurried off down the Main Street.
Kiran waited and watched the Lunarian leave to be certain he wouldn't try another sneak attack while Kiran had he back turned. When he didn't think the bully would make another appearance, Kiran returned to his sister's side. "Are you all right?" he asked as he crouched down before his sister. He worried that the bully might have hurt his sister before he stepped out of the shop.
Xiuying smacked him as hard as she could on the arm. You didn't have to fight him, she signed, frowning at him. He could have hurt you!
Kiran sighed. He knew that would be her reaction. "Sorry." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her into a half hug. "But I couldn't just let him pick on you like that." Xiuying, at least, didn't appear to be hurt anywhere. Kiran guessed the bully only trashed the art supplies. "Okay. Let's go hit that art shop you like again. I'll pay for your supplies this time." It was a deliberate change in subject. But Kiran knew the new topic would stop Xiuying from focusing on the fight.
Xiuying pulled out of his half hug. You don't have to pay for me. I have enough money to buy more.
"But I want to pay." Kiran grinned at her. "Consider it a small part of the birthday present I still owe you."
Xiuying rolled her eyes at his response. Haven't I told you that you don't have to get me anything?
Kiran smiled as he shook his head. "And you keep forgetting that I want to get you something." He helped Xiuying pick up the art supplies that the bully ruined. Then they started back down the Main Street toward the art shop.
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Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 5:52 pm
[Academy Student]
Misadventures at the Koga Inn
PRP with BataarAfter hearing about the Koga Inn from Yuudai, Kiran decides to pay it a visit. [Inactive]
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Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 3:36 pm
[Academy Student]
Tattoos
PRP with JianyuKiran arrives at the Qian Tattoo Parlor to get a tattoo from Jianyu's father. Or at least, that's what he thinks. [COMPLETED]
Kiran left the Qian tattoo parlor with a proud grin on his face. He knew as soon his mother found out about it he would be in serious trouble. But until then, he wouldn't let that ruin the moment. He had always admired his sister's art, and tattoos had become a bit of a fascination for him since the first time he was dragged to the Qian tattoo parlor. He liked that he had little bit of his sister's art that he could always carry with him, even if it was a Legion who did the tattooing.
He snorted to himself as he walked through the streets. A Lunarian or two threw a glance his way when they heard the noise, but Kiran paid little attention to them while lost in his thoughts. It was strange to have a civilized conversation with a known Legion. He always believed they were all stuck up and snobby. While Jianyu didn't completely dissuade that opinion, he did prove that it wasn't entirely impossible to talk with someone on the opposing side without things escalating into a fight. And Kiran enjoyed trying to provoke some kind of reaction out of Jianyu.
But their conversation got him thinking. Kiran still couldn't really understand why the Legions supported the Emperor. It wasn't that he disliked their way of life. Kiran just wanted to experience more of the world. He shrugged his shoulders as he shoved his hands into his pants pockets. He guessed to the Legions, his way of thinking made sense either.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:55 pm
[Academy Student]
Stealing Secrets - Picnic Party
PRP with Yue Lao - PRP with YueWhile eavesdropping on the passersby below his hiding spot on a rooftop, Kiran is discovered by someone. [COMPLETED]
Kiran folded his arms behind his head as he made his way home after walking Yue to her home. At first, he was a bit uncertain about their encounter. He didn't usually bump into other Lunarians while lurking on the rooftops above to listen in on whatever conversations he could overhear from that vantage point. He was wary, especially when jokes about giving away his hiding spot came up. But it turned into an interesting encounter.
Yue Lao was a pretty girl, when Kiran actually cared to pay attention to such things. Which wasn't all that often, oddly enough for a boy his age. And she could keep up with him in a conversation. That made him smile a little. He didn't often meet someone that could go back and forth with him. Neither gave away more than they wanted. And if she were anything like him, Yue probably made mental notes about what was observed to be filed away.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 4:58 pm
[Academy Student]
Bird Training
PRP with XiuKiran pays a visit to his family's mew to take his falcon Aditi out for some training when he has an unexpected encounter. [Inactive]
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:35 pm
[Academy Student]
The Festival of Spirits
ORPKiran meets many new and familiar faces while enjoying the festival with his sister. [COMPLETED]
The moment he returned to his room, Kiran tore out of his ceremony clothing and yanked on his normal clothing. As enjoyable as the festival was, he always felt stuffy and restrained in the clothing that he was required to wear to it. Flopping onto his back, he folded his arms behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom. The Festival of Spirits was as wonderful this year as it had been in years passed. He got to see friends, spot some enemies who he would rather keep his distance from, and meet new faces.
His sister went with him to see the sights of the festival, and he suspected she had just as good a time as he had. Except for the that lull, in her opinion, when he paused to watch that one man playing checkers. It looked like an interesting game, but they never got to settle the bet they made. Kiran wondered if he would get the chance to best that man at his game.
[+1 Battle Requirement]
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:38 pm
[Academy Student]
Run Run Run!
PRP with SakngeaSakngea books it from an angry mob in the city and is saved by a street-savvy boy named Kiran. [COMPLETED]
Kiran whistled as he weaved his way through the people milling around the market street. After parting ways with Sakn, he had made his way down from the rooftop and started back to his home. The jingle of coins and jewelry in his belt purse gave him a certain satisfaction. He couldn't believe how well they had pulled off the scam. Of course, it could have gone better. If that one person hadn't noticed them before and alerted the crowd, they might have gotten away with it before the crowd caught on. And they wouldn't have had to make a run for it. But despite that, they managed to get a way with a decent amount of loot.
And now he had a nice pair of earrings to give his sister.
As long as he could give them to her without her suspecting how he got them. That might take some thinking. It might be better if he waited before giving the earrings to her. He could sell off the fish he caught, that wasn't unusual, and pretend that he used that money to buy the earrings. Then she would have little reason to suspect that he got them from a scam. Kiran smiled to himself at that plan. He was glad he met Sakn. He could see them becoming good friends. And see them pulling off a lot more scams with each other.
Three days later...
Kiran tapped his foot as he waited at the docks. The sun was setting, and the crowd was thinning out as people returned home for the night. He had waited there since the early morning for Sakn to show up, as they had promised before parting ways. But Sakn didn't show. Kiran's mouth pursed in mild annoyance at being stood up. With a sigh, he started heading home. Maybe Sakn just got busy and would meet him tomorrow?
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:42 pm
[Academy Student]
Bitter Words
PRP with Yue - Battle with YueYue Lao is in a horrible mood, and eager to vent; she runs into Kiran, how will he handle her temper? [COMPLETED - LEGION WIN]
Kiran hissed as he touched the blackened eye. It would take a while before the swelling went down. Heaving a tired sigh, he rubbed at his damp hair with the towel that he had draped about his shoulders after taking a hot bath. It felt nice after being drenched in the pouring, chilly rain. But it didn't make him feel any less frustrated over losing a fight. The frustration had nothing to do with losing to a girl. His black eye was proof of how strong Yue was. He was glad that he had, in a way, helped Yue. But he hated having a friend see him showing off a weakness. He would need to train more to become stronger and learn to fight against Lunarians that used ranged weapons.
Kiran rubbed at his good eye. His sister and mother would give him an earful about spending more time training. He could understand their worry for him, but they didn't understand that he was fighting for what he believed in and to protect those he cared about.
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:45 pm
[Academy Student]
Morning Rush Hour
PRP with SarangerelSara finds out that even morning shopping is a task in a place like Lunaria. Will she actually get her groceries? [COMPLETED]
Kiran whistled a happy little tune as he wove through the crowded street. After Sarangerel left with her wolf Nori, business had picked up a bit, and he sold most of the fish that he caught. Now he had a decent amount of money clinking about in his money pouch. He adjusted his hold on the crate as he made his way home. The day had turned out far better than he thought after that mishap that morning. Seeing those two fish lying on the dirty street didn't put him in a good mood. They were on the smaller side of the fish that he caught, at least, but they still could have fetched a decent price if they hadn't fallen out of the crate when he got bumped.
But at least those two fish would be put to good use feeding Sarangerel's wolf. She seemed like a nice girl, and they did have a common interest in raising animals. He couldn't be sure that they would meet again, but he hoped that she would stop by his stall again if she was looking to buy some more fish.
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