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 Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:47 pm
[Academy Student]
Kiran leaned against the door frame as he watched his sister busy herself with her latest painting. So far, all he could make out were splashes of blue and green separating top and bottom of the canvas. He guessed it was a landscape, as she liked to paint them frequently. But she had just started working on it, so things had yet to take recognizable forms. His presence must have been noticed because Xiuying stopped in the middle of a stroke. She turned her head to glance over her shoulder at him. After setting down the paintbrush, she rotated around fully and offered him one of her small, shy smiles.
No fights lately? Her hands moved swiftly through well practiced motions as she asked her question. Then she lifted a hand to point at one of her eyes.
The bruise surrounding his left eye faded away by now, but Kiran was still surprised that his mother kept quiet after he returned home from the fight with Yue. She merely sniffed haughtily at him, pretending not to notice the horrible discoloration of his skin brought on by the hard blow from the meteor hammer. The quiet was nice if a little unnerving. He expected some kind of explosive reaction from her, like she had done after his previous fights. He wondered about it but decided it was best not to question it lest it set off his mother's rage.
"Not lately," he agreed with a cheeky grin. But even if he had, he would be careful not to tell her. He hated to see her disappointment in him more than he feared his mother's anger. Entering the room, he took a seat in front of her. "Ah, I have something for you." Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved an elegantly crafted necklace. He held it up with a smile.
A skeptical look crossed her face as Xiuying eyed the necklace. You didn't steal? She looked doubtful of the answer she would receive.
Kiran gasped with a hand to his chest, and he wore a wounded look upon his face. "Do you really think I would steal something to give you as a gift?" he asked with the slightest hint of betrayal in his voice. "I promise you I didn't steal it." His promise was true. He hadn't stolen the necklace. He merely agreed to take it off Sakn's hands after their joint checkers scam. It wasn't a complete lie. He just decided not to tell her the whole truth behind how he acquired the necklace.
Hesitation played across her features. Then Xiuying bowed her head, her cheeks tinged in a light shade of pink. Sorry. Her motions were a little slow and jerky, showing her embarrassment.
His smile couldn't be helped as he stared at his sister. There was something endearing about her shy nature. Jewelry wasn't something that Xiuying cared a great deal about, despite how his mother loved to present her with some new piece of jewelry every year for her birthday. But Kiran felt the necklace somehow suited her. Leaning forward, he reached around her neck and struggled a moment to get the clasp hooked together. "Perfect," he told her as he returned to sitting back on his legs.
Xiuying's fingers danced over the jewels dangling off the chain with a fond glimmer in her eyes. Thank you! Her head lifted with a bright smile and rosy pink cheeks.
Kiran returned the smile, but something wrenched inside him. How could she act so overjoyed by such a simply gift from him? He still wondered, knowing she didn't act half as joyful to receive a similar gift from their parents. Catching a curious gleam in her eyes, he felt guilty. "Do-" He started before feeling a loss for words. Ducking his head, he tried to put his thoughts together in a more coherent manner. "Am I a bad brother?" The thought had been circling in his head since his encounter with Sarangerel. A tendril of fear coiled in his stomach. How could he be seen as anything but a bad brother?
Xiuying tilted her head as she stared at him. Her long hair, a softer shade of blue than her brother's hair, spilled forward to cascade in front of her right shoulder. Curiosity and confusion creased her brow, and her lower lip jutted out in a small frown. After a pause, that felt much too long in Kiran's opinion, she leaned forward and placed a hand under his chin, gently forcing him to raise his head. The smile on her face held no cruelty behind it. I couldn't ask for a better brother.
Kiran almost released a sputtering response at that. He couldn't even see himself as a decent brother, let alone a good one. "But I was so mean to you!" He argued with a wild gesture of one hand. "I used to push you around and pull on your arm and yank your hair." And there were so many other things that he did that he couldn't remember or didn't even want to remember. He had been a right little spoiled brat at that time.
Xiuying pressed a finger to her chin with a thoughtful expression. Then she shrugged. I have no memory of that. At that time, she had been far too young to recall those events. All I can remember is you being a great brother.
Kiran wanted to throw himself to the ground and demand she hate him forever. How could she dismiss his poor treatment so easily? "But I was horrible to you!" he argued, hoping to get his point across to her. "You should hate me for treating you the way I did."
Xiuying sighed, reminded him of their mother whenever she was exasperated with something. I don't care what happened in the past. It's done. But you've been nothing but kind to me as far back as I can remember." She smiled as a memory came to her mind. Who else would have taken the time to make up hand signals to communicate with me?
Kiran laughed, unable to stop himself. Making up their own hand signals to communicate with each other had been like a game to him, and that made it all the more fun. It was like a secret language they could use when they wanted to talk without their parents knowing what they were saying. But over the years, his parents had begun to pick up on the meaning of most of the hand signals. "I guess not many."
Xiuying smiled, but after a moment, it faltered. I wish you wouldn't fight all the time.
That statement made the guilty come back. Kiran sighed as he leaned back on his arms. He adjusted his legs to sit cross legged rather than having his legs under him. "I don't fight all the time," he argued in a grumble. In the past, he might have been a little too eager to jump into a fight with anyone that claimed themselves to be Legion, even over something small and insignificant. But he liked to think that he had matured somewhat. He didn't fight with every Legion he met now. That brought Jianyu and Yue to mind. Though he had ended up fighting Yue, it had nothing to do with her being a Legionaire. He fought her because it seemed like something she needed at that time. He still didn't like the majority of the Legion, but he also began to realize that not all of them were bad. Some of them could be his friend, or at least somewhat civil to, if he gave them half a chance.
Why do you fight?
The question actually gave him pause. His gut reaction was to say because he supported the Noble cause, which of course he did. But that wasn't enough to fight a Legion just because they had different views. He could remember the discussion he had with Jianyu on the topic of why they picked the sides they were on. He couldn't blame someone for wanting things to stay the same if they were content with that way of life. But, he guessed, he was just the adventurous sort. The sea called to him, and he would love to sail out beyond the known waters and know what the rest of the world had to offer.
He chewed on his lip in thought before settling on an answer to give his sister. "To stand up for my belief," he said valiantly then turned a smile on her. "But probably most importantly, to protect the people I care about." The answer seemed to satisfy Xiuying, though she would never like the idea of her brother throwing himself into a fight and risking bodily harm or worse.
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 12:49 pm
[Academy Student]
Wood Carvings and Fish Bait
PRP with SiMa LiKiran spends some time relaxing at the docks to do some fishing. But he isn't the only one that planned to pay a visit to the beach. [COMPLETED]
After gathering up his fishing supplies, Kiran turned to leave the beach. His fishing rod rested on one shoulder, and he held the bit of driftwood with his bust carved on it under his arm. His bucket only contained a few small fish, but, if he got the chance to sneak into the kitchen sometime, they would serve well for practicing some cooking skills. Or at the very least, practicing to not completely burn the fish when he tried to cook it. He smiled as he left the beach and the gentle lapping of the ocean against the shore behind him.
Their meeting at the Festival of the Spirits had been a brief one. With all the excitement and sights to see, the Festival had been quite chaotic at times, and he had met a number of new and old faces during the three days that it lasted. At that time, he didn't get learn much about Li other than her name.
Kiran was glad that they had the chance to meet again, in a much quieter environment that allowed them to actually speak with each other without a number of distractions to interrupt them. Li was nice and amazingly talented when it came to woodworking. And he would be eternally grateful to her for speaking with her fishermen to allow him to join them on a fishing expedition. All in all, today had gone well, even if the big fish weren't biting like he hoped.
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 1:14 pm
[Academy Student]
...Is that a fish in your pocket?
PRP with AMeiyaA'Meiya's mother Fung Mee has taken her daughter to the local markets to sell her wares. After starting a instantaneous commotion A'Meiya stumbles on to someone who loves fishing just as much as her. [Inactive]
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Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:34 am
[Academy Student]
The Imperial City Annual Kite Race
ORPAfter a big breakfast, Kiran heads out to join the kite race. [Inactive]
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Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:01 am
[Academy Student]
Bitter Victory
Battle with VanWhen he spies the gleam of a beautiful amethyst pendant draped around the neck of an equally lovely Lunarian, Kiran can't help his sticky fingered nature. [COMPLETED - NOBLE WIN]
Kiran shook his head as he made his way down the street, leaving his opponent behind. A strange feeling washed over him that he couldn't quite pin down. It almost seemed out of character for him not to take the pendant after winning the fight. If she hadn't fallen trying that last attack, the fight could have ended very differently. He almost tossed a glance over his shoulder just to see if she followed him.
But by now, he was several streets away and probably well out of sight. If she planned an attack, it would have come already. He heaved a sigh, and his jaw hurt with the action. Lifting a hand, he held a his chin. Eating would be a pain until the ache in his jaw went away.
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Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 12:34 pm
[Academy Student]
Kiran winced as the towel laden in ice was pressed to his aching jaw. The refreshing coolness did help to ease some of the throbbing pain that lingered since his fight. Reaching up, he took hold of the towel to keep in place and offered his sister a look of gratitude. Disappointment reflected in her eyes as it always did after he returned home from a fight. She gained some understanding to his reasons for fighting after their last big talk, and she refrained from speaking angrily with her hands back how badly he could have been injured or how much she wished he wouldn't fight.
Still, there was that look of wonderment. Even without hand signals to ask the question, Kiran could read it in the expression on her face: Was the fight worth it? His claim for his reason to fight was mostly to protect then to stand up for what he believed. Neither of those could be used to explain the last fight that he got into. It certainly wasn't for some noble cause like he would have chosen to romance, but he could hardly blame to woman for fighting back after discovering his attempt to steal her precious heart shaped amethyst pendant. He actually found that admirable in her, though that was a quality he could never imagine in his sister. He never wanted to see his dear, sweet sister getting into some kind of scuffle after a rotten bully tried to take something from her. The image it brought to mind made his heart squeeze with fear at the thought that she might get hurt.
The double standard did not escape him, but he easily brushed it aside in his mind.
"It's not so bad," Kiran said, his words slightly slurred from the towel pressed to his jaw. Talking, though, was made uncomfortable by the pain from that woman's hard punch. "It'll heal up in no time."
Xiuying rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. Only mild amusement passed across her face at his attempt to joke off what could have been a serious injury. Her gaze drifted to his shoulder, bare without his usual vest to cover it but without injury. She placed a gentle hand on the shoulder and pulled on it to turn his back toward her. Her fingers danced over the feathers inked onto his back. When she let him turn back around to face her, a burst of amusement lit up her face.
I can't believe you did that, she signed not for the first time. She apparently still couldn't believe that a piece of art she drew was now displayed across his back.
"Is that another injury?" His mother's demanding voice came from the doorway.
Kiran cringed, dropping the towel filled with ice in exchange for reaching across the table to grab his vest. His side pinched at the action; the bruise to his lower abdomen no more healed than his aching jaw. His mother Daiyu dropped the bags onto the table, right on top of his vest. She pressed a hand down on the vest as well to prevent Kiran from yanking it toward him. Her eyes burned angrily into his eyes, and Kiran realized he wasn't getting out of this without another yelling match. Xiuying quietly got up from the table and started unpacking to the food their mother bought.
"It was only a little scuffle, nothing to worry about," Kiran assured her, even though "a little scuffle" was still something to scream about in his mother's eyes.
"I stayed silent when you came home with that black eye," Daiyu shouted, and Kiran still wondered over that. "But now you come home with a nearly broken jaw?"
"I would hardly call it nearly broken," Kiran said, trying to joke it off though that seemed to increase his mother's anger. "It's only a little bruised."
Rage and frustration flared in his mother's eyes. "I can't take this anymore." Daiyu roughly yanked some vegetables from the bag in front of her and stormed around the table to put them aside for later use. She turned back around as Kiran pulled his vest free from under the bags. "Is that a tattoo?" she shrieked upon spotting the wings inked over Kiran's upper back.
He quickly shrugged the vest into place, covering the tattoo from sight. He glanced over to see Xiuying making her exit from the room. Cringing, he wished his mother had stayed out shopping for just a little longer. Xiuying hated to listen to them fight. With a sigh, he stood up from the table. "It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal? I said you were never allowed to get one of those wretched things. You're getting it removed."
Kiran's fist clenched. He felt stifled under his mother's thumb and her attempts to control him. "It's my body," he argued vehemently. "I'll do as I like with it."
"Not while you're under my roof, you won't." Daiyu's mouth pursed into a thin angry line as they glared at each other, both refusing to give in to the other. Finally, Kiran turned and made his way toward the exit of the kitchen. "Just where do you think you're going?" She trailed after him in an angry huff.
"Somewhere other than 'under your roof,'" Kiran shouted furiously then stormed out of the house, leaving his mother stunned behind him. Regret twisted inside him as he tore down the street, but he couldn't stand his mother's constant harping at him. He was practically a grown man. He didn't need his mother telling him what he could and couldn't do with his own body. He stormed through the streets of the city until his long march brought him blindly to his destination.
His skin still tingled with the effects of his anger following the argument with his mother. He twisted the staff in his hands, running through training patterns with it. The staff felt awkward in his hands. Setting it back on the rack, he picked up a pair of broadswords and swung them sloppily. Weapons were never something he trained much with, and holding them felt strange after so many years of practicing bare handed combat.
"Another fight with your mother?" Uncle asked, watching with his usual sharp eyes as Kiran exchanged one weapon for another again and again. He had acquired a collection of weapons to practice with, though his preference had always been with a staff. Kiran's head only bobbed in response. Uncle's home tended to be his place to hide out after a spat with his mother. Uncle sighed and shook his head. "You and your mother are so much alike. Both stubborn beyond reason."
Kiran snorted at that comment, though it was painfully obvious that he inherited his stubbornness from his mother. He set aside a spear and picked up a hooked sword. It still amazed him to see all the weapons lining the wall of Uncle's training room. He spun the sword in his grip then thrust it out and stepped around, twisting his body as he slashed through the air with the gleaming, sharp blade. A hard blow struck the top of his head. Dropping the sword, Kiran rubbed held his aching head. "What was that for?" he demanded as he spun around to face Uncle. He rubbed at the sore spot on his head.
Uncle leaned on his staff like it was some sort of walking cane. "For acting like an immature brat." His expression was stern, giving Kiran no room for arguing. "Do you ever think about how your mother must feel every time she sees you come home injured? How would you feel if you saw Xiuying coming home with bruises all over her body?"
Kiran grumbled, not meeting Uncle's gaze. He quickly darted aside before Uncle could strike him a second time with the staff. It still wasn't fast enough to beat Uncle's swift movements, and he staff landed heavily on his shoulder. "I wouldn't like it," he admitted loudly, rubbing his shoulder. He bent down to retrieve the fallen sword and put it away. "But Mother never tries to understand my side of it. I haven't been getting into as many fights lately." Which was true enough. He was starting to pick his fights more carefully. The fight with Yue he started because he thought he would be helping Yue. And in the fight against the lovely woman whose name he never got, he defended himself after she made the first hard strikes. He could still feel a rattle in the bones of his arms in memory of those swift, hard kicks. Of course, the reason for that fight was still his fault for getting caught trying to steal her pendant.
"And? What do you plan to say to your mother when you return home?" Uncle asked, no doubt tiring of playing mediator between Daiyu and Kiran. Baladeva, Kiran's father, likely also grew tired of that same role. It almost made Kiran feel sorry for the both of them.
"I'm not," Kiran answered without looking at Uncle. He scanned over the weapons for ones he had yet to try. Then he picked up a pair of wooden tonfa. They were light in his hands and felt good in his grip. He moved through his usual movements, and the tonfa didn't hinder his actions in anyway. They almost felt natural and had the added bonus of protecting his forearm. He wouldn't need to worry about a bone shattering kick to his arms with the wooden shaft of the tonfa in the way.
"You're not what?" Uncle asked with obvious confusion over the cryptic response.
Kiran lifted his head and offered a sheepish grin. "Going home," he answered, almost questioningly like there was some uncertainty to his response. "I've been saving up for a place of my own anyway. I can't live with my parents forever, after all. And right now, it just feels like the best time to move out. Mother and I get into far too many fights over stupid things. It would probably be better for everyone if there was some space between us."
"Daiyu will be most unhappy with that decision."
Kiran sighed. "She can't make all my decisions for me. I'm old enough to decide things for myself. Though a bit of extra money never hurts." An innocent look crossed with face with a hopeful smile.
Uncle snorted. "Only if you work for it and don't include me when you tell Daiyu you're moving out."
"Done," Kiran said easily enough. Even if Uncle didn't necessarily approve of Kiran's decisions, their talks rarely led to arguments. "Do you mind if I have these?" He held up his arms to indicate the tonfa.
"If you like them," Uncle agreed, to which Kiran smiled joyfully. It would take time to get used to fighting with weapons, but Kiran thought it would be worth it.
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 9:51 pm
[Academy Student]
No Tricks This Time
PRP with VanAfter school at the academy, Kiran has some words to tell a certain female Lunarian. [COMPLETED]
When he returned to the library, Kiran picked up the books and scattered papers that he had written various notes on to help him with studying the material. He frowned as he looked around the large room with shelves of books on every topic one could want to learn about. How many hours had he spent in this library studying, cramming as much information into his brain before rushing off to take exams? He couldn't even begin to think of a proper number but was certain it was enough to fill another lifetime. Not long from now, he would be graduating from the Academy, and then he would have little reason to return here again.
He neatly stacked the papers and stuffed them into one of the books. Then with the books in hand, he strolled out of the library, making his way back to the entrance of the Academy to follow Van's example and head home. It was still a pleasant surprise to him that Van had accepted his apology. He was a little disgruntled that his mother's nagging was starting to influence him, but he guessed that was all a part of growing up and gaining some maturity. He wasn't sure how to explain his reasons for not taking the necklace after the fight. He had surely won the right to take it. But when the fight ended, he felt he had done enough damage to her for one day so decided against increasing his offense by snatching the necklace.
As he walked the streets, Kiran wondered if they would be a step close to some sort of friendship if they met for a third time. He had already made some friends on the Legion side, or at least tolerable acquaintances in some cases. But soon, he would be an official fighter for the Nobles. He might meet with those same friends and acquaintances on the battle field. He didn't really want to have to fight any of them. Fighting against Yue hadn't been something he wanted, but it seemed like something that she really needed at that time, so he had complied, though it had been a blow to his own pride when she beat him. But he guessed that was the danger of making friends with those on the other side: one day, they might have to face each other in battle.
But he wasn't going to let that be an excuse to keep him from making friends with Legionnaires. After all, he had discovered that some of them could make very good friends.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:12 pm
[Fighter]
Kiran adjusted the bit of driftwood on the wall where he decided to place it on a small shelf nailed onto the wall in his bedroom, though it acted as the main room of his apartment. The driftwood was carved with his bust, and anyone that knew might think that he was placing it in a spot visible from most angles in his new home simply because of his huge ego. But he didn't like to sit and admire the piece simply because it depicted his face. He enjoyed it because of the artistic skill put into creating it. Li's skill at carving amazed him, and he looked forward to seeing how much her skill improved by the next time they met.
He turned around, and his eyes swept over everything in his apartment. Most of his things had been unpacked, though a few boxes remained crammed with items. His apartment wasn't very large, but it was what he could afford and was enough space for just him. He had a place for washing up, a place for sleeping, and a place to do some cooking. Those basic things were all he really needed the apartment for anyway. He doubted that he would be spending too much time just lounging about inside the apartment.
After the visit to Uncle, Kiran had done a few odd jobs about Uncle's place to make a quick bit of money. But Uncle, as it turned out, didn't have all that much that he needed done that he couldn't simply do himself. They talked for some time, and after Kiran mentioned his desire to get a boat, one way or another, to fish out on the open waters, Uncle managed to help him get a job working under a master ship builder by the name of Bojing. This new job opportunity thrilled him, especially with the prospect of being able to build a boat exactly how he wanted it. But Kiran was also a bit nervous, though he wouldn't say so out loud to anyone, about the job. He had never done this kind of work before and, again he would never admit it, he worried he would mess up horribly on his very first day, which was scheduled to start only hours from now. He wanted to shrug it off and tell himself it couldn't be that complicated, but he suspected that it would be harder than his imaginings.
Kiran walked over to his bed and collapsed on top of it. His arms folded behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. He had a bit of time to relax after all the unpacking before he had to start heading down to his first day of work. And he wanted to be certain that he didn't end up arriving late because he was distracted with what he had left to unpack.
His sister had, understandably, been sad when he left. The tears gathering in her eyes as she said goodbye almost made him want to turn back and tell her that he decided not to move out after all. Instead, he hugged her tightly and reminded her that they would still see each other as much as before, he just would be sleeping at his own place. That reminder seemed to help to hold back her tears.
His mother - She still wasn't speaking to him and hadn't bothered to come to see him off when he left. She was furious with him for deciding to move out, but his father was working to persuade her to come around. It was a tough time for her. Kiran could, on some level, understand that. Her little boy was growing up, and even more so than before, he risked his life as he joined the ranks of Noble fighters. Her anger came from her worry over his safety. He saw that fear in her eyes every time he came home injured after a fight. But that wasn't going to stop him from fighting for his reasons.
His father took the move better than his sister and his mother. He simply nodded in understanding and clapped Kiran on the shoulder, like he knew this day would come. And perhaps he had. From what Kiran remembered of stories, his father had moved out of his family home when he was still quite young to live on his own as well. Kiran, probably, took a lot after his father, while his sister took after their mother in her pacifist ideas and the worry she felt every time he fought.
Kiran sighed as he climbed off his bed. It was time to start heading off to work. As he reached the door, Kiran paused and took a look around the apartment. His apartment. A place that was his and his alone. It felt good to have a place like that. It was almost like a new chapter of his life was finally starting.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:24 pm
[Fighter]
Apples and Lunarians
PRP with CaisAn average day in the city. Or is it? [COMPLETED]
Kiran whistled a low, soft tune as he walked down the street with his arms folded behind his head. He could see the shipyard where he worked just up ahead at the end of the street. With any luck, the lumber that he ordered would have arrived already so that he could continue working on the boat that he had left unfinished earlier due to the lack of sufficient lumber.
He had spent more time chatting with Cais than he realized, but he still had plenty of time before his boss Bojing expected him to return. A smile graced his face as he recalled the meeting with Cais. Who would have expected getting hit with an apple core would lead to such a nice encounter? He was glad that he had managed to keep his temper in check when usually an offensive action like getting hit with trash would have made him snap with anger.
Not until this meeting, he never would have considered himself an artist. It was a strange idea after so many years of believing that only his younger sister had been blessed with artistic talent. Kiran was interested in learning more about the glass blowing that Cais did. Perhaps next time they met, he would get to see the other Lunarian at work.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:29 pm
[Fighter]
The sun was high in the sky, and people bustled about on the busy market street. While everyone else went about busily looking at all the various wares and products that vendors were selling, Kiran strolled along the rooftops as he observed all the people on the street down below him. As people didn't tend to look up while perusing the market place, he went unnoticed. It gave him the perfect opportunity to eavesdrop on the various conversation that passersby were holding as they went about their day, never realizing that someone else might overhear vital bits of gossip.
It wasn't often that he heard something of great interest. Many times it was just women swapping recipes or bragging about something their husband or children did. As far as gossip, it was all fairly dull, leaving Kiran to feel unsatisfied with the day thus far. His green eyes drifted from Lunarian to Lunarian as he moved silently across the rooftops. He noted the size of the money purses attached to hips, like they wanted someone with thieving sticky fingers like Kiran to slip past them and pocket the money purse with them being the wiser. Then there were the ones that tried to sneakily conceal their purses, though from the looks of it, they didn't have very much money to hide from prying eyes. Other Lunarian's wore gaudy looking jewelry, several made with fake or lesser quality gemstones. But he made note of a few choice targets with very tempting jewels decorating their person for later.
With a sigh, he was about to call the day a lost cause after listening to a gaggle of women squealing over a fancy engagement on one of their hands for the last fifteen minutes. Kiran wrinkled his nose in disgust when he caught a brief glance of the ring before it was buried in the mass of women all trying to get a better look at it. The ring was the ugliest thing that he had ever seen. More gemstones didn't make something look "absolutely gorgeous" in his opinion. The ring looked like the creator had tried to stick every type of jewel that they could stick on it, yet the women gushed over it like it was most beautiful thing that they had ever seen in their lives.
"Can you believe it?" A voice drifted up out of the din below and made Kiran's ear fin twitch. "I hear she was spotted with a Noble Captain recently."
Kiran twisted around so quickly that he nearly tumbled off the roof. After he recovered his balance, he leaned over the edge of the rooftop to get a better look at the speaker. She was an older woman with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and gray hairs streaking through her dark hair. Her clothing looked expensive with diamond droplets sewn into the fine white gown. She had that air about her that Kiran often associated with Legionnaires, that air of superiority like she looked down her nose at people of a lower class. The woman, who she spoke with, had a greedy look in her brown eyes, eager to hear more of this juicy gossip. Kiran crouched low on the rooftop, listening carefully to the conversation, though neither woman seemed to care about keeping their voices low to avoid eavesdroppers.
"I don't believe it!" gasped the second woman, looking ready to go spread the word to the next person that she saw. "What would Chi Lee be doing hanging out with some Noble scum?"
Chi Lee? Kiran didn't recognize the name, not fully. But Lee sounded like a name that he had heard somewhere before. He wracked his mind for why that part of the name was familiar. It took some hard thinking before he recalled that it was Huang's family name. He hadn't had much to do with the other Lunarian since their fight at the fishing hole. He had seen Huang in passing, but they tended to avoid each other whenever they were in the same area.
The dark haired woman gave a haughty look in response, her reddened lips curving in a cruel, mischievous smirk. "Oh, who knows?" she questioned in an overly dramatic tone. "But what an embarrassment for the Lee family! Having a traitor in their midst." She gave a shake of her head, trying to give the appearance of being saddened by the news. "But she must think there's something to gain if she's decided to be in bed with a Noble." Her eyes darkened with pleasure as her friend gasped, eyes widening as she held a hand to her mouth.
"No!" the greedy gossiper whispered in shock, though the news seemed to please her as much as the dark haired woman.
"That's what I've heard from a very reliable source." The woman began to walk down the street, and her friend followed.
Kiran stood from his perch on the edge of the rooftop and hurried to keep up with them as they weaved their way through the crowded street. If this Chi Lee turned out to be related to Huang in some way, it might prove a very juicy bit of information that he could use should they face each other in the future. It was only a rumor, and even he knew not to take as anything more than that. But even a rumor might be a handy weapon to use as a distraction in a fight. The women were quickly moving out of his range of hearing as they crossed toward the other side of the street.
A wide gap between building was just ahead of him as he rushed to keep close enough to the women that he might overhear some more of their conversation. He wanted to learn all that he could about the rumor of Chi Lee and her meeting with a Noble Captain. When he reached the alley, Kiran leaped the gap, pushing off at the very edge of the rooftop. The distance, however, was far too wide for him to jump. His arms stretched, hands scrabbling to grab hold of the roof of the next building. His fingers scrapped down the side of the building. He crashed into a stack of crates below, the impact knocking the wind out of him. For a moment, he lay in a pile of broken wooden slates, stunned and catching his breath. He tried to recover quickly so that he could race to catch up with the women, but by the time he yanked himself free from the destroyed crates, the women were long gone. Kiran muttered a curse, frustration tingling under his skin. A day of waiting for something like this, and it slipped from his grasp. At the very least, he had something with which he could tease Huang.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:38 pm
[Fighter]
The Wedding of Qian Jianyu and Yue Lao
ORPKiran heads to the temple to wish the happy couple best wishes on their special day. [in progress]
To be filled in...
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:39 pm
[Fighter]
Playing with Fire
PRP with XiuIn a forested region, Kiran works on practicing his hand seals, unaware of any other Lunarian who might be passing nearby. [in progress]
To be filled in...
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:41 pm
[Fighter]
Kiran rubbed at his hands that still sports the faint lines from the burns that were a result of his poor attempt to practice his seal form magic. They no longer hurt, but they remained a constant reminder of his failure to learn how to properly use magic. During his days at the Academy, they had taught him the basics behind hand seal magic, but Kiran, feeling somewhat disgusted at himself, hadn't been able to master even the simple basics. Back then, he hadn't even been able to create more than the thinnest of wisps of smoke. Now, he still made only little wisps but also ran the risk of creating a wild burst of fire that had the potential to hurt him just as much as an enemy. Until he learned control over his magic, he knew he couldn't use it in battle.
After the conversation with Xiu, Kiran had to admit that asking one of the Noble captains to teach him how to properly use seal form magic was probably the best route to go. He knew of a few captain ranked Nobles that were proficient in fire type hand seal magic. One of those Nobles was Captain Yuan.
Often sent on stealth missions to infiltrate Legion camps and pick up vital information to report back to the Generals, Captain Yuan was a short, lithe man, not much taller than Kiran, himself. A thick mustache of pale blond covered his upper lip. He had small beady black eyes that had a sort of shiftiness to them that Kiran attributed to his constant awareness of his surroundings. Often times, he could be found barking at the men training under him about the importance of always being on guard and being alert for anything around them that might be considered unusual.
Kiran waited until the training session came to an end with a long lecture on the dangers of being caught off guard by the enemy. Captain Yuan finished his lecture by showing off, not for the first time, the long scar that ran from behind his left ear down his neck and disappeared under his black tunic. A reminder of his idiocy as a youth, he would tell them frequently. Several of the fighters fed the captain's ego with gasps and whispers and asking him to retell the story, that Kiran had lost count of how many times that he had heard it, about how exactly he had received the terrible scar. Kiran lingered behind, waiting for the last of the stragglers to leave before he approached the captain.
"Captain Yuan, sir," Kiran said, his throat feeling a bit constricted as he spoke. He hated admitting his terrible lack of skill at something, but as Xiu pointed out, he desperately needed a teacher if he wanted to master his magic.
Captain Yuan turned and greeted Kiran with a wide smile. "Well, my boy! Did you want to hear about my latest rump against those darn Legionnaires?"
Kiran gave it an awkward twitch of a smile upon realizing that Captain Yuan assumed him to be one of those fighters that was just waiting to gush over his stories. "No, perhaps another time," he said and noticed the immediate falter in the captain's grin. Captain Yuan was clearly eager to regale another youthful fighter with another tale of his glorious victory.
"No? Well, what is it then?" the captain demanded gruffly, like it was a great offense to turn down his offer of retelling his daring escapades. He shouldered the sword that he had been using during the training session and stared down his flat nose at Kiran, a rather impressive action considering small difference in height between them. "If it's nothing important, perhaps you can ask another time. I am quite busy, after all."
Kiran frowned, feeling a bit affronted at this brush off, but he decided it was best to dive right into the heart of the matter. "I've been looking for an experienced fighter," he started, hoping to appeal to the captain's ego, "to teach me in hand seal magic. Since I know you're very talented when it comes to fire type, I thought you would be the best choice."
Captain Yuan stared at Kiran for a moment, seeming like he might reject straight away without giving it a second thought. Then a smile twitched upon his lips, and he turned back fully toward Kiran. "First choice for a teacher, eh?" His small smile turned into a wide, proud grin.
Kiran thought it best not to mention that Captain Yuan was, actually, not even his second choice. He simply thought that of his choices, Captain Yuan was the most likely one to agree to teach him.
Captain Yuan's grin turned into a frown as he stared at Kiran. He leaned forward, squinting his beady little eyes at the young fighter like he was trying evaluate whether or not Kiran would make a good potential asset on any of his upcoming missions against the Legion. Kiran stood still, waiting and watching with keen eyes the changes in the captain's expression as he cycled through possibilities in his head, like this was a very important decision that could change the entire outcome of the war. Kiran couldn't fathom why it was taking the captain this long to come up with his answer to what Kiran had assumed to be a simply yes or no question.
Then after a seeming eternity of silence between the two fighters, Captain Yuan stood up straight, drawing himself up to full height, which wasn't as impressive as he might have hoped. "Yes, I think this will be an excellent arrangement," he said, nodding almost as if to himself. "But I have to prepare for a top secret mission that will keep me away for a bit of time. I'll send you word when we can have our first lesson."
"Thank you, Captain." Kiran bowed part way, but Captain Yuan waved it off with a parting "Until then" as he headed back to his quarters. The captain, from what Kiran had seen, was fairly competent when it came to using fire type hand seals, so Kiran felt confident with his decision on a teacher, even if there was some small part of Captain Yuan that rubbed him a little wrong. Perhaps it was in that boasting personality of the captain.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:44 pm
[Fighter]
When an Assassin Meets a Ninja
PRP with Huang - Battle with HuangHuang meets Kiran again after he is grown, and they meet on the battlefield. Maybe it will turn into something more, who knows? [COMPLETED - NOBLE WIN]
Kiran hissed as the medic dressed his wound, wrapping strips of white gauze around his waist. The needles hadn't punctured too deeply into his side, but with all the quick movements in the battle, he had pulled at them, causing more than a little blood to spill out of the small holes. The wounds shouldn't take too long to heal up, according to what the medic said as she looked over his injury.
Captain Ringo, however, didn't seem to have any concerns about his men and their injuries. No, he forced Kiran to stand at attention for a good thirty, maybe an hour, long rant about how he should have handled the situation, which involved immediately calling his attention to the Legionnaire that sneaked into their ranks. Apparently, being able to fight and chase off the assassin meant little to the man. But Kiran, at least, didn't stand there looking like he was about to cry like the new recruit he had seen Captain Ringo barking madly at earlier before the fight with Huang got started.
Looking bored, and a little pained from his injury, was probably not the wisest of decisions though. Kiran suspected that tacked on a good ten minutes to the ranting that Captain Ringo gave him. Lesson learned for the next time, he supposed, though he still believed he hadn't done anything wrong in that situation. What did Captain Ringo know about Huang? If Kiran hadn't gone after him, Huang could have succeeded in his mission, whatever it was. Kiran knew the speed Huang possessed. If he hadn't done something, Huang would have been gone in a brutal flash.
Kiran thanked the medic after she finished and told him that he could go. He pulled on his blood stained top and left the tent. At the start of the fight, he had been nervous that Huang possessed better skill than he, having been a fighter for the Legion army longer than Kiran had been for the Noble army. Despite his second victory over the assassin, Kiran felt a thrill of encouragement driving him to improve his skills and get stronger. Who knows what outcome might be for their next battle? A victory wasn't going to make him sit around idly and give Huang an upper hand for the next time.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:51 pm
[Fighter]
A Long Time Coming
PRP with SaknKiran heads down to the docks to meet up with Sakn. [in progress]
To be filled in...
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